Vienna International Professional Services Industry News

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

Czech Republic: Interest on Mortgage Loans Dropped

Interest ratest on mortgage loans dropped to a record low to 2.93 percent last month.

April 18, 2014

Hypo Group: Time Pressure Grows Dramatically

Future bank aids for the nationalized Austrian lender are limited. Haircuts for creditors and bondholders are not unlikely.

April 17, 2014

Republic of Austria Liable for Domestic Banks in Ukraine and Russia

The Austrian Clearing Bank (OeKB) has assumed liabilities in the amount of € 4.0n in Russia and Ukraine. Besides the political risks, banks operating in Russia have to fear economic risks too.

April 17, 2014

Polish Insurer PZU Gains More Power in Baltic States

As announced by the Polish insurance company, PZU took over three Baltic competitors.

April 17, 2014

Hypo Group: Italian Branch Turns Out a Huge Problem

According to CEO Picker there were more “skeletons in the closet than expected” which led to huge losses for the ailing bank. The Italian network may have to be downsized.

April 17, 2014

Slovenia: “Worst Thing if Nobody Dare Do Anything”

Finance Minister Cufer stressed that financial institutes needed stable guidance and confidence to continue their restructuring paths.

April 17, 2014

Hypo Group: Privatization of Balkan Business Until 2015

The nationalized problem bank intends to sell its Balkan business within 2014.

April 17, 2014

Immofinanz: Ownership Problems in Romania

According to a court decision Immofinanz has took over not legitimately acquired property in Transsylvania.

April 17, 2014

Austria: RLB OÖ Still Threatening to Leave

According to managing director of Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich (RLB OÖ) Heinrich Schaller, the tax burden is too high in Austria. The bank is still threatening to leave for Germany if the bank levy will not be changed.

April 17, 2014

Horrible Loss at Hypo Group Alpe Adria

The former Balkan lender shocks with new figures. The Austrian nationalized bank had to write off wide parts of its risky assets. Further losses are likely as well as further capital injections.

April 16, 2014

Bank Austria Ends Business on Crimea

One day after Ukrainian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Bank Aval, has terminated business on the peninsula Crimea, UniCredit’s Bank Austria announced closing down its affiliates permanently.

April 16, 2014

Conwert to Leave Germany?

A consortium of investors is highly interested in the German subsidiary of the Austrian real estate group. The consortium is led by conwert´s former board director Johannes Meran.

April 16, 2014

Industrial Location Austria Losing Attractiveness

Among other things, labor costs and energy prices are too high, according to the Austrian Federation of Industries.

April 16, 2014

Austria: RLB OÖ Rows Bank on Threat to Leave

Last year regional lender RLB OÖ (Raiffeisen Landesbank Oberösterreich), part of Raiffeisen group, saw a decline of six percent in its balance sheet totals while the operating results increased by almost three percent.

April 16, 2014

S&P Upgrades Polish Banking Sector

Rating agency Standard & Poor’s has upgraded the Polish banking sector from “negative” to “stable”.

April 16, 2014

Slovakia as a Role Model?

In an interview with Austrian daily “Wirtschaftsblatt”, Tomas Malatinsky, Economy Minister of Slovakia, talked about budget discipline, investments and tax policy.

April 16, 2014

Erste Group Bank AG: Full Year 2013 Company Report has been Published by FriedlResearch

Published in April 2014, this report contains in depth information and data about Erste Group and its operations and markets. It contains a company overview, business and strategy description, financial ratios, valuation & forecasts, plus a SWOT analysis.

April 15, 2014

Vienna: Luxury Real Estate Segment Booms

In contrast to the general trend in Austria, the properties in Vienna become more and more expensive. About 25% of the apartments cost more than € 500,000.

April 15, 2014

RBI Terminates Business on Crimea

The Ukrainian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Bank Aval, has terminated its business activity on Crimea.

April 15, 2014

Fricke: “Man Needs Relatively Little Bank”

Fricke, chief economist at the European Climate Foundation and author of “Wie viel Bank braucht der Mensch?" (How much bank does man need?)

April 15, 2014

“Bank Rescue is a Crime”

Martin Ehrenhauser, leading candidate of the Austrian electorial alliance “Europa Anders”, which is running for the EU elections, has voiced harsh criticism about the saving of financial institutes.

April 14, 2014

Slovenia: Head of NLB Throws in Towel

On Friday France Ahar, President of the supervisory board of the biggest lender of Slovenia, state-controlled NLB, handed in his resignation.

April 14, 2014

Uncertainty in Eastern Europe Makes RBI Nervous

In the last few months, the frame conditions in Russia become more and more unpredictable for foreign investors. For RBI, Russia is the most important market.

