CEE MARKETS — Slipping dollar boosts FX
WARSAW, Oct 16 (Reuters) — Central European currencies found support in a slipping dollar on Friday, with the forint leading gains ahead of an expected "hold" decision on interest rates from the Hungarian central bank next week. Hungary's central bank is widely seen leaving its base rate steady at 5.5% next Tuesday, with no clarity yet on the 2027 budget, seen as a pivotal factor in anchoring market optimism about the country’s bid to adopt the euro. The National Bank of Hungary (NBH) paused a string of rate cuts last month, when it lowered its inflation target to 2.5% from 3% as Hungary prepares to meet the terms of joining the single European currency. The Hungarian forint traded up 0.14% against the euro to 363.10 by 0830 GMT. Data on Friday showed Hungary's gross average wage growth accelerated to an annual 8.4% in August from a 7.5% increase in July. Polish zloty edged 0.08% higher to 4.3670 per euro. Continued pressure on the dollar would support a corrective firming of the zloty, with the possibility of it testing local support close to 4.36 per euro, economists at Polish bank PKO BP said. Poland’s statistics office on Friday revised the country’s gross domestic product for
WARSAW, Oct 16 (Reuters) — Central European currencies found support in a slipping dollar on Friday, with the forint leading gains ahead of an expected "hold" decision on interest rates from the Hungarian central bank next week. Hungary's central bank is widely seen leaving its base rate steady at 5.5% next Tuesday, with no clarity yet on the 2027 budget, seen as a pivotal factor in anchoring market optimism about the country’s bid to adopt the euro. The National Bank of Hungary (NBH) paused a string of rate cuts last month, when it lowered its inflation target to 2.5% from 3% as Hungary prepares to meet the terms of joining the single European currency.
The Hungarian forint traded up 0.14% against the euro to 363.10 by 0830 GMT. Data on Friday showed Hungary's gross average wage growth accelerated to an annual 8.4% in August from a 7.5% increase in July. Polish zloty edged 0.08% higher to 4.3670 per euro. Continued pressure on the dollar would support a corrective firming of the zloty, with the possibility of it testing local support close to 4.36 per euro, economists at Polish bank PKO BP said.
Poland’s statistics office on Friday revised the country’s gross domestic product for the second quarter of 2026 to 4.1% year-on-year from 3.9%. It also revised the first-quarter GDP to 3.7% from 3.5%. The Czech crown was steady at 24.3470 per euro, holding gains made earlier this week and trading at its strongest since late September.
Cee Markets Snapshot At 1030 Cet CURRENCIES Latest Previous Daily Change in trade close chang 2025 e Czech 24.347 24.3450 -0.01 -0.74% crown 0 % Hungary 363.10 363.6000 +0.1 +5.86% forint 00 4% Polish 4.3670 4.3705 +0.0 -3.47% zloty 8% Romanian 5.3370 5.3360 -0.02 -4.55% leu % Serbian 117.35 117.4200 +0.0 -0.04% dinar 00 6% Note: daily change calculated from 1800 CET STOCKS Latest Previous Daily Change in close chang 2025 e Budapest 145126 144454.77 +0.4 +30.71%.96 7% Warsaw 4233.8 4208.42 +0.6 +32.97% 6 0% BONDS Yield Yield Sprea Daily (bid) change d vs change in Bund spread Czech Rep bps Czech Rep bps Czech Rep bps Poland bps Poland bps Poland bps FORWARD RATE 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M AGREEMENTS interbank Czech Rep 4.29 4.63 4.78 3.91 Poland 4.26 4.61 4.77 3.88 Note: FRA quotes are for ask prices (Reporting by Karol Badohal in Warsaw and Anita Komuves in Budapest; Editing by Jonathan Mathew) ((mailto:karl.badohal@thomsonreuters.com;)