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Banking Industry


Sharp Criticism Against Felderer

The head of the Viennese Chamber of Labor, Werner Muhm, attacks the director of IHS, Bernhard Felderer. His economic forecast is “propaganda of fear”.
November 12, 2011


OeNB and People’s Bank of China Sign Investment Agreement

The agreement enables the Austrian National Bank to Invest via PBC in Renminbi-denominated assets.
November 10, 2011


Raiffeisen Cuts Staff in Czech Republic

The Austrian banks local unit has reacted to increasing costs and the poor economic outlook.
November 9, 2011


Massive Layoffs at Volksbanken Group

Hundreds of employees of the Austrian bank will lose their job in the next years, according to media reports.
November 9, 2011


Bawag Sues Linz For € 418m

The U.S.-owned bank now sues the Upper-Austrian capital. Linz has terminated a swap contract based on Swiss Francs.
November 8, 2011


Good Outlook for Raiffeisen Investment

The Austrian merger advisor Raiffeisen Investment AG posts deal volume of € 3.5bn for the first three quarters 2011. Further projects are negotiated.
November 8, 2011


Growth Potential in CEE Banking Sector

The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International has a very favourable growth outlook for six CEE banking markets representing 80 per cent of the region's total banking assets
November 8, 2011


Hungary Rejects Further Bank Charges

Contrary to its initial plans, Hungary will not resolve further aid measures for domestic loan takers. The government is seeking for cooperation with concerned banks.
November 5, 2011


Moody´s Considers Downgrade of Erste Group

The rating agency says that a downgrade of the long-term rating of Erste Group from “Baa1” to “Baa2”is probable.
November 5, 2011


Moody’s: Downgrade of Erste Group Likely

The Austrian bank will likely be downgraded from “Baa1” to “Baa2”, the rating agency says.
November 4, 2011


Capital Needs of Austrian Banks Total € 4bn

The increase is mainly a result of Erste Group’s third quarter loss, according to OeNB’s Executive Director Andreas Ittner.
November 3, 2011


Erich Hampel New Chairman of Bank Austria’s Supervisory Board

The Austrian succeeds Paolo Fiorentino who will remain on the board as deputy chairman.
November 3, 2011


Austrian Households Control Assets worth € 471bn

Despite a declining savings rate, households remain the most important provider of capital to domestic banks.
November 3, 2011


No Nationalization of Austrian Banks

The head of the Austrian bank holding company Fimbag, Klaus Liebscher, believes that Austrian major banks do not need further capital provided by the state.
November 2, 2011


Losses for Kommunalkredit Probable

The nationalized Austrian Bank has to build major provisions. Write-offs up to € 500m are possible.
November 1, 2011


Raiffeisen: „Do Not Need State Capital“

Walter Rothensteiner, CEO of the Austrian RZB, intends not to sell shares in order to raise the equity base.
November 1, 2011


Nationalization of Banks Not Excluded Anymore

According to the Minister of Economics, Reinhold Mitterlehner, in the worst case scenario a partly nationalization of banks could take place.
October 31, 2011


Nowotny Expects Lower Growth Rates

The head of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) Ewald Nowotny lowers the growth estimation for the Austrian economy.
October 31, 2011


Erste Group´s CEO Wants to Avoid Further State Aid

Andreas Treichl, CEO of the Austrian major bank Erste Group, wants to prevent a further influence of the Austrian state.
October 29, 2011


Orban Attacks Austrian Banks

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to release his country from the “debt slavery” and criticizes Austria´s reactions.
October 29, 2011


OeNB Dismisses Management of Money Printing Subsidiary

Three persons were fired for suspicion of unlawful actions. € 14m have allegedly been paid as bribe to secure a deal with Syria.
October 28, 2011


Erste Group Reports Loss of € 1.49bn for the Third Quarter

The Austrian bank took extraordinary charges leading to a net loss of € 973.0m in the first nine months of 2011 and significantly reduced CDS exposure.
October 28, 2011


Reactions of Austrian Banks to Capital Buffer Requirements

Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) needs € 1.9bn, Volksbank Group (VBAG) € 972m and Erste Group € 59m in order to comply with the EBA’s new requirements.
October 27, 2011


Germans Are Savings Champions Followed by Austrians

Erste Group Savings Study: Germans save most (€ 180 per month), followed by Austrians (€ 168) and Britons (€ 160). In CEE, the Czechs and Slovaks (€ 90) are the tireless savers.
October 27, 2011


Majority of Austrians Opposed to EU Rescue Package

850 respondents were asked their opinion before Wednesday’s summit meeting. 71% believe that the package is disadvantageous for Austria.
October 27, 2011


European Banking Authority: Austrian Banks Need € 2.9bn

Banks are required to establish a buffer such that the Core Tier 1 capital ratio reaches 9%. A major part of the capital needs is attributable to Volksbank Group.
October 27, 2011


