Vienna International Banking Industry News

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

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

Slight Rise in Results for Sparkasse Oberösterreich

The regional bank could achieve an operating profit of € 96m in 2010. This enabled the pre-crisis levels to be reached again.

April 2, 2011

Hypo-Group Restructuring to be Completed by 2012

The bank that was emergency nationalized in 2009 suffered a loss of about € 1.06bn in 2010. The current year should end up balanced.

March 31, 2011

Weinviertler Sparkasse and Erste Bank to merge

The Merger is planned for September 2011, which is seen as "Logical next move" after the acquisition in 2009.

March 31, 2011

OeNB: "Positive Signals from the Banking System"

The expected consolidated net income of Austrian banks rose to € 4.58bn, generated in large part on foreign markets.

March 30, 2011

Austrian SME as New Target for Bank Austria

In total, € 13.2bn of new loans could be granted at Bank Austria in Austria in 2010 (corresponding to an increase of 19.3 percent as compared to 2009)

March 29, 2011

BTV with Record Figures in 2010

The regional bank for Tyrol and Vorarlberg was able to increase its net income from 20.4% to 61.8%.

March 26, 2011 · Updated: March 26, 2011; 13:03

“GemeindeMilliarde” Initiative of Bank Austria Extended

In view of strong demand from municipalities Bank Austria expands GemeindeMilliarde initiative by a further € 500 m

March 26, 2011

ÖVAG Bundles Real Estate Activities

Austrian Volksbanken-AG (ÖVAG) bundles its real estate activities in the competence center "VB Real Estate Services”.

March 24, 2011 · Updated: March 24, 2011; 01:17

Bawag Announces Being Back in Black

Despite the continued difficult economic environment and the increasing regulatory burden, BAWAG P.S.K. realised good results in 2010, with an annual overall net profit recorded for the first time in four years.

March 24, 2011

Bank Austria: Operating Performance Improved, Net Profits Decline

The Austrian subsidiary of UniCredit announces net consolidated profits of € 747m (-32%). Profits before taxes are down by 14%.

March 24, 2011

RLB Upper Austria Records Massive Increase in Earnings

Raiffeisenlandesbank Upper Austria (RLB) shows an increase in operating profits by 66.1%.

March 21, 2011

Ikrath: "Bank Tax Should Fall in 2012"

Once the proposed bank rescue fund is set up, there should be no more national bank tax, says Michael Ikrath from the Sparkassenverband (Savings Banks Association).

March 19, 2011

Hypo Group Starts Sales

The emergency-nationalized Carinthian Hypo Group is to sell its Austrian and Italian subsidiary in the coming weeks.

March 19, 2011

Steiermärkische Sparkasse Doubled Profits

The general recovery in the Austrian banking sector in 2010 was also felt by the regional banks. Yearly net income increased from € 41m to € 79m.

March 17, 2011

Bawag: Successful Return to Profitability

The Austrian bank, which is held by the American Cerberus fund, achieved a profit of € 125m in 2010.

March 17, 2011

Good Prospects for Kärntner Sparkasse

The regional bank was able to improve its operational result significantly last year. But Slovenian results still hinder profits.

March 16, 2011

VBI: Romania Remains a Weak Point

The foreign holding of the Austrian Volksbanken group has to cope with credit risk provisions for € 160m from its Romanian subsidiary.

March 16, 2011

Bank Employees’ Salaries Increase at an Average of 2.3%

The union is satisfied with the salary increase of collective agreements for bank employees.

March 15, 2011

RLB Upper Austria Intends to Grow in Russia

The regional bank Raiffeisenlandesbank Upper Austria (RLB) purchased a 2.95% share in the South Russian Krayinvestbank in Krasnodar.

March 14, 2011

Upward Trend for Erste Group and Raiffeisen

The two Austrian players rise slightly in the ranking of the world's biggest banks. Erste Group is among the top 100.

March 12, 2011

Banks: No Agreement on Salary Negotiations

No agreement has been reached either in the fourth round of collective negotiations for bank employees. The situation is worsening.

March 9, 2011

Austrian Clearingbank Concludes Activities

The activities of the Oesterreichische Clearingbank, founded in 2008 to handle liquidity shortages at commercial banks end presently.

March 5, 2011

Increasing Profits for BKS

The Carinthian/Styrian regional bank could increase net earnings after taxes by 14.8%.

March 4, 2011