Vienna International Banking Industry News

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

CESEE Banking Sector: Improving Market sentiment, but Slower Growth

The average CEE loan growth slowed to16-17% yoy in Q3 from 19% in Q1/Q2, Raiffeisen Research says.

December 20, 2012

Poland: Recovery in Mid-2013

Poland´s new Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechocinski forecasts an upward trend beginning in the second half of next year.

December 20, 2012

Bank Austria: Poland and Turkey are Most Attractive

According to Bank Austria´s board member Gianni Franco Papa, the performance of CESEE markets is satisfying.

December 19, 2012

Erste Group: Massive Cuts in Romania

Due to the weak performance of BCR, the Austrian bank plans to lay off 1,600 employees in Romania. BCR´s NPL quota remains on a high level.

December 18, 2012

Sale of Kommunalkredit to Be Postponed

The sale of the Austrian nationalized bank will not be sold by the end of the year. Austria´s Ministry of Finance postpones the signing by three months.

December 17, 2012

Sharp Attack Against Hypo Group

The legal dispute between Austrian Hypo Group and German BayernLB escalates. The majority owner of BayernLB announced that Hypo Group´s lawsuit will be fought by all means.

December 15, 2012

Banking Union: Czech Republic Cautious

For the time being, the Czech Republic will not join the single supervising mechanism.

December 15, 2012

Austria: BWB Approves New Shareholder at Bawag

The U.S. investment fund Golden Tree Asset Management becomes the second core shareholder of the Austrian bank.

December 14, 2012

Bulgaria: Lending Growth Close to Freezing Point

The increase in deposits also decelerates. The annual rate of growth of money supply (measured by means of the M3 aggregate) slowed down in October to 8.6% (it was 8.8% in the previous two months), Raiffeisen Research says.

December 14, 2012

Polish Government Considers Joining Banking Union

Today, Poland´s Prime Minister Donald Tusk explained that Poland may become a member in the single supervision mechanism.

December 14, 2012

EU Guarantees Stability of Czech Banking Sector

The Czech Republic will not use its right to veto. In return, the EU guarantees the stability of the Czech financial sector.

December 14, 2012

Hypo Group Refuses to Repay Loans to BayernLB

Today, the management board and the shareholders of the Austrian nationalized bank resolved to stop payments to the former owner BayernLB. BayernLB files a lawsuit against Hypo Group.

December 13, 2012

Banking Supervision to Control Nine Austrian Banks

Austria´s Finance Minister Maria Fekter announces that nine Austrian banking groups will be supervised by the new banking supervision authority.

December 13, 2012

CEE Countries May Join Banking Union

ECB will become the main supervisor for the Eurozone´s banking industry. Non-Eurozone member countries are entitled to opt-in.

December 13, 2012

Austrian Banking Package: Losses total € 1.9bn

According to Austria´s Financial State Secretary Andreas Schieder, preliminary losses of the banking package come at € 1.9bn. Further losses are expected.

December 13, 2012

Czech Finance Minister: „No Reason to Veto Banking Union“

The Czech Minister of Finance Miroslav Kalousek announced that the Czech Republic has no concerns against the banking union in the Eurozone.

December 12, 2012

Zavarovalnica Maribor Remains Slovenian

The Slovenian insurance company was taken over by the Sava Re. NKBM has to increase its equity quota.

December 11, 2012

Bank Austria: Major Losses in Kazakhstan

In 2007, Bank Austria took over the Kazakh ATF Bank. In total, the banking group is threatened to record losses of up to € 1.8bn. Now, Bank Austria is said to leave Kazakhstan.

December 11, 2012

Hypo Group Expects Enormous Challenges

„Next year will be very difficult.“ CEO Gottwald Kranebitter says in an interview with “WirtschaftsBlatt”.

December 10, 2012

RBI Sells Stake in RHI

The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International sells the 7.3% interest in the Austrian refractory company.

December 7, 2012

Hypo Group: Deadline Expires

Today, the first deadline for the sale of Hypo Group´s subsidiaries in Southeast-Europe expires.

December 7, 2012

Immofinanz: New Major Project in Germany

With the Casa Stupenda, a pioneering plus-energy house is under construction in Duesseldorf’s MediaHarbor. The outstanding construction costs total approx. € 100m, and completion is scheduled for 2015.

December 6, 2012

Czech Republic Still May Use Veto Against Banking Union

The Czech government wants to secure the rights of national regulation authorities.

December 5, 2012

EU Approves State Aid for Hypo Group

The EU Commission has no objections against the state aid with a size of € 1.5bn.

December 5, 2012

CNB Underlines Stability of Czech Banking Sector

According to CNB, the banking industry is able to bear potential external shocks.

