Slovakia - Factors To Watch on June 8

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RETAIL SALES DATA

The Statistics Office will publish April retail sales data, 0700 GMT. Analysts forecast retail sales rose by 6.2 percent year-on-year in April.

INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT

The Statistics Office will publish April industrial output data, 0700 GMT. Analysts forecast industrial output rose by 15.1 percent year-on-year in April.

AVG INDUSTRIAL WAGE

The Statistics Office will publish April average industrial wage data, 0700 GMT.

CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT

The Statistics Office will publish April construction output data, 0700 GMT.

C.BANK WEEKLY FOREX RESERVES DATA

The central bank will publish its weekly foreign currency reserves data, 1200 GMT.

PM FICO MEETS U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Prime Minister Robert Fico meets representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce.

CROWN CONVERSION RATE SEEN AT 32.4/EURO -SURVEY

The Slovak crown conversion rate for euro adoption will be probably fixed at 32.39 per euro, much firmer from current levels but a touch below earlier estimates, a survey by INEKO think-tank showed on Thursday.

[ID:nL07788350] [RTRS-CEN-POL-EUR-SK]

CROWN WEAKENS TO 3-MO LOWS,MORE LOSSES SEEN

The Slovak crown extended losses against the euro on Thursday, touching a new three-month low, and dealers said more weakening was on the cards in the near term due to bearish regional sentiment.

[ID:nL07822346] [RTRS-MMT-FRS-SK]

PRESS DIGEST

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LABOUR OFFICE JOB CUTS

Labour Office and its regional units will cut their number of employees by 1,501 by the end of the year.

Sme, page 2

VOLKSWAGEN SLOVAKIA EYES NEW CONTRACTORS

Volkswagen Slovakia showed interest for new contractors based in Slovakia. Currently 70 percent of car components have Slovak origin at the plant.

Sme, page 6

FUEL PRICES

Slovak fuel prices will rise by 0.5 crowns to 38.50 crown per liter, effective June 8, putting prices to nine-month highs.

Pravda, page 20

FDI SHIFT FROM CENTRAL TO EASTERN EUROPE

Volume and inflow of foreign direct investment is shifting from central Europe to eastern European countries, such as ex-Soviet countries and Balkan countries.

Pravda, page 21

For news on upcoming events in the United States and other Group of Seven countries, see . For a diary of forthcoming Slovak events, double click [SK/DIARY], and a calendar of east European economic indicators, see [CONV/DIARY].

News editor of the day: Alan Crosby, on +420 224 190 477; fax: +420 224 229 935

E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk

Reuters Messaging: martin.dokoupil.reuters.com@reuters.net

For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets:

Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX50 Other related news: Slovak equities [SK-E] E.Europe equities [.CEE] Slovak money [SK-M] Czech debt [CZ-D] Slovak Indicators [SK-ECI] Emerging forex [EMRG/FRX] Eastern European [EEU] All emerging markets [EMRG] Hot stocks [HOT] Stock markets [STX] Market debt news [DBT] Forex news [FRX] TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets [TOP/EMRG] TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch [TOP/EAST]

($1=25.14 Slovak Crown)