Vienna International Banking Industry News

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

Austrian Industrial Sector Gaining Stability

The upwards trend in Austrian industry picked up pace in October. Highest survey reading for two years signals clear pick-up of industrial activity

October 30, 2013

Slovenia: Parliament Approves Amendmends to Banking Act

Measures were taken to reduce costs for winding up of two small Slovenian banks.

October 30, 2013

Cernko: Bank Shops in Austria Have to Be Reduced

In spite of the banks’ progresses Austria still has a high densitiy in bank branches.

October 30, 2013

Erste Group Expects Operating Result to Decline Significantly in 2013

Erste Group posts net profit of EUR 430.3 million in the first nine months of 2013; risk costs decline.

October 30, 2013

Austrian Banking Sector: NPL at Eurozone´s Top

In the Eurozone, the non-performing loans are still growing. In total, 7.8% of the loan portfolio is risky. Austrian banks are significantly above the average.

October 30, 2013

Czech Republic: Monetary Easening Not an Option for CNB

Improper exit policy could cause currency swings or inflation, according to expert.

October 29, 2013

IMF on Slovenia: “Cleaning Up Banks is the Priority”

The IMF urges Slovenia to restructure its ailing banking sector. Slovenia faces expensive bank aid-programs.

October 29, 2013

BGZ: Santander Aims to Expand into Poland

In order to complete its local affiliate Bank Zachodni WBK, Spanish Santander intends to take over the Polish lender BGZ.

October 29, 2013

Greek Banks Want to Leave Western Balkans

According to “Kathimerini”, the exit of Greek banks froms the Western Balkan region is a difficult undertaking.

October 29, 2013

Serbia: Privredna Banka to Face Bankruptcy Proceedings

National Bank of Serbia annuls the operating license from Privredna banka. Bankruptcy proceedings are ahead.

October 29, 2013

Hungary: Conflict with Banks Sharpens

Hungary´s Minister of Finance Mihaly Varga rejects the proposal submitted by the banking association.

October 29, 2013

Germany: Proceedings against Take-Over of Hypo Group to Start

On Thursday the Higher Regional Court in Munich has decided to admit the prosecution against the take-over of Hypo Group Alpe Adria, which had earlier been rejected by the Regional Court as implausible.

October 28, 2013

Albania Fighting NPLs

The Bank of Albania discusses introducing a policy for reducing non-performing loans and enhance lending.

October 28, 2013

Slovenia: Bailout Comes Closer

The ailing country is not expected to manage the financial crisis on its own. Calling for support from Brussels seems to be the last remaining alternative.

October 28, 2013

Hypo Group to Create Bad Bank

After months of considerations, the Austrian government will decide for the bad bank. The nationalized banking group will be a major burden for the state.

October 26, 2013

Bank Asset Review: Slovenia´s Government Satisfied

According to Slovenia´s Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek, Slovenia´s government has received full support for the bank asset review. ECB´s point of view is more critical, however.

October 26, 2013

Record Profit at Zachodni Bank

The third-largest Polish lender has published the results for the third quarter. Net results are well above the estimates.

October 25, 2013

Hypo Group: Worst Expectations May be Exceeded

For the Austrian state, the ailing nationalized banking group may become a financial GSA. The legal dispute with the former owner BayernLB bears enormous dangers for Austria´s public finance.

October 25, 2013

Slovenia: NPC Increase to Above 17 Percent

The percentage of NPCs increased from 16.3 percent in June to 17.1 percent in July 2013.

October 25, 2013

Albania: World Bank Satisfied with Progress

Piero Cipollone, Executive Director of the World Bank Group visited Albania from October 21-22, 2013. In his role as Executive Director, he represents Albania’s interests as a shareholder on the World Bank’s Board.

October 25, 2013

EU Summit Calls for Finalization of Joint Guidelines for ESM

The EU Summit presses for faster changes to achieve the aim of a banking union.

October 25, 2013

Romania: Precautionary Financial Assistance Approved

The Council of the European Union has approved a new precautionary financial assistance program for Romania in extend of € 2bn in connection with a loan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

October 25, 2013

Austria to Remain at AA+

Austria has not yet been given back Standard & Poor’s Triple A.

October 25, 2013

“We Need to Pull Down the Iron Curtain in Our Heads“

In an interview with Austrian daily “WirtschaftsBlatt“ Johannes Seiringer, Director of the Austrian office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) calls for incentives for enterprises to continue investing in CEE.

October 24, 2013

RBI Discussing New Ways of Global Banking Regulations

RBI welcomes global finance at the ICC Banking Commission Meeting 2013.

