Vienna International Banking Industry News

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

Bankers' Bonuses Back to Pre-Crisis Level

Bonus payments of Austrian banks have recovered from the effects of the financial crisis. Rules for the payout have become stricter.

June 7, 2011

Stable PIGS-Exposure of Austrian Banks

The last quarter of 2010 has brought only minor changes in the total amount of lending to the four countries in southern Europe by Austrian banks.

June 6, 2011

Raiffeisen Not Interested in Hypo

The Austrian bank group is currently expanding in Poland but it is not going to bid for Hypo Alpe Adria as an acquisition “would not make sense”.

June 6, 2011

Charges against Former Board Members of BayernLB

Accusations relating to the acquisition of the Austrian Hypo Group: breach of duty, embezzlement of bank funds.

June 3, 2011

UniCredit and Raiffeisen Seek to Broker Bulgaria's EVN Stake Sale

Bulgaria is going to sell its minority stake in an electricity distributor operated by the Austrian energy company.

June 3, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria to Sell its Italian Subsidiary

The Carinthian bank intends to divest its operations in the neighboring country. The subsidiary achieved a profit of € 10.82m in 2010.

June 1, 2011

Sberbank Targeting RBI

The Russian bank intends to expand its business to Kazakhstan and the Baltic countries. Both companies denied speculations about a potential capital injection.

May 30, 2011

RBI’s Results Above Expectations

The Austrian bank’s consolidated profit fell by 19.1% to € 270m, while analysts expected a decline to only € 253m. Net provisioning for impairment losses went down by 35.9%.

May 26, 2011

Fitch Upgrades Individual Ratings of Austrian Banks

The “A” rating of the big Austrian banks has been confirmed. The individual rating of Erste, RBI and Bank Austria was upgraded.

May 25, 2011

Cheuvreux Closing Its Office in Vienna

The French investment bank is closing down its office in Vienna after three years. This has been confirmed by analyst Alfred Reisenberger.

May 20, 2011

Erste CEO Aims to Repay State Capital Before End-June

The Austrian bank is negotiating the terms of refunding € 1.2bn for which it currently pays 8% interest per year.

May 19, 2011

ÖVAG: Strong Provisional Results for Q1 2011

Österreichische Volksbanken-AG Group (VBAG) expects a quarterly result of € 32m. The AGM concludes the combination of VBAG and Investkredit.

May 19, 2011

Bank Austria Starts the Year with Net Profit of € 341m

Operating profit up by 8 per cent to € 851 m compared with Q1 2010, driven by strong revenue trend in commercial banking business and flat cost development

May 14, 2011

Expansion Plans at Erste Group and Raiffeisen

RBI is drawn increasingly to the Czech Republic, while the Erste Group focuses on the Polish banking market.

May 13, 2011

Inspections at German Subsidiary of voestalpine AG

Inspections by German Federal Cartel office at voestalpine Klöckner Bahntechnik GmbH.

May 11, 2011

Radovan Jelasity appointed CEO of Erste Bank Hungary

Radovan Jelasity (43) will join Erste Bank Hungary as of 1 June 2011. Subsequent to the approval of the respective Hungarian authorities, he will be appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

May 10, 2011

UniCredit Leasing Still Number 1 in Austria's Leasing Market

With an increase of 43 per cent in the new business volume to €763m and a market share of 13.3 per cent, UniCredit is the clear market leader in Austria in 2010 again

May 10, 2011

RBI Joint Bookrunner for € 1.75bn Bond

The bond, which is issued by Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, is the second largest EUR-denominated senior unsecured issue by an Italian bank in 2011

May 10, 2011

Raiffeisen International Bank Intends to Get Further Involved in Poland

After the purchase of the Polbank in February, the Austrian RBI seems to be interested now in the Polish DZ Bank. Its chances are however considered to be low.

May 10, 2011

Contradictions Regarding Expenditure for Bank Package

According to Eurostat, € 1.4bn more were spent on bank assistance than the corresponding revenues. The Ministry of Finance contradicts this.

May 7, 2011

ÖVAG in the Black Again

The central institution of the Austrian Volksbanken was able to achieve a profit of € 67.6m in 2010 after losses for € 24.5m reported in 2009.

May 6, 2011

Erste Group Launches Rising Markets Indices

Erste Group launches Rising Markets Indices for bonds and equities focusing on high-opportunity countries. Country selection based on criteria such as GDP growth, population growth, anti-corruption measures and standard of living.

May 3, 2011

Strong Earnings Growth for Hypo Steiermark

The operating profit of Hypo Steiermark rose to 21.5 million euro, more than doubling the previous year’s result.

April 30, 2011

Raiffeisen Postpones Stock Exchange Plans

The banking group has to postpone for two or three years the IPOs of the agricultural holdings NÖM and LLI planned for 2011.

April 29, 2011

Erste Group Reports Small Profit Increase

Erste Group increases Q1 2011 net profit to € 260.6 m on lower risk costs, despite negative impact from banking taxes.

