Austrian Securities Market and Stock Exchange News and Analysis

Read the latest headlines and breaking news about the Vienna International Stock Exchange and the Austrian securities market (bonds, stocks)

Austria: Hypo Group to Come Under Fire

Pressure from Brussel grows for a fast selling of Hypo Group.

April 16, 2013

New Fiscal Rules in EU Six-Pack to Benefit CEE5

New fiscal rules should reduce risk of self-defeating austerity. There is no need for CEE countries to raise taxes if they stick to growth-friendly policies and cap real increase of expenditures below 1%.

April 15, 2013

Cyprus Grants Damaged Foreign Investors Citizenship

Instead of the so-far € 10bn, investors now only have to endow € 3bn in order to obtain the Cyprian citizenship.

April 15, 2013

Cyprus to Receive More Capital

Cyprus requires more money than expected and will receive it. Head of Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, has promised an examination if money laundering exists.

April 12, 2013

Cyprus: Bail-Out Package More Expensive Than Thought

The aid-money needed increases from € 17.5bn to € 23bn, according to Cyprian government.

April 11, 2013

Fekter: „Austria is a High-Tax Country“

Bank secrecy will be an official issue at the meeting of EU finance ministers in Dublin on Saturday. Fekter criticizes the UK sharply.

April 11, 2013

Austria: Great Demand in Two New Federal Bonds

In a double syndicated loan, the Austrian state has taken out € 4.5bn and issued two new federal bonds.

April 11, 2013

Croatia to Sell HPB and Croatia Osiguranje

Croatia’s seventh biggest bank and biggest insurance company will soon be privatized. The selling of the stakes is supposed to generate up to € 300m for the state budget.

April 11, 2013

Russia: Kalashnikov-Producer Izhmash Suspected of Embezzlement

A former General Director is suspected of having transferred securities beyond their value. A lawsuit based on corruption allegations was filed against a former Deputy Agriculture Minister.

April 11, 2013

Cyprus to Sell Gold Reserves

The country has to sell reserves in the amount of € 400m. In the meantime, the banking sector has been cut down to one half of its former size.

April 10, 2013

Eurozone: Refinancing Gap of € 1.2 Trillion

Austrian banks are at EU average and show a finance gap of € 30bn.

April 10, 2013

Household Assets in Austria Lower Than in Spain

The proportion of owned homes in Austria and Germany is below 50 % and one of the reasons why household assets are on the lower end of the scale.

April 10, 2013

Conwert to Increase Capital Up to 50 %

Management wants to be given go-ahead from shareholders at the next general meeting for the increase of capital of up to 50 %.

April 10, 2013

RBI: Consolidated Profit Down by 25 %

Consolidated profit decreases by 25 per cent to € 725 million (2011: € 968 million).Net interest income decreases by 5.3 per cent year-over-year to € 3,472 million (2011: € 3,667 million).

April 10, 2013

Austria About to Lose Fiscal Secret

The Austrian government declared to negotiate with the EU about the abanonment of the fiscal secret.

April 9, 2013

Immofinanz to List in Warsaw

Real state corporation Immofinanz wants to list their shares on the Warsaw stock exchange.

April 9, 2013

Commission Criticizes Austria on Keeping Bank Secret

EU Tax Commissioner Algirdas Semeta considers Austria’s position to hold on to the bank secret and unwilligness to reform as “impossible”.

April 9, 2013

Fitch Downgrades Slovenian Banks to Junk Status

Rating agency Fitch has downgraded the creditworthiness of five Slovenian Banks.

April 8, 2013

Russia to Contribute to Cyprus Aid-Package

President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will contribute to rescue-package for Cyprus.

April 8, 2013

Russia: Economic Growth Below Expectations

The Russian economy is flatlining. The government and the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) blame each other for the current state of affairs.

April 8, 2013

Matolcsy’s Program Evokes Mixed Feelings.

During a press conference on Thursday, April 4, new Govenor of Hungarian National Bank (MNB), György Matolcsy presented some of the “creative financial market instruments”.

April 6, 2013

Investigation Report Incriminates Managers of Bank of Cyprus

Mass purchase of Greek state bonds and removing of data.

April 5, 2013

Fekter Defends Austrian Bank Secret

With the reference to the agreement with Switzerland and Lichtenstein, Finance Minister Fekter tries to convince the EU Commission to leave the Austrian bank secret at the current situation.

April 5, 2013

VIG: Drastic Downsizing Measures in Romania

Because of increasing losses 450 employees will be made redundant.

April 4, 2013

Keuschnigg Forecasts End of Bank Secret in Austria

Head of the Austrian Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Christian Keuschnigg expects the end of the bank secret in Austria.

April 3, 2013

Russia: Refinancing Rate Expected to Be Cut

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) estimates inflation risks higher than a slow economic growth. However, the refinancing rate is expected to be lowered soon.

