Vienna International Banking Industry News

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

„We Must Watch CESEE Very Carefully“

In an interview with the Austrian daily „Standard“, board member of Österreichische Kontrollbank AG Angelika Sommer-Hemetsberger said that the economic crisis in CESEE is not over yet.

February 3, 2014

Austria: First Signs of a Credit Crunch

According to the CFO barometer, large enterprises fear that the access to bank loans will continue to worsen. Austrian SME want to become more independent of banks.

February 3, 2014

Suspicious Secrecy in the Cause of Hypo Group Alpe Adria

In the matter of Hypo Group Alpe Adria, the Austrian government acts disconcertingly. Details on the situation of the nationalized banks are still kept as a secret.

February 1, 2014

Hungary: Next Currency Crisis Ahead

The extremely loose monetary policy begins to become a problem for Hungary. The forint exchange rate is going up considerably.

February 1, 2014

Stress Tests Become Harder

Experts expect that not all banks participating in the examination will pass the stress test.

February 1, 2014

KBC Does Not Leave Hungary

The Belgian lender rejected rumors saying that the Hungarian unit may be sold. Not only KBC faces enormous difficulties in Hungary.

February 1, 2014

Croatia: Monetary Interventions to Stabilize Kuna

On Friday the Croatian national bank sold € 240.2m to commercial banks.

January 31, 2014

OTP: Takeover of Croatian Banco Popolare Fixed

On Friday Hungarian OTP signed a deal to take over Croatian affiliate of Italian Banco Popolare.

January 31, 2014

Upgrades for Slovenian Banks

The long-term ratings of three banks were upgraded by Moody’s.

January 31, 2014

Austrian Government Skirting around Decision over Hypo

A paper reporting about the four options for downsizing Hypo Group has not been published by the government yet.

January 31, 2014

Bawag to Be Sold?

According to rumours, the fifth largest Austrian lender may be sold.

January 31, 2014

Poland: PKO BP Plans Keeping High Level of Loans

Poland’s biggest bank PKO BP plans selling consumer loans in the amount of PLN 2bn in every quarter from now on.

January 30, 2014

Austrian Industrial Sector only Sees Weak Recovery

The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) warns about a fragile economic recovery.

January 30, 2014

Poland: NBP Sees No Reason for Weakening Zloty

According to Eugeniusz Gatnar, board manager of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), there was no fundamental reason for monetary intervention.

January 30, 2014

WKO Rejects Further Financial Burdens for Banks

According to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), the financial burdens of banking institutes in Austria are significantly higher than those of their competitors in other EU member states.

January 29, 2014

Euro-Introduction: Cutting Debts Precondition for Poland

Finance Minister Mateusz Szczurek stressed that cutting debts was a key condition for Poland before it could be admitted to the single currency union.

January 29, 2014

Slovenia: Dispute with Croatia Just Begun

Slovenian Foreign Minister Erjavec announced to continue dispute against Croatia.

January 29, 2014

Austria: Government Makes € 1bn for Hypo Group Available in Budget

Nationalized problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria has listed a need for state subsidies in the amount between € 400m and € 900m in this year’s downsizing plan.

January 29, 2014

Austria: IHS Against Bank Levy

Christian Keuschnigg, director of the Austrian economic research institute IHS stresses that the bank resolution funds would replace the bank levy.

January 28, 2014

Spindelegger: “No Exploitation of Resolution Funds”

Among the finance ministers in Europe, there are still different perceptions regarding the bank resolution fund.

January 28, 2014

Capital Increase at RBI Hungary

RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International) will make a capital injection of € 55m in its Hungarian affiliate

January 28, 2014

Austria: Opposition Presses for Information

The Austrian Greens demand information in regard to problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

January 28, 2014

Austria: RZB’s Share in RBI Drops Dramatically

The share of Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) in its affiliate Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) drops dramatically after the capital increase.

January 28, 2014

Austria: Bank Particpation Still Uncertain

It is still unclear whether the Austrian banks will participate in a downsizing construction of Hypo Group. First results will be presented in February

January 28, 2014

OECD Shows Great Concern over Hungarian Economy

According to the OECD, the country’s recovery from recession will be weak in 2014 and 2015

January 27, 2014

Austria: Sberbank Affected By Further Costs

Sberbank is faced with further aids for Austrian Volksbank International (VBI). So far the Russian bank has pumped a total of € 1.3bn into Sberbank Europe.

