...said on Thursday. *************************************************************** KEY POINTS: SLOVAK HEADLINE CPI SEPT 07 SEPT 07 FCASTS pct change mo/mo +0.2 +0.1 pct change yr/yr +2.8 +2.7 (for full table please click ............ [ID:nPRG000536]) - September core inflation rate, which excludes the impact of changes to state-regulated prices and excise taxes, rises 0.2 percent month-on-month, compared with the market forecast of +0.1 percent. - Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel prices are flat month-on-month in September, after 0.4 percent growth in August. - Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages jump 1.0 percent on the month in September after a 0.4 percent drop in August. - Transportation prices, influenced mainly by oil costs, fall by 0.1 percent on the month in September, after a 0.6 percent growth in August. MARKET REACTION: - The Slovak crown was unchanged after the data release, standing at 33.580 per euro as of 0705 GMT. It closed at 33.599 on Wednesday. BACKGROUND: - Inflation data were calculated according to domestic methodology. - The central bank sets its goals according to inflation calculated under the EU-harmonised consumer price index as part of Slovakia's goal to adopt the euro in 2009. - The Statistics Office will release EU-norm inflation data for September on October 16. - The market followed local inflation data in the past because of their earlier release, but analysts have started to pay more attention to statistics by EU-methodology after the two figures began to show wider differences earlier in 2007. - Slovak inflation accelerated in 2005 and 2006 due to hikes in natural gas and heating prices for households. - But price growth slowed down at the start of 2007 partly due to the government pressure on utilities. - The central bank, which cut its key two-week repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.25 percent in March and April, after a rising crown tightened monetary conditions and helped improve the inflation outlook, held interest rates steady in September. LINKS: - For further details on September inflation and other past data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Slovak Statistics Office's website: http://wwww.statistics.sk/webdata/english/index2_a.htm - For LIVE Slovak economic data releases, click on...... - Schedule of upcoming indicator releases............ - Summary of short-term economic data forecasts...... - Stories on Slovak currency moves........................[SKK/] - Slovak speed money guide .............................. - Slovak benchmark state bond prices ................. - Slovak forward money market rates ....................
[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]