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Oberbank: Slow Expansion Strategy to be Continued

The Austrian regional bank starts to enter the stage in two German states. The net income has reached a new record level.

April 2, 2014

Austria: Spindelegger Expects Significant Increase of Deficit

According to the Finance Minister, the consequences of the Hypo-disaster are “dramatic”. However, he does not see a danger of deflation.

April 1, 2014

Poland: PZU to Take over RSA’s Baltic Branch?

Polish insurance company PZU intends to take over the Baltic assets of British ailing insurer RSA.

April 1, 2014

Hypo Group: Settlement Rejected by BayernLB

The majority stockholder of BayernLB, the former parent company of Hypo Group Alpe Adria, is not willing to negotiate about a settlement with the Austrian problem bank.

April 1, 2014

BayernLB: “Odd“ Sponsoring Contracts in Carinthia

Former managers of the German regional bank are under suspicion of having bribed then-governor of the Austrian province of Carinthia.

March 31, 2014

Serbia: Program for New Government in Progress

The future government will have to implement extensive reforms. Vucic, whose party saw a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections, is working on the government’s program.

March 26, 2014

Poland: Good Starting Point for Economic Growth

Economic growth for 2014 is expected to accelerate to 3.1 percent to 3.2 percent in the first quarter while for the full year it is anticipated to come at 3.5 percent, according to Polish Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski.

March 26, 2014

BayernLB Threatens Hypo Group with Damage Claims

BayernLB, former parent company of Hypo Group Alpe Adria International, is threatening to claim damages from its former affiliate.

March 26, 2014

Poland: Promising Years Ahead

Poland observes the crisis in Ukraine with great concern, but does not forget to upgrade national resources.

March 25, 2014

Austria: Opposition Criticizes Nationalization

On Thursday Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger expects a binding statement by ailing bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria about how much state aid will be required. The opposition heavily criticizes the nationalization by the Austrian state in 2009.

March 20, 2014

Austria: Reform Steps Very Modest

Austria, along with Germany and Switzerland, hardly put any economic reforms into realization. This is the conclusion of the annual “reform barometer” for the three countries.

March 20, 2014

CA Immo: Considerable Drop in Net Income

Financial results 2013: CA Immo achieves record operating result. Balance sheet strengthened, Net Asset Value up 6%.

March 19, 2014

BayernLB: “We Were Brazenly Betrayed by Austria"

CEO of BayernLB Gerd Häusler claims the German bank and former parent company of nationalized Hypo Group Alpe Adria accuses Austria of having taken the law into its own hands.

March 18, 2014

Hypo Group Redeems Loan

Even though the Austrian nationalized Hypo Group urgently needs state aids to get by bondholders will be compensated for their investments.

March 17, 2014

Austria: Spindelegger Puts Pressure on BayernLB

In the dispute with BayernLB, former parent company of problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria, Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger calls for a tougher approach.

March 17, 2014

Immofinanz: Buwog’s Spin-Off Approved

In an extraordinary shareholder meeting, the spin-off of residential real estate affiliate of Immofinanz was approved by the shareholders.

March 14, 2014

DiTech: Insolvency Postponed

Heavily affected computer equipement trader DiTech has to postpone filing for insolvency proceedings, which was planned today at the Commercial Court in Vienna.

March 14, 2014

Hypo Group: Decision Has Finally Been Made

The government has finally made a decision. Ailing Hypo Group Alpe Adria will be downsized through a private bad bank.

March 14, 2014

Austria: DiTech to be Taken Over by Investor

Insolvent computer equipment trader DiTech is supposed to be taken over by a German investor with Polish roots.

March 13, 2014

Hypo Group: Insolvency Still an Option?

The group of international advisors appointed by the Austrian government seems to have come to a different conclusion than the task force of Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

March 12, 2014

Hypo Group: Further State Aid Necessary This Year

Finance Minister Spindelegger fears that nationalized problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria will require further state aids for its downsizing still within this year.

March 10, 2014

Austria: Spindelegger Still Does Not Exclude Hypo’s Bankruptcy

In an interview with daily “Österreich” Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger announced his intention of very carefull examining the task force’s final report about ailing bank Hypo Group.

March 8, 2014

Austria: Hypo Group’s Final Report Eagerly Awaited

The eagerly awaited final report of Hypo Group’s task force is supposed to be presented to the government this weekend.

March 8, 2014

Austria: Opposition Still Hopes for Government to Come Around

NEOS offer the government the chair for the parliamentary investigation committee with regard to the nationalization of ailing Hypo Group Alpe Adria and its former parent company BayernLB.

March 7, 2014

Austria: “Taxpayers Have to Bleed for Hypo Group“

Franz Schellhorn, head of think tank Agenda Austria, told “Handelsblatt” in an interview that having delayed the issue of Hypo Group was a fatal mistake by the Austrian government. He points out the consequences of the disaster.