December 5, 2012

Sberbank Intensifies its Relations with Turkey

In future, the Sberbank of Russia is to step up its activities in Turkey and on December 3, 2012 signed two landmark agreements to this end.

December 5, 2012

Legal Merger of Raiffeisen Bank Polska and Polbank EFG Approved

Approval is starting point for unification of market approach and operational merger process. Cost synergies to be achieved by optimization of the branch network and the staff number, among other measures.

December 5, 2012

Banking Supervision: Fekter Calls for Flexibility

Today, the meeting of the Finance Ministers of EU countries was unsuccessful. Austria´s Finance Minister Maria Fekter comments that quality is more important than speed.

December 4, 2012

Rothensteiner: „No Credit Crunch“

Walter Rothensteiner, CEO of Austrian Raiffeisen Zentralbank, thinks that the capital shortfall of European banks does not limit credit supply.

December 3, 2012

Czech Republic: Deposits Grow Substantially

At the end of September, client deposits at Czech banks reached CZK 3,100bn. Compared to September 2011, this is an increase by 8.3%.

December 1, 2012

Slovenia: Austrian Grawe Will not Take Over ZM

The second-biggest Slovenian bank NKBM (Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor) sells its interest in the insurance group Zavarovalnica Maribor (ZM). Sava Re negotiates with NKBM already.

November 30, 2012

VBAG Records Operating Losses

The Group result was positive only because of one time effects due to accounting regulation. Next year, VBAG expects substantial losses again.

November 30, 2012

Slovenia to Inject Further Money in NLB

The biggest Slovenian banking group NLB records a capital shortfall of € 375m. Risky loans reach more than € 1.5bn.

November 29, 2012

The Banker: RBI Bank of the Year in CEE

Already fourth award for RBI as “Best Bank” in CEE this year. Network banks in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania receive local “Bank of the Year“ awards.

November 29, 2012

IMF: Higher Risks for Austrian Banks in CESEE

In an interview with the Austrian news magazine “Presse”, IMF´s Executive Director Johann Prader explained that the European debt crisis has arrived in Central, East and Southeast Europe.

November 28, 2012

„Too Many Banks in Austria“

Hannes Androsch, President of the Austrian bank holding Fimbag, warns that Austria´s exposure in CESEE countries is disproportionately high.

November 28, 2012

Austrians Reject Further Bank Aids

About 61% of the Austrian citizens are against further bank aids by the Austrian state. Economists fear that the bank aids are lost forever.

November 28, 2012

RBI: Net Income Up by 13%

Raiffeisen Bank International posts a profit before tax of more than € 1bn for the first three quarters.

November 28, 2012

RBI Expected to Record Higher Net Results

Tomorrow, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) publishes its results for the first nine months of 2012. The interest income is anticipated to decline slightly.

November 27, 2012

KA Finanz: Capital Shortfall to Become Bigger

The financially stricken bank is expected to need further cash contributions.

November 24, 2012

Hungary: Small Concession for Banking Industry

The banking sector in Hungary is under pressure. The government in Budapest decided to pay back debts of municipalities by the end of the year.

November 24, 2012

Slovenian NKBM in Difficulties

The second-biggest Slovenian Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor (NKBM) bank suffers from its risky assets. The NPL quota is still on the rise.

November 22, 2012

RBI Threatens to Leave Hungary

The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International criticizes the burden for the banking sector in Hungary.

November 22, 2012

Ukrainian Banking Sector Expands Slightly

Despite the economic slowdown in the Ukraine, lending is on the rise.

November 19, 2012

Bawag: Cerberus Shares Ownership with U.S. Hedge Fund

The U.S. hedge fund Golden Tree Asset Management becomes a 40% shareholder at the Austrian bank.

November 19, 2012

Austria´s Budget Deficit to Decrease Slightly

Today, the Austrian National Assembly has resolved the budget for 2013. This year, Austria will not fulfill the Maastricht Criteria.

November 16, 2012

Treichl: Austria Should Cooperate with CEE Countries

Erste Group´s CEO Andreas Treichl thinks that CEE countries and Austria should create a model region in Europe like the Scandinavian countries did.

November 16, 2012

Bank Austria Considers Withdrawing from Kazakhstan

ATF-Bank, the Kazakh subsidiary of Bank Austria is said to be sold.

November 16, 2012

Immofinanz: Major Success in Hungary

The Austrian real estate company concludes one of the biggest logistics leasing transactions of the year in Hungary.

November 15, 2012

Hypo Group: Cash Contributions Come at € 500m

The Austrian state has to inject another € 500m in the financially stricken nationalized bank. Furthermore, guarantees will increase by € 1.0bn.

November 14, 2012