CEE MARKETS-Stocks pull higher, FX steadies as COVID cases rise further

PRAGUE, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Czech and Polish stock markets rose off multi-month lows on Friday and followed European peers higher, while currencies edged higher after recent weakening amid a spike in new coronavirus cases. Warsaw's blue-chip stock index rose 0.6% a day after approaching its five-month low hit earlier in the week. Prague was up a similar amount, coming off lows last seen in April. Budapest was closed for a holiday. Shares rose as European stocks pushed higher for their best day in five sessions. Investors were still eyeing the approaching U.S. presidential vote in early November and the coronavirus pandemic. Poland and Slovakia reported their highest daily tallies of new COVID-19 cases on Friday and the Czechs had their second- highest single-day count a day after also touching a record. Restrictions are tightening around central Europe to counter the spread, with the Czech Republic shutting shops and restaurants as it fights what is Europe's highest per-capita infection rate in recent weeks. The Czech crown was up 0.1% at 27.15 to the euro at 1016 GMT. It fell to a nearly five-month low of 27.465 last week. "I don't think to there is a good chance for a stronger crown in the coming days," a trader said. While the tighter restrictions will again hammer fourth-quarter economic activity - although probably less than at the start of the pandemic in the second quarter - Czech central bankers have signalled rate stability. Board member Vojtech Benda told Czech TV on Thursday there was no need to cut interest rates further at the moment. Elsewhere, the Polish zloty rose less than 0.1% to 4.574 per euro and the Romanian leu dipped to 4.876. Hungary's forint gained nearly 0.2%. CEE SNAPSHO AT MARKETS T 1216 CET CURRENC IES Latest Previou Daily Change s bid close change in 2020 EURCZK Czech <EURCZK 27.1500 27.1800 +0.11% -6.33% = crown => EURHUF Hungary <EURHUF 363.770 364.345 +0.16% -8.97% = forint => 0 0 EURPLN Polish <EURPLN 4.5740 4.5766 +0.06% -6.94% = zloty => EURRON Romanian <EURRON 4.8760 4.8738 -0.05% -1.80% = leu => EURHRK Croatian <EURHRK 7.5770 7.5775 +0.01% -1.74% = kuna => EURRSD Serbian <EURRSD 117.500 117.600 +0.09% +0.06% = dinar => 0 0 Note: calculated from 1800 daily CET change STOCKS Latest Previou Daily Change s close change in 2020 .PX Prague 862.75 857.820 +0.57% -22.67% 0 .BUX Budapest 33655.1 33655.1 +0.00% -26.97% 0 0 .WIG20 Warsaw <.WIG20 1652.16 1642.70 +0.58% -23.16% > .BETI Buchares 8795.60 8756.94 +0.44% -11.84% t .SBITO Ljubljan <.SBITO 825.95 831.60 -0.68% -10.79% P a P> .CRBEX Zagreb <.CRBEX 1605.24 1602.37 +0.18% -20.43% > .BELEX Belgrade <.BELEX 696.25 691.57 +0.68% -13.15% 15 15> .SOFIX Sofia <.SOFIX 429.52 429.66 -0.03% -24.40% > BONDS Yield Yield Spread Daily (bid) change vs Bund change in Czech spread Republic CZ2YT= 2-year <CZ2YT= 0.0860 0.0190 +085bp +2bps RR RR> s CZ5YT= 5-year <CZ5YT= 0.5900 -0.0010 +136bp +0bps RR RR> s CZ10YT <CZ10YT 1.0240 -0.0110 +159bp -2bps =RR 10-year =RR> s Poland PL2YT= 2-year <PL2YT= 0.0020 -0.0020 +077bp -1bps RR RR> s PL5YT= 5-year <PL5YT= 0.4890 -0.0230 +126bp -3bps RR RR> s PL10YT <PL10YT 1.2430 -0.0150 +181bp -2bps =RR 10-year =RR> s FRA 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M interba nk Czech <CZKFRA 0.28 0.25 0.28 0.35 Rep ><PRIBO R=> Hungary <HUFFRA 0.93 0.98 1.00 0.77 ><BUBOR => Poland <PLNFRA 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.22 ><WIBOR => Note: FRA quotes are for ask prices ******************************************** ****************** (Reporting by Jason Hovet, Editing by William Maclean)