Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Jan 17

    Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial 
markets on Wednesday. 
     
    DEC EU-NORM INFLATION 
    The Statistics Office releases EU-norm inflation data for 
December (0800 GMT). Analysts expect consumer prices to have 
risen by 0.1 percent on the month in December, putting the 
annual rate to 3.7 percent. 
     
     
    REGULAR GOVERNMENT MEETING 
    The government holds its regular weekly meeting (0900 GMT). 
     
    CBANKER SAYS STRONG SKK TIGHTENING POLICY 
    Slovak central bank (NBS) board member Karol Mrva said on 
Tuesday that a strong crown currency has tightened monetary 
policy, and he could not say if the next move by the NBS on 
interest rates would be up or down. 
    [nL16572170] [RTRS-CEN-INT-PLCY-FRX-SK] 
     
    C.BANK NOT MULLING CROWN PEG REVALUATION -AGENCY 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) is not mulling whether to 
revalue the crown's peg to the euro, but such a possibility 
cannot be ruled out, board member Karol Mrva was quoted as 
saying by TASR news agency on Tuesday. 
    [nL16750849] [RTRS-EU-CEN-FRX-SK] 
     
    SLOVAKS PLAN TO CHALLENGE EU 
    Slovakia is preparing legal action against the European 
Commission (EC) in reaction to a demand the EU member cut its 
annual carbon dioxide cap for the 2008-2012 period, the 
environment ministry said on Tuesday. 
    [nL16462683] [RTRS-ELG-ENV-CO2-SK] 
     
    C.BANK REJECTS SOME BIDS IN 2-WEEK REPO 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) rejected part of the bids made 
in a regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, leaving banks with 
excess crown liquidity for the third week in a row. 
    [nL16480270] [RTRS-CEN-FRX-INT-SK] 
     
    CROWN AT 1-MO LOW VS EURO IN VOLATILE TRADE 
    The Slovak crown fell to a one-month low of 34.950 per euro 
in volatile Tuesday trade, failing to keep mid-day gains as 
investors cut crown exposure, dealers said. 
    [nL16614334] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    SLOVAKS START WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ 
    Slovakia's has begun withdrawal of its 110-soldiers 
contingent from Iraq, the government aims to bring troops home 
by end of February. 
    Sme, page 2 
     
    SMER LEADS IN POLL WITH RECORD SUPPORT 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico's leftist party Smer remains the 
most popular faction, registering 47.7 percent in the January 
poll by the Statistics Office, showing the strongest support 
ever for single party in Slovakia's history. 
    Sme, page 2 
     
    PRIVATE EQUITY GROUP J&T CONTROLS TV JOJ 
    Slovakia's private equity group J&T secured full-control in 
country's second largest private television channel TV Joj. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    United States and other Group of Seven countries, see 
. For a diary of forthcoming Slovak events, double 
click [SK/DIARY], and a calendar of east European economic 
indicators, see [CONV/DIARY]. 
     
    News editor of the day: Peter Laca on +421 2 5341 8402; fax: 
+421 2 5341 8403 
     E-mail: bratislava.newsroom@reuters.com 
    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: bratislava.newsroom@reuters.com; 
+421-905-602-847)) 
 ($1=26.93 Slovak Crown) 
  

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]