INSTANT VIEW 1-Czech Dec trade deficit bigger than forecast

    The Czech foreign trade balance 
posted a 3.25 billion crown ($150.5 million) monthly deficit in 
December, slightly bigger than the market had expected after a 
4.03 billion crown shortfall in the same month a year earlier. 
    For the whole of last year, the trade balance showed a 
cumulative surplus of 47.27 billion crowns, the biggest in the 
country's history, after a 38.62 billion crowns surplus in 2005. 
 
KEY POINTS: 
(in bln CZK)           Dec        Nov           Dec fcast 
 balance              -3.25       6.43          -2.0 
(nominal y/y change in pct) 
 exports              12.5       16.1            n/a 
 imports              11.7       14.2            n/a 
(brackets denote previously reported data) 
 
 (For full table of trade data, click on........[ID:nPRA001136]) 
 
- According to seasonally-adjusted preliminary data, exports dip 
0.5 percent in December from November while imports fall 4.3 
percent month-on-month. 
- The year-on-year narrowing in the monthly deficit from 4.03 
billion crowns in December 2005 comes on the back of a 3.9 
billion rise in machinery and transport equipment surplus, and a 
0.7 billion drop in the deficit in trade with mineral fuels. 
- In euro terms, exports rise 17.4 percent and imports by 16.5 
percent year-on-year in December, outpacing the growth rates in 
local currency terms because of a firming in the crown. 
 
BACKGROUND: 
- Market expectations before release             [ID:nL01866382] 
- Slovak Nov trade figures                       [ID:nL11569479] 
- Polish trade in Nov                            [ID:nWAR005185] 
- Hungary's Nov trade data                       [ID:nL09928132] 
- Report on last Czech c.bank rate decision      [ID:nPRA001122] 
                                 [ID:nL02157584] [ID:nL25513531] 
 
- For further details on December foreign trade and other past 
data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Czech Statistical 
Bureau's website: 
    http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/kalendar/2004-vzo 
 
- For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on        
- Instant Views on other Czech data click on        [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                 
- Czech money guide                                       
- Czech benchmark state bond prices                    
- Czech forward money market rates                       
 
 ((Writing by Marek Petrus; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters 
Messaging: marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 
477)) 
 ($1=21.59 Czech Crown) 
  Keywords: CZECH TRADE/  
    

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]