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Get the latest business news and analysis on the Austrian economy, including news on economic policies, foreign trade, financial developments and investments

IPIC May Raise Stake in OMV

IPIC’s request to increase its stake in the Austrian oil and gas company OMV beyond 25% doesn’t require an approval by the Austrian Ministry of Economics.

February 3, 2012

Palfinger Provides Surprisingly High Sales Figures

The Austrian crane manufacturer reports a rise in revenues of 29.7%. EBIT was up by 82.8%.

February 3, 2012

Uniqa Records Losses of € 330m

The Austrian insurance company´s results are massively burdened by Greek bonds. Core business is still 'robust', says Uniqa´s management.

February 3, 2012

Palfinger: Rise in Sales and Profits Expected

Tomorrow, the Austrian crane manufacturer Palfinger presents figures for the financial year 2011. Sales are estimated to grow by 30%, net results should reach € 40m.

February 2, 2012

No Further Rise in Insolvencies Expected

The bad debt insurers Euler Hermes and Prisma expect business insolvencies to stagnate in 2012.

February 2, 2012

Lending Conditions of Austrian Banks Worsened

According to the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), stricter lending conditions at Austrian banks were due to the decline in economic growth and detrimental refunding conditions.

February 2, 2012

RLB Burgenland Records Rise in Profits

The regional bank´s operating profit was up by 9.8% to € 53m. RLB Burgenland´s total assets grew by 5.3% to € 6.3bn.

February 2, 2012

Turnaround for Austrian Industry?

According to Bank Austria, a rise in demand leads to a marked gain in new orders and triggers growth in backlogs of work. In 2012, the Austrian economy is predicted to start to expand again.

February 1, 2012

Central-Upper Austria Overtakes Vienna in GDP per Capita

The urban Upper Austrian region Linz-Wels has the highest GDP per capita in Austria. Vienna ranks second.

January 31, 2012

Austerity: ÖVP Becomes Impatient

Negotiations between the coalition partners SPÖ and ÖVP are going on. ÖVP´s chairman Spindelegger locates an “incredibly big need of consolidation”.

January 31, 2012

Austrian Economy to Stagnate Until Summer

The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) does not see signs for another recession. In summer, industrialists are optimistic that economic growth accelerates.

January 31, 2012

Austria Still With Lowest Unemployment Rate in EU

Euro area unemployment rate stands at 10.4%. Austria has second-lowest youth unemployment rate.

January 31, 2012

Austrians Reduce Savings

At present, Austrians are planning to save € 5,460 (-4.5%). Around 10% of the population plans to finance their purchases by taking out loans and will borrow an average of € 68,800 (-16%).

January 31, 2012

FPÖ Wants Cuts in Spendings

The biggest Austrian opposition party suggests reducing public expenditures in order to reduce the budget deficit. Chairman Strache calls for a “subsidy brake”.

January 30, 2012

Felderer Attacks Austrian Government

The head of the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies fiercely criticizes Austrian politicians. Felderer claims to put effort in the restructuring of public finance.

January 30, 2012

Strong Growth in Industrial Sector

Positive production trends in Austrian industry and construction sector in October 2011. Turnover was up by 9.3%.

January 30, 2012

Temporary Work on the Rise

2.3% of the Austrian workforce are temporary workers. With 75,000 persons, this is a new record.

January 30, 2012

Good Export Chances in SEE Region

The Austrian Chamber of Commerce regards South-Eastern Europe as growth region. Importance for the Austrian export industry is seen to increase.

January 28, 2012

VKB Records Rise in Results

The regional bank VKB´s operating result improved by 9.0%.

January 28, 2012

Romanian President Appreciates Erste Group´s Decision

Traian Basescu, President of Romania, is pleased with Erste Group´s announcement to continue its business in Romania.

January 28, 2012

Stepic: „Reaching AAA Again Is Possible“

RBI´s CEO Herbert Stepic thinks that due to the strength of Austria´s real economy, re-gaining the triple A is possible within the next years.

January 28, 2012

Increase in IPIC´s Shareholding at OMV Approved?

Today, the Austrian Ministry of Economics announced to have decided over IPIC´s application. The Arab fund plans to increase its stake at OMV beyond 25%.

January 27, 2012

Austerity: Leitl and Sorger Call for More Effort

The Presidents of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) and the Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) aim for re-gaining the “AAA” for Austria. The government should cut expenses instead of rising taxes.

January 27, 2012

Austrian Trust in Euro Decreases

Austrians became more skeptical to the common currency. Analysts see a “crisis of confidence”.

