BUCHAREST, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Central and eastern European stocks climbed in thin trading on Wednesday, helped by easing worries over the severity of the Omicron coronavirus variant, while the Czech crown stayed close to a 22-month high against the euro. By 0950 GMT, the crown eased 0.1% to 24.9300 against the euro. The unit strengthened past a key 25-per-euro mark in the previous session, reaching levels not seen since February 2020. The crown is not far off the 24.774 level which, if breached, would take the unit to its highest since October 2012. It has been supported by a further interest rate hike last week from the central bank, which has predicted more tightening in February when inflation is expected to peak. "Hopeful news about lower danger of the new coronavirus variant diverted attention in the less liquid market back to the wider interest rate differential," the CSOB bank said. The crown has gained 5.3% so far this year, the region"s top performer. The Hungarian forint was flat against the euro at 369.7000, ahead of a one-week deposit tender on Thursday when the central bank is widely expected to lift the rate again after a 20-basis-point hike to 3.8% on Dec. 23. The bank, which uses the one-week deposit rate to tackle short-term market volatility, had raised its benchmark base rate (HUINT=ECI) by 30 basis points to 2.4% earlier this month and pledged further tightening next year. It will also hold FX swap tenders providing euro liquidity to the bank sector on Thursday and Friday. Both the depo and the swap tenders "could be slightly forint-supportive," Equilor said in a note. Elsewhere in the region, the Polish zloty was down 0.1% against the euro while the Romanian leu was flat. Bucharest"s blue-chip index (.BETI) and Hungary"s (.BUX) were each up 0.4% on the day, while Prague"s (.PX) was up 0.3% and Warsaw"s (.WIG20) 0.2%. CEE MARKETS SNAPSHOT AT 1110 CET CURRENCIES Latest Previous Daily Change bid close change in 2021 Czech crown 24.9200 24.9050 -0.06% +5.25% Hungary forint 369.7000 369.6600 -0.01% -1.89% Polish zloty 4.6000 4.5963 -0.08% -0.89% Romanian leu 4.9500 4.9502 +0.00% -1.72% Croatian kuna 7.5215 7.5175 -0.05% +0.35% Serbian dinar 117.4800 117.5800 +0.09% +0.08% Note: daily change calculated from 1800 CET Latest Previous Daily Change close change in 2021 Prague (.PX) 1423.53 1420.9300 +0.18% +38.59% Budapest (.BUX) 49917.75 49718.15 +0.40% +18.55% Warsaw (.WIG20) 2257.73 2252.43 +0.24% +13.80% Bucharest (.BETI) 13068.91 13015.33 +0.41% +33.28% Ljubljana (.SBITOP) 1268.60 1264.15 +0.35% +40.82% Zagreb (.CRBEX) 2061.55 2059.25 +0.11% +18.53% Belgrade (.BELEX15) 824.36 826.21 -0.22% +10.12% Sofia (.SOFIX) 637.82 633.31 +0.71% +42.52% Yield Yield Spread Daily (bid) change vs Bund change in Czech Republic spread 2-year 3.7180 0.0050 +435bps +0bps 5-year 3.3030 0.0040 +378bps +0bps 10-year 2.9740 0.0110 +320bps -1bps Poland 2-year 3.1360 -0.0030 +377bps -1bps 5-year 3.9040 -0.0090 +438bps -2bps 10-year 3.5360 0.0000 +376bps -2bps FORWARD 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M interbank Czech Rep 4.61 4.13 3.99 4.06 Hungary 5.06 5.18 5.19 4.05 Poland 3.69 3.92 3.92 2.51 Note: FRA quotes are for ask prices **************************************************************