INSTANT VIEW 1-Slovak Feb trade in surplus, output jumps

                                
 BRATISLAVA, April 9 (Reuters) - Slovakia's foreign trade
balance showed a surplus of 67.1 million euro in February,
compared with a revised 101.9 million euro surplus in January,
the Statistics Office said on Friday.
                                
 Imports rose by 17.5 percent in the second month of the
year, while exports were up 19.0 percent, showing the strongest
rise since April 2008.
                                
 Separate data on Friday showed industrial output rose by
20.6 percent year-on-year in February, up for a fourth month in
a row, after a revised annual growth of 19.5 percent in January.
                                
 The development was driven by a 22.3 percent rise in
manufacturing, carrying the strongest weighting in the index,
and a 13.3 percent growth in production and distribution of
electricity, gas and water.
                                
 The small euro zone economy was badly hit by the global
downturn last year as demand for its key export goods, such as
cars and electronics, dried up in Europe.
                                
 It is, however, expected to emerge from the crisis as one of
the EU's fastest growing members in 2010, mainly thanks to an
improving external environment linked to a gradual recovery in
the euro zone, Slovakia's key business partner.
                                
 
***************************************************************
KEY POINTS: 
FOREIGN TRADE       FEB 10       FEB 10 FCAST    FY/09
 (mln euro)
 balance            +67.1          +80.0        1,186.8
 (Full Feb data table..............[ID:nPRG004026])
===============================================================
 INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT     FEB 10          JAN 10         FEB 09
 pct change yr/yr      +20.6         +19.5 (+19.3)    -24.6
===============================================================
 
 * TRADE
- The January balance was revised to a surplus of 101.9 million
euros from a previously reported surplus 31.4 million euro.
- The cumulative January-December trade balance showed a surplus
of 1.187 billion euros, compared with a 757.8 million euro
deficit in 2008.
- Imports fell by 23.4 percent in 2009. Exports were down 19.8
percent.
- The Statistics Office does not release a breakdown of trade
data until next month.

 * INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT
-  Manufacturing production, which has the strongest weighting
in the index, rises by 22.3 percent on the year in February
after a 23.9 percent increase in the previous month.
- Within manufacturing output, car production is up by 66.4
percent from a year ago compared with a 40.9 percent rise in
January.
- Electronics and optical goods are up by 10.6 percent, compared
with a 12.8 percent growth in January.
- Mining rises by 12.1 percent, after a 7.1 percent increase in
January.

BACKGROUND:
- Slovakia, which joined the euro zone in January last year, saw
its export-oriented economy hit by the global financial crisis
because demand for its products slowed in main foreign markets.
- The 63 billion euro economy fell by 4.7 percent last year,
erasing much of its 6.2 percent growth recorded in 2008.
- Slovakia's main export products are cars and electronics
goods, such as TVs. The two sectors showed sharp production
declines last year as consumers in western Europe curtailed
spending.
- The full-year 2007 trade deficit was 725 million euro,
compared with a gap of 2.562 billion euro in 2006.
 
LINKS:
- For further details on February foreign trade and other past
data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Slovak Statistics
Office's website:
http://portal.statistics.sk/showdoc.do?docid=359
- For LIVE Slovak economic data releases, click on......<ECONSK>
- Schedule of upcoming indicator releases............<SK/ECON09>
- Summary of short-term economic data forecasts......<SK/ECON04>
- Slovak benchmark state bond prices .................<0#SKBMK=>
- Slovak forward money market rates ....................<SKKFRA>
  (Reporting by Martin Santa; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)