Banking Industry

Hypo Group Expects Enormous Challenges

„Next year will be very difficult.“ CEO Gottwald Kranebitter says in an interview with “WirtschaftsBlatt”.

December 10, 2012

Hypo Group: Deadline Expires

Today, the first deadline for the sale of Hypo Group´s subsidiaries in Southeast-Europe expires.

December 7, 2012

Czech Republic Still May Use Veto Against Banking Union

The Czech government wants to secure the rights of national regulation authorities.

December 5, 2012

EU Approves State Aid for Hypo Group

The EU Commission has no objections against the state aid with a size of € 1.5bn.

December 5, 2012

CNB Underlines Stability of Czech Banking Sector

According to CNB, the banking industry is able to bear potential external shocks.

December 5, 2012

Sberbank Intensifies its Relations with Turkey

In future, the Sberbank of Russia is to step up its activities in Turkey and on December 3, 2012 signed two landmark agreements to this end.

December 5, 2012

Survey: More and More Austrians Affected by Financial Crisis

Compared to 2010, the number of Austrian citizens who see themselves affected by the current financial crisis grew by 50%.

December 5, 2012

Legal Merger of Raiffeisen Bank Polska and Polbank EFG Approved

Approval is starting point for unification of market approach and operational merger process. Cost synergies to be achieved by optimization of the branch network and the staff number, among other measures.

December 5, 2012

„Banking System Becomes More Solid“

The chairman of OeNB (Austrian National Bank) Ewald Nowotny thinks that the banking supervision and the Basel III framework will stabilize the financial markets.

December 4, 2012

Banking Supervision: Fekter Calls for Flexibility

Today, the meeting of the Finance Ministers of EU countries was unsuccessful. Austria´s Finance Minister Maria Fekter comments that quality is more important than speed.

December 4, 2012

Interest Rates Reach New Record Low

Today, the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) has presented the development of interest rates in the third quarter. OeNB does not fear a credit crunch.

December 4, 2012

Rothensteiner: „No Credit Crunch“

Walter Rothensteiner, CEO of Austrian Raiffeisen Zentralbank, thinks that the capital shortfall of European banks does not limit credit supply.

December 3, 2012

Hungary Considers Reducing Foreign Exchange Reserves

In order to repay loans, the Hungarian government is said to reduce the foreign exchange reserves of MNB (Hungarian National Bank). The government does not need to fear resistance by MNB.

December 1, 2012

Czech Republic: Deposits Grow Substantially

At the end of September, client deposits at Czech banks reached CZK 3,100bn. Compared to September 2011, this is an increase by 8.3%.

December 1, 2012

Slovenia: Austrian Grawe Will not Take Over ZM

The second-biggest Slovenian bank NKBM (Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor) sells its interest in the insurance group Zavarovalnica Maribor (ZM). Sava Re negotiates with NKBM already.

November 30, 2012

VBAG Records Operating Losses

The Group result was positive only because of one time effects due to accounting regulation. Next year, VBAG expects substantial losses again.

November 30, 2012

Hypo Group Sold AluFlexPack to MTC

After months of negotiations, the Austrian nationalized bank sold the Croatian aluminum company to the Switzerland-based Montana Tech Components.

November 30, 2012

Slovenia to Inject Further Money in NLB

The biggest Slovenian banking group NLB records a capital shortfall of € 375m. Risky loans reach more than € 1.5bn.

November 29, 2012

The Banker: RBI Bank of the Year in CEE

Already fourth award for RBI as “Best Bank” in CEE this year. Network banks in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania receive local “Bank of the Year“ awards.

November 29, 2012

IMF: Higher Risks for Austrian Banks in CESEE

In an interview with the Austrian news magazine “Presse”, IMF´s Executive Director Johann Prader explained that the European debt crisis has arrived in Central, East and Southeast Europe.

November 28, 2012

Austrians Reject Further Bank Aids

About 61% of the Austrian citizens are against further bank aids by the Austrian state. Economists fear that the bank aids are lost forever.

November 28, 2012

RBI: Net Income Up by 13%

Raiffeisen Bank International posts a profit before tax of more than € 1bn for the first three quarters.

November 28, 2012

OECD: CESEE Countries A Risk Factor for Austria

Next year, Austria´s economy will only show a growth rate of 0.8%. Unemployment is estimated to increase further. CESEE countries would lower the grow prospects for Austria, OECD says.

November 27, 2012

RBI Expected to Record Higher Net Results

Tomorrow, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) publishes its results for the first nine months of 2012. The interest income is anticipated to decline slightly.

November 27, 2012

Austria: Savings Decline

Erste Bank Savings and Credit Outlook: 60% of Austrians say “The European debt crisis doesn't affect my personal finances”.

November 26, 2012

KA Finanz: Capital Shortfall to Become Bigger

The financially stricken bank is expected to need further cash contributions.

November 24, 2012

Hungary: Small Concession for Banking Industry

The banking sector in Hungary is under pressure. The government in Budapest decided to pay back debts of municipalities by the end of the year.

November 24, 2012

S&P Downgrades Hungary

The U.S. rating agency lowers Hungary´s sovereign debt rating from “BB+” to “BB”.

November 23, 2012

Slovenian NKBM in Difficulties

The second-biggest Slovenian Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor (NKBM) bank suffers from its risky assets. The NPL quota is still on the rise.

November 22, 2012

Zavarovalnica Maribor Sale: Slovenia Under Pressure

The Slovenian bank NKBM has to sell its stake in the second-biggest Slovenian insurance company Zavarovalnica Maribor (ZM). The sale proves difficult.

November 21, 2012

Austrian National Bank: Basel III Will not Start in 2013

According to OeNB, the implementation cannot take place by the beginning of next year.

November 21, 2012

Slovenia to Sharpen Austerity Measures

The Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa announced that the austerity policy will be implemented even more consequently.

November 20, 2012

Ukrainian Banking Sector Expands Slightly

Despite the economic slowdown in the Ukraine, lending is on the rise.

November 19, 2012

Bawag: Cerberus Shares Ownership with U.S. Hedge Fund

The U.S. hedge fund Golden Tree Asset Management becomes a 40% shareholder at the Austrian bank.

November 19, 2012

Bank Austria Considers Withdrawing from Kazakhstan

ATF-Bank, the Kazakh subsidiary of Bank Austria is said to be sold.

November 16, 2012

Hypo Group: Cash Contributions Come at € 500m

The Austrian state has to inject another € 500m in the financially stricken nationalized bank. Furthermore, guarantees will increase by € 1.0bn.

November 14, 2012

CESEE: Massive Capital Outflow

In the second half of 2011 and in the first half of 2012, foreign banks withdrew about € 55bn from the region.

November 14, 2012

Bank Austria Posts Net Profit Increase

Net operating profit up by 11 per cent thanks to slight growth in customer business, flat cost trend and further decline in provisioning charge.

November 14, 2012

Hungary: Head of Banking Association Resigns

The chairman of the Hungarian Banking Association Mihaly Patai steps down. He explains that the Hungarian state overburdens the banking sector.

November 13, 2012

Bank Austria: Subsidiaries in Czech Republic and Slovakia to Merge

Bank Austria´s holding company UniCredit starts a Business Refocusing Program in CEE.

November 13, 2012

CESEE: Lending Shrinks

Foreign banks reduce lending in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Hungary and Southeastern Europe are most affected.

November 12, 2012

Slovenia Still Rules Out Calling for Rescue

The Slovenian government tries to prevent to be bailed out by the EU and IMF by all means. However, experts fear that Slovenia is the next candidate for the safety net.

November 10, 2012

VBAG Expects Substantial Losses in 2012

This year, the partially nationalized Austrian bank will record losses reaching a two-digit million amount.

November 10, 2012

Austrian Government Agrees on Bank Restructuring Law

“The agreements at government conference are intended to strengthen financial sector.” Finance Minister Maria Fekter says.

November 9, 2012

Fitch Confirms AAA for Austria

The outlook is „stable“. The rating agency is worried about the banking sector, however.

November 9, 2012 · Updated: November 9, 2012; 17:13

Erste Group Best Private Bank in Central & Eastern Europe 2012

Due to centralized strategy combined with extensive regional know-how, Erste Group Private Banking substantially expanded its client base, managing assets worth around EUR 15bn across CEE.

November 9, 2012

CEE Deleveraging Remains Moderate

Austrian, German and Italian banks kept lending to CEE6 (except Hungary) relatively stable. Shifts in foreign capital structure and allocation from private to public sector might pose risks to future growth.

November 8, 2012

Austria: Properties Worth € 10bn Inherited Every Year

According to Raiffeisen Bausparkasse, Austria faces a boom in real estate inheritances.

November 7, 2012

Erste Group Supports Romanian BCR

The Austrian bank Erste Group injects € 111m in Romanian BCR.

November 7, 2012

VBI Is Now Called Sberbank Europe AG

VBI (Volksbank International), the former Eastern European division of Austrian VBAG was renamed to Sberbank Europe.

November 7, 2012
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