CEE MARKETS-Stocks higher, FX stable after US-EU trade deal

BUDAPEST, July 28 (Reuters) - Central European stocks firmed while currencies were little moved on Monday after a trade agreement announced on Sunday between the United States and the European Union improved investors' mood.

The U.S. struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods, half the threatened rate, a week after agreeing to a similar trade deal with Japan.

Countries are scrambling to finalise trade deals ahead of an August 1 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Stocks in central Europe firmed, with Warsaw's stocks .WIG20 adding 0.3%. Budapest's blue chip index .BUX firmed 0.4% while Prague's equities .PX were 0.5% higher. Bucharest's stocks .BETI were up 0.1%.

Currencies traded sideways, with the Hungarian forint and the Czech crown hovering near recently hit highs after gains at the end of last week when they were lifted by expectations of a US-EU trade deal.

"Markets continue to be dominated by U.S. trade headlines, which, after the weekend, indicate a risk-on mood," ING wrote in a note.

"We already saw this on Friday in Hungarian forint and Czech crown trading ... Both currencies are also supported by hawkish repricing," they said.

The Hungarian EURHUF= forint stood near a 10-month high as it was up 0.06% on the day and trading at 396.15 versus the euro.

"The next significant support level (is seen) at 395, while the 398 level now represents short-term resistance," brokerage Equilor wrote.

The Czech crown EURCZK= was flat, trading at 24.56 versus the euro, near its strongest levels since the start of 2024, a high that the currency hit last week.

The Polish zloty EURPLN= slid 0.04% and was trading at 4.25 to the euro, within its recent range.

"EUR/PLN has been trading within a narrow range in recent weeks, and at this point we don't see any factors that could contribute to a stronger move in EUR/PLN, unless the Fed surprises significantly at its meeting this week," Bank Millennium wrote.

The Romanian leu EURRON= was a touch weaker, down 0.05% versus the euro and trading at 5.0702.

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