CEE MARKETS-Budapest stocks back near all-time peak, FX in waiting game

PRAGUE, June 3 (Reuters) - Central European currencies eased on Thursday, pressured by a firmer dollar as markets awaited this week's key U.S. jobs data, while Budapest stocks approached an all-time high. Budapest's BUX index hit a record peak on Tuesday, propelled by OTP shares, which also touched all-time highs after the bank said it would acquire Slovenia's Nova KBM bank. Central European stock markets have jumped to multi-year highs this year on hopes of an economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with Budapest up almost 12% since the start of the year. Prague has gained 14% this year, led by utility CEZ whose hefty dividend plan has attracted investors. CEZ shares hit a fresh six-year high on Thursday. Polish markets were closed for a holiday. Currencies have also been firming this year, with markets seeing interest rate hikes coming in the Czech Republic and Hungary as inflation pressures build amid the recovery. The Hungarian forint was down 0.1% at 346.40 to the euro at 0855 GMT, after hitting a 9-1/2-month high in the previous session. The Czech crown, which hit a 14-month high in May before weakening somewhat, was flat at 25.45 per euro. The Polish zloty and Romania's leu were also little changed. Market focus was on U.S. economic data, which could set the tone for upcoming global central bank meetings. A weekly U.S. unemployment report and May private payrolls data on Thursday will be followed by monthly jobs numbers on Friday, with investors looking for signs of an economic rebound and rising inflation. "Like all global markets, the crown is waiting on Friday's (U.S.) payrolls result," bank CSOB said in a trading note. "Czech wage data for the first quarter will also be important on Friday. It will undoubtedly be an important piece of the puzzle for the Czech National Bank." CEE SNAPSHO AT MARKETS T 1055 CET CURRENC IES Latest Previou Daily Change s bid close change in 2021 EURCZK Czech EURHUF Hungary 0 0 EURPLN Polish EURRON Romanian EURHRK Croatian EURRSD Serbian 0 0 Note: calcula 1800 daily ted CET change from STOCKS Latest Previou Daily Change s close change in 2021 .PX Prague 1172.46 1173.82 -0.12% +14.15 00 % .BUX Budapest 47147.0 46736.8 +0.88% +11.97 4 9 % .WIG20 Warsaw <.WIG20 2252.26 2252.26 +0.00% +13.52 > % .BETI Buchares 11639.3 11582.4 +0.49% +18.70 t 2 6 % .SBITO Ljubljan <.SBITO 1142.34 1144.51 -0.19% +26.81 P a P> % .CRBEX Zagreb <.CRBEX 1951.71 1951.71 +0.00% +12.21 > % .BELEX Belgrade <.BELEX 779.41 779.23 +0.02% +4.11% 15 15> .SOFIX Sofia <.SOFIX 537.28 534.77 +0.47% +20.05 > % BONDS Yield Yield Spread Daily (bid) change vs Bund change in Czech spread Republic CZ2YT= 2-year s CZ5YT= 5-year s CZ10YT s Poland PL2YT= 2-year s PL5YT= 5-year s PL10YT s FRA 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M interba nk Czech Hungary Poland Note: FRA quotes are for ask prices *********************************** *************************** (Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague and Anita Komuves in Budapest; Editing by Devika Syamnath)