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Vienna International Banking Industry News
Read the latest headlines about developments in the international banking industry in Vienna and Austria
Vienna Initiative an Insurance Policy, not a Game Changer, Fitch Says
The principles adopted Tuesday in “Vienna Initiative 2.0” do not change Fitch’s base case expectation that central, eastern and south-eastern Europe (CESEE) will continue to see weak, or marginally negative, credit growth in the near-to-medium term.
March 15, 2012
Crystallizing Fronts in Austrian Banking Industry
For managers of the Austrian banking industry, the maximum salary increase for its employees is 3.3%. The trade unions call for a 3.8% increase.
March 14, 2012
No Credit Crunch in CEE
Western European banks maintain the liquidity of their subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe. The equity provision is better than expected.
March 14, 2012
Raiffeisen Energy & Environment Sells Bulgarian Assets
The subsidiary of the Austrian Raiffeisen Leasing sells Bulgarian wind parks to Lukerg Renew.
March 14, 2012
Austrian Supervisory Authority Published Guideline For Banks
The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) has published a supervisory guideline to strengthen the sustainability of the business models of large internationally active Austrian banks.
March 14, 2012
Hypo Group: Losses of € 165m
Hypo Group Alpe Adria, a nationalized Austrian lender, does not pay a dividend to the state. According to IFRS, Hypo Group could achieve profits of € 69.3m.
March 13, 2012
KA Finanz: Disaster Was Avoidable
The „bad bank“ of the nationalized bank Kommunalkredit considered selling Greek sovereign bonds in spring 2009. Last week, KA Finanz wrote off € 423m.
March 12, 2012
Nowotny: Capital Shortfall at Hypo Group „Substantially Less Than € 10bn”
The governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) repulses reports stating that the nationalized bank Hypo Group needs capital injections of € 10bn.
March 10, 2012
Hypo Group: Costs Could Increase up to € 10bn
The nationalized Hypo Group Alpe Adria may need massive capital injections by the Austrian state. The bank must downsize radically.
March 10, 2012
Ghizzoni: „Austrian Bank Tax Is Painful“
The Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit, the holding company of Bank Austria emphasizes not to sell the Austrian subsidiary. The bank tax is “unfair”.
March 10, 2012
KA Finanz Needs € 1.0bn
Due to write-offs of Greek sovereign bonds, the “bad bank” of the nationalized Kommunalkredit has a capital shortfall of € 1.0bn.
March 9, 2012
RBI Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner for Moscow Airport
The loan of € 165m for the largest Russian Airport is for general corporate purposes. The international financing consortium consists of ING, Société Générale and RBI.
March 9, 2012
Bawag Buys Back Hybrid Capital
The U.S. owned Austrian bank purchases € 300m in hybrid capital back in order to strengthen the equity base.
March 9, 2012
Cernko Criticizes VBAG Bail-Out
Willibald Cernko, CEO of Bank Austria considers that the Austrian state reacted too late. A partly nationalization could have taken place already one year before.
March 9, 2012
RBI Optimizes Its Structure of Participations
EBA decides not to recognize privately placed participation capital. RZB Group will nevertheless meet the EBA target, the bank argues.
March 8, 2012
EBA Does Not Accept Participation Capital as Equity
Austrian banks face new difficulties. The European Banking Authorities does not approve participation capital by the Austrian state as Tier-1 Equity Capital.
March 8, 2012
Kommunalkredit Bring € 455m to Greek Swap
Kommunalkredit AG and KA Finanz AG, two nationalized Austrian banks, said they will join Greece’s debt swap with a total of € 455m ($600 million) to avoid triggering default swaps.
March 8, 2012
Pecik Unwanted at AMAG
A major shareholding in Austrian AMAG will be sold. Ronny Pecik, who is said to be interested, is not welcome.
March 7, 2012
Bank Insolvency Act to be Finished by Summer 2012
According to the government´s plans, the Austrian financial market authority (FMA) should obtain more competences.
March 7, 2012
Bank Taxes: Nowotny Supports Government
OeNB´s governor Ewald Nowotny defends the coalition plans to raise bank taxes by 25%.
March 7, 2012
Fitch Confirms Rating for VBAG
The U.S. rating agency retains the A rating for the fourth largest Austrian bank.
March 7, 2012
Public Debt Agency: “Unnecessary to Change Bonds Issuance Plans”
Austria sees no need to change its debt issuance program and is sticking to its plan to stay below the European Union’s deficit ceiling this year even as it injects cash into Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG (VBPS) and KA Finanz.
March 6, 2012
Banks May Face Strikes
The trade union of bank employees calls for a 4.9% salary increase. Employers reject this claim.
March 6, 2012
Uniqa: Changes in Supervisory Board
RZB´s supervisory board chairman Christan Konrad will leave Uniqa. RZB´s CeO Walter Rothensteiner succeeds Konrad.
