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        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)
          
 
    
        Basel III Framework to be Softened 
      
      
The Basel Committee´s oversight body has amended the leverage ratio rules. For the banking industry, this step is an important success.
                                  January 13, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: VBAG Not to Receive Further Aids 
      
      
Ailing banking institute VBAG of the Austrian Volksbanken Group will not be granted further state aids.
                                  January 13, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Romania: Economic Growth not Sustainable Yet 
      
      
In the third quarter of 2013, Romania´s GDP growth amounted to 4.1%. Nevertheless, Romania is still far from a sustainable economic recovery.
                                  January 11, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Fitch: Positive Comment on Raiffeisen Bank International 
      
      
According to the U.S. rating agency, the planned capital increase is evaluated positively. In certain CESEE market, RBI´s operations will remain challenging, Fitch said.
                                  January 11, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Europe/CESEE: Heavy Trade in Distressed Assets 
      
      
Until 2018, European lenders will offload about 300bn of bad debts, according to PwC. Above all, U.S. private equity firms are taking the opportunity.
                                  January 11, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Bulgaria: Fitch Confirms Rating at “BBB-“ 
      
      
According to Fitch, the outlooks are stable. In case of an increase in political and social tensions, Bulgaria´s current rating would be in danger, however. Bulgaria´s financial situation is satisfying, though.
                                  January 11, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        RBI: Capital Increase Because of Unsuccessful Partner Search 
      
      
For Raiffeisen Bank International, the capital increase is nothing else but an emergency solution. The main loser is RBI´s core shareholder, the Austrian Raiffeisen Zentralbank.
                                  January 10, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Hungary: Further Monetary Cuts Not Unlikely 
      
      
Adam Balog, deputy governor of the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), argues that there is still downward potential.
                                  January 10, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        RBI: Change in Shareholdings Expected 
      
      
The announcement to increase capital by Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) did not come as a surprise. However, experts and investors did not expect such a high volume (up to € 2.5bn) and fear a dilution in shareholdings.
                                  January 10, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Slovenia: 2014 Credit Line of € 7.7bn 
      
      
On Thursday the Slovenian government adopted a budget financing plan which includes this year’s credit line of up to € 7.7bn.
                                  January 10, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: VIG to Sell Stakes in Porr 
      
      
Listed Vienna Insurance Grop (VIG) downsizes its stake in Austrian construction company Porr, which is also listed at the Vienna Stock Exchange.
                                  January 9, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Poland: Key Interest Rate to Remain Unchanged 
      
      
As expected, the key interest rate will not be changed. According to Marek Belka, governor of the Polish National Bank (NBP), there was no need in monetary interventions.
                                  January 9, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Eurozone: Further Capital Injections at Banks Expected 
      
      
The Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) is holding a summit today. The low inflation rate in the Eurozone is still a dilemma for the monetary authorities.
                                  January 9, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        RBI Expects Growth to Accelerate in 2014 
      
      
2014 marked by growth recovery, according to RBI Research.
                                  January 9, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Raiffeisen Bank International to Raise Capital 
      
      
Austrian RBI will increase capital be € 2.25bn in summer 2014. This step was already long-awaited. The shareholder structure will change substantially.
                                  January 8, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        RBI: No Withdrawal from Hungary 
      
      
Due to massive losses, the second-largest lender in CESEE was said to leave the difficult Hungarian market. RBI denies such reports.
                                  January 8, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Orco Property Group: Cut in Number of Board Members 
      
      
Shareholders of Luxembourger real estate company Orco Property Group voted to cut the number of board members from nine to five on Monday.
                                  January 8, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Hungary: SZKB to Take over Hungarian RBI? 
      
      
Hungarian Economy Minister Mihaly Varga considers it unlikely for Szecheny Commercial Bank (SZKB) to take over the Hungarian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI).
                                  January 8, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Meinl Bank: Plans of Growth in Czech Republic and UK 
      
      
Meinl Bank has opened a new subsidiary in Prague. Growth plans for the core business in Central and Eastern Europe is well on its way, according to the bank’s officials.
                                  January 7, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Growing Evidence for RBI’s Withdrawal from Hungary 
      
      
According to media reports, Hungarian partly nationalized Szechenyi Commercial Bank has placed an offer for the take-over of RBI’s Hungarian affiliate.
                                  January 7, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        European Union: Private Trading of Banks to be Restricted 
      
      
The European Union intends to severly restrict risky private trading of banks.
                                  January 7, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Hungary: Erste Group Confident 
      
      
The third-largest lender in CESEE underlined that the Hungarian subsidiary will not be sold. The Austrian bank is confident to reach the turnaround soon.
                                  January 6, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        First Offer for RBI´s Hungarian Subsidiary 
      
      
The partly nationalized Hungarian lender Szechenyi Bank is interested in the Hungarian subsidiaries of the Austrian banks Erste Group and Raiffeisen Bank International.
                                  January 6, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: „El Dorado for Borrowers“ 
      
      
According to Bank Austria´s management board member Dieter Hengl, Austria is an oasis for borrowers. Interest rates have reached an all-time low.
                                  January 4, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        European Savers in Danger 
      