January 27, 2012

After Downgrade of Vienna: No Consequences Expected

The Viennese financial senator Renate Brauner does not fear negative impacts on Vienna´s finance. This week, the city was downgraded by S&P.

January 27, 2012

Budget Deficit Lower Than Forecasted

The Austrian budget deficit in 2011 reached 3.3%. Initially, the figure was expected to amount to 3.9%.

January 27, 2012

Austrian Economy: Slowdown, But No Recession

The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) says that Austria will not face a recession in 2012. Nevertheless, the economic slowdown is significant.

January 26, 2012

S&P Downgrades Austrian Provinces

The U.S. rating agencies lowers ratings for Upper Austria, Vienna and Tyrol from “AAA” to “AA+”.

January 26, 2012

New Record in Austrian Tourism

Tourism in 2011: Almost 126 million overnights (+0.8%); all-time-high in number of arrivals.

January 26, 2012

Slightly Positive Results at Sanochemia

The Austrian pharmaceutical company raised revenues by 26%. Profits amount to € 0.7m.

January 26, 2012

Telekom: Losses of € 200m Expected

For 2011, Erste Group´s analyst Maria Veronika Sutedja expects high losses for Telekom Austria.

January 25, 2012

Treichl: „S&P Errs Sometimes“

Erste Bank is ‘not guilty’ of Austria’s downgrade, CEO Andreas Treichl says.

January 25, 2012

Erste Group: “Debt Crisis Continues”

According to the Austrian bank, the sovereign debt crisis in the euro-zone remains. Stagnation is expected for the next years.

January 25, 2012

Telekom Austria Expects Significantly Lower Profits

Application of hyperinflation accounting leads to an increase in equity of more than € 400m and an impairment of approximately € 300m in 2011.

January 24, 2012

Scharinger: „Rating Agencies Are Instruments of Torture“

The leaving CEO of RLB Upper Austria, Ludwig Scharinger, is convinced that Europe needs must make itself more competitive against the U.S. financial industry.

January 24, 2012

Capital Shortfall at Austrian Banks Could Decrease

Possibly Erste Group and Raiffeisen can lower their capital shortfall. The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) is currently talking to EBA.

January 24, 2012

“Europe, quo vadis?”

Today, the 9th Vienna Congress com•sult takes place in Vienna. The central issue “Challenges of Leadership in Europe” is discussed, among others, by Lech Walesa, Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Avigdor Liberman.

January 24, 2012

AT&S: Profits Decreasing in Spite of Higher Sales

Mobile Devices’ sales for the third quarter reached a new record high of about € 83m. Revenues for the first three quarters of the year amounted to € 372m.

January 24, 2012

VIG Raises Dividends Due to Excellent Results

Premium income went up by 3.4 percent to € 9bn, profit increased by about 10 percent to nearly € 560m.

January 24, 2012

Strache Claims Cut in Subsidies

The chairman of the Austrian opposition party FPÖ criticized the government fiercely for its fiscal policy.

January 23, 2012

Leitl: „Croatians are Most Welcome“

The President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to Croatia´s EU accession in 2013.

January 23, 2012

Schlecker Insolvency: 3,000 Jobs Endangered

The German chemist chain today filed for insolvency. In Austria, Schlecker employs 3,000 workers.

January 23, 2012

Bewag Completes Turnaround

After losses in 2010, the Austrian energy supplier could achieve positive results last year.

January 23, 2012

Moderate Growth at Darbo

The Austrian jam producer Darbo could continue ist growth course in 2011. Sales were up by 2.5%.

January 23, 2012

Low Growth Rates Expected after 2012

In a medium-term forecast, the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) expects only very decent economic growth rates.

January 23, 2012

Central Bank Act: Orban Gives In

Hungary waives the planned merger of the Central Bank and the Financial Market Authority. Yesterday, Austria´s Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Orban in Budapest.

January 21, 2012

Turkey Emphasizes Support for Nabucco

Besides the Russian South-Stream project, Turkey also shows support for Nabucco, where Austrian OMV is strongly engaged in.

January 21, 2012

VBAG No Systemic Bank Anymore

After the sale of VBAG´s subsidiary VBI to Russian Sberbank, the bank will not be systemic anymore, the Austrian Financial Market Authority announced.

January 21, 2012

New Record in Agricultural Exports

In 2011, Austrian food exports exceeded € 9.0bn for the first time.

January 21, 2012

Austerity: Unions Versus Industrialists

The Austrian trade unions want to impose property taxes, the Federation of Austrian Industries seeks cuts in spending.

January 21, 2012