* Stocks snap win streak to drag on FX
* Polish 5-yr tender due midday
* Diverging econ/fiscal paths open new trades
(Adds bonds, details)
By Jason Hovet
PRAGUE, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A retreat in equities pulled central European currencies lower on Wednesday, with the Polish zloty leading downward moves as government budget gap worries weighed heavier.
The zloty <EURPLN=> lost 0.5 percent to 4.108 to the euro by 0927 GMT, and Hungary's forint <EURHUF=> dipped 0.4 percent to the weak side of 270 per euro and Romania's leu <EURRON=> lost 0.2 percent.
"We have no real data out. So we are mainly watching equity markets, which are slightly weaker," said Lutz Karpowitz, strategist with Commerzbank in Frankfurt.
Central European stocks mostly snapped this week's winning streak, edging down slightly <
> < > < > as investors paused from a rally in riskier assets that has benefitted the region.The Czech crown <EURHUF=> lost 0.1 percent, easing only a touch after August annual inflation data came out lower than expected, boosting expectations interest rates would stay longer at a record low of 1.25 percent. [
]Signs of a better global economic outlook have boosted emerging assets such as those in central Europe, while the safer U.S. dollar has dropped to a year low as investors shunned it for gold. Dealers said markets would take further clues from the dollar's direction. [
]Against the dollar, the zloty <PLN=> and crown <CZK=> are trading at their strongest since December and October, respectively.
BUDGET TALK
In Poland, bonds held steady before a 5-year bond tender, the first since weekend news the government expected the 2010 budget deficit to almost double this year's plan.
The government approved on Tuesday the 2010 budget bill which sees a deficit of 52.2 billion zlotys. Bonds had taken the brunt of the budget impact on Monday, jumping around 7 basis points along the curve on debt supply worries.
Dealers said the impact could start being felt more on the zloty as appetite for riskier assets wanes, and markets are starting to look at more cross trades in the region.
"The question of (the Polish) deficit is obviously negative news which works against the zloty and in favour of the Hungarian forint," said a Warsaw trader, adding an attraction was the forint's higher yield -- with Hungarian rates at 8 percent compared to Poland's 3.5 percent.
On Tuesday, Danske Bank recommended buying the zloty against the crown due to better economic prospects. [
]Analysts generally see an end to rate cuts in Poland and the Czech Republic, while, with the highest rates in the European Union, Hungary and Romania are seen easing more going into next year.
"Normally news of cuts would weaken the forint but analysts say there's value in going long," a Budapest dealer said.
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today in 2009 Czech crown <EURCZK=> 25.505 25.479 -0.1% +4.89% Polish zloty <EURPLN=> 4.108 4.087 -0.51% +0.17% Hungarian forint <EURHUF=> 270.63 269.64 -0.37% -2.62% Croatian kuna <EURHRK=> 7.353 7.333 -0.27% +0.16% Romanian leu <EURRON=> 4.249 4.241 -0.19% -5.52% Serbian dinar <EURRSD=> 93.201 93.13 -0.08% -3.99% Yield Spreads Czech treasury bonds <0#CZBMK=> 3-yr T-bond CZ3YT=RR +3 basis points to 196bps over bmk* 7-yr T-bond CZ7YT=RR +14 basis points to +195bps over bmk* 10-yr T-bond CZ10YT=RR 0 basis points to +180bps over bmk* Polish treasury bonds <0#PLBMK=> 2-yr T-bond PL2YT=RR +2 basis points to +408bps over bmk* 5-yr T-bond PL5YT=RR 0 basis points to +342bps over bmk* 10-yr T-bond PL10YT=RR -1 basis points to +288bps over bmk* Hungarian treasury bonds <0#HUBMK=> 3-yr T-bond HU3YT=RR -14 basis points to +633bps over bmk* 5-yr T-bond HU5YT=RR -14 basis points to +570bps over bmk* 10-yr T-bond HU10YT=RR -5 basis points to +497bps over bmk* *Benchmark is German bond equivalent. All data taken from Reuters at 1128 CET. Currency percent change calculated from the daily domestic close at 1600 GMT. For related news and prices, click on the codes in brackets: All emerging market news [
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