Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 18

                                
 BRATISLAVA, May 18 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Monday.
                                
 
                                
 T-BILL AUCTION
                                
 The finance ministry's Debt and Liquidity Management Agency
will auction 238-day treasury bills.
                                
 
                                
 GDP FALLS MORE THAN EXPECTED AS CRISIS HITS
                                
 The Slovak economy fell by 5.4 percent in the first quarter,
more than twice as deep as expected, as the euro zone newcomer
took a hit from the global economic downturn, data showed on
Friday.
                                
 [ID:nLF919010] [RTRS-CZE-MCE-PLCY-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK SAYS MOODY'S VIEW OF BANKS IS WRONG
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) criticised Moody's rating
agency for downgrading the euro zone newcomer's banking system
outlook to negative, saying it did not reflect situation in the
sector and may be harmful.
                                
 [ID:nLF413615] [RTRS-BNK-REGS-AAA-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAK FINMIN SEES 2009 GDP DOWN 2.6 PCT
                                
 The Slovak economy is seen contracting by 2.6 percent this
year but a turnaround may come already in the fourth quarter,
Finance Minister Jan Pociatek said after poor first quarter data
on Friday.
                                
 [ID:nPRG001430] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-MCE-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 FITCH RATES SLOVAK EUROBOND 'A+'
                                
 Fitch Ratings has today assigned Slovakia's upcoming
eurobond (maturing January 2015) an 'A+' rating. The rating is
in line with the Slovakia's Long-term foreign currency Issuer
Default Rating (IDR) of 'A+', which has a Stable Outlook.
                                
 [ID:nWLA4378] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-AAA-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 APRIL INFLATION SLOWS TO 20-MONTH LOW
                                
 Slovak EU-norm consumer prices fell by 0.1 percent on the
month in April, putting the annual inflation rate at a 20-month
low of 1.4 percent, the Slovak Statistics Office said on Friday.
                                
 [ID:nLF373976] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 SLOVENSKE ELEKTRARNE PROFIT
                                
 Power utility Slovenske Elektrarne, managed by Italy's
utility Enel <ENEI.MI>, will reinvest its full 2008 profit into
completion of the 3rd and 4th blocks of the nuclear power plant
Mochovce.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 SDKU ON ELECTION
                                
 The Chairman of the strongest opposition party, Mikulas
Dzurinda, will be the party's leader in the 2010 general
election after his sole contender, Iveta Radicova, withdrew her
candidacy.
                                
 Sme, page 1
                                
 
                                
 DEBT TROUBLES
                                
 The number of Slovaks with problems to repay loans is rising
as slowing economy continues to cut jobs and forces people to
seek re-scheduling of debt payments.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 For news on upcoming events in the United States and other
Group  of Seven countries, see <G7TODAY>. 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 5341 8402 fax:
+421 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk, peter.laca@thomsonreuters.com
                                
 Reuters Messaging: martin.santa.reuters.com@reuters.net
                                
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