Slovak crown recovers from five-week lows vs euro

    The Slovak crown firmed 0.5 
percent against the euro on Thursday, rebounding from five-week 
lows seen in the previous session, helped by improved sentiment 
in emerging markets, dealers said. 
    At 1015 GMT, the crown traded at 34.835 per euro , 
compared with Wednesday's close of 35.010 and a five-week bottom 
of 35.115. 
    "We did not manage to break 35.100 per euro, which was the 
resistance level, so foreign banks sold euros again," said 
Andrej Zeman, dealer at ING Bank in Bratislava. 
    The crown lost ground along with regional peers on 
Wednesday, but Thursday's decision by the Bank of Japan to keep 
interest rates unchanged renewed investor appetite for emerging 
risk, analysts said. 
    The crown did not move on remarks by the central bank (NBS) 
board member Peter Sevcovic, who said Slovakia could meet euro 
entry inflation criteria sooner than expected. 
    Sevcovic's remarks followed similar comments by fellow board 
member Karol Mrva made on Wednesday. 
    Traders said the market would now focus on U.S. inflation 
data, due out later on Thursday. 
    "If the numbers are negative for emerging markets, the crown 
might return above the level of 35.0 per euro," KBC Bank said in 
a note. 
----------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 1015 GMT ----------------- 
 Crown/euro  34.835 vs 35.010 on Wednesday (+0.53 pct) 
 Crown/dollar   26.915 vs 27.051 (+0.51) 
5-yr govt bond  yield 4.306/3.906 vs 4.336/3.937 pct 
7-yr govt bond  yield 4.387/4.147 vs 4.371/4.170 pct 
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[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]