The supply of houses and apartments in Slovakia will still outstrip the demand in the near future, says an analysis of the Slovak Central Bank.
Real estate prices are expected to stagnate in 2010. The average price per square metre reached €1,322 in third quarter of this year. According to NBS, a mild drop in prices should continue until the end of 2009.

The Slovak labour market is battling the problem of long-term joblessness, which probably will not fall until at least 2012. It's a long-standing problem in Slovak economy. For a long time Slovakia is among the countries with the highest long-term unemployment in the European Union.

The tension between Russia and Ukraine over gas supplies is growing, but a possible gas crisis would hit Slovakia with considerably less impact than the one at the beginning of the year, according to Karel Hirman from the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency. Speaking about Slovakia's better level of preparedness, Hirman pointed to agreements concluded in the summer between Slovak gas utility Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel and E.ON Ruhrgas, Gaz de France and VNG.

The Slovak economy, which copies global economic developments due to its openness, probably already has the most difficult times behind it, which is also shown by expected GDP growth, according VUB chief economist.

Steel producer U.S. Steel Kosice is mildly optimistic but nevertheless remains cautious in its wait for the end of the economic crisis, company spokesman Jan Baca told on Wednesday. "The point is to restore and revive the industry, and then to maintain it," he said.