March 6, 2012
Erste Group Has € 150m Gain Through Hybrid Buyback
Erste Group Bank AG, Eastern Europe’s second-biggest lender, said it has agreed to buy back € 828.3m ($ 1.1bn) of hybrid securities to boost net income and capital.
March 6, 2012
EU ‘Surprised’ Austria Didn’t Warn on VBAG, Almunia Says
The European Commission was “surprised” Austria didn’t warn it about plans to bail out Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG (VBPS), according to Joaquin Almunia, the region’s commissioner responsible for approving state aid.
March 5, 2012
Fekter: Up to € 1.0bn for Kommunalkredit
In case of a default of Greek sovereign bonds, the Austrian state would have to grant € 1.0bn to the nationalized bank Kommunalkredit.
March 3, 2012
VBAG´s Executive Board Asked to Resign
Parts of the Volksbanken sector, which hold stakes in VBAG, offer resistance to the management board.
March 3, 2012
VBAG to be Acquired by BAWAG?
According to market rumors, the financially stricken VBAG could be taken over by the U.S. investment fund owned Bawag.
March 2, 2012
Nowotny: „Austrian Banking Activities in CEE Better than their Reputation”
According to the governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), Ewald Nowotny, Austrian banks engaged in Central and Eastern Europe are more stable than they are supposed to be.
March 1, 2012
VBAG´s Rescue Endangers Austerity Targets
In 2012, savings should reach € 576m. However, only write-offs in VBAG cost € 700m. The Austrian government seeks for additional revenues.
February 29, 2012
Banking Industry As „Cash Cow“?
For RZB´s CEO Rothensteiner, the increase in bank tax is “not fair”. The government plans to raise bank taxes by 25%.
February 29, 2012
Erste Group Returns to Profitability
In 2011, Erste Group registered losses of € 718.9m, which is less than initially expected. The fourth quarter was in the profit zone again.
February 29, 2012
„Banks are the Real Austrian Problem“
The Austrian opposition criticizes the rescue of VBAG by the government massively. Further bank aids are feared.
February 28, 2012
High Losses for Erste Group Expected
Although Erste Group has to report high losses for its financial year 2011, analysts are optimistic for 2012. Business in Romania and Hungary is expected to improve.
February 28, 2012
Nationalization of VBAG: Austrian State Holds 49%
After Kommunalkredit and Hypo Group, VBAG becomes the third Austrian bank which is publicly owned.
February 28, 2012
Partial Nationalization of VBAG Planned
The financially stricken Austrian bank receives new capital. The Republic of Austria makes contributions of € 1.05bn. Bank taxes will increase.
February 27, 2012
Pessimism in Austrian Banking Industry
26% of interviewed managers in the Austrian banking industry regard the development of the operating business as “very bad”.
February 27, 2012
Hungary is Optimistic to Reach Agreement with IMF
The Hungarian ambassador in Vienna, Vince Szalay-Bobrovniczky is convinced to solve the current financial crisis soon. Hungary aims for re-gaining trust of investors.
February 25, 2012
Austria Discussing Top Banks’ Capital Rules With EU Commission
Austria’s regulators are discussing rules for its top banks that will curb excessive lending in Central and Eastern Europe with the European Commission.
February 25, 2012
Pecik is Said to Enter AMAG
The Austrian investor, who holds a 20% stake in Telekom Austria, seems to be interested in the Austrian aluminum producer AMAG
February 23, 2012
Hypo Tirol Withdraws from Italy
The Tyrolean regional bank decided in favor of a downsizing strategy. The Italian market should be served through Innsbruck.
February 23, 2012
Raiffeisen Aims to Purchase Securities
In order to strengthen the capital structure, Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International wants to retain perpetual non-cumulative securities.
February 23, 2012
RBI Posts Profit of € 1.4bn in 2011
Profit before tax rises by 6.7 per cent compared with 2010 to € 1,373m. Core Tier 1 Ratio amounts to 9.3 per cent (before dividend).
February 23, 2012
Erste Group Manages Issue of Czech Republic € 2.0bn Bond
The Austrian bank observed good demand for the Czech sovereign bonds offering: total orders of approx. € 3.5bn from over 190 investors.
February 22, 2012
Moody's Takes Actions on Austrian Banks
The U.S. rating agency has a closer look on Austrian banks, which are related to the creditworthiness of public institutions.
February 22, 2012
KA Finanz Tries to Sit Out Greek Crisis
The nationalized Austrian bank has an exposure of € 980m in Greece. CEO Steinbichler hopes not to participate in the haircut.
February 21, 2012
Erste Group Acts as Bookrunner for Miba
The majority of € 75m bond was placed with retail investors in Austria. The offering was 3.5 times over-subscribed.
February 21, 2012
Erste Group: Profitable Hybrid Buyback
Erste Group expected to book pre-tax gain of up to € 300m on hybrid buyback.
February 20, 2012
Stepic Criticizes Rating Agencies Sharply
For Herbert Stepic, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), statements given by the U.S. rating agencies are “undifferentiated”.
February 20, 2012
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