April 12, 2014

Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Massive Losses in Italy

Last year, the distressed Austrian lender recorded losses in the amount of € 2.7bn. In Italy, losses were highest.

April 11, 2014

Raiffeisen Zentralbank Posts Better Results

The Viennese lender RZB, top institute of the Austrian Raiffeisen sector, posts a significant increase in net income. Nevertheless, the core tier 1 capital quota was down slightly.

April 11, 2014

Slovenia: Banka Celje Trying to Fend Off Bailout

The Slovenian lender is considering a capital increase to avoid national bailout.

April 11, 2014

Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG - Yearly Report

Annual Report of the Group of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (in German) and an extract in English

April 11, 2014

Raiffeisen Branch to Leave Austria?

One of the provincial units of Raiffeisen Group, regional lender Raiffeisen Landesbank Oberösterreich (RLB OÖ), is considering relocating its headquarters to Germany.

April 11, 2014

Austria: VBAG Sells Malta Affiliate

Partly nationalized VBAG (Österreichische Volksbanken AG) has sold its banking affiliate VB Malta to Maltese Mediterranean Bank (MedBank).

April 11, 2014

Poland: Number of Consumer Loans Increases

According to Polish credit bureau BIK, the number of granted consumer loans has reached a new record.

April 11, 2014

Hypo Group: Disastrous Losses Revealed

Huge write-offs and value adjustments have sent losses of nationalized problem Hypo Group Alpe Adria soaring. Losses running into the billions are expected.

April 10, 2014

Poland: Key Rate Kept on Hold

The Monetary Policy Council of Poland has kept the key interest rate on hold since it ended easening in July last year.

April 10, 2014

Austria: Hypo Group’s Investigation Committee Ready for Action

The group of foreign experts at the investigation commission for Hypo Group Alpe Adria is supposed to guarantee the required objectivity. The first results are expected to be published at the end of the year.

April 10, 2014

Poland: NBP Posts No Profits

In 2013 the Polish National Bank (NBP) posted no profit.

April 10, 2014

Austria: Immofinanz to Remain in ATX Five

As announced on 4 March 2014, the ATX committee discussed about the future membership of Immofinanz AG in the ATX five.

April 10, 2014

Austria: Hypo Group Capitalized Again

The Austrian state has filled the capital hole of the ailing bank again.

April 9, 2014

Erste Group to be Relocated to the Czech Republic?

CEO of Erste Group, Andreas Treichl, has informed Czech President Milos Zeman about the bank’s intention to move to Prague in the coming years.

April 9, 2014

Hypo Group: Former CEO Sentenced to Prison

Former CEO of Hypo and investor Tilo Berlin was sentenced to more than two years in prison.

April 9, 2014

Poland: BZ WBK to Take Over Santander Consumer Bank

Bank BZ WBK was given the go-ahead by the Financial Market Regulator KNF to acquire a 60 percent stake in retail bank Santander Consumer Bank (SCB) from their joint parent bank Banco Santander.

April 9, 2014

S IMMO AG: Letting success in Sofia

The first quarter of 2014 brought encouraging successes in letting for S IMMO AG in Sofia, one of the company’s most challenging markets.

April 9, 2014

IMF Upgrades Growth for Slovenia

In its latest report the International Monetary Fund has raised its projection for GDP growth in Slovenia.

April 9, 2014

Austria: Government Wants “Restrictive Budget Performance”

Today the Austrian government has decided upon a “restrictive budget performance.

April 8, 2014

Fitch: Polish Rating Foundations Very Solid

As reported by news portal “Warsaw Voice”, rating agency Fitch considers the Polish credit rating foundations to be very solid.

April 8, 2014

Poland: Banks to Enhance Bond Issues

The Polish banks are expected to increase the value of bond issues in the next years.

April 8, 2014

Hypo Group too Expensive for BayernLB

According to an official expert, regional German lender BayernLB’s fatal decision to take over Hypo Group Alpe Adria was based on questionable company evaluations.

April 7, 2014

RBI Awarded Best Bank in CEE Once Again

Global Finance Awards: RBI again “Best Bank in CEE”.

April 7, 2014

Hypo Group: Heavy Burden for Austrian Fiscal Position

The Austrian National Bank, however, expects the structural medium-term budgetary objectives to be achievable.

April 7, 2014

RBI to Shut Down Affiliates on Crimea

The Ukrainian affiliate of Raffeisen Bank International (RBI) is closing all its affiliate on Crimea until mid-April.

April 7, 2014

Poland: No Danger of Deflation

According to Marek Belka, governor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), there is not threat of deflation.

April 7, 2014

ECB Puts Pressure on Hypo Group

The distressed Austrian nationalized lender has no access to the Eurosystem monetary policy credit instruments. About ten potential buyers might be interested in the Balkan lender.

April 5, 2014