Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Dec 21

    Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial 
markets on Thursday. 
     
    RECORD CROWN HELPS SLOVAK C.BANK TO HOLD RATES 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) held its key interest rates 
unchanged on Wednesday for the third month in a row after a rise 
in the crown to record highs helped it to fend off inflation 
pressures. 
    [ID:nL20480441] [RTRS-CEN-INT-PLCY-MCE-SK] 
     
    GOVT PROMISES TO NAME C.BANK VICE-GOV IN JAN 
    The Slovak government has promised to name a new central 
bank (NBS) vice-governor for monetary policy in January, NBS 
governor Ivan Sramko said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL2093192] [RTRS-CEN-POL-SK] 
     
    CROWN HITS RECORD HIGH ON REGIONAL MOOD 
    The Slovak crown hit a record high of 34.580 against the 
euro late on Wednesday, firming 0.8 percent on a bullish 
regional mood which outweighed the central bank's (NBS) decision 
to leave rates on hold, dealers said. 
    [ID:nL20623904] [RTRS-MMT-FRX--SK-LEN] 
     
    JAN-OCT C/A GAP WIDENS Y/Y TO SKK 110 BLN 
    Slovakia's current account showed a preliminary deficit of 
109.9 billion crowns ($4.18 billion) for the first 10 months of 
the year, up from a 75.31 billion gap a year ago, the central 
bank said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nPRG000181] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-CEN-SK-LEN] 
     
    END-SEPT FOREIGN DEBT SHRINKS TO $29.3 BLN 
    Slovakia's gross foreign debt edged down to $29.336 billion 
at the end of September from $29.783 billion at the end of 
August, the central bank said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL20188483] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN] 
     
    FITCH AFFIRMS SLOVAKIA'S RATINGS 
    Fitch ratings has on Wednesday affirmed Slovakia's foreign 
currency Issuer Default rating ("IDR") as 'A' and local currency 
IDR at 'A+'. At the same time, the agency affirmed Slovakia's 
short-term foreign currency IDR at 'F1' and Country Ceiling at 
'AA'. The outlooks on IDRs are Stable. 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    MECIAR CRITICISES PM, COALITION LEADERS TO MEET 
    Junior coalition party HZDS, headed by former-Prime Minister 
Vladimir Meciar, has criticised Prime Minister Robert Fico for 
political nominations by Fico's Smer party. The coalition 
partnes are expected to hold an extraordinary meeting in the 
coming days. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    GOVT APPROVES PPP HIGHWAY PROJECTS 
    The government cleared on Wednesday the Public Private 
Partnership projects in Slovakia for highway building in 2007. 
    Pravda, page 11 
     
    SLOVAKS MULL LAWSUIT AGAINST EC 
    Slovakia's is considering to file a lawsuit against the 
European Commission (EC) in reaction to an EC demand to cut the 
annual carbon dioxide cap for the 2008-2012 period.  
    Sme, page 6 
    
    For an economic indicator diary for the euro zone, the ed 
States and other Group of Seven countries, see . For a 
diary of forthcoming Slovak events, double click [SK/DIARY], and 
for a calendar of east European economic indicators, see 
[CONV/DIARY]. 
     
    News editor of the day: Alan Crosby on +421 2 5341 8402; 
fax: +421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: reuters@editorial.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: peter.laca.reuters.com@reuters.net 
     
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets: 
 Warsaw WIG20   Budapest BUX   Prague PX50  
 Other related news: 
 Slovak equities      [SK-E]  E.Europe equities           [.CEE] 
 Slovak money         [SK-M]  Czech debt                  [CZ-D] 
 Slovak Indicators  [SK-ECI]  Emerging forex          [EMRG/FRX] 
 Eastern European     [EEU]   All emerging markets        [EMRG] 
 Hot stocks           [HOT]   Stock markets                [STX] 
 Market debt news     [DBT]   Forex news                   [FRX] 
 TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets                         [TOP/EMRG] 
 TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch                        [TOP/EAST] 
 ((Bratislava Newsroom; Email: editorial@reuters.sk; 
+421-905-602-847)) 
  

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]