Vienna International Banking Industry News

Read the latest headlines about developments in the international banking industry in Vienna and Austria

EU Enlargement: A Success Story for Central Europe

Austria is one of the main beneficiaries of the EU enlargement of 2004.

April 30, 2014

Erste Group: Dramatic Profit Decline Stayed Away

Net profits amounted to EUR 103.3 million. Erste Group aims to keep profits stable in the near future.

April 30, 2014

Situation for Austrian Banks in Russia is “Sensitive”

According to the latest statistics, Austrian banks are considerably more engaged in Russia than assumed so far. Debts to domestic financial institutes amount to € 50bn.

April 29, 2014

Spindelegger: “Arsonists Are to Blame Not Fire Brigade”

The downsizing of ailing bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria is a heavy burden for this year’s budget. According to Finance Minister Spindelegger, the deficit comes at 2.7 percent of GDP while public debts will soar.

April 29, 2014

Polish Banking Sector: “Too Early for Recovery”

The Polish banking sector has to be patient for economic recovery to show on their results.

April 29, 2014

Austrian Banking Sector Making Losses

For the first time in 2013, the Austrian banks made losses in the amount of € 1.035bn.

April 29, 2014

Hypo Group: Huge Burden for Austrian Budget

The downsizing of problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria is a huge burden for this year’s budget.

April 29, 2014

Hypo Group: Already a “Catastrophe“ in 2006

In the court proceedings against the former member of the supervisory board of regional lender BayernLB former head of Hypo Group’s board Wolfgang Kulterer called the situation Hypo was in a “catastrophe”.

April 28, 2014

Banks Still Losing in Trust

The trust in banks is continuing to decline. The scepticism towards the financial branch has increased among 39 percent of Austrians while trust in banks only increased among five percent.

April 28, 2014

Austria: Is Spindelegger Suitable as Finance Minister?

On Tuesday the Austrian Finance Minister will hold his first budget speech. Initial figures reveal record debt levels.

April 28, 2014

Russia: Austrian Banks Demonstrate Serenity

Austrian banks try to take the downgrade of Russian sovereign bonds with composure. According to spokespersons, the downgrade has no danger potential.

April 26, 2014

RBI Gets Rid of Public Shareholder

After tough negotiations with the Austrian financial market supervision, the Vienna-listed CESEE lender Raiffeisen Bank International repays about the half of the participation capital.

April 25, 2014

Raiffeisen Bank International AG - SWOT Analysis & Company Report May 2014

This new report contains in depth information and data about Raiffeisen Bank International AG and its operations and markets. It contains an overview, business and strategy description, financial ratios, valuation & forecast data and a SWOT analysis.

April 25, 2014

Austria: Bank Levy Begins to Wobble

Austria´s Minister of Economics Reinhold Mitterlehner proposed to reduce the bank levy. The coalition partner, the social democrats, is surprisingly open to talks.

April 25, 2014

Austrian Public Debt Almost at 80% of GDP

The Austrian public debt burden will reach a new all-time high at the end of the current year. The challenging fiscal situation is partly attributable to the capital injections into Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

April 24, 2014

Do Taxes Justify a Relocation of Business?

Tax sensitive business operations should be relocated to other areas if necessary, according to the head of Erste Bank Austria.

April 24, 2014

Buwog Soon to be Listed at Three Stock Exchanges

Immofinanz‘ residential real estate affiliate Buwog will celebrate its IPO at the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and Vienna on Monday, April 28 and in Warsaw on Tuesday, April 29.

April 24, 2014

Austria: Difficult Market Situation for Selling Bawag

The selling of Bawag PSK proves difficult for its owner which is why an IPO is considered a realistic phasing-out scenario. However, experts doubt that an IPO will be a “highflyer”.

April 24, 2014

Poland: BNP Paribas Bank Polska Hopes for Higher Profits

Because of the merger with BGZ Bank BNP Paribas Bank Polska, the Polish branch of the French financial giant, expects a growth of return on equity (ROE) in the double-digit figures.

April 24, 2014

Eder: Policy-Makers Have to Make Decisions

Wolfgang Eder, CEO of Austrian steel manufacturer voestalpine, claims not to have heard anything from the Austrian policy makers after he raised criticizm with regard to the Austrian business location.

April 24, 2014

Romania: BRD Group Societe General with High Expectations

The Romanian lender intends to increase its lending by four percent in 2014.

April 23, 2014

Slovenia: List of Debtors of NLB Published

The Slovenian bad bank BAMC (Bank Asset Management Company) has published the list of debtors of the country’s two largest banks, which are responsible for the disaster of the state-controlled banks.

April 23, 2014

Poland: Costs for Banking Services Rising Dramatically

The banking fees in Poland saw a dramatic increase in the second half last year.

April 23, 2014

Austria: Bawag to Go Public?

Bawag PSK is likely to go public, as reported by Bloomberg.

April 23, 2014

Austria: Calls for Reduction of Bureaucracy Become Louder

Bureaucratic hurdles burden the Austrian enterprises the most apart from taxes and other levies.

