Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Oct 24

    BRATISLAVA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial 
markets on Wednesday. 
     
    GDP REVISION 
    The Statistics Office will release revised gross domestic 
product data for 2006, 0700 GMT. 
     
    GOVERNMENT MEETING 
    The government will hold its regular weekly meeting, 0800 
GMT. 
     
    SLOVAKS SEE LOWER FISCAL GAP, FINMIN CAUTIOUS 
    Slovakia may have to include highway company losses in its 
2007 public finance deficit, but its booming economy will offset 
the impact and keep it on track to adopt the euro in 2009, the 
finance ministry said on Tuesday. 
    [ID:nL23270937] [RTRS-EUR-POL-GVD-SK] 
     
    SLOVAK C.BANK SEEN PUT IN OCT DESPITE CPI JUMP 
    The Slovak central bank will probably leave its main 
interest rates on hold next week as a strong currency is helping 
to keep resurgent inflation in check and euro rates are seen 
flat, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday. 
    [ID:nL23374644] [RTRS-PLCY-CEN-INT-SK] 
    [ID:nL2397707]  [RTRS-CEN-EUROPE-SK] 
     
    CBANK DRAINS SKK 150.1 BLN IN REPO TENDER 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in a regular 
two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 150.145 billion crowns 
($6.33 billion) from the market, NBS data showed. 
    [ID:nL23621880] [RTRS-MMT-CEN-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION 
    Slovakia will proceed with highway construction via public 
private partnerships (PPP) according to original plans despite 
objections from finance ministry. The finance ministry had 
proposed to cut the volume of PPP projects by a third to 
eliminate risks to euro adoption plan. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    HEALTHCARE INSURERS 
    A group of HZDS and SNS deputies, two junior ruling 
coalition parties, seeks to alter a government plan to ban 
dividend payouts from healthcare insurers. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    HEAT PRICES 
    Heat prices might rise by 4 percent in 2008. Heating 
companies are expected to deliver their demand to state 
regulator by the end of October.  
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 4 
     
    FOOD PRICES 
    An economy ministry draft aims to ban big food retailers 
from artificially cutting food prices to bring price levels in 
line with small shops.  
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 
     
    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 2 5341 8402; fax: 
+421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: peter.laca.reuters.com@reuters.net 
     
    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] 
  
 ((Compiled by Martin Santa; Bratislava Newsroom; Email: 
editorial@reuters.sk; +421-2-5341-8402)) 
 ($1=23.72 Slovak Crown) 
 ($1=23.72 Slovak Crown) 
 ($1=23.66 Slovak Crown)