Czech crown holds flat, bonds await 15-yr auction

PRAGUE, Dec 5 (Reuters) - The Czech crown stagnated around 28 per euro on Tuesday as investors marked time before Wednesday's release of October foreign trade data and an auction of the benchmark 15-year government note.

The crown at 28.015 per euro <0#EURCZK=> by 1455 GMT, more than half a percent weaker from a record high of 27.820 in offshore trading on Nov. 30.

October trade data <CZFTB=ECI> are due out at 0800 GMT on Wednesday, with analysts predicting a 4.0 billion crown ($190.2 million) surplus, according to the median forecast in a Reuters poll <ECONCZ>, after a 7.5 billion surplus a month earlier.

Economists said the crown could gain ground in the near-term if the trade data, and third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) statistics and November inflation due for release on Friday, point to solid, non-inflationary growth in the economy.

"We expect a positive result in the trade balance thanks to strong exports of machines and transport equipment on the one hand and lower imported raw material prices on the other," analysts at CSOB bank said in a report.

Local currency government debt yields <0#CZBMK=> inched mostly lower before the finance ministry's primary offering of a 7 billion crown ($332.9 million) tranche tapping the 3.75 percent bond due 2020 <CZ15YT=RR>.

Its yield has fallen to 8-month lows on growing expectations the firm crown and subdued inflation will delay any interest rate increase into the first or the second quarter of next year.

"A recent issue of this bond attracted high demand, and hence the coming auction should also attract enough investors," CSOB analysts said.

In an auction of the same paper last month, bids reached 1.81 times the amount sold in the first round of the tender.

The economy is forecast to have grown at a 5.2 percent clip in the third quarter, deepening the slowdown from its cycle peak early this year. Inflation is seen ticking up to 1.5 percent in November from a near 1-1/2-year low of 1.3 percent in October.

- FOR GDP AND CPI FORECASTS, DOUBLE CLICK ON [ID:nL30712025] and [ID:nL30590160].

----------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 1455 GMT ----------------- Crown/euro <EURCZK=> last deals at 28.015 (-0.04 pct) Crown/dollar <CZK=> at 20.951 bid (+0.05 pct)

5-year yield due Oct 2010 <CZ5YT=RR> 3.31 pct bid 10-year yield due Jan 2016 <CZ10YT=RR> 3.59 pct bid

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

((Reporting by Marek Petrus; Editing by xxx xxx; 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