      
Already this year, savers in the Eurozone may fear a compulsory tax on deposits, the Danish Saxo Bank says.
                                  January 4, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Eurozone: Number of Bank Credits Keeps Declining 
      
      
The financial institutes in the Eurozone have been cutting back on granting credits. The lending for both business corporations and private persons has dropped by 2.3 percent.
                                  January 3, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Hungary: MKB Bank Sells Romanian Subsidiary 
      
      
As announced in a statement Hungarian MKB Bank has sold its entire stake of its Romanian subsidiary.
                                  January 3, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Slovenia: Banking Sector Still in Turmoil 
      
      
Small banks in Slovenia are reasons for concern in regard to their capital shortfalls.
                                  January 3, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Massive Change in Banking Landscape 
      
      
The business model of banks comes more and more under pressure. In the next years, about the half of the bank shops will be closed, banking expert Hans-Gert Penzel predicts.
                                  January 2, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Poland: WSE to Register More IPOs in 2014 
      
      
Since further companies will start listing at the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) in 2014 the Polish stock will become more attractive to investors.
                                  January 2, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Czech Republic: Household Debts Increasing 
      
      
Debts to banks and other financial institutes by Czech households keep on increasing, according to a report by the Czech National Bank (CNB).
                                  January 2, 2014                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: Hard Times for Regional Banks 
      
      
Not only large banks are under pressure. In 2014, Austrian regional banks expect enormous challenges to deal with.
                                  December 31, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Austrian Public Debt Reaches New High 
      
      
The total size of public debt was never before so high. In the next years, the public debt ratio will come close to 80% of GDP.
                                  December 30, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: Purchasing Power Shrinks Further 
      
      
According to Generali insurance group, Austrians expect that their real income shrinks further.
                                  December 30, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Poland: Komorowski Approves Pension Reform 
      
      
Poland´s President Bronislaw Komorowski has signed the nationalization act. However, he will send the law to the Constitutional Court.
                                  December 28, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Hungary: Best Economic Outlook since 2002 
      
      
After the country had left the double-dip recession, the Hungarian economic sentiment index has reached the highest level in more than 11 years. Nevertheless, the country still has to manage number of fundamental risks.
                                  December 28, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Croatia Needs Major Bridge Loan 
      
      
In order to cover its fiscal shortfall, the youngest EU member country takes a bridge loan in the amount of € 200m.
                                  December 28, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: „Lending Becomes More Expensive” 
      
      
In an interview with the Austrian daily “Presse”, CEO of Hypo Vorarlberg Michael Grahammer talks about the future lending conditions. The corporate sector faces a drastic increase in borrowing costs.
                                  December 27, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Hypo Group: Austrian Government Seems Aimless 
      
      
Although the restructuring of the nationalized Austrian lender is one of the most pressing issues, the Austrian government could not present a sound concept yet.
                                  December 27, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        UniCredit Sells Bad Assets to Cerberus 
      
      
The majority shareholder of Austrian Bawag acquires a portfolio worth €950m.
                                  December 27, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        AXA Leaves Hungary 
      
      
Austrian Vienna Insurance Group takes over 100% of AXA Hungary.
                                  December 27, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Slovenia: Fresh Money for Major Banks 
      
      
Bonds of BAMC (Bank Asset Management Company), Slovenia’s bad bank, will be traded on Friday for the first time. The bonds will be forwarded to the country’s biggest banks in return for their bad loans.
                                  December 27, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        VBAG: Further State Aids Questionable 
      
      
The governing Austrian social democrats (SPÖ) are against providing further funds to the partly nationalized banking group.
                                  December 26, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Austrian and Germans Offered Most for Bulgarian Schuldschein 
      
      
Average interest rates for Bulgarian Schuldschein loan range between 3.4 to 4.6 percent. Austrian and German investors offered most of the € 290m loan.
                                  December 23, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        „CESEE No Driver Yet“ 
      
      
Birgit Kuras, CEO of Vienna Stock Exchange, thinks that the Vienna Stock Exchange is highly influenced by the CESEE operations of listed companies.
                                  December 23, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Slovenia: PM Bratusek Confident About Tackling State Debts 
      
      
Even though the country is expected to issue new state bonds next year to tackle state debts Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek suggested that Slovenia does not require loans immediately.
                                  December 23, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Austria: Bank Rescue Massive Burden for Public Finance 
      
      
In total, costs of the Austrian banking package come at € 6.75bn. Expenses are only partially covered by revenues.
                                  December 21, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        VBAG: Call for Further State Aids Likely 
      
      
The Austrian VBAG (Volksbanken AG), top institute of the Volksbanken sector, still has a substantial capital shortfall.
                                  December 21, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        CESEE: Dependence on Foreign Demand Remains Main Obstacle 
      
      
In 2014, Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) faces a slight upward trend. The structural difficulties persist, however.
                                  December 21, 2013                                        
    
 
    
        Rothensteiner: Austrian Sovereign Debt Rating Includes Bank Bail-Out 
      
      
Unlike the rating agency Moody´s, head of RZB (Raiffeisen Zentralbank) Walter Rothensteiner thinks that the Austrian sovereign debt rating is not endangered by the nationalized banking sector.
                                  December 20, 2013                                        
     
           
       
    
