Vienna International Banking Industry News

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

S&P: Eastern Subsidiaries of Austrian Banks Most Become More Independent

The U.S. rating agency criticizes that Austrian banks are still weakly capitalized. The economic crisis caused a massive withdrawal of funds in Eastern Europe, S&P says.

October 11, 2012

Alpine Needs Help from Banks

The Austrian construction company faces liquidity constraints. Talks with banks were started already.

October 11, 2012

Austrians save € 170 per month

For 82% of Austrians the savings passbook accounts are the top choice, but their appeal is gradually waning. Satisfaction with one’s savings performance is growing

October 11, 2012

Austrian Banking Industry: Slight Increase in Operating Profits

In the first half year of 2012, special effects caused an increase in net income. The net interest results were down, however.

October 10, 2012

Hypo Group: Difficult Negotiations with Austrian State

The nationalized banking group urgently needs a capital injection. This year, the capital shortfall will be reduced by € 1.5bn.

October 9, 2012

Erste Group to Sell Ukrainian Subsidiary

This year, the Austrian bank plans to sell its Ukrainian business segment. Erste Group entered the Ukraine in 2006.

October 8, 2012

Immofinanz Announces Dividend of € 0.15 Per Share

The annual general meeting of the Austrian real estate company resolved to increase the dividend from € 0.10 to € 0.15 per share.

October 5, 2012

Fekter Appeals on Banks to Prevent Credit Crunch

Banks should be more creative in financing the real economy instead of creating new financial products, she says.

October 5, 2012

Fekter Rejects Deposit Protection in EU

At the Alpbach Financial Symposium, Austria´s Minister of Finance Maria Fekter underlined to reject the European deposit protection.

October 4, 2012

Erste Group Achieves 9.9% Capital Ratio

Erste Group comfortably meets the EBA capital requirement:capital ratio reached 9.9% as of June 2012 (excluding retained earnings).

October 4, 2012

RZB Group Exceeds EBA Capital requirements

EBA Core Tier 1 capital ratio of 10.0 per cent (excluding retained earnings) as of 30 June 2012. The Bank is thus one percentage point above the requirement

October 3, 2012

Austrian Banks Meet Substantially Increased Capital Requirements

EBA exercise to strengthen capital positions of large European banks concluded: Erste Group Bank AG and Raiffeisen Zentralbank AG meet the increased Capital Requirements, Austrian National Bank announces.

October 3, 2012

Bulgaria: Bank Secret Wobbles

The Bulgarian National Bank warns of an easing of the bank secret. The Bulgarian Parliament argues that the bank secret protects money laundering activities.

October 3, 2012

Erste Group´s Core Shareholder Sells 14 million Shares+

Erste Stiftung, the core shareholder of Austrian Erste Group, remains the biggest shareholder, though.

October 2, 2012

Immofinanz Builds Next Shopping Center in Poland

The Austrain real estate group starts retail development project in Poland. Investments total € 115m.

October 2, 2012

Raiffeisen Brand to be Introduced in Slovakia

The Austrian bank will open its first branches in November.

October 2, 2012

Austrian Budget Targets Will Not Hold

In August, Finance Minister Maria Fekter underlined that the budget deficit will not exceed 2.9% of GDP. Due to the banking package, the budget deficit will be higher, though.

October 1, 2012

Raiffeisen: CEE Network to be Closed

Austrian RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International) announces that the expansion in Central and Eastern Europe will be concluded soon.

October 1, 2012

Bank Secret: Semeta Criticizes Austria´s Position

According to the EU Commissioner Algirdas Semeta, Austria´s bank secret is “out-dated”. He criticizes that Austria and Luxembourg still reject to give up the bank secret.

October 1, 2012

Sale of Kommunalkredit: First Offers Expected

The nationalized Austrian bank should be sold until June 2013. Next week, the first non-binding offers are expected.

September 29, 2012

Slovenia “No Bail-Out Candidate”

Slovenia ´s former Prime Minister Anton Rop is optimistic that the country will manage the crisis.

September 27, 2012

Crucial Days for Slovenia

This week, Slovenia´s Parliament may decide on establishing a bad bank. After Prime Minister Janez Jansa warned of a national bankruptcy, the Slovenian opposition is under pressure.

September 26, 2012

Banking Package: Costs up to € 4.8bn

The Austrian Audit Court expects that the banking package will be much more expensive than it was said before. Moreover, the Audit Court criticizes the government massively. The control mechanism would be too weak.

September 26, 2012

Hypo Group: Problems in Italy

The Austrian banking group, which was nationalized in 2009, must downsize. The sale of the Italian subsidiary proves difficult, however.

