Slovakia - Factors To Watch on July 30

                                
 BRATISLAVA, July 30 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK KEEPS RATES FLAT, UPS INFLATION FCAST
                                
 Slovakia's central bank kept interest rates unchanged on
Monday, in line with the euro zone level as it prepares to adopt
the common currency in 2009, but raised its forecast of
inflation this year.
                                
 [ID:nL9185010] [RTRS-CEN-INT-PLCY-SK-LEN]
                                
 [ID:nL9274251] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-FRX-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 CBANK SAYS DID NOT DISCUSS RATE CHANGE
                                
 Slovakia's central bank did not discuss a proposal to change
interest rates at its monetary policy meeting on Tuesday, Vice
Governor Viliam Ostrozlik said.
                                
 [ID:nPRG000920] [RTRS-CEN-INT-PLCY-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 JAN-MAY C/A SHOWS SKK 25.6 BLN DEFICIT
                                
 Slovakia's current account showed a preliminary deficit of
25.6 billion crowns ($1.33 billion) in January-May, compared
with a 13.2 billion deficit in the same period last year, the
central bank said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nBSD000092] [RTRS-ECI-MCE-TRD-SK]
                                
 
                                
 END-APRIL FOREIGN DEBT RISES TO $50.1 BLN
                                
 Slovakia's gross foreign debt rose to $50.145 billion at the
end of April, from $49.380 billion at the end of March, the
central bank said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL9508773] [RTRS-DBT-GVD-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK DRAINS SKK 177.6 BLN IN REPO TENDER
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in the
regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 177.604
billion crowns ($9.21 billion) from the market, NBS data showed.
                                
 [ID:nL9685188] [RTRS-CEN-INT-FRX-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 EMPLOYMENT BONUS
                                
 The finance ministry aims to introduce a monthly employment
bonus which could add several hundreds of crowns to monthly
income of Slovaks with lowest wages. The cost of the measure is
estimated at 261 million crowns ($13.52 million) in 2010 when
the first bonuses should be paid.
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 BUSINESS CONFIDENCE DOWN
                                
 Business and consumer confidence edged down to 96.5
percentage points in July, its lowest level since May 2000, from
96.9 points in June.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 DUAL PRICES
                                
 Slovakia will delay introduction of dual prices of goods and
services, in both crown and euro terms, to August 27 from
previously expected August 8.
                                
 Hospodrske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 NEW WATER POWER PLANT
                                
 The state will finance construction of a 11 billion crown
($569.9 million) dam on the river Vah in western Slovakia. The
project, now in the final stage of evaluation, should also
include a power plant with installed capacity of 50 MW.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 13
                                
 
                                
 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
                                
 A small conservative party KDS has named Frantisek Miklosko,
a well-known anticommunist dissident, as its candidate for the
2010 presidential election. Analysts say Miklosko will be one of
candidates with little chances to be elected.
                                
 Sme, page 2
                                
 
                                
 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, peter.laca@thomsonreuters.com
                                
 
                                
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