PRAGUE, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Czech economic growth slowed to 5.8 percent in the third quarter from a revised 6.0 percent rise in the previous three months, but still beat the market forecast of a sharper slowdown thanks to investments and private spending. The Czech expansion lagged the boom in the neighbouring Slovakia, which posted 9.8 percent growth in July-September and took over from the Czech Republic as the fastest growing economy in post-Communist central Europe. But the Czech economy still ran neck-and-neck with Poland and outpaced Hungary, which reported 3.8 percent growth on Friday. KEY POINTS: (pct change) Q3/06 Q2/06 Fcast Q3 year/year 5.8 6.0 (6.2) 5.2 (For full table of Q2 GDP data...................[nPRA001071]) - Growth is driven by gross capital formation, including a 7.2 percent gain in fixed investment and a build-up of inventories. - Household consumption revives, rising 4.0 percent. - Government spending falls 2.6 percent. - Exports up 11.4 percent, imports up 10.6 percent year-on-year in real prices. COMMENTARY: PETR DUFEK, ANALYST, CSOB, PRAGUE "Household consumption is accelerating, but foreign trade is contributing as well to the growth. The number is not surprising and the revision of previous figures of GDP growth is only cosmetic. "Positive trends are continuing, we only have to count on GDP growth slowly falling. Generally, it's a good number for the crown, but the currency will rather look abroad than at 'old' GDP data." MARKET REACTION: Crown currency at 27.950 to the euro <EURCZK=> from 27.99 ahead of the data. BACKGROUND: - For story on analysts' expectations before the data release, double click on [ID:nL30680319] - Slovak Q3 GDP [ID:nL0737610] - Poland's Q3 GDP [ID:nL30723924] - Hungary's Q3 GDP [ID:nBUD001815] LINKS: - For further details on third quarter GDP and past data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Czech Statistical Bureau's website: http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/kalendar/2004-hdp - For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on <ECONCZ> - Instant Views on other Czech data [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 Jan Lopatka; Editing by Alan Crosby; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 477)) Keywords: CZECH ECONOMY/GDP