New York  - Record fuel prices pushed US Airways into the red for the first quarter, the sixth largest US carrier said Thursday.

Prague  - The Czech Republic's booming economy is to grow slower in coming years and will be in need of further fiscal reform, according to a survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Berlin - German business confidence fell sharply in April, a key survey released Thursday

Budapest - Hungary's central bank is expected to raise its key interest rate by 25 basis points to a three-year high of 8.25 per cent next Monday, a poll of analysts found.

The median consensus of the poll of 21 analysts by financial website portfolio. hu found a 25-basis-point hike the most likely scenario, although several believed the central bank could possible hike to 8.5 per cent.

The bank hiked rates by 50 basis points to 8 per cent last month, with governor Andras Simor citing long-term inflationary pressures and global economic problems caused by the US recession. The hike was the first in six months and came as inflation remained high.

Hong Kong - Wine has boomed in popularity in Hong Kong since tax on the drink was abolished in the spring

Wellington (dpa) - New Zealand's central bank left its benchmark
interest rate at 8.25 per cent cent in a scheduled review Thursday of