Slovakia - Factors To Watch on March 5

                                
 BRATISLAVA, March 5 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 GOVERNMENT MEETING
                                
 The government will hold its regular weekly meeting.
                                
 
                                
 2007 GROWTH AT RECORD HIGH, FISCAL GAP DOWN
                                
 Slovakia's economy grew at a record pace in 2007 thanks to
rising exports, helping the government to reduce the budget
deficit as the nation moves closer to planned euro adoption next
year.
                                
 [ID:nL04270199] [RTRS-GVD-ECI-PLCY-SK]
                                
 
                                
 Q4 GDP GROWTH ABOVE FLASH ESTIMATE
                                
 The Slovak economy grew by a real 14.3 percent on an annual
basis in the fourth quarter of 2007, the Statistics Office said
on Tuesday, slightly above the 14.1 percent flash estimate
released in February.
                                
 [ID:nL04208210] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PM SAYS 2007 FISCAL GAP NEAR 2.1 PCT/GDP
                                
 Slovakia's key public finance deficit for 2007 was probably
around 2.1 percent of gross domestic product, Prime Minister
Robert Fico said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL04671725] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-EUR-SK]
                                
 
                                
 Q4 REAL AVERAGE WAGE +4.5 PCT Y/Y
                                
 The real average wage in Slovakia rose by
4.5 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2007, up from
4.2 percent in the third quarter, the Slovak Statistics Office
said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL04182633] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 CBANK DRAINS SKK 148.7 BLN IN REPO TENDER
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in its
regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 148.655
billion crowns ($6.92 billion) from the market, NBS data showed.
                                
 [ID:nL04236803] [RTRS-CEN-FRX-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 HIGHER HEATING PRICES
                                
 The state utility regulator, URSO, has approved an average
3.5 percent increase in heating prices for 160 out of Slovakia's
350 heat producers, effective from March.
                                
 Pravda, page 1
                                
 
                                
 HOUSING CONSTRUCTION
                                
 The volume of new flats built in Slovakia rose by 14 percent
to 16,473 units last year.
                                
 Pravda, page 25
                                
 
                                
 SECOND PILLAR
                                
 Nine thousands Slovaks have left the private pension scheme
by March 4 and returned to the pay-as-you-go system. 
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 GAS STORAGE
                                
 Nafta Gbely, controlled by gas monopoly Slovensky
Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP) and E.ON <EONG.DE>, plans to build a
gas storage tank with the capacity of 500 million cubic metres.
The project is worth 4.69 billion crowns ($220.3 million).
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
                                
 
                                
 EURO CONFIDENCE PEAKS
                                
 Sixteen out of 18 analysts polled by the private think tank
INEKO believes Slovakia will adopt the euro in January 2009 as
planned.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 19
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
                                
 
                                
 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].
                                
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