* Crown extends losses on rate cut expectations
* Politics hangs on Romanian leu
* Zloty, forint give up recent gains
(Adds details, fixed income)
PRAGUE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - The Czech crown slipped to its lowest in a month on Wednesday on a more dovish stance from key policymakers, leading a drop in central European currencies. The Polish zloty and Hungarian forint gave up some gains seen in this week's rally, while politics dragged on the Romanian leu as the government sought a confidence vote.
The crown hit its lowest since the start of September following comments this week from central bank chief Zdenek Tuma in an interview with Reuters. He said the bank's board discussed market intervention against the crown's firming at September's policy meeting as a possible way to ease policy. [
]Tuma along with Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer were in the minority at the last meeting in voting for a rate cut, which markets have taken as a signal that rates could go lower at November's meeting. [
]Singer said on Tuesday the central bank will likely return to discussing tools to ease policy. [
]"We've seen strong corporate demand for euros... Oil has been dripped on the fire by the recent central bank comments," said one Prague dealer. "I think 25.700/750 level could be the top of the range of this move, but overall we could be heading back again to 26 (to the euro)."
The crown <EURCZK=>, which bid 0.4 percent lower at 25.665 to the euro by 0929 GMT, is the only major currency in the region to show a rise this year and has not traded weaker than 26 per euro since August.
On bond markets, yields were mixed before a 15-year bond tender at midday local time.
"Falling risk aversion and reduced supply of government bonds in the near term point to relatively stronger demand than in previous the two auctions," Komercni Banka dealers said in a note, adding more foreign investors are showing interest.
PULLBACK
Shorter-dated Hungarian bonds strengthened on Wednesday, boosted by increasing interest from foreign funds.
In Hungary, the forint <EURHUF=> dipped 0.3 percent to bid at 267.63 to the euro, while the zloty <EURPLN=> dropped 0.3 percent to 4.198 per euro on profit-taking.
Both currencies have gained this week after a ratings upgrade from Standard & Poor's boosted the forint last Friday and the zloty rallied on relief a government deal with Dutch firm Eureko would limit conversion of a large dividend payout on the open market. [
]"The S&P uprate gave the forint a boost last week, and a positive global mood has helped it retain those gains," a Budapest dealer said. "We're staying here until something, probably an unfavourable core market development, pushes the forint weaker."
A regional Reuters poll showed on Tuesday that Central European currencies are expected to post modest gains against the euro in the next months, while the zloty is seen surging about 8 percent over 12 months [
]In Romania, political uncertainty continued to hold back the leu, which dipped 0.2 percent.
Romania's minority government called on Tuesday for a parliamentary vote of confidence, in a test of the opposition's support for IMF-prescribed pension reforms before a November presidential election. [
]--------------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT-------------------- Currency Latest Previous Local Local
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today in 2009 Czech crown <EURCZK=> 25.665 25.572 -0.36% +4.24% Polish zloty <EURPLN=> 4.198 4.186 -0.29% -1.98% Hungarian forint <EURHUF=> 267.63 266.82 -0.3% -1.52% Croatian kuna <EURHRK=> 7.25 7.255 +0.07% +1.59% Romanian leu <EURRON=> 4.266 4.258 -0.19% -5.9% Serbian dinar <EURRSD=> 93.02 93.02 0% -3.81% Yield Spreads Czech treasury bonds <0#CZBMK=> 3-yr T-bond CZ3YT=RR +1 basis points to 163bps over bmk* 7-yr T-bond CZ7YT=RR +1 basis points to +176bps over bmk* 10-yr T-bond CZ10YT=RR +1 basis points to +168bps over bmk* Hungarian treasury bonds <0#HUBMK=> 3-yr T-bond HU3YT=RR -7 basis points to +540bps over bmk* 5-yr T-bond HU5YT=RR +1 basis points to +517bps over bmk* 10-yr T-bond HU10YT=RR +1 basis points to +465bps over bmk* *Benchmark is German bond equivalent. All data taken from Reuters at 1131 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 [
] Spot FX rates Eastern Europe spot FX <EEFX=> Middle East spot FX <MEFX=> Asia spot FX <ASIAFX=> Latin America spot FX <LATAMFX=> Other news and reports World central bank news [ ] Economic Data Guide <ECONGUIDE> Official rates [ ] Emerging Diary [ ] Top events [ ] Diaries [ ] Diaries Index [ ] (Reporting by Reuters bureaus; writing by Jason Hovet; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)