INSTANT VIEW - Hungary's CPI eases to 5.7% yr/yr in Feb (4)

(Adds comment by HSBC on page2) Hungary's consumer prices rose by 5.7% year on year in February, undershooting the 6.0% consensus estimate of analysts in a Portfolio.hu poll and coming down from 6.4% in January, which the market believes was the peak this year. In monthly terms, inflation was up 0.3% in February...

Hungary becomes majority owner of Malév again, increases capital

Hungary has carried out the capital increase at Malév on Thursday and so it has become the 95% owner...

Hungary adamant on deficit forecast despite massive gap seen in Q1

Hungary does not modify its budget deficit forecasts either for the first quarter or the whole year and...

Ascent Resources completes test of Hungarian well PEN-101

Ascent Resources plc, the AIM-traded oil and gas exploration and production company, has announced that...

Far-right Jobbik almost catches up with Hungary's Socialists in popularity

Support for Hungary’s main opposition party Fidesz and the ruling Socialist Party (MSZP) has dropped...

INSTANT VIEW - Hungary's trade balance shows EUR 290 m surplus in Jan (2)

(Adds comment by Concorde Securities) Hungary posted a EUR 290.4 million trade surplus in January, the...

Hungary posts EUR 290 m trade surplus in January

Hungary posted a EUR 290.4 million trade surplus in January, the Central Statistics Office (KSH) has...

Hungary inflation retreats to 5.7% in Feb from 6.4% in Jan, below consensus

Hungary's consumer prices rose by 5.7% year on year in February, undershooting the 6.0% consensus estimate...

Fitch says Hungarian bank sector likely to recover slowly after severe stress test

Fitch Ratings says in a newly-published report that Hungary's banking sector is likely to demonstrate...

INSTANT VIEW - Hungary Q4 09 GDP suggests ongoing, but slow recovery

Second estimate of Q4 GDP confirmed that the Hungarian economy contracted by 4.1% year on year (sa) vs....

Hungarian economy getting up from the mat, but not even in semi-kneeling position

Hungary’s gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by 4.0% year on year in the fourth quarter of 2009...

Marriott to double its hotels in Europe by 2015

Marriott International has announced plans to double its hotel portfolio in Europe by 2015, as part of...

Leni Gas & Oil divests Hungarian gas assets

Leni Gas & Oil plc (LGO), has decided to divest its Hungarian assets. As a result of the company's on-going...

Hungary to overshoot c.bank inflation goal in 2010 - Portfolio.hu Poll

The surprise jump in Hungary’s inflation to 6.4% in January has made a deep impression on analysts...

Hungary needs "fiscal dictatorship" - Járai

Hungary would still be on the verge of sovereign default if it was not for the IMF credit, said Zsigmond...

Hungary Vegyépszer seals EUR 300 m mega deal in Libya

Hungarian construction firm Vegyépszer has won an order worth HUF 80 billion from Libya. The domestic...

INSTANT VIEW - Hungary's industrial production soars in January (3)

(Adds comment by Crédit Agricole CIB) Hungary’s industrial production rose 3.4% on an annual basis...

Hungary industrial production jumps 8.8% m/m in Jan vs. 5.9% drop in Dec 09

Hungary’s industrial production jumped by 8.8% month on month in January 2010, according to data...

Hungary Csányi puts spice in food business by snatching salami maker Herz

Hungary’s competition authority (GVH) has approved Bonafarm Zrt., an interest of OTP Bank Chairman-CEO...

Fuel prices to go up markedly this week in Hungary

Hungarian fuels group MOL will raise the price of gasoline and diesel by HUF 6 and HUF 3 per litre, respectivley...

Read between the lines of Hungary's election promises - A civilian "lie detector"

Hungarian economists have launched an independent civilian initiative to see what the sometimes cloudy, boisterous, humbug or downright ridiculous promises...

PwC Alert - Hungary amends Labour Code

On 1 February 2010, certain amendments to the Labour Code came into force, while other amendments will take effect from 1 May 2010. In its latest Tax &...

Super grossing rules come into effect in Hungary's personal income taxation

According to the tax law modifications previously accepted by Hungary’s Parliament, the practice of tax base supplementing was introduced in personal...

INSTANT VIEW - Hungary's c.bank cuts base rate to historic low (5)

(Adds comment by Capital Economics, Goldman Sachs, Wood & Co. on page 4) Hungary’s central bank...

ANALYST VIEW - Goldman Sachs sees no dramatic forint easing in 2010

Goldman Sachs has revised its forecast on the Hungarian forint, expecting it to be weaker in three months...

PwC Alert - Hungary to change local business tax obligations from 1 January 2010

In the business years from 2010, tasks related to local business tax in Hungary will fall within the...

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Links (Economy)

General government balance (monthly, bn HUF)	10-01	+31.3 mrd Ft
Current account balance (m EUR)	09Q3	697.9 m euró
Interest rate on forint-based consumer credit (APR)	09-11	25.5 %
GDP growth (yr/yr, adjusted for calendar impact)	09Q4	-4.1 %
Inflation (annual consumer price index)	10-01	6.4 %
Infláció (medium-term target)	08-08	3.0 %
Industrial production (working day adjusted, yr/yr)	09-12	-1.4 %
Benchmark interest rate	10-02	5.75 %
Retail sales (yr/yr, adjusted for calendar impact)	09-11	-7.8 %
Foreign trade balance (m EUR)	09-12	+375.4 m euró
Interest rate on fixed HUF deposits (within 12 months, annualised)	09-11	7.2 %
Unemployment rate (average of 3 months before publication)	10-01	10.8 %
Corporate forint lending rate - short term	09-11	10.33 %

General government balance (monthly, bn HUF)	10-01	31.3 mrd Ft