 Central European stock marketsfell on Monday as global markets avoided risk after U.S.-Chinatensions flared up, while fresh PMI data in the region showed adismal picture about the economic damage from the novelcoronavirus pandemic. April PMI data in Central Europe showed the effects oflockdowns on regional economies, with the indices well below the50-point mark that divides expansions from contractions inactivity. Czech factory activity dropped to 35.1 in April from 41.3 inMarch, to the lowest level since March 2009. InPoland the IHS Markit PMI for manufacturing fell to 31.9 fromMarchs 42.4, the lowest since the survey started in June 1998. The market is a little bit still soaking in the bad PMI, acurrency dealer in Prague said. Regional stock markets gave up some of last weeks gainsthat were fuelled by plans to gradually open economies, astensions between China and the US strengthened, puttinginvestors on the edge again. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday there wasa significant amount of evidence that the virus emerged from alaboratory in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Budapests stock index was down 1 by 0739 GMT andWarsaw lost more than 2. Bucharests blue chipindex slid 0.1. Most currencies in the CEE region rose on Monday, with theHungarian forint leading gains, up 0.41 on the dayand trading at 352.72 versus the euro. The market is now in this band between 350 and 360 versusthe euro, and the upper level is protected by the central bank,a trader in Budapest said. I do not expect big moves in the exchange rate because nowthe NBH can react immediately with its new tools and that keepsspeculators at bay, he added. Action by the National Bank of Hungary in April has helpedthe forint rebound from a record low near 370 to the euro. The NBH introduced a new one-week deposit tool for banks at0.9 at the start of the month. The bank can raise the 0.9 rateif market conditions justify it, the banks deputy governor saidearlier in April. The bank is also launching a bond-buying programme as ittries to balance giving the economy a boost and preventing asell-off in the currency, which has been the most vulnerable toinvestor mood in the region in recent years. Hungarys seasonally adjusted PMI rose to 33.6 in April froman historic low of 29.1 in March, still below the 50-point mark.According to a Reuters poll of analysts, the Hungarian economyis expected to shrink by about 4 this year. The government isexpected to revise its own 3 recession forecast soon. CEE SNAPSHOT AT MARKETS 0939 CET CURRENCIE S Latest Previous Daily Change bid close change in 2020 Czech 27.1780 27.2250 0.17 -6.42 crown Hungary 352.7200 354.1500 0.41 -6.12 forint Polish 4.5600 4.5618 0.04 -6.66 zloty Romanian 4.8400 4.8370 -0.06 -1.07 leu Croatian 7.5717 7.5758 0.05 -1.67 kuna Serbian 117.5200 117.5800 0.05 0.04 dinar Note: calculated from 1800 CET daily change Latest Previous Daily Change close change in 2020 Budapest 34819.20 35180.90 -1.03 -24.44 Warsaw 1613.71 1648.68 -2.12 -24.95 Bucharest 7970.53 7978.64 -0.10 -20.11 Ljubljana 801.06 801.85 -0.10 -13.48 Zagreb 1537.04 1544.30 -0.47 -23.81 Belgrade .BELEX15 655.41 655.41 0.00 -18.25 Sofia 447.45 447.45 0.00 -21.24 Yield Yield Spread Daily bid change vs Bund change in Czech spread Republic 2-year 5-year 10-year Poland 2-year 5-year 10-year FORWARD 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M interban k Czech Rep 0.30 0.29 0.33 0.90 PRIBOR Hungary 1.18 1.12 1.09 1.09 BUBOR Poland 0.22 0.22 0.22 0.68 WIBOR Note: FRA are for ask prices quotes Additional reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague, editing by Larry King 