March 7, 2014

S&P: European Banking Sector Faces Worse Ratings

According to the rating agency, the public support for the European banking sector is essential in many cases. Without financial support, banks might be downgraded.

March 5, 2014

Austria: Controversies Around “Council of the Wise“

Finance Minister Spindelegger claims the appointing of the “Council fo the Wise” for problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria was the idea of Chancellor Faymann.

March 4, 2014

Austria: Unemployment Rate Rises Once Again

Once again the unemployment rate in Austria saw a significant rise. More than 440,000 persons were registered jobsless in February.

March 3, 2014

Austria: Solid Growth and Recovery in Industrial Industry

Austria’s industrial recovery continues.

March 3, 2014

Hypo Group: Risk Identified Already in 2009

Three months after a report on the risk and susceptibility to fraud of Hypo Group’s leasing affiliates was published by PwC, ailing Hypo Group was nationalized.

March 3, 2014

Hypo Group: “Worst Thing If Government Does Not Make Decision”

According to Felderer, President of the Fiscal Council, a downgrade in the country rating must not be taken “too seriously”.

February 28, 2014

Hypo Group: New Figures Added to Number Games

The number games in regard to Hypo Group’s downsizing to not seem to cease. New figures will be released by the bank’s task force at the beginning of next week.

February 27, 2014

Hypo Group Insolvency to Cost € 10bn at Least

Taxpayers in Austria would be burdened with at least € 10bn if Hypo Group was sent into insolvency.

February 26, 2014

Austria: National Assembley Rejects Investigation Committee

The parliamentary investigation committee for Hypo Group, demanded by the opposition parties, was rejected in a roll-call vote in the National Assembley.

February 26, 2014

Austria: Hypo Group Council to Strain Budget Even More

The Finance Ministry will appoint an international consulting team for the downsizing of nationalized problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria. However, costs are increasing dramatically by this step.

February 25, 2014

Austria: “Council of the Wise“ for Hypo Group

Instead of a parliamentary investigation committee the coalition expressed its wish to appoint a “Council of the Wise” for the the assessment of the ailing bank’s nationalization.

February 25, 2014

Austria: Investment Banker Part of Hypo’s Expert Group

A former investment banker is supposed to support Austrian government in the Hypo Group issue.

February 21, 2014

Spindelegger: Taxpayers Should Not Carry Whole Load

Finance Minister Spindelegger declared himself in favor of a haircut of creditors of problem bank Hypo Group.

February 20, 2014

Vienna: City with Highest Quality in Life

Just like last year Vienna is on top of the list of the major cities with the highest life quality. Baghdad ranks last in the survey carried out by Mercer.

February 19, 2014

Hypo Disaster: Who Are the Beneficiaries?

International investment companies, funds and domestic banks are the major recipients of the billions of Euros in the Hypo Group disaster.

February 19, 2014

Austria Most Popular Country among Hungarians

93 percent of Hungarians feel compassion towards Austria.

February 19, 2014

Hypo Bankruptcy Could Severly Harm BayernLB

Rating agency Moody’s sees German BayernLB impacted by the critical capital situation in the coming years.

February 18, 2014

Spindelegger Positive about Creation of Financial Transaction Tax

In the run-up to the beginning of the ECOFIN Council in Brussels, negotiations about the further proceeding of the financial transaction tax were held among eleven EU finance ministers.

February 18, 2014

Slovenia: Heading for Recovery

Slovenia seems to have circumnavigated the crisis as the small country is not a Eurozone bail-out candidate anymore, according to Prime Minister Bratusek.

February 17, 2014

Government Downplaying Effects of Hypo Group Desaster

Today, both Chancellor Werner Faymann and Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger had to explain their actions in regard to Hypo Group Alpe Adria in parliament.

February 17, 2014

Threat of Bankruptcy: Moody´s Cuts Hypo Group Alpe Adria´s Rating

The U.S. rating agency downgrades the rating of the Austrian nationalized lender by four notches. Moody´s referred to the uncertainty and the vague statements of the Austrian government.

February 15, 2014 · Updated: February 15, 2014; 18:47

Austria: Changes Ahead of Buwog’s IPO

Buwog, residential builiding affiliate of real estate company Immofinanz, will be listed from April 28 on and is supposed to become a candidate for the leading Austrian index ATX at the Vienna Stock Exchange (VSE).

February 14, 2014

Testimony Against Former Kazakh Diplomat

Today, a press conference about suspected damaged persons by former Kazakh ambassador to Austria, Rahat Aliyev, who is alleged to have disappeared in Malta, will take place at the Media Quarter Marx in Vienna.

February 13, 2014

Immofinanz Kicking Off IPO of Buwog

Listed real estate company Immofinanz is kicking off its inital puplic offering of residential real estate affiliate Buwog.

February 13, 2014

Banks Lose Credibility and Trust

A survey reveals the fear of financial institutes enriching themselves at the expense of of private persons is widely spread.

February 12, 2014