January 27, 2014

NLB Closing Moscow Office

The step is part of the restructuring and downsizing procedure.

January 27, 2014

London Roadshow with Austrian Companies

Austrian Companies with Erste Group and the Vienna Stock Exchange on Road Show to London

January 27, 2014

“Croatia Going through Very Difficult Period“

The World Bank calls for structural reforms in the Western Balkan state.

January 27, 2014

Nowotny: “We Want Clarity“

The governor of the Austrian National Bank presses the government for swift actions to find an acceptable downsizing solution for Hypo Group. Further steps will only be made in February.

January 27, 2014

Austrian Raiffeisen Sector to Create Risk Fund

In order to establish a cross-guarantee system, the Austrian Raiffeisen sector has to create a risk fund in the amount of € 400m.

January 27, 2014

Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Austrian Government Is Helpless

The nationalized lender urgently needs a sustainable future concept. In reality, however, uncertainty is dominating.

January 27, 2014

Bank Austria: Massive Staff Reduction Ahead

Until 2025, Bank Austria will reduce its workforce by 4,000 employees in Austria, Doris Tomanek told the Austrian daily „Presse“. Since 2005, Doris Tomanek works as head of Human Resources CEE.

January 25, 2014

Hypo Group Denies New Capital Shortfall

The nationalized Austrian lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria is said to require fresh founds in the amount of € 500m. The bank´s management claims the opposite.

January 25, 2014

S&P Keeps an Eye on Slovenian Banking Sector

The rating agency highlights the critical conditions of the Slovenian banking industry.

January 25, 2014

Another Emergency at Hypo Group Alpe Adria

The series of bad news does not come to an end. After enormous capital injections in 2013, the nationalized Austrian lender again needs help from the Austrian state.

January 24, 2014

Austria: OeNB Forecasts Modest Economic Growth

According to the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) economic growth in Austria only came at 0.3 percent last year.

January 24, 2014

CEE: Economic Sentiment at Lowest Level

ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for the CEE at lowest level.

January 24, 2014

Slovenia: NLB Facing Downsizing Measures

Slovenian NLB is facing severe downsizing measures. As part of the restructuring process, the country’s biggest bank has to lay off personnel.

January 24, 2014

Serbia: World Bank Delays Loan

The World Bank has delayed a loan in the amount of US-$ 250m for Serbia.

January 24, 2014

Foreign Banks Leaving Bulgarian Market

In the past three years three non-domestic banks have left the Bulgarian market.

January 24, 2014

RBI Not to Be Sold to Hungarian State

Hungarian Minister Varga announced that the Hungarian state had no interest in taking over RBI’s local affiliate. Instead, RBI announced that staying in Hungary was “the right decision”.

January 23, 2014

Eurozone: Highest Economic Growth in Two Years

The purchase manager index for the private economy increased to 53.2 points up by 1.1 points, as published by Markit research institute on Thursday.

January 23, 2014

CEE: Insolvencies Declining But Larger Effect

The number of insolvencies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is declining. However, the individual insolvencies are becoming larger, as reported by French credit insurer Coface.

January 23, 2014

Poland: Banking Sentiment Rises

The Polish banking sentiment indicator Pengab increased by 1.2 points in January on a month-on-month comparison basis to a total of 27.5 points.

January 23, 2014

Bulgaria Imposes Interest Ceiling on Quick Loans

The Bulgarian parliament plans on putting a lid on the interst rates of quick loans.

January 23, 2014

Poland: PKO BP Bond Rated A2

Rating agency Moody’s gave an “A2” with a negative outlook on the € 500m bond by Polish key lender PKO BP.

January 23, 2014

Slovenia: Bank Losses Tripled in 2013

Over the last year losses in the banking sector tripled to almost € 1.1bn.

January 23, 2014

Hypo Group: Decision Within First Quarter of 2014

The long-awaited meeting between the government and Hypo Group’s taskforce has been fixed to find a solution of the Austrian problem bank. The option of a bank participation is still on top of the list.

January 23, 2014

€ 2.78bn for Raiffeisen Bank International

The second-largest lender in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe has started the capital increase. The free float grows substantially.

January 22, 2014