Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Aug 14

...Statistics Office will publish flash estimate of second 
quarter GDP data, 0700 GMT. The market forecast real GDP growth 
of 9.4 percent. 
     
    REPO TENDER 
    The central bank will hold a regular two-week repo tender to 
drain money market liquidity. 
     
    PENSION FUNDS NEWS CONFERENCE 
    The Pension Funds Association will hold a news conference. 
     
    Q2 GDP GROWTH SEEN ACCELERATING TO 9.4 PCT 
    Slovak economic growth probably accelerated in the second 
quarter despite a disappointing trade balance, a Reuters poll 
showed on Monday, with analysts saying robust expansion was not 
inflationary. 
    [ID:nL1323535] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-PRE-SK] 
     
    SLOVAKS SEEK $5 BLN OF PRIVATE MONEY FOR HIGHWAYS 
    The Slovak government wants private capital to finance 
highway projects worth 121.6 billion crowns ($4.97 billion) by 
2010 as it seeks to balance faster road construction with the 
need to cut fiscal deficit. 
    [ID:nL13234606] [RTRS-CON-RRL-SK] 
     
    ROSNEFT SAYS TO BID FOR YUKOS FOREIGN ASSETS 
    Russian state-controlled oil firm Rosneft  has 
submitted a bid to buy the foreign assets of bankrupt oil firm 
YUKOS  at a state-forced auction on Wednesday, Rosneft 
said on Monday. 
    [ID:nL13674795] [RTRS-BKRT-OILI-OILG-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    CREDIT EXPANSION 
    Slovakia is expected to see record volume of mortgages and 
loans in 2008. Analysts saw no risks in credit expansion at 
present, saying the country was experiencing its the best 
economic year ever. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    INSURERS MERGER DELAYED 
    The healthcare ministry said it would delay the planned 
merger of two state-owned health insurance companies until 
Slovakia adopts the euro. The ministry was expected submit its 
merger proposal by the end of August. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    EURO CAMPAIGN 
    The finance ministry has picked Creo/Young&Rubicam and a  
Slovak company Medaiage:cia for a 134 million crown information 
campaign on euro adoption. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    BAKERY CARTEL 
    The Antimonopoly Office has levied a fine of 37.3 million 
crowns ($1.52 million) on three bakeries for a cartel agreement 
over prices of bread. 
    Sme, page 6 
     
    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: Peter Laca on +421 2 5341 8402; fax: 
+421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: peter.laca.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=24.47 Slovak Crown) 
  

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]