September 25, 2012

Slovenia Creates Bad Bank

The Slovenian government aims to lower risky assets of the financially stricken banking sector. A major capital increase may be necessary.

September 21, 2012

VBAG to Cut More than 1,000 Jobs

Today, the Austrian problem bank announced to sharpen its austerity program radically. Until 2017, VBAG must be downsized to the half of its current size.

September 21, 2012

Haynes: Cerberus Supports Bawag

Bawag´s CEO Byron Haynes confirms that the bank will cut jobs. The customer segment should be kept, however. Instead, the cost structure should become more efficient.

September 20, 2012

Poland: Standard & Poor´s Upgrades Banking Industry

The U.S. rating agency upgrades the banking sector´s risk score.

September 20, 2012

European Commission Approves State Aid for VBAG

The European Commission has today approved the comprehensive restructuring plan developed by Österreichische Volksbanken-AG (VBAG) in the wake of the financial and economic crisis to restore long-term profitability.

September 19, 2012

Costs of Austrian Banking Package: € 2.36bn

Since 2008, the Austrian government has resolved rescue packages worth € 21bn. Expenses totaled € 4.169bn, revenues reached € 1.814bn.

September 19, 2012

Austria Wants to Unload Hypo Group

In 2009, BayernLB sold the financially stricken bank to the Austrian state. Now, the Austrian Republic may appeal against the sale.

September 18, 2012

Bawag to Cut 700 Jobs

The Austrian bank plans to sharpen its austerity program. The private trade segment should be downsized in order to reduce the equity requirement.

September 18, 2012

Implementation of Banking Union to be Postponed

Initially, the Commission of the EU intended to introduce the banking union in 2013. After the fierce resistance of some member states, the Commission gives up its plans for the time being.

September 17, 2012

Austrian Economy at a Standstill – "But probably not for long"

Bank Austria's Business Indicator sinks to -0.7 points in August, the third decline in a row. 2012 as a whole expected to be up to 1 percent, in spite of stalled economic activity in the second half of the year.

September 17, 2012

VBAG Streamlines Management Board

Wolfgang Perdich to step down from Board of Management on 30 September 2012.

September 17, 2012

VBAG Redeems Bonds

The partly nationalized Austrian bank has repaid bonds guaranteed by the Austrian state.

September 14, 2012

Banking Union: Austrian FMA Wants to Integrate Eastern European Countries

According to the board of Austria´s Financial Market Authority, not only the banks of the Eurozone should be supervised.

September 13, 2012

Hypo Group Cuts Jobs in Italy

The Austrian bank continues its downsizing program. 118 out of 403 jobs will be reduced in Italy.

September 13, 2012

Erste Group Expects Higher Equity Quota

The Vienna-listed Erste Group expects that a new minimum equity quota will be prescribed in 2013.

September 12, 2012

Bank Austria: Bernkopf New Management Board Member

Helmut Bernkopf becomes Management Board member of Bank Austria with responsibility for the bank’s private and corporate customers

September 11, 2012

Hungary: Bank Tax Intake Lower than Expected

The bank tax proceeds only reach 40% of the planned volume.

September 10, 2012

Slovenia: Juncker Calls for Reforms

The chairman of the euro-group Jean-Claude Juncker warned Slovenia. “The situation is critical, there is no time to lose.”

September 10, 2012

S&P Criticizes Weak Capital Base of Austrian Banks

According to the U.S. rating agency, Austrian big banks should increase their equity base in order to compensate further risks.

September 7, 2012

S&P: Foreign Currency Loans Endanger Austrian Banks

According to the U.S. rating agency, the high volume of foreign currency loans is a big danger for Austria´s banks. Nevertheless, the Austrian banking sector achieved the second best rating.

September 6, 2012

Hypo Group´s Capital Shortfall at € 2.2bn

Today, the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) announced its new estimation regarding the nationalized banking group. Insiders fear that Hypo Group needs even more money.

September 6, 2012

Oberbank to Expand in Hungary

The Austrian regional banks plans to open new branches in Hungary

September 5, 2012

Slovenia „No Problem for Austrian Banks“

Although Austria is the biggest investor in Slovenia, the Austrian banking industry does not fear a national bankruptcy.

September 5, 2012

Five Potential Buyers for Kommunalkredit

Next year, the nationalized bank should be re-privatized. The sale should be finished until the end of this year.

September 4, 2012

Hypo Group Reduced Capital at Croatian Subsidiary

The Austrian nationalized bank cut the stock capital of the Croatian subsidiary by € 100m.

September 3, 2012

Slovenia: “Danger for Austrian Banks is Limited”

Although Austria would be most affected by a Slovenian national bankruptcy, the likeliness of this scenario is rather low, analysts say.

September 3, 2012