Slovakia - Factors To Watch on April 1

                                
 BRATISLAVA, April 1 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 STATE BUDGET
                                
 The finance ministry will publish central state budget data
for January-February.
                                
 
                                
 ECONOMIC CONFERENCE
                                
 President Ivan Gasparovic and Prime Minister Robert Fico
will address a conference on economic outlook, 1200 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 GOVERNMENT MEETING
                                
 The government will hold a regular weeky meeting, 0800 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA SAYS ECONOMY MAY CONTRACT FOR FIRST TIME
                                
 The Slovak economy may post its first ever annual
contraction this year, officials said on Tuesday, signaling the
euro zone newcomer has been hit by the global financial crisis
more than previously expected.
                                
 [ID:nLV99055] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 CBANK CHIEF SAYS CAN'T RULE OUT CONTRACTION
                                
 A contraction in Slovak gross domestic product (GDP) this
year cannot be ruled out, central bank Governor Ivan Sramko said
on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nBSD000172] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAK PM -ECONOMY MAY CONTRACT AS MUCH AS 1 PCT
                                
 The Slovak economy may contract by as much as 1 percent this
year but the euro zone newcomer should still stay above the
average negative growth expected for the single currency area,
Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nBSD000173] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 CAR SCRAPPING SUBSIDY
                                
 The government's crisis council approved on Tuesday a plan
to allocate another 33 million euros for the car scrapping
subsidy scheme, doubling the original amount. The government is
scheduled to debate the plan on Wednesday.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 GASPAROVIC ON SMER
                                
 President Ivan Gasparovic said his failure in presidential
election would be a failure of Prime Minister Robert Fico's SMER
party, which supports him in the election. Gasparovic
acknowledged making those remarks only after media published a
video footage from his rally.
                                
 Sme, page 1
                                
 
                                
 ELECTRONICS PRODUCTION
                                
 Production in Samsung Electronics' Slovak plant, making LCD
TV sets, fell by 18 percent on the year in the first quarter.
Sony Corp. said production at its Slovak unit was in line with
plans.
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 FUEL PRICES UP
                                
 Prices of petrol fuels will rise by 0.02 euro per litre as
of Wednesday, diesel fuels are expected to stay flat.
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 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>
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