April 3, 2013

Cyprus: Prone to Recession

Despite of the bail-out package, the country is threatened by a deep recession in the coming two years.

April 3, 2013

Slovenia: “We Will Need No Bailout This Year”

Since Greece, Spain and Cyprus are currently finding themselves in disastrous economic situations, Slovenia does not want to seem like the next bail-out candidate.

March 30, 2013

Poland: Inflation Rate for Private Individuals At 1.6 %

March was the seventh consecutive month of decline in private individuals' inflation expectations. Respondents place average inflation rate as expected over the next 12 months at 1.6%.

March 30, 2013

Cyprus: 37.5 % Only The First Cut

Assets will be burdened much higher than assumed. Apart from the mandatory levy of 37.5 % a further amount of 22.5 % will be frozen in.

March 30, 2013

Cyprus: 37.5 % Tax on Assets

The compulsory levy on bank assets exeeding € 100,000 has now been fixed. Assets above the amount will be taxed with 37.5 %.

March 30, 2013

Hungary: Economic Growth Only in 2014

The MNB, the National Bank of Hungary estimates economic growth to further stagnate in 2013 but forcasts positive devolopments for the next year.

March 29, 2013

Lithuania: Increase in Non-Cash Payments

Significant increase in non-cash payments creates a premise for banks to review their fees

March 29, 2013

Austria: Sale of Kommunalkredit Still in Limbo

Denationalization of Kommunalkredit not yet completed.

March 29, 2013

Cyprus: No Bank Run

The feared bank-run after the almost two-weeks long closing of the banks in Cyprus has not occured.

March 29, 2013

Czech Republic: Disinflation Continues

Analysts expect Czech economy to grow by 1.7 % next year.

March 29, 2013

Slovenia: Situation For Banks Still Shaky

According to the National Bank, the new government in Slovenia needs to avoid becoming the new setting of bail-out negotiations with the EU after the banking crisis in Cyprus.

March 28, 2013

VBAG: Business Operation Down by € 131m

In 2012 single entity result negative at EUR -131 million.Net interest income decreased to € 220m. Total assets dropped by € 13.5 billion to € 27.7bn. Further losses are expected for 2013.

March 28, 2013

Slovenia: NLB Gets Own Bad Bank

Slovenia biggest bank, Nova Ljubljanska Banka (NLB), is going to establish its own intern bad bank.

March 28, 2013

Cyprus: Trying to Avoid Chaos at Banks

Today, Cyprus‘ banks are supposed to be opened after almost two weeks of closing. The citizens are called for calm and there are limits for drawing money. The currency rate was downgraded to Caa2 by Moody’s.

March 28, 2013

Cyprus: Mandatory Levy on Assets Not Yet Fixed

Banks in Cyprus will open again tomorrow, yet the capital flow is still limited. Dijsselbloem is criticized by the ECB. Bank employees demand Demetriades’ stepping down.

March 27, 2013

Moody’s Warns EU

The rating agency warns the EU governments about over-estimating the ability to overcome the Euro-crisis.

March 27, 2013

Cyprus: Outflow of Billions of Euros Presumed

Investors in Cyprus could face haircuts up to 50 %. Parliamentary President, Omirou want to go into details about the alleged transfer of assets despite of the banks closing.

March 26, 2013

Head of Bank of Cyprus Withdraws

Head of Cyprus’ biggest bank withdraws. Cyprus’ Labor Minister warns of recession and economic downturn due to the austerity measures imposed by the EU and Commission.

March 26, 2013

Medvedev Vexed Over EU

In case the government will not come to conclusion how to generate the required money (€ 5.8bn), the ECB will cut off the money supply for Cyprus’ ramshackle banks.

March 25, 2013

Austria Ranks 4th in Labor Productivity.

According to a study carried out by Eurostat, Austria is among the Top 5 of the most productive countries in the EU. In the last 20 years, the country was able to increase labor productivity by 36.5 %.

March 25, 2013

Austria: Highest Rate of Foreign-Currency Debts

No other country in Europe exhibits such a high amount of private foreign currency credit users. In 2014, when the next wave of repayments is due many debtors might be in for a shock.

March 25, 2013

Cyprus: Bail-Out Package Accepted

Cyprus has been granted the € 10bn worth aid package by the EU. After ten hours of negotiations in Brussels the decision was made early this morning. Assets below € 100,000 will not be taxed.

March 25, 2013

Croatia: Sluggish Economic Recovery

The improvement in the financing conditions in international financial markets in the second half of 2012 mitigated the risks to Croatias financial stability to an extent.

March 25, 2013

Cyprus: Votes on Mandatory Levy

In case the government will not come to conclusion how to generate the required money (€ 5.8bn), the ECB will cut off the money supply for Cyprus’ ramshackle banks.

March 23, 2013