By Krisztina Than

BUDAPEST, Oct 30 (Reuters) -The forint slid early on Wednesday after much weaker-than-expected GDP data showed the Hungarian economy dipped into recession in the third quarter.

Hungary's economy is still recovering from an inflation crisis which drove price growth to more than 25% in the first quarter of 2023, eating into Hungarians' spending power. Close trade links with Germany are also hitting the economies of Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, where German carmakers have big car plants.

Hungary's forint EURHUF=, which has been the region's laggard with a 5.7% fall so far this year, weakened 0.14% to hit a 22-month low of 405.80 per euro in early trade.

"The forint weakened further. It could not reverse its losses in yesterday's trading and the exchange rate weakened past 405..if this level is broken substantially, the next potential resistance could be around 408.50," brokerage Equilor said in a note before the data.

Other currencies in the region were mostly steady with investors on the sidelines as uncertainty about the U.S. presidential election and a firmer dollar remained in focus.

The dollar has been supported by expectations that Donald Trump could win a second term as U.S. president, as his tax and tariff policies are seen as inflationary, and more likely to keep U.S. rates high.

The zloty EURPLN= was flat at 4.338 per euro. The Czech crown traded a shade weaker at 25.359 in early trade.

Editing by Christina Fincher

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