Hungary's bailout talks with international lenders will keep a lid on Central European currencies in the next few months before a likely rebound later this year, a monthly Reuters poll of analysts showed on Thursday.
The Hungarian forint led a sharp fall in emerging European assets seen over the second half of mid-2011 and blamed on the worsening euro zone crisis, which is cutting demand for the region's exports and reducing banks' ability to lend.
Hungary has also faced increasing difficulty raising funds in debt markets as the government's unorthodox economic policies undermine investor confidence, and Budapest was finally pushed to seek a precautionary aid deal last month.
The country's officials have signalled they are more open to agreeing policy changes with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission in return for aid to remain solvent, but analysts have warned talks will be tough.
The forint has lost about 15 percent of its value against the euro since mid-2011 even though it rebounded this week to around 311 from a record low of 324.20 hit on January 5 as Hungarian officials started talks with the IMF in Washington.
The consensus forecasts in the January 6-11 poll of 27 analysts indicated optimism that the country would be able to agree a financial backstop by the second quarter.
The forint is expected to hover near current levels in the next three months, then firm by 3.8 percent from Wednesday's close to 300 by mid-year and to 290 by the end of 2012.
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