PRAGUE, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The Czech foreign trade balance posted a 7.46 billion crown ($339.2 million) surplus in September, exceeding market expectations as the monthly export volumes reached the second highest in the country's history. The monthly figure marked the best result for September on record, according to the available data series from 1996. KEY POINTS: (in bln CZK) Sept Aug Sept fcast balance 7.46 -2.07 5.0 (nominal y/y change in pct) exports 9.4 8.9 n/a imports 8.4 7.1 n/a (For full table of trade data, click on........[ID:nPRA001008]) - According to seasonally-adjusted preliminary data, exports rise 1.3 percent in September from August while imports drop 0.7 percent month-on-month. - In euro terms, exports rise by 13.0 percent and imports by 11.9 percent year-on-year in September, outpacing the growth rates in local currency terms because of a firming in the crown. BACKGROUND: - Market expectations before release [ID:nL30918482] - Slovak Aug trade figures [ID:nL12475445] - Polish trade in Aug [ID:nL13138633] - Hungary's Aug trade data [ID:nBUD001743] - Report on last Czech c.bank rate decision [ID:nL26548848] [ID:nPRA001007] - For further details on September foreign trade and other past data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Czech Statistical Bureau's website: http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/kalendar/2004-vzo - For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on <ECONCZ> - Instant Views on other Czech data click on [CZ/INSTANT] - Overview of Czech macroeconomic indicators [CZ/ECI] - Key data releases in central Europe [CEE-CONVERGENCE-WATCH] - For Czech money markets data click on <CZKVIEW> - Czech money guide <CZK/1> - Czech benchmark state bond prices <0#CZBMK=> - Czech forward money market rates <CZKFRA> ((Writing by Marek Petrus; Editing by Alan Crosby; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 477)) ($1=21.99 Czech Crown) Keywords: ECONOMY CZECH TRADE