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)

Slovenia Creates Major Bad Bank

In order to reduce the burden on the banking sector, Slovenia´s government wants to shift risky assets to a special purpose vehicle.

November 13, 2013

BayernLB: “Hypo Not Willing to Pay“

Because of the legal dispute with Austrian problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria, former German parent company BayernLB announced not to increase its risk provision.

November 13, 2013

Czech Republic: CNB Concerned about Private Households

In regard to the most recent forex intervention, the Czech National Bank (CNB) has expressed concern about private households, which would be affected for a longer period since savings as well as income will drop.

November 13, 2013

Romania: UniCredit Tiriac Bank’s Profits Exceeding Expectations

On an annual comparison basis, Unicredit Tiriac Bank posted an increase of profits of 48 percent to € 48.5m since the beginning of this year exceeding all expectations.

November 13, 2013

Austria: Bawag to Pay Off Further State Capital

Today CEO Byron Haynes announced that Bawag will pay back a further tranche of the bank state aid injected in 2009.

November 13, 2013

Crucial Days for Slovenia´s Government

Slovenia´s government has presented the 2014 budget to the Parliament. Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek has linked the approval to a vote of confidence. However, the budget approval is not the biggest risk factor for the ailing country.

November 13, 2013

Austria: Downsizing Options for Hypo Group under Discussion

In the discussion about establishing a downsizing unit for ailing bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria, several possibilities are taken into account.

November 12, 2013

Czech President Sceptical about CNB’s Forex Intervention

Czech President Zeman expressed his reservations about the Central Bank’s latest forex interventions.

November 12, 2013

Austria: Nowotny Rejects Mood of Opposition against ECB

Ewald Nowotny, governor of OeNB, rejects the idea of having been part of a protest group against the European Central Bank’s (ECB) most recent monetary measures by cutting the key rate to an all-time low.

November 12, 2013

Western Balkans Struggling with NPL

The high percentage of non-performing loans in the Western Balkan region is affecting the financial stability of the region’s countries.

November 11, 2013

Triglav: No Expansion in Croatia

The biggest Slovenian insurance company planned to increase its stake in Croatia Osiguranje. Croatia´s government rejected Triglav´s offer.

November 11, 2013

Croatia: IMF as Last Exit

It is likely that the ailing country is seeking assistance from the IMF. Borrowing in 2014 is risky, Finance Minister Slavko Linic said.

November 11, 2013

Nowotny Against ECB’s Key Rate Cut

The governor of the Austrian National Bank has, according to reports, voted against the ECB’s most recent interventions.

November 11, 2013

Czech Republic: CNB to Intervene in Forex Market

After the Czech koruna (CZK) was devalued, the Czech National Bank (CNB) is keen on preventing a deflation. However, the key rate cannot be cut anymore as it is close to zero.

November 11, 2013

Hypo Group: Urgent Need for Fresh Money

The ailing nationalized bank Austrian Hypo Group Alpe Adria has a capital shortfall of € 1.3bn. The gap must be closed before the end of the year.

November 11, 2013

Macedonia: Foreign Currency Lending Massively Up

Parents of Macedonian banks have only very limited influence on their subsidiaries, the EBRD reports.

November 9, 2013

Bulgarian Banks Suffer from Low Customer Creditworthiness

According to the EBRD, the Bulgarian banks are a source of funding for their parents.

November 9, 2013

Serbian Banking Sector: Weak Regulatory Environment

In the last years, Serbia´s banking industry did not record any significant growth impulses. Foreign-exchange loans were reduced substantially.

November 9, 2013

Romanian Banking Sector Highly Centralized

The EBRD has observed a high proportion of banks reporting that the parent bank´s influence is high.

November 9, 2013

Slovenia: Domestic Banks Dominate the Market

According to the EBRD, Slovenia´s banking industry is faced with a declining credit demand. A lack in funding has become less acute.

November 9, 2013

Croatia´s Banking Sector Remains Competitive

The Croat legal system is perceived as major weakness. Credit demand is going down for years.

November 9, 2013

Frame Conditions for Banks Remain Difficult in Hungary

The Hungarian banking sector is highly dissatisfied with the regulation environment, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development reported.

November 9, 2013

Slovakia: Weak Credit Demand

Due to the lack of credit demand, lending is below its potential. Foreign banks in Slovakia are relatively independent from their parents.

November 9, 2013

Czech Banking Sector Strongly Influenced by Foreign Banks

The EBRD has published the “Banking Environment Performance Survey”. Foreign parent banks exert a strong influence on their subsidiaries.

November 9, 2013

Poland: Solid Banking Sector

According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the perceived regulation pressure is too high for Poland´s banking sector.

November 9, 2013

BNP Shows Interest in Taking Over Polish BGZ

In the race for the Polish lender BGZ, the biggest French bank BNP Paribas enters the stage.