April 23, 2014

Austrians Cautiously Observant

Despite economic recovery the Austrian citizens are still cautiously observant.

April 22, 2014

Serbia: Key Rate Kept Unchanged.

The NBS (National Bank of Serbia) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged as there is no threat of inflation.

April 22, 2014

Austria: Hypo Commission Costs Less than Anticipated

Irmgard Griss, head of the investigation commission appointed by the Finance Ministry with regard to Hypo Group Alpe Adria’s nationalization, announced wanting to leave the decision about the costs with the government.

April 22, 2014

Austrian Banking Sector: Less Banks, More Employees

Since 2000, the number of employees was up by 2,600 in the Austrian banking industry. In the same period, 165 bank shops were closed. Nevertheless, Austria is still over-banked.

April 22, 2014

Austria: Branch Network of Raiffeisen Shrinking

Because of the high number of mergers, the number of branch shops of Raiffeisen Group is dropping. However, the Austrian lender still has a market share of 43 percent.

April 18, 2014

Czech Republic: Interest on Mortgage Loans Dropped

Interest ratest on mortgage loans dropped to a record low to 2.93 percent last month.

April 18, 2014

Hypo Group: Time Pressure Grows Dramatically

Future bank aids for the nationalized Austrian lender are limited. Haircuts for creditors and bondholders are not unlikely.

April 17, 2014

Republic of Austria Liable for Domestic Banks in Ukraine and Russia

The Austrian Clearing Bank (OeKB) has assumed liabilities in the amount of € 4.0n in Russia and Ukraine. Besides the political risks, banks operating in Russia have to fear economic risks too.

April 17, 2014

Hypo Group: Italian Branch Turns Out a Huge Problem

According to CEO Picker there were more “skeletons in the closet than expected” which led to huge losses for the ailing bank. The Italian network may have to be downsized.

April 17, 2014

Slovenia: “Worst Thing if Nobody Dare Do Anything”

Finance Minister Cufer stressed that financial institutes needed stable guidance and confidence to continue their restructuring paths.

April 17, 2014

Hypo Group: Privatization of Balkan Business Until 2015

The nationalized problem bank intends to sell its Balkan business within 2014.

April 17, 2014

Austria: RLB OÖ Still Threatening to Leave

According to managing director of Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich (RLB OÖ) Heinrich Schaller, the tax burden is too high in Austria. The bank is still threatening to leave for Germany if the bank levy will not be changed.

April 17, 2014

Horrible Loss at Hypo Group Alpe Adria

The former Balkan lender shocks with new figures. The Austrian nationalized bank had to write off wide parts of its risky assets. Further losses are likely as well as further capital injections.

April 16, 2014

Bank Austria Ends Business on Crimea

One day after Ukrainian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Bank Aval, has terminated business on the peninsula Crimea, UniCredit’s Bank Austria announced closing down its affiliates permanently.

April 16, 2014

Industrial Location Austria Losing Attractiveness

Among other things, labor costs and energy prices are too high, according to the Austrian Federation of Industries.

April 16, 2014

Austria: RLB OÖ Rows Bank on Threat to Leave

Last year regional lender RLB OÖ (Raiffeisen Landesbank Oberösterreich), part of Raiffeisen group, saw a decline of six percent in its balance sheet totals while the operating results increased by almost three percent.

April 16, 2014

S&P Upgrades Polish Banking Sector

Rating agency Standard & Poor’s has upgraded the Polish banking sector from “negative” to “stable”.

April 16, 2014

Slovakia as a Role Model?

In an interview with Austrian daily “Wirtschaftsblatt”, Tomas Malatinsky, Economy Minister of Slovakia, talked about budget discipline, investments and tax policy.

April 16, 2014

Erste Group Bank AG: Full Year 2013 Company Report has been Published by FriedlResearch

Published in April 2014, this report contains in depth information and data about Erste Group and its operations and markets. It contains a company overview, business and strategy description, financial ratios, valuation & forecasts, plus a SWOT analysis.

April 15, 2014

RBI Terminates Business on Crimea

The Ukrainian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Bank Aval, has terminated its business activity on Crimea.

April 15, 2014

Fricke: “Man Needs Relatively Little Bank”

Fricke, chief economist at the European Climate Foundation and author of “Wie viel Bank braucht der Mensch?" (How much bank does man need?)

April 15, 2014

“Bank Rescue is a Crime”

Martin Ehrenhauser, leading candidate of the Austrian electorial alliance “Europa Anders”, which is running for the EU elections, has voiced harsh criticism about the saving of financial institutes.

April 14, 2014

Slovenia: Head of NLB Throws in Towel

On Friday France Ahar, President of the supervisory board of the biggest lender of Slovenia, state-controlled NLB, handed in his resignation.

April 14, 2014

Uncertainty in Eastern Europe Makes RBI Nervous

In the last few months, the frame conditions in Russia become more and more unpredictable for foreign investors. For RBI, Russia is the most important market.

April 12, 2014

Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Massive Losses in Italy

Last year, the distressed Austrian lender recorded losses in the amount of € 2.7bn. In Italy, losses were highest.

April 11, 2014