Czech Senate President Petr Pithart failed to win the release of two prominent compatriots arrested in Cuba for meeting Cuban dissidents and was heading home on Saturday night after lengthy talks with President Fidel Castro.
The Czech government must make public finance reforms a priority or the burgeoning state debt could hinder the country's march toward the European Union, Pavel Telicka, a senior foreign ministry official, said on Sunday.
The Czech koruna got a boost against the euro after an unexpectedly strong U.S. jobs report lifted the dollar against the European currency on Friday. Late on Friday the koruna was trading at 34.77/80 to the euro from the morning's 34.84/96 and from 34.85/88 late Thursday.Koruna/dollar dipped to 37.26/29 from the morning's 37.06/09 and from 36.99/04 late Thursday.
Bonds were mixed. The state 6.40/10 was flat compared to Thurday's close at 98.85/15, yielding 6.56/6.52 percent. The state 6.75/05 up 10 points at 102.90/20, yielding 5.91/83 percent. The recently auctioned 6.95/16 down 10 points at 102.80/10, yielding 6.64/61 percent.
(David Marek)