November 8, 2013

Albania: Domestic Banks Struggling to Keep Up

According to a report by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Albanian financial sector is dominated by foreign banks. Domestic banks are struggling to keep up with the internationally operating competition.

November 8, 2013

Interest Rate Cut: “Very Effective Property Tax“

Economists have judged the ECB’s cut in interest rate differently. According to Brezinschek, chief analyst at Raiffeisen International, savers that are not involved in speculative investments will not benefit from the latest key rate cut.

November 8, 2013

Serbia: Key Policy Rate Cut to 10 Percent

In its meeting on November 7, the NBS Executive Board voted to cut the key policy rate by half a percentage point, to 10 percent.

November 8, 2013

Bulgaria: Finance Ministry Approves Schuldschein Loan

In order to close the Bulgarian budget deficit gap, the Finance Ministry has decided to take out a Schuldschein loan in the amount of € 360m.

November 8, 2013

Czech Republic: Economic Outlook Improves

In its latest forecast, the Czech National Bank (CNB) has corrected the outlook on the Czech economy upward for the rest of 2013 while estimates for 2014 were slightly downgraded.

November 8, 2013

Buwog to Expand Massively in Germany

Buwog, wholly-owned subsidiary of Vienna-listed Immofinanz, prepares the acquisition of a large real estate portfolio in Germany.

November 7, 2013

Eurozone: Key Rate At Record Low

Low inflation was reason for ECB to lower key rate again by 0.25 percent.

November 7, 2013

Austrian Banks Forced to Prepare in Case of Bankruptcy

From 2014 on, the Austrian Banks are required to start planning the emergency scenario in case of a liquidation in order to be able and react more quickly.

November 7, 2013

Slovenia: Ten Banks under Stress Test

In addition to the country’s three major banks, NLB, NKBM and Abanka Vipa, seven other banks are concerned by the bank stress test.

November 7, 2013

ECB to Keep Interest Rate Low

Despite a low inflation, the European Central Bank (ECB) will keep the interest rate low. The Council of ECB has held a meeting on Thursday morning

November 7, 2013

Poland´s National Bank Holds Interest Rate Flat

In order to boost economic growth, the Polish Monetary Policy Council has left the interest rate unchanged.

November 6, 2013

Romania: Key Rate Cut Again

The most recent cut was the fourth in a row since the beginning of July. Experts forecast the rate cutting cycle to stop in the first quarter next year when the country’s key rate is supposed to stand at 3.5 percent.

November 6, 2013

Leitl Rejects Further Bank Taxes

Christoph Leitl, president of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), rejects the Finance Ministry’s plan to impose further taxes on Austrian banks in order to decrease public debts.

November 6, 2013

Banking Sector Reduces Lending

Instead of offering loans to the corporate sector, banks tend to invest in sovereign bonds. The CESEE region is particularly affected by this.

November 6, 2013

Bulgaria: Banks Have More Assets at Disposal

With more money available, banks in Bulgaria are now able to grant more loans.

November 6, 2013

Banking Sector: Difficulties in Croatia Ahead

In order to protect indebted home-owners, the Croat parliament will resolve a new bank act. Like in Hungary, foreign-exchange-based mortgage should be converted at the expense of banks.

November 6, 2013

Hungary: Parliament Resolves Bank Act

The Hungarian banking sector, which is dominated by Austrian banks, faces new difficulties.

November 5, 2013

Bawag Faces Radical Job Cuts

The Austrian bank implements fierce austerity measures. About a fifth of the jobs may be cut.

November 5, 2013

Austria: Compulsory Levy on Assets Simply “Out of Question“

Top bankers and economists in Austria consider the compulsory levy of ten percent on household assets “out of question” and “ludicrous”.

November 5, 2013

Analysis - Vienna Stock Exchange on a “Sustainable Upward Trend”

After five downhill years, the Vienna Stock Exchange is finally seeing something like a silver lining.

October 30, 2013 · Updated: November 5, 2013; 18:00

Bawag Investor Cerberus to Leave?

Rumors have it that US fund Cerberus will sell his share in Austrian bank Bawag. According to head of Bawag, Byron Haynes, a selling process has not yet begun.

October 31, 2013 · Updated: November 5, 2013; 17:30

Hypo Group: Restraining Effect on Budget Consolidation

According to the EU’s autumn prognosis, nationalized Hypo Group and its liabilities running in the billions still have a restraining effect on the Austrian budget consolidation.

November 5, 2013

Number of Banks Shrinks Substantially

Since 2008, about 10% of the banks had to be closed in the Eurozone. In the last five years, 16,200 bank shops were shut down. In Austria, the situation is almost the same.

November 5, 2013

Austrian Banks Demand Cut in Bank Levy

Major banks in Austria demand tax reliefs in return for a participation in Hypo Group Alpe Adria’s bad bank.

November 5, 2013