Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 29

                                
 BRATISLAVA, May 29 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Thursday.
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAK CROWN AT NEW HIGHS AFTER PEG REVALUATION
                                
 The Slovak crown soared to new record highs versus the euro
on Thursday after a surprise revaluation of its peg to the euro
ahead of 2009 euro adoption.
                                
 [ID:nL29212305] [RTRS-EUR-FRX-ECB-CEN-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 REVALUES CURRENCY AHEAD OF EURO ENTRY
                                
 Slovakia revalued its crown currency <EURSKK=> against the
euro on Wednesday, ahead of its entry into the euro zone, the
European Commission said.
                                
 [ID:nL28375149] [RTRS-EUR-FRX-ECB-CEN-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 EU MINISTERS TO LET SLOVAKIA JOIN EURO-DRAFT PAPER
                                
 European Union finance ministers will next week permit
Slovakia to join the euro zone on Jan. 1, 2009, as expected and
urge the country to follow sound fiscal policies, a ministers'
draft letter showed.
                                
 [ID:nL28428805] [RTRS-DIP-EU-EUR-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 CROWN BREAKS KEY LEVEL 31/EURO, SEEN UP
                                
 The Slovak crown firmed through a key level of 31.0 per euro
on Wednesday, driven by  market expectations that the country
would seek a strong conversion rate for swapping its currency
for the euro next year.
                                
 [ID:nL2898486] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-EUR-SK]
                                
 
                                
 GOVT OKS CIGARETTE TAX HIKE FROM FEB 2009
                                
 The Slovak government approved on Wednesday a rise in excise
taxes on cigarettes from February 2009 to comply with EU norms,
a move that will increase state revenues this year but curb 2009
budget income.
                                
 [ID:nL28921561] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-MCE-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 FRANCE TO OPEN JOBS MARKET TO C.EUROPEANS-SARKOZY
                                
 France will fully open its labour market to workers from the
eight central European countries which joined the European Union
in 2004, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nL28930821] [RTRS-EMRG-JOB-CEEU-SK]
                                
 
                                
 APRIL PPI SLIGHTLY ABOVE FORECASTS
                                
 Slovak producer prices rose by 0.2 percent on the month in
April, putting annual growth of factory-gate costs at 5.8
percent, the Slovak Statistics Office said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nL2867191] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 EXPORTERS HURT BY STRONG CROWN
                                
 Slovakia's exporters say rapid firming of the crown, driven
by speculations over a strong conversion rate for euro adoption,
has reduced their sales and profits.
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 HIGHWAY PROJECTS
                                
 The Slovak government is considering using the
public-private partnership scheme in more highway projects.
                                
 Pravda, page 18
                                
 
                                
 MATADOR EXPANSION
                                
 Tyre and car parts maker Matador said it planned to invest
250 million Czech crowns ($15.59 million) in Czech republic to
launch production of car parts.
                                
 Pravda, page 18
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
                                
 
                                
 News editor of the day: Peter Laca, +421 2 5341 8402; fax
+421 2 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk
                                
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets:
                                
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50
<.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]