Slovak crown hits 5-wk low on region, eyes govt row

...government 
political tensions in focus, traders said. 
    The crown stood at 33.715 per euro , its weakest 
level since Oct. 16. The unit closed at 33.570 on Thursday. 
    "Investors continue to close emerging markets positions, it 
seems there will be more weakening pressure on the crown," said 
VUB Bank dealer Laco Benedek.  
    "Levels above 33.700 per euro should provide strong support, 
this will depend on the Polish zloty." 
    Analyst said investors, so far, have ignored the latest 
tensions within the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister 
Robert Fico, but added a further escalation of the crisis could 
put the crown currency under additional pressure. 
    Fico was poised to sack his farm minister on Friday amid 
accusations of corruption, a move that is likely to further 
escalate tensions inside the fractious ruling coalition. 
    "The coalition crisis probably does not help either, 
although we do not see it as the main cause of the currency 
weakness," Slovenska Sporitelna wrote in a market note. 
 --------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 0901 GMT ------------------- 
Crown/euro at 33.715 vs 33.570 on Thursday (-0.43 pct) 
Crown/dollar  at 22.677 bid vs 22.600 (-0.34 pct) 
 5-yr bond yld due Mar 2012  at 4.63 pct bid vs 4.55 
10-yr bond yld due April 2017  at 4.69 pct vs 4.80 
 --------------------------------------------------------------- 
    (Reporting by Martin Santa) 
     
 
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[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]