Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 15

                                
 BRATISLAVA, May 15 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Friday.
                                
 
                                
 Q1 GDP FLASH ESTIMATE
                                
 The Statistics Office will publish Q1 GDP flash estimate,
0700 GMT. The market expects a contraction of 2.4 percent.
                                
 
                                
 APRIL EU-NORM INFLATION 
                                
 The Statistics Office will publish April EU-norm inflation
data, 0700 GMT. Analysts expected April prices to be flat on the
month and rise by 1.5 percent on the year.
                                
 
                                
 PM FICO WITH TRADE UNIONS
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico and President Ivan Gasparovic
will address a meeting of engineering industry trade unions in
the western Slovak town of Piestany, 1200 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 CZECH PM VISIT
                                
 Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer will visit Slovakia.
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA TAPS FOREIGN MARKET FOR 2 BLN EURO BOND
                                
 Slovakia tapped international capital markets for the first
time in two years on Thursday with a 2 billion euro bond issue,
securing twice as much funding as it had originally envisaged.
                                
 [ID:nLE891959] [RTRS-DBT-ISU-EUB-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 EU PLEDGES COURT ACTION OVER SLOVAKIAN POWER GRID
                                
 The European Commission said on Thursday it would take
Slovakia to court for restricting access to the country's
electricity networks.
                                
 [ID:nLE98938] [RTRS-UTIM-ELG-REGS-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 MOODY'S CUTS SLOVAK BANKING OUTLOOK TO NEGATIVE
                                
 Moody's changed Slovak banking system outlook to negative
from stable, saying economic slowdown could weaken banking
sector fundamentals. Moody's said operating environment has
deteriorated more rapidly than expected.
                                
 [ID:nWLA4265] [RTRS-AAA-BNK-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 BUSINESS SPACE IN BRATISLAVA
                                
 Demand for new business space in Slovak capital Bratislava
fell by 50 percent on the year in the first quarter, and market
watchers said volume of construction this year will be below the
record 2008.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 14
                                
 
                                
 CAR SALES UP
                                
 Car sales in Slovakia rose by 43 percent on the year in
April, The Association of Car Industry said. It warned, however,
that April data reflected one-off car-scrapping scheme and did
not signal a rising trend.
                                
 Pravda, page 45
                                
 
                                
 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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