Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Dec 13

    BRATISLAVA, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial 
markets on Thursday. 
     
    OCT RETAIL SALES DATA 
    The Statistics Office will release October retail sales 
data, 0800 GMT. The market forecasts retail sales to rise by 4.0 
percent in October. 
     
    INDUSTRIAL WAGE DATA 
    The Statistics Office will release October industrial real 
average wage data, 0800 GMT. 
     
    QUESTION HOUR 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico and government ministers will 
answer queries from MPs during parliamentary question hour. 
     
    SLOVAK C.BANKER SAYS NO BIG DEMAND-SIDE PRESSURES 
    Slovakia's central bank does not see significant 
inflationary risks from local demand in the fast-growing 
economy, despite rising costs for some services, Governor Ivan 
Sramko said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL1262395] [RTRS-INT-CEN-SK] 
     
    SLOVAK OCT TRADE SURPLUS SEEN IMPROVING OUTLOOK 
    Slovakia's foreign trade was in surplus for the second 
consecutive month in October, data showed on Wednesday, and 
analysts said strong exports from key car and electronics 
industries improved the full-year outlook. 
    [ID:nL12307451] [RTRS-TRD-ECI-SK] 
     
    SLOVAK RATES SEEN UNCHANGED AS EURO ENTRY TEST TO BE MET 
    The Slovak central bank is likely to leave interest rates on 
hold next week as the country remains on track to meet next 
May's test of its readiness for euro entry despite a recent rise 
in inflation, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL12869529] [RTRS-INT-CEN-SK] 
     
    SLOVAK FINMIN SAYS 2007 FISCAL GAP MAY BE SMALLER 
    Slovakia's 2007 public finance deficit may be smaller than 
currently projected if municipal balances are better than 
planned, Finance Minister Jan Pociatek said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL12900575] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    INFLATION CRITERION 
    Slovakia has nothing standing in its way to meet the 
inflation criterion for euro adoption, Finance Minister Jan 
Pociatek said. 
    Pravda, page 6 
     
    TIGHTER SPENDING RULES 
    Slovakia's ambition to achieve a balanced budget in 2011 is 
realistic, said Finance Minister Jan Pociatek. The ministry also 
plans to tighten spending rules for government projects in the 
first half of next year. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 6 
     
    ROOM FOR TAX CUTS 
    The Slovak finance ministry does not plan fundamental 
changes in the tax system but it sees room to cut the value 
added tax for certain goods if public finance trends are 
positive, Finance Minister Jan Pociatek said. 
    Pravda, page 6 
     
    MORE CONTROL 
    Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek wants to tighten a law on 
the Supreme Audit Office after it lost a right to control 
activities of Slovakia's key power firm Slovenske Elektrarne 
following the firm's 2006 sale to Italy's Enel <ENEI.MI>. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 5 
     
    HEATING PRICES 
    Heating prices for households might rise by up to 10 percent 
on average next year, the Slovak Association of heat producers 
said. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 4 
     
    TROOPS PULL-OUT 
    The Slovak government decided to pull out 95 peacekeeping 
troops from the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel in the 1967 
Middle East war, in June. Slovakia will strengthen peacekeeping 
missions in Afghanistan and Serbia's Kosovo province. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 2 
     
    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 Dokoupil; Bratislava Newsroom; Email: 
editorial@reuters.sk; +421-2-5341-8402))