Hypo Group Plans to Sell Austrian and Italian Subsidiary

The nationalized bank continues its downsizing program. Major parts shall be privatized again now.
October 25, 2011


Schaller New CEO of RLB Upper Austria

Heinrich Schaller will succeed Ludwig Scharinger as CEO of the regional Raiffeisenlandesbank. Scharinger retires, but becomes consultant for RLB.
October 24, 2011


FMA Investigates Against Treichl

The Austrian Financial Market Authority has severe suspicions against Erste Group´s CEO Andreas Treichl.
October 18, 2011


Greek Haircut Would Cost Another € 350m

Austrian banks still have a substantial exposure in Greece. A haircut up to 60% seems possible. Then, another € 350m would have to be written off.
October 18, 2011


€ 4.0bn Capital Requirement for Austrian Banks

After the industrialist Hannes Androsch, also the Vice-President of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), Wolfgang Duchatczek, sees a need to support domestic banks.
October 17, 2011


VIG Upgraded by Raiffeisen

Current talks of bank recapitalization can in the view of Raiffeisen Research be a positive trigger for the insurance sector.
October 17, 2011


Erste Bank Hungary Opens Home Savings Bank

According to Imre Szatno. the deputy head of retail division of Erste Bank in Hungary, quoted by Budapest Business Journal, the Erste Group has launched its own home saving bank.
October 17, 2011


Do Austrian Banks Need More Capital?

Recently, the prominent Austrian industrialist Hannes Androsch expressed his concerns about the equity situation of Austrian banks. Androsch sees many challenges for the domestic bank sector.
October 15, 2011


Erste Group Increases Stake in BCR

The Austrian Erste Group further expands in the difficult Romanian market. Erste Group will hold 94% in BCR then.
October 15, 2011


Erste Group Signs Facility Agreement with Ukrainian Energy Holding

The Austrian bank extends an existing credit facility for DTEK from € 50 to € 100m with a maturity of three years.
October 14, 2011


VBAG Expects Massive Loss

The Austrian bank has to write off € 700m on the book value of its participations in Investkredit and Volksbank Romania. The state’s participation capital will not be repaid this year.
October 14, 2011


OeEB Grants Credit to Azerbaijani Bank

DemirBank receives $ 25m from the Austrian Development Bank, RBI and other lenders to support entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan.
October 12, 2011


Bank Austria Rethinks Expansion in Hungary

The subsidiary of Italian UniCredit reviews its activities in the country. A withdrawal is not ruled out.
October 12, 2011


„Austrian Banks Are Robust“

Ewald Nowotny, the head of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) as well as the Minister of Finance, Maria Fekter, appreciate the announcement of Erste Group.
October 11, 2011


Bank Austria Optimizing its Activities in Russia

Sergey Sidorov to remain CEO until year end and to support the organizational and strategic Changes. Alexander Cheporov to become Head of Equity Brokerage Operations.
October 11, 2011


RBI: „There Is No Reason to Write Off“

After Erste Group has published its highly negative forecast for 2011, Raiffeisen Bank International came under pressure. RBI underlines that its risk is not comparable to that of Erste Group.
October 10, 2011


Surprising Write-Offs at Erste Group

Due to write-offs in Hungary and Romania, Austrian Erste Group reports a net loss of about € 920 - 970m in the first three quarters of 2011.
October 10, 2011


UniCredit: Sale of Bank Austria?

According to market rumors, the Italian bank considers to sell its Austrian subsidiary in order to strengthen its own position. Bank Austria´s CEO Cernko denies fiercely.
October 8, 2011


Kärntner Sparkasse Finalized Withdrawal from Italy

The Carinthian bank will close its operating business in Italy. The branches have been overtaken by the South Tyrolean “Südtiroler Sparkasse”.
October 8, 2011


Erste Bank to Keep State Capital Into 2012

According to Bloomberg, Erste Group Bank, Austria’s biggest lender, may not repay € 1.2bn in state aid until 2012.
October 8, 2011


RBI: Capital Injection for Hungarian Subsidiary Likely

The Austrian bank’s losses from the conversion of foreign currency loans will amount to approximately € 100m.
October 7, 2011


Ranking: Austria Among the Most Non-Transparent Financial Centers Worldwide

Today, the Financial Secrecy Index (FSI) of the Tax Justice Network (TJN) has been published. 73 countries have been analyzed.
October 4, 2011


UniCredit and Raiffeisen to Expand in Russia

The Italian and the Austrian banking groups will take over customers of the French BNP Paribas, which leaves the Russian market.
October 4, 2011


Erste Group´s CEO: „The Situation is Serious“

Andreas Treichl, CEO of the Austrian Erste Group considers to delay the repayment of the Bank Aid.
October 1, 2011