Slovak crown edges up vs euro before cbank meeting

    BRATISLAVA, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The Slovak crown edged up 
against the euro on Monday as the market awaited the outcome of 
the central bank's (NBS) policy meeting on Tuesday, dealers 
said. 
    A wave of profit-taking in central Europe pushed the crown 
weaker last week from the record high of 35.495 per euro hit on 
Nov. 21. 
    At 1500 GMT, the crown stood at 35.600 per euro <EURSKK=>, 
compared with 35.680 late on Friday. 
    Most analysts expect the NBS to wait for detailed gross 
domestic product data, due next month, and leave the key 
two-week repo rate at 4.75 percent on Tuesday. 
    "Given that hopes of a hike this week have faded, the 
crown's reaction to tomorrow's board meeting should be muted, 
leaving the euro in the driving seat," said Lucy Bethell, 
currency strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland in London. 
    Slovakia ranked among the world's fastest growing economies 
in the third quarter, with a record annual rise of 9.8 percent. 
The detailed GDP data release on Dec. 7 will show whether the 
fast growth pace could trigger inflationary pressures. 
    But some dealers said the crown might soften towards a 
psychological 36.0 per euro level, if the NBS stays put. 
    The bank, which has raised interest rates by 175 basis 
points this year to keep inflation pressures at bay, will start 
the regular monthly meeting at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Tuesday. 
----------------MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 1500 GMT------------------- 
Crown/Euro <EURSKK=> 35.600 vs 35.680 on Friday (+0.22 pct) 
Crown/Dollar <SKK=>  27.078 vs 27.250 (+0.54 pct) 
5-yr govt bond <SK5YT=RR> yield 4.426/4.224 pct vs 4.374/4.176 
8-yr govt bond <SK8YT=RR> yield 4.397/198 vs 4.357/158 pct 
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  ((Reporting by Martin Dokoupil, editing by Gerrard Raven; 
Reuters Messaging: martin.dokoupil.reuters.com@reuters.net; +421 
5341 8402)) 
  Keywords: MARKETS SLOVAKIA CROWN CLOSE