April 28, 2011

Decline in Profits for Wiener Privatbank

The profits of the Privatbank fell by 34% in 2010. The bank reported an equity ratio of 48% on the 2010 balance sheet date (31 December 2009: 44%).

April 28, 2011

Lending Behavior of Banks Remains Stable

The credit policy of Austrian banks remained stable for the third year running in the first quarter of 2011 and it is also expected to remain unchanged in the second quarter of 2011.

April 28, 2011

Erste Group: Slight Increase in Profits Expected

UniCredit and RCB expect a slight rise in profits for Erste Group, despite bank taxes in Austria and Hungary.

April 27, 2011

Hypo Tirol Continues Restructuring Process

The Supervisory Board of the Austrian regional bank appoints two new board members. Furthermore, withdrawal from Germany and Switzerland is to take place.

April 27, 2011

RCM - Raiffeisen Capital Management Company grew in 2010

Despite the international debt crisis and the repeated fears of a recession, money flowed back into the investment company last year.

April 23, 2011

aws: Willingness to Invest in Austria’s Manufacturing Industry Grows

The investment projects promoted from January to March 2011 were larger and more ambitious than one year ago.

April 22, 2011

Erste Group Wins Lawsuit in Sweden

In a legal dispute over shares in a Swedish bank worth € 225m, the position of the Austrian Erste Group was able to prevail.

April 21, 2011

Capital Requirement of Austria's Banks: € 19bn

According to the Austrian National Bank, domestic banks needed at least € 19bn in equity capital by 2010 to meet capital requirements.

April 21, 2011

Strong Profit Growth for Raiffeisen Landesbank Niederösterreich-Vienna

The annual income of the regional bank rose by 80.5% to € 308.6m. The operating profit grew by 57.8%.

April 20, 2011

Decrease in Profit at Hypo Lower Austria

Despite improvements in operating profits, net profit of the company drops from € 19.8m to € 7.1m.

April 19, 2011

Erste Group Manages € 1.00bn increase of Slovak sovereign bonds

Total orders at approximately € 1.4bn from almost 80 investors . Approx. 80% have been subscribed internationally, mostly from Czech, Germany, Austrian, Benelux and Asian investors

April 18, 2011

ÖVAG Group Achieved Turnaround in 2010

Operating results rose by 34% against 2009, profit after taxes was € 55m. The government participation capital will be refunded this year.

April 18, 2011

ÖVAG to be Split

Resolution to transfer the banking business of Österreichische Volksbanken-Aktiengesellschaft (ÖVAG) to Investkredit Bank AG by way of de-merger planned for 19 May 2011.

April 16, 2011

Raiffeisen Zentralbank Posts 57% Increase in Profits

Profit before tax: € 1,292 million (+56.8 per cent) - Return on equity before tax 12.5 per cent (+3.7 PP).

April 15, 2011

Kommunalkredit within the Profit Sector

After the split of the former Kommunalkredit in November 2009, the KA has exceeded profit targets with a provisional net profit of € 24.7m.

April 14, 2011

AutoBank‘s Figures Slightly Negative

The Austrian specialist bank could improve its results and market position slightly. The forecasts were exceeded, according to AutoBank.

April 13, 2011

Erste Bank takes over Intermarket Bank

With the acquisition of the Polish subsidiary of Commerzbank, Erste plans to significantly expand its corporate business and invests in factoring.

April 11, 2011

ÖVAG Participates in the Stress Test

Unlike last year, the Austrian Volksbanken group (ÖVAG) is to participate in the EU-wide stress testing of banks. 5% equity is assumed as lower limit.

April 9, 2011

Raiffeisen Bank International Posts Consolidated Profit of € 1.1bn in 2010

Consolidated profit rises 141.5 per cent year-on-year to € 1,087 m (pro forma 2009: € 450 m)

April 9, 2011

Corporate Banking: Bank Austria still dominant

Corporate banking is an important pillar of business for Bank Austria, generating € 899 m or one fourth of the total operating result. The market share is 89%.

April 9, 2011

Austria’s Exposure to Portugal: € 433m

France is clearly the larges creditor of the troubled country. Portugal owes Austria € 433m.

April 8, 2011

Koren Leaves Bawag

Bawag P.S.K. announces that the Deputy Chief Executive Officer Stephan Koren will not be available for an extension of his term of office as of 1 May.

April 5, 2011

Volume of Bank Austria Wohnbaubank Bonds Remained Stable

Bank Austria could hold its dominant position in the Austrian residential construction bonds market in 2010.

April 5, 2011

Bank Schelhammer & Schattera with Stable Results

The operating results of the Austrian bank are at the same level as in the previous year. Lending volume and customer deposits increased slightly.

April 5, 2011

Increase of Profits at RLB Tirol

Raiffeisenlandesbank Tirol registered a higher yearly net profit despite falling income. Risk provisions were greatly reduced.

April 5, 2011