October 24, 2013

Czech Republic: Four Banks too Big to Fail

CNB has determined four domestic banks that could potentially endanger the country’s financial system in case of bankruptcy, as reported by daily “Hospodarske noviny” (HN).

October 24, 2013

Serbia: Komercijalna Banka Supported by EFSE

Serbian Komercijalna Banka received a credit line of € 20m from the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE).

October 24, 2013

ECB: “Uniform Assessment for Banks Important Step for Europe”

Assessment of ECB is an important step in the preparation of the single supervisory mechanism.

October 24, 2013

Polish Holding to Take over Romanian International Bank

According to Mediafax newswire, Polish Getin Holding will take over Romanian International Bank (RIB).

October 24, 2013

Stress Tests: Austrian Banks Demonstrate Optimism

Austrian banks are expected to pass the stress tests. However, the next years are expected to become challenging for the Austrian banking sector.

October 23, 2013

Czech Republic: Singer Nominated Central Bank Govenor of the Year

Miroslav Singer, govenor of the Czech National Bank (CNB) won the Central Bank Govenor of the Year for Emerging Europe 2013 presented by Emerging Markets Magazine.

October 23, 2013

Poland Intends to Keep Banking Sector Small

The Polish financial regulator intends to keep the frequency of bank shops low and avoid risks and bailout by this.

October 23, 2013

Slovenia: Govenor of National Bank demands “Change of Mentality”

At a lecture planned by the Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), Bostjan Jazbec, govenor of Banka Slovenije, pointed out that the country could only blame itself for the current state it was in.

October 23, 2013

Austrian Banks Expected to Pass Auditing

According to the financial supervisors, the Austrian banks are likely to pass the ECB’s (European Central Bank) auditing since there are no significant adjustment requirements.

October 23, 2013

Austria: Saving Grows Decently

At the end of June, total savings reached € 490bn. In real terms, total savings shrink. Lending remains stable.

October 22, 2013

Bank Austria Issues € 500m Bond

Bank Austria, part of Italian major bank UniCredit and in charge of CESEE business, is raising money from the capital market.

October 22, 2013

Slovenia: Banka Sparkasse Provided with Loan by EIB

EIB continues to support SME and mid-cap projects in Slovenia.

October 22, 2013

Austria: Bank Aids Burden State Budget

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, Austria has lost billions of Euros.

October 22, 2013

Hypo Group Reigned by Greed and Criminal Activities

In an interview with Austrian daily “Standard“ forensic expert of nationlized Hypo Group Christian Böhler revealed that former managers of the bank enriched themselves personally.

October 21, 2013

Slovakia: New Burden for Insurance Industry

The Slovak government extends special taxes for companies operating regulated sectors. The bank tax will be abolished in the course of the next years.

October 21, 2013

Bulgaria: FDI Inflow Shrinks Drastically

In the first eight months of 2013, foreign direct investments fell by more than 51%. Without impulses from foreign investors, the country will not return to growth.

October 21, 2013

Croatia: EU-Membership Did Not Help Yet

In the first months of its EU membership, the situation in Croatia´s industrial sector deteriorated further.

October 19, 2013

“Problems in the CESEE Region Are Mainly Fundamental”

In an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, Reza Moghadam, director of the IMF´s European Department, says that the weakness of the CESEE region is not only cyclical.

October 18, 2013

Nowotny Demands Same Rules for All Banks

Govenor Nowotny urges for a discussion about the capital requirements (Basel III) for banks, which applies only for the major banking institutes in the US but for all banks in Europe.

October 18, 2013

RBI Considers Participation in Hypo Group’s Bad Bank

In a radio interview with “Ö1”, Karl Sevelda, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), announced that he regards a particpation of his bank as possible.

October 18, 2013

IMF Warns of Financial Instability in CESEE

Due to the high non-performing loan quota and the deleveraging of Western banks, the countries of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe are still far from financial stability.

October 18, 2013

Mitterlehner: “2014 Will Become Significantly Better“

Austrian Minister for Economy Reinhold Mitterlehner considers the Austrian economy to be in a spirit of optimism as an upturn in Europe has become evident. According to him, 2014 is supposed to become “significantly better” than 2013.

October 17, 2013

Austria: RBI Expects Stabilization

Business in CEE seems to be in an up again. RBI is preparing for an IPO at the Warsaw stock exchange.

October 17, 2013

Austria: New Fiscal Difficulties

Austria´s state budget 2014 is not resolved yet. Moreover, a number of assumptions are highly uncertain.

October 17, 2013

Eurozone: Banking Union Approved

From autumn 2014 on, the European Central Bank (ECB) will directly supervise 130 major banks within the Eurozone.

October 16, 2013