Sponsored Content
Banking Industry
Austria Considers Lawsuit Against Hungary
The Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Michael Spindelegger (ÖVP) threatens Hungary to file a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice. Hungary plans to stress banks massively.
September 12, 2011
CEO of Raiffeisenbank Russia Dead
Pavel Gurin, CEO of Raiffeisenbank in Russia, passed away, the Austrian Bank stated.
September 5, 2011
Fekter: No Nationalization of VBAG
The Austrian Finance Minister has the right to nationalize the bank if it does not pay a dividend on the state’s € 1bn of participation capital.
September 2, 2011
Raiffeisen Centrobank Reports Increase in Profit
Net interest income declined, while trading profit and net fee and commission income increased substantially. Turbulences on financial markets might burden the bank’s business development.
September 2, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria: FMA Sees Capital Requirement of € 1.5bn
The Austrian nationalized bank has to fill the capital gap by 31 March 2012. Management wants to continue the downsizing program.
September 2, 2011
Strong Growth in Lending to Private Households
Loan development in the second quarter: Total lending volume grows; opposing trends are registered for new loans to enterprises and private households.
September 1, 2011
RZB Reports Significant Increase in Profit
Profit before tax for the period up 60.5% to € 877m, with consolidated profit increasing 21.5% to € 488m. Net allocations to impairment loss provisioning were reduced by 32%.
August 30, 2011
Decline in Profit for Hypo Lower Austria
The Austrian regional bank achieved net profit of € 16.4m in the first six months of 2011. Net interest income increased to € 75.8m
August 29, 2011
New Structure and Management for Raiffeisen Leasing
The Austrian banking group is reorganizing its leasing business. Three new subsidiaries will deal with business in Austria, large customers and in-house projects.
August 26, 2011
Sberbank Reduces Offer for VBI after Drop of Share Prices
Sberbank wants to pay less for the purchase of Volksbank International after European bank shares have dropped more than 20%. Executives are going to meet on 28 August to negotiate the deal.
August 26, 2011
VBAG: Reduced Consolidated Net Income in First Half of Year
The Austrian bank recorded net income of € 1m. The result was negatively impacted by write-downs of Greek bonds.
August 25, 2011
RBI – Capital Increase May Be an Option
The Austrian bank posted strong results for the first six months of the year. Consolidated profit increased by almost one third year-on-year.
August 25, 2011
Significant Decline in Profits for Bawag
Net profit of the Austrian bank dropped 18.5% to € 78.5m in the first six months of the year. The bank levy totaled € 10.2m.
August 24, 2011
BKS Bank Continues Expansion Course
The Carinthian/Styrian regional bank recorded an increase in profit of 11.7%. Step-by-step expansion in international markets will be continued.
August 19, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria with First Profit since 2007
The Austrian bank returned to black figures after four years. A half-year profit of € 90.8m was achieved despite risk provisions of € 134.9m.
August 17, 2011
Forecast on Savings and Loans Trends: Austrians Invest € 5,670 on Average
Savings passbooks remained the most popular form of saving in Austria. The average loan volume dropped from € 70,200 to € 62,000.
August 17, 2011
Erste Group not Interested in Polish Bank Millenium
The Austrian bank continues looking for opportunities to expand into Poland after it has ruled out an acquisition of Bank Millenium.
August 16, 2011
Hypo: New Charges against Former CEO Kulterer
The Carinthian bank’s former CEO and three other persons are accused of having caused a damage of € 5.5m.
August 12, 2011
BayernLB Demands Rescission of Hypo-Deal
The German bank has taken action against the employee fund which is accused of having misled the management about Hypo’s equity base.
August 10, 2011
Hypo Upper Austria Expects Stable Results
The Austrian regional bank achieved profit before taxes of € 16.6m in the first half of the year, up 1.2% year-on-year.
August 8, 2011
Greek Bonds Burden Kommunalkredit’s Results
The state-owned Austrian bank reported a significant decline in profits due to a write-off of Greek government bonds.
August 8, 2011
Erste Group Strives for Full Control over Romanian BCR
The Austrian bank does not want its Romanian subsidiary to be listed at the stock exchange although it was a condition for the privatization.
August 4, 2011
Significant Increase in Profit for Bank Austria
The Austrian subsidiary of UniCredit achieved a plus in net profit of 52% despite a negative one-off effect of € 100m from Greek government bonds.
August 4, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Stake in Hypo Insurance
All of the Austrian bank’s 20% stake will be taken over by majority owner Grawe insurance.
August 4, 2011
Trend towards More Bonds in Corporate Financing
Companies will increasingly rely on the capital market as bank loans are becoming more expensive due to Basel III and stricter liquidity requirements.
August 3, 2011
Erste Group Planning New Branch Concept for Czech Republic
The Austrian bank’s Czech subsidiary is working on a modern concept which will be targeted at new customer groups.
August 3, 2011
Bank Austria Finances Portfolio of Apartment Houses in Vienna
The Austrian bank generates a stimulus for Vienna’s real estate market and finances 53 apartment houses with € 110m.
August 2, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Off German Biogas Plants
The Austrian nationalized bank pulls out of the biogas sector. Sale of its plants in Austria is planned for the second half of 2011.
August 2, 2011
AutoBank with Improved Half-Year Results
The Austrian specialist bank increased new business volume by 4.2%. Stable growth was achieved in all areas.
August 1, 2011
Martin Schwedler Appointed CEO of Raiffeisen Investment in Moscow
The previous board member of RIAG will focus on expanding the Austrian bank’s presence in Russia’s growing M&A and ECM business.
August 1, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Schlosshotel Velden
The Austrian bank signed a purchase agreement with Amisola Immobilien AG. Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group will take over management of the hotel.
July 29, 2011
Erste Group Increased Net Profit from January to June
The Austrian bank’s results were burdened by bank taxes in Austria and Hungary. Net profit was up 5.2%, based on a solid operating result and lower risk costs.
July 29, 2011
Banks Expect Tightening of Credit Guidelines in 2012
Austrian banks’ lending policies did not change in the second quarter of 2011. For two years already, no tightening of lending conditions has been observed.
July 28, 2011
Erste Bank Fixed the Takeover of Intermarket Bank
Erste Bank took over 56% in Austria’s largest factoring bank from the Polish subsidiary of Commerzbank and will acquire another 10% from Coface.
July 28, 2011
Kärntner Sparkasse Starts Withdrawal from Italy
The Carinthian regional bank is closing down two branches as a consequence of the economic crisis and new capital requirements.
July 26, 2011
Strong Growth for Car Leasing Companies
Booming car sales are boosting the leasing business in Austria. All major leasing banks recorded growth in the first half of 2011. The trend is expected to continue.
July 25, 2011
Fitch Confirms Austria’s Triple-A Rating
The U.S. rating agency confirmed the Republic of Austria’s AAA credit rating. The outlook remains “stable”.
July 25, 2011
Credit Costs to Rise in the Wake of Basel III
The new regulatory requirements are expected to increase the cost of credits and to reduce the Austrian banks’ profitability.
July 20, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria Opens New Branches in Italy
The Carinthian bank is expanding its business in the neighboring country although the subsidiary will soon be in the hands of a new owner.
July 19, 2011
RBI’s Direct Bank Zuno Starts Operations in the Czech Republic
Following the launch in Slovakia at the end