Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Sept 17

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 GOVERNMENT MEETING
                                
 Government will hold its regular weekly meeting, 0800 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 PARLIAMENTARY SESSION
                                
 Parliament will continue in the regular monthly session.
                                
 
                                
 AUG CPI HITS 2-YR HIGH, CBANK SEES DECLINE
                                
 Slovakia's annual inflation accelerated to a two-year high
in August due to rising housing costs, but analysts said price
growth appeared to have peaked and they expected a declining
trend towards the end of the year.
                                
 [ID:nLA422856] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-PLCY-SK-LEN]
                                
 [ID:nLG1571]   [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK SAYS AUG INFLATION BELOW ITS FORECAST
                                
 Slovak EU-norm inflation was slightly below central bank
(NBS) expectations in August, the bank said on Tuesday, but
higher cigarette prices may push the annual inflation rate
slightly higher in September.
                                
 [ID:nBSD000106] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK DRAINS SKK 132 BLN IN REPO TENDER
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in a regular
two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 132.138 billion crowns
($6.12 billion) from the market, NBS data showed.
                                
 [ID:nLG500969] [RTRS-CEN-MMT-FRX-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 AMSLICO CLIENTS SAFE
                                
 AIG <AIG.N> troubles should not have a direct impact on life
insurance clients of Amslico AIG Life, AIG's Slovak unit, the
Slovak central bank said.
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION STAYS STRONG
                                
 Slovakia's electricity consumption is expected to outpace
production for the second year in a row in 2008, according to
economy ministry forecasts.
                                
 Pravda, page 15
                                
 
                                
 SMER LEADS IN POLLS
                                
 The Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico maintains its
strong lead in opinion polls, taking 46.5 percent in a September
survey by the Statistics Office. The main opposition party,
SDKU, would finish second with 11.8 percent if an election was
held in September.
                                
 Sme, page 2
                                
 
                                
 GRAIN PRICES DOWN, BREAD COST STAYS HIGH
                                
 The price of grain fell by more than 30 percent after strong
harvest, but bakeries have not yet adjusted prices of their
products and cost of bread remains high.
                                
 Pravda, page 15
                                
 
                                
 OPPOSITION REUNITED
                                
 The three opposition parties have met for the first time in
six months after SDKU party and Christian Democrats froze
cooperation with the ethnic Hungarian party SMK for its backing
of the government in the EU treaty vote.
                                
 Sme, page 2
                                
 
                                
 ABORTION BAN REJECTED
                                
 The parliament rejected a proposal submitted by an
independent deputy Peter Gabura seeking a complete ban on
abortions.
                                
 Pravda, page 4
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
                                
 
                                
 News editor of the day: Peter Laca on +421 2 5341 8402; fax:
+421 2 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk,
martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com
                                
 
                                
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets:
                                
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50
<.PX50>
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