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Spain in Austria | Spaniards in Vienna | Bilateral Relations
Austria and Spain - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism
Government Debt Increased to 82.6% of GDP in Austria and to 92.7% in Euro Area
At the end of the second quarter of 2014, the government debt to GDP ratio in the euro area (EA18) stood at 92.7%, compared with 91.9% at the end of the first quarter of 2014. Austria's government debt rose to 82.6 percent of GDP in Q2 2014 from 81.3 percent in Q1.
October 23, 2014
Analysis: Russia - Assessment of EU and Tightened US Sanctions
Special analysis covering the most recent escalation in terms of Western economic and financial sanctions against Russia: EU and US sending bold diplomatic signals without inflicting too much near-term economic and financial damage. In comparison to the US sanctions by the EU are capped in duration. Recent escalation adds to uncertainty in doing business with Russia, which is an ultimate goal of sanctions. Near-term impact of current sanctions still limited, which implies a risk that they may remain for longer.
July 31, 2014
Austrian FDI: Current Developments 1Q 2014
In the first quarter of 2014, Austrian FDI abroad reached a value of 2.8 billion euros, which is less by about 30% than in the same period of 2013. Foreign direct investments in the same period into Austria stood at 1.4 billion euros. This is about 37% less than in the same period of last year.
July 29, 2014
Cost of Living Rankings: CEE Capitals Cheaper, Vienna is 32nd Most Expensive City
The Mercer's 2014 Cost of Living Rankings have been published and cover 211 cities across five continents. While Western European cities have all risen in the rankings mainly due to the strengthening of the Euro against the US dollar, most cities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), however have fallen in the ranking as a result of local currencies depreciating against the US dollar. Bratislava (#84), Prague (#92), Kiev (#98), Ljubljana (#116), Zagreb (#120), Budapest (#135), Warsaw (#142), Belgrade (#184).
July 25, 2014
Switzerland: IMD Releases the World Competitiveness Yearbook Ranking 2014
The US leads, Europe recovers, and big emerging markets struggle.
May 22, 2014
Exporttag: Meet All Austrian Trade Delegates at the Export Day 2014
On June 24, the Export Day (Exporttag) of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO) will take place in Vienna. Economic delegates from all over the world will be present.
May 20, 2014
Poland: Bank BZ WBK Expects High Growth of Profit
The Polish affiliate of Spanish Banco Santander, Bank BZ WBK, expects net profits in 2014 to increase compared to last year’s volume.
April 30, 2014
Austria: Difficult Market Situation for Selling Bawag
The selling of Bawag PSK proves difficult for its owner which is why an IPO is considered a realistic phasing-out scenario. However, experts doubt that an IPO will be a “highflyer”.
April 24, 2014
Austria: Bawag to Go Public?
Bawag PSK is likely to go public, as reported by Bloomberg.
April 23, 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
Wealthy Investing in Real Estates in Vienna
Vienna is considered a “safe haven” for real estate investments. In particular, luxury homes, such as the Palais Principe for instance, are more than attractive for wealthy investors.
April 4, 2014
Austria: Dispute about Hypo Credit to Alpine
The granting of a loan to Alpine Bau, which went bankrupt soon afterwards, in the amount of € 25m by Austrian problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria has become an issue of the Austrian prosecution.
March 31, 2014
Poland: Takeover of Nordea Bank Polska Granted
PKO BP, leading bank in Poland, was given green light by the financial market regulator KNF to take over Nordea Bank Polska, as announced in a statement by KNF.
March 4, 2014
Polish PKO BP Tapping into Swedish Leasing Market
Major Polish lender PKO BP has opened a branch of its leasing unit in Sweden.
February 20, 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
Bawag: Losses for Cerberus Running into Billions
There are persistent rumors that the U.S. investor may leave the Austrian bank. For Cerberus, Bawag is a disaster.
February 11, 2014
Santander on Circulated Sales Talks: „No Comment“
As reported by Vindobona, Spanish Banco Santander is said to be interest in taking over the fifth largest Austrian lender Bawag. Bawag´s management remains silent on this matter.
February 4, 2014
Prices for Houses in EU Dropped Slightly
1.5 percent decrease of house prices in European Union.
January 22, 2014
Austrian State Sues Six Banks
The Republic of Austria filed lawsuits against six lending banks of bankrupt construction enterprise Alpine.
January 17, 2014
$ 1.0trn Capital Shortfall in European Banking Sector?
According to U.S. economists, the stress tests carried out by the European Central Bank are too soft.
January 16, 2014
Erste Group and Bank Austria Face Lawsuits
Two Austrian lending banks are involved both as plaintiffs and as defendants in bankrupt construction company Alpine’s court trials.
January 2, 2014
Croatia: Real Estate Market Crisis Goes On
After the collapse of the Croat real estate market in 2009/10, the price decrease still holds on.
December 30, 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: High Tax Country
According to the new tax report of PrinceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the tax burden in Austria is ten percent higher than the average tax rate in the European Union and even beats Sweden.
November 19, 2013
EU Commission: Slovenia Makes “Key Progress”
Slovenia is among 16 EU member states that require comprehensive assessment of macroeconomic imbalances. According to a report published by the EU Commission, the small country shows significant improvement.
November 14, 2013
Austrian Banking Sector: NPL at Eurozone´s Top
In the Eurozone, the non-performing loans are still growing. In total, 7.8% of the loan portfolio is risky. Austrian banks are significantly above the average.
October 30, 2013
Without CESEE Business Alpine Would Still Exist
According to reports by auditor BDO and liquidator Stephan Riel, business in Austria remained profitable for insolvent construction company. If Alpine had never expanded business to CESEE it would still exist.
October 25, 2013
Bill Gates Becomes Second-Largest Shareholder in FCC
Spanish construction company and parent company of Austrian Alpine has a new shareholder: Founder of Microsoft Bill Gates has aquired a participation of around six percent.
October 22, 2013
IMF: „Banks and Companies in a Vicious Circle“
Not only Greece, Spain or Portugal are struggling with a financially stricken banking sector. In Southeastern Europe, the situation is quite similar.
October 11, 2013
Austria: Alpine’s Bankruptcy Claims Amount to € 4.15bn
In regard to construction company Alpine’s insolvency, creditors have so far registered claims in the amount of € 4.15bn, as announced by liquidator Stephan Riel in the run-up to Wednesday’s examination hearing.
October 8, 2013
Porr: Capital Increase and Rise in Profits Expected
CEO of listed Austrian construction company Porr Karl-Heinz Strauss is still in favor of a capital increase in 2014 or 2015 and calls upon the government to create “projects for the future”.
October 7, 2013
Austria Placed 9th in Competition Ranking
According to the latest EU Competition report 2013, Austria ranks ninth among 28 member states. The leaders in the ranking are Sweden, followed by Germany and Denmark while Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania are at the lowest positions.
September 25, 2013
Alpine: Almost All Former Employees Have New Jobs
Because of the construction company’s bankruptcy, almost 5,000 employees lost their jobs. Currently 133 persons are still looking for a job.
September 24, 2013
Porr Lands Ikea Contract in Poland
The Austrian construction company Porr has landed two contracs in North Poland for a total volume of € 150m.
September 24, 2013
Austria: WKO Demands Impulses for R&D
Deputy President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), Martha Schultz, demands new impluses for research and innovation in the years from 2014 to 2020.
September 19, 2013
Wifo: Economy Remains Competitive Despite High Wages
Head of Wifo (Austrian Institute for Economic Research), Karl Aiginger, calls for a change of views in economic policy as competitiveness is more than just low costs.
September 18, 2013
Strabag Lands Major Order in Sweden
Strabag developing and building infrastructure highlight Orgelpipan 6 at Stockholm's Citybanan commuter station.
September 16, 2013
Austria Requires More Risk Capital
On an international level, the risk capital investments in domestic enterprises are low at only 0.04 percent of GDP.
September 12, 2013
OMV: Oil Discovery in Northern Europe
Austrian Energy Enterprise OMV has discovered significant amounts of oil in the Barents Sea. Around 200m to 500m barrel are estimated to be exploitable.
September 6, 2013
Alpine: Creditors in Austria and Poland Claim Refunds
Not only the labor market in Austria is burdened but also thousands of creditors have invested in bonds of the construction company and are now facing enormous losses.
September 4, 2013
German Affiliate of Alpine Sold
By the selling of the German affiliate of construction company Alpine 520 out of 1,250 employees will lose their jobs.
September 2, 2013
Massive Losses for Alpine: € 5bn in Debts
According to the reports of the insolvency administrators, reasons like a chaotic management and low-price offers that did not prove cost-covering led to massive losses in projects abroad.
August 29, 2013
Kapsch: Enormous Problems at Austrian Business Location
President of Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) Georg Kapsch confirms the criticism voiced by President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO) Christoph Leitl and several other politicians by the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP).
August 28, 2013
OMV: Biggest Additional Purchase in Company’s History
OMV invests billions in a participation in the North Sea: The Austrian energy company acquires stakes of Norwegian enterprise Statoil in oil and gas fields in the North Sea for around € 2bn.
August 19, 2013
Austria: Alpine-Energie to be Taken Over by Triton
Former affiliate of construction company Alpine Bau Alpine-Energie, which is based in Linz and was temporarily “parked” with a special company, has a new owner.
August 13, 2013
20,000 Bank Shops Have Closed Since Beginning of Crisis
60 percent of the costs in the business with private clients are caused by bank shops. Still, banks are hesitant to close them as they fear the loss of long-term clients.
August 12, 2013
OMV: Problems in Libya Slow Down Production
The total production of OMV in the second quarter of 2013 has decreased compared to the same period of time in the previous year and the first quarter of the current year.
July 24, 2013
Alpine Inable to Pay in Mid-2012 Already
Former CFO supposed to have asked Spanish parent company FCC for liquidity assistance in the amount of € 115m, otherwise “we are dead”.
July 24, 2013
Spanish and Polish Prime Minister Support EU-US Free Trade Agreement
On the occasion of a state visit in Madrid, Poland´s Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that the free trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU would be a driver for economic growth. The EU must strengthen its energy strategy, Tusk said.
July 16, 2013
OMV Continues Expansion in Norway
OMV has been awarded six additional offshore exploration licenses in Norway, acting as operator for two of them.
July 5, 2013
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