Czech crown closes on record highs after S&P news

PRAGUE, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Czech crown firmed within sight of all-time highs against the euro on Monday, benefiting from a bullish mood in central Europe and partly also from news that S&P confirmed the country's credit ratings.

The crown traded at 27.940 per euro <0#EURCZK=> by 1520 GMT, about 0.2 percent firmer from Thursday's domestic close and not far off a life-time high of 27.875 posted on Nov. 6. Czech markets were closed on Friday for a national holiday.

Standard & Poor's affirmed its 'A-/A-2' foreign currency and 'A/A-1' local currency sovereign credit ratings on Czech Republic, with a positive outlook, saying medium-term prospects for economic growth remained good.

"The S&P report may have moved the crown a little bit further to firmer levels, but the market had already been inclined to push the crown higher before the news to reflect the firming pressure on regional currencies," said Miroslav Tutter, senior currency dealer at CSOB bank.

Low volatility, relatively high interest rates and a generally benign view of the world economy right now have all been helping support inflows into emerging markets.

----------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 1520 GMT ----------------- Crown/euro <EURCZK=> last deals at 27.940 (+0.16 pct) Crown/dollar <CZK=> at 21.766 bid (+0.27 pct)

5-year yield due Oct 2010 <CZ5YT=RR> 3.51 pct bid (+3 bps) 10-year yield due Jan 2016 <CZ10YT=RR> 3.74 pct bid (flat)

5-yr CZK/EUR mid yield spread <DE114147=> -19 bps (vs -22) 10-yr CZK/EUR mid yield spread <DE113529=> 3 bps (vs 2)

Current levels versus prior domestic close at 1500 GMT ---------------------------------------------------------------

((Reporting by Marek Petrus; Editing by David Christian-Edwards; Reuters Messaging: rm://marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; e-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com or marek.petrus@reuters.com; Tel: +420 224 190 477))

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Keywords: MARKETS CZECH CROWN CLOSE