Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Oct 16

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Thursday.
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA MAY OVERSHOOT '08 FISCAL GAP PLAN
                                
 The Slovak government may overshoot its revised fiscal
deficit ceiling of 2.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)
this year, Finance Minister Jan Pociatek said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nLF113622] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-EUR-POLSK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 GOVT OKS 2009 FISCAL DEFICIT CAP 1.7 PCT/GDP
                                
 The Slovak government approved on Wednesday the 2009 state
budget draft which sets the key public finance deficit ceiling
at 1.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), Prime Minister
Robert Fico said.
                                
 [ID:nLF709849] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-EUR-POL-SK-LEN]
                                
 [ID:nLF362599] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-EUR-POL-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 INFLATION AT 2-YR HIGH IN SEPT, SEEN SLOWING
                                
 Slovakia's inflation hit a two-year high in September but
analysts said it was set to slow, allowing the central bank to
bring interest rates in line with the euro zone ahead of
January's switch to the single currency.
                                
 [ID:nLF377797] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 [ID:nLG340286] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 CBANK SAYS INFLATION MAY BE LOWER IN OCT
                                
 Slovak EU-norm annual inflation may fall in October due to
lower food prices the central bank (NBS) said on Wednesday,
adding that September's figure was slightly above its
expectations.
                                
 [ID:nBSD000116] [RTRS-MCE-CEN-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA REJECTS COMPANY'S PLEA FOR GAS PRICE HIKE
                                
 The Slovak energy market regulator said on Wednesday it had
rejected a request by the natural gas monopoly to increase
prices charged to households.
                                
 [ID:nLF598252] [RTRS-NGS-ELG-REGS-UTIL-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 SEPT JOBLESS RATE RISES TO 7.54 PCT
                                
 Slovakia's unemployment rate rose to 7.54 percent in
September, from a record low of 7.36 percent the previous month,
the National Labour Office said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nBSD000115] [RTRS-JOB-ECI-MCE-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 MINIMUM WAGE HIKE
                                
 The government of Prime Minister Robert Fico has approved a
rise in the minimum wage to 8,902 crowns ($397.6) from current
8,100 crown, effective from January.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 CHEAPER FUEL
                                
 Petrol fuels prices will fall by 0.5 crowns ($0.022) per
liter, while diesel fuel prices will edge down by 0.4 crowns per
liter.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 SKY EUROPE
                                
 British York Global Finance II has offered to buy all shares
of the Bratislava-based low-cost carrier SkyEurope <SKYV.VI> for
a symbolic amount. The company is one of SkyEurope shareholders.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 SMER POPULARITY EDGES DOWN
                                
 Popularity of Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer party fell 
by almost two percentage points to 44.8 percent in September, an
opinion poll conducted by the Statistics Office showed.
Opposition SDKU party was second and Fico's ruling partner SNS
third.
                                
 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,
martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com
                                
 
                                
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 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50
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