CEE MARKETS-Zloty firms past key level as cenbank holds rates unchanged

(Recasts with zloty rise, Polish central bank decision) By Anita Komuves BUDAPEST, March 6 (Reuters) - The zloty firmed past a key level against the euro on Wednesday and was again testing four-year highs after the Polish central bank extended a long pause on interest rate cuts. The zloty has been central Europe's top-performing currency in 2024, with a more than 1% gain, and it again pierced the psychological 4.30 per euro level on Wednesday, trading as strong as 4.2945, which it hit last December. It has not traded beyond that since March 2020 and, on Wednesday, failed in afternoon trade to move past it. By 1458 GMT, the zloty was 0.35% up at 4.2985 per euro. The zloty received a boost this year from a central bank holding off on interest rate cuts - while peers in Hungary and the Czech Republic continue to ease - and as the European Commission has started unlocking funds that had been frozen in disputes with a previous government. In Hungary, the forint edged 0.1% higher and was trading at 393.30 to the euro, holding on to its gains from the previous session. The currency suffered losses last week when the central bank cut its base rate by 100 basis points to 9%. "Investors are focused on central bank rates and inflation these days, other economic indicators do not really move the forint," a Budapest-based trader said. "The 100-bps cut was like oil to the fire." New economic data as well as a survey presented by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)suggested that economic recovery could be slower than what the government expects. Earlier in the day, data showed that retail sales inched 0.6% higher year-on-year in January, with sales stagnating from the previous month, signalling risks to what Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government hopes will be a consumer-driven recovery this year. Elsewhere in the region, the Czech crown edged down 0.14% to trade at 25.378 versus the common currency. The Romanian leu was flat. Most stocks were higher, with Warsaw leading gains as it added 0.38%. CEE SNAPSHO AT MARKETS T 1558 CET CURRENC IES Latest Previous Daily Change bid close change in 2024 EURCZK= Czech -2.57% EURPLN= Polish EURRON= Romania EURRSD= Serbian 0 Note: calculat 1800 daily ed from CET change Latest Previous Daily Change close change in 2024 .PX Prague 1461.96 1457.930 +0.28% +3.39% 0 .BUX Budapes 66039.8 65840.02 +0.30% +8.94% t 0 .WIG20 Warsaw 2376.63 2367.74 +0.38% +1.44% .BETI Buchare 16236.2 16204.68 +0.20% +5.63% st 9 Spread Daily vs Bund change in Czech spread Republi c CZ2YT=R s CZ5YT=R s CZ10YT= s Poland PL2YT=R s PL5YT=R s PL10YT= s FORWARD 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M interba nk Czech 4.75 3.75 3.18 5.97 Rep Hungary 6.66 5.88 5.81 8.17 Poland 5.82 5.69 5.39 5.85 Note: are for ask FRA prices quotes ********************************************* ***************** (Additional reporting by Pawel Florkiewitz in Warsaw, Boldizsar Gyori in Budapest and Jason Hovet in Prague, editing by Ed Osmond)