BRATISLAVA, May 12 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Monday.
MARCH FOREIGN TRADE
The Statistics Office will publish March foreign trade data,
0700 GMT. The market forecast a monthly trade surplus of 2.9
billion crowns.
FICO WITH UNIONS ON EURO
Prime Minister Robert Fico will take part at a Trade Unions
conference on euro adoption, 0730 GMT.
PRESIDENT WITH PM ON EURO
President Ivan Gasparovic will meet Prime Minister Robert
Fico to discuss euro adoption, 0830 GMT.
CONVERSION RATE
Prime Minister Robert Fico will meet representatives of
Trade Unions and employers to discuss conversion rate for euro
adoption, 1300 GMT.
PM SAYS WANTS MORE CROWN GAINS BEFORE EURO
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Sunday he would
like to see more crown appreciation before the country
negotiates the conversion rate at which it will swap its
currency for the euro next year.
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CROWN HITS RECORD HIGH, SEEN STRONG
The Slovak crown scaled a new record peak against the euro
on Friday, helped by expectations of a strong conversion rate to
mark the country's road to adopt the single European currency
next year.
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Q1 ECONOMIC GROWTH SEEN SLOWING TO 8.5 PCT
Slovakia's economy probably slowed to an 8.5 percent growth
pace in the first quarter, but should remain among the fastest
growing in the EU while showing little sign of overheating, a
Reuters poll showed on Friday.
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MARCH INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT BELOW FCAST
Slovak industrial output rose by a real 1.8 percent
year-on-year in March, slowing down from revised annual growth
of 12.5 percent in February, the Slovak Statistics Office said
on Friday.
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MARCH CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT +7.8 PCT Y/Y
Slovak construction output rose by a real 7.8 percent
year-on-year in March after a 13.5 percent annual rise in
February, the Statistics Office said on Friday.
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MARCH REAL AVERAGE IND WAGE +4.0 PCT Y/Y
The real average industrial wage in Slovakia rose by 4.0
percent year-on-year in March, compared with a 5.6 percent
increase in February, the Slovak Statistics Office said on
Friday.
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REFINER SLOVNAFT Q1 NET PROFIT DOWN 16 PCT
Slovak refiner Slovnaft <SNFT.BV>, a unit of Hungarian group
MOL <MOLB.BU>, said on Friday its net profit totalled 1.23
billion crowns ($58.82 million) in the first quarter, down 16
percent on the year earlier.
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CBANK FOREX RESERVES DROP TO $19.6 BLN
The Slovak central bank's (NBS) foreign currency reserves
edged down to $19.628 billion as of May 6, from $19.932 billion
on April 29, the bank said on Friday.
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PRESS DIGEST
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CHRISTMAS BONUSES
The government will again pay out Christmas bonuses to
pensioners this year, Prime Minister Robert Fico said. Fico said
the bonuses were likely to be the same as in 2007. Last year,
the poorest pensioners received one-off bonuses ranging from
1,500 crowns ($72.32) to 2,000 crowns.
Sme, page 2
FICO ON FIDESZ
Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned of increased political
extremism and nationalism in Hungary if the opposition party
Fidesz won the next general election.
Sme, page 1
HOLIDAY PRICES UP
Record oil prices are pushing holiday costs for Slovaks up
as travel agencies increase fuel surcharges.
Pravda
ROAD TOLL TENDER
Three rejected bidders in the road toll system tender will
probably challenge the National Highway Company's decision to
pick a consortium of France's Sanef. The winning group was
reported to have had highest bid in the tender, worth 26 billion
crowns.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 6
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
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