CEE currencies remained relatively calm thanks to positive developments in Hungary and partly also in Poland. The Hungarian government announced that it will seek a new agreement with the IMF. However, it is still uncertain what type of loan the government will ask for and whether the IMF attaches some condition to it. We think most likely the government will go for the precautionary credit line (PCL), which is a backstop credit line that can be used if needed and may reach €6-12bn over the next 12-months. The IMF may accept the below 3% of GDP budget deficit for 2012, but may require additional measures to see it unchanged in 2013 and may also want an agreement with banks. Banks submitted their proposal to save troubled borrowers to the government today, so a new agreement is likely next week. Overall, we think this agreement could be enough to lower the probability of a complete currency meltdown, but the forint will stay volatile in the weeks ahead as long as yields are trying to reach the new equilibrium and the central bank clearly established a tightening path.
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has introduced new measures to curb the deficit. The retirement age should be increased (to 67 years). Beside that special pension arrangements for farmers, miners and other professions should be abolished as well as several tax breaks. Altogether with reductions in state bureaucracy it should bring the deficit down below 3% GDP for next year and to 1% GDP by 2015. In our view, this is positive from the point of view of Polish assets.