Banking Industry

Five Potential Buyers for Kommunalkredit

Next year, the nationalized bank should be re-privatized. The sale should be finished until the end of this year.

September 4, 2012

Hypo Group Reduced Capital at Croatian Subsidiary

The Austrian nationalized bank cut the stock capital of the Croatian subsidiary by € 100m.

September 3, 2012

Slovenia: “Danger for Austrian Banks is Limited”

Although Austria would be most affected by a Slovenian national bankruptcy, the likeliness of this scenario is rather low, analysts say.

September 3, 2012

„Europe Is Stronger than Many Think”

Austria´s Federal President Heinz Fischer thinks that the exclusion of certain member states out of the Eurozone is “highly problematic”. In two or three years, the crisis in the Eurozone is managed, he believes.

September 3, 2012

Slovenian Bankruptcy Would Hit Austria Particularly Hard

Prime Minister Janez Jansa announced that Slovenia may have to declare its national bankruptcy in October. Austria´s share in foreign direct investment made in Slovenia reaches about 50%.

September 3, 2012

Bank Union: Austrian Banking Industry Cautious

European Forum Alpbach: In mid-September, the EU Commission will present its plans regarding the bank union. The bank union should not be implemented too fast, the Austrian Financial Market Authority says.

September 1, 2012

RLB Lower Austria – Vienna Decreasing Net Income

RLB (Raiffeisenlandesbank) Lower Austria-Vienna published its results for the first six months of 2012. Net income and operating profit were down.

September 1, 2012

Capital Shortfall at Hypo Group up to € 2.0bn

OeNB (Austrian Central Bank) will publish the capital shortfall at the end of September and emphasizes not to submit to the government´s pressure.

September 1, 2012

Fekter: „Spain is No Bail-Out Candidate“

Austria´s Finance Minister Fekter says that only Spain´s banks may need help from the EU.

August 31, 2012

Croatian Crisis Aggravates

For Croatia, the end of the severe recession is not foreseeable. Croatia´s real economy is hit hard, the financial sector suffers from bad loans.

August 31, 2012

Slovenia in a Vicious Circle

Slovenia´s Prime Minister Janez Jansa warns that his country may has to announce its national bankruptcy in October.

August 31, 2012

Satisfactory Half Year Result for VBAG

Österreichische Volksbanken-Aktiengesellschaft (VBAG) Group has ended the first six months of 2012 with a result before taxes of € 49m.

August 31, 2012

Nowotny: Austrian Banking Sector “More Boring, but More Stable”

European Forum Alpbach: Ewald Nowotny, governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) thinks that banks will fight for deposits in future. In the last years, ECB had to prevent a collapse of the financial system several times.

August 31, 2012

Pribil: „ECB Must Not Become Safe Haven for Zombie Banks”

At the European Forum Alpbach, the Director of the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) Kurt Pribil stresses the importance of a centralized banking supervision authority.

August 31, 2012

Debt Crisis: “Somebody Will Have to Pay”

European Forum Alpbach 2012: Andreas Treichl, CEO of Erste Group thinks that the internationalization of the banking industry cannot be reversed. According to Treichl, the European citizens will have to pay for the crisis.

August 30, 2012

Hungary to Nationalize Energy Industry

Viktor Orban´s government plans to acquire the Hungarian subsidiary of German eon.

August 29, 2012

Hungary: Debt Crisis in Private Sector Unsolved

Despite the conversion of foreign currency loans, the number of non-performing loans is growing rapidly. According to analysts, the outlook is bad.

August 29, 2012

RZB Posts Moderate Profit Increase

RZB´s (Raiffeisen Zentralbank) profit before tax rose 6.2 per cent to € 931m. Return on Equity increased mildly to 16.2 per cent (+0.4 percentage points)

August 29, 2012

RBI Improves Results

Raiffeisen Bank International's consolidated profit for the first half of 2012 rises by 13.9 per cent to € 701m. The net interest income was down by 3.6%. The second quarter´s results were down.

August 29, 2012

Bawag´s Profit Is Decreasing

In the first half of 2012, Bawag´s earnings were down moderately. The net income declined by 14%.

August 28, 2012

Goldman Sachs Lowers Expectations for Austrian Banks

The U.S. investment bank anticipates decreasing earnings.

August 27, 2012

Austrian Guarantees Total € 80bn

In the worst case, Austria´s public debt quota may increase up to 100%, the Austrian opposition warns.

August 27, 2012

Crisis in Eurozone: Stepic Is Optimistic

In an interview with the Austrian newspaper “Presse”, RBI´s CEO Herbert Stepic expects that the crisis will be managed until 2015.

August 25, 2012

Bulgaria: Bad Loans Declining

Contrary to the trend in Southeastern Europe, the Bulgarian banking sector records a substantial relief.

August 25, 2012

Austrian Business Lending On the Rise

In the second quarter of 2012, business loans were up by 2.8%. By contrast, lending in the Eurozone decreased by 0.6%.

August 24, 2012

S&P Confirms Czech Rating

The U.S. rating agency retained the rating for the Rczech Republic.

August 24, 2012

NKBM Suspected of Money Laudnering

The second-largest Slovenian bank does not only face financial problems. NKBM´s management is alleged to have practiced money laundering activities.

August 23, 2012

Fekter Does Not Exclude Further Bank Aids Anymore

Austria´s Finance Minister Maria Fekter admits that the three nationalized banks Hypo Group and Kommunalkredit/KA Finanz may need further capital injections. In the past, Fekter denied the need of further bank aids.

August 23, 2012

Bawag May Sell Leasing Unit

The Austrian lender Bawag, which is owned by the U.S. investment fund Cerberus, is said to sell its leasing business.

August 23, 2012

Croatia: Non-Performing Loans on the Rise

Almost one out of seven loans is classified as “non-performing.” A further aggravation is rather likely.

August 22, 2012

Several Potential Buyers for Kommunalkredit

In 2013, the nationalized Austrian bank must be re-privatized. The buyer won´t be an Austrian bank.

August 21, 2012

Lay-Offs in Polish Banking Sector Ahead

According to the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, about 2,500 employees may lose their jobs in the banking industry.

August 21, 2012

Uniqa Interested in NKBM´s Insurance Subsidiary

The Austrian insurance group aims to grow in Slovenia. The financially stricken bank sells a 51% stake of the insurance business.

August 21, 2012

Ukraine's Banking System Demonstrates a “Sustainable Development”

Deputy Head of the National Bank of Ukraine Igor Sorkin commented on the situation in the Ukraine’s banking system for the first half-year 2012. Lending is on the rise.

August 21, 2012

Hypo Group: Major Risk Factor for BayernLB

The former owner of Hypo Group Alpe Adria, which was nationalized in 2009, may write down up to € 3.1bn.

August 18, 2012

VBAG to Sell Container Business

The Austrian partly nationalized bank is said to sell its container leasing business for € 163m.

August 18, 2012

Foreign Currency Loans Decrasing

Foreign currency loans: One quarter of all Erste Bank customers have converted or switched loans with payment vehicles.

August 17, 2012

Dispute Over Hypo Group

Despite the relatively good results, the nationalized bank needs further capital injections. What is more, the capital shortfall at Hypo Group is highly controversial.

August 16, 2012

Switzerland: „Austrian Tax Deal Will Withstand“

The Swiss Parliament´s President Hans Altherr thinks that the Swiss tax deal with Austria will withstand a popular vote.

August 16, 2012

Croatian Banks Record Lower Profits

In the first six months of 2012, the net income generated by Croatian banks was down by 19%. The Croatian economy is expected to shrink this year.

August 16, 2012

Non-Perfoming Loans on the Rise in Austria

In the last three years, the size of non-performing loans held by Austrian banks has doubled. At the end of 2011, the NPL volume stood at € 18bn.

August 16, 2012

Demerger at Hypo Group Resolved

In order to become re-sold, the Austrian subsidiary of Hypo Group shifts risky assets to the holding company.

August 14, 2012

Slovenia to Establish a Bad Bank

The Slovenian government wants to support the financially stricken banking sector. Risky assets should be outsourced to separate banks.

August 14, 2012

Tax Deal with Switzerland in Doubt

After a CD containing data of foreign tax evaders was bought by German authorities, Switzerland may hold a popular vote on the tax deal with Austria.

August 13, 2012

Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank in the Red Again

Today, the nationalized bank announced its half yearly result for 2012. Net Results reached € 10m.

August 13, 2012

Profits Grow Slower in Polish Banking Sector

The Polish banking sector is still very stable. However, a trend reversal is foreseeable.

August 10, 2012

Fitch Downgrades Slovenian Banks

The U.S. rating agency downgrades the lown-term ratings of major Slovenian banks. The outlook is negative for all of them.

August 10, 2012

Hungary: Erste Group Expands

The Austria major bank purchases the private banking segment of BNP Paribas in Hungary.

August 9, 2012

East European Banking Industry Shows Ambiguity

For West European banks, their subsidiaries in Eastern Europe are either highly problematic or the cash cows.

August 8, 2012

Fitch Downgrades Slovenia

The Southern neighbor country of Austria was downgraded to “A-“. The outlook is negative now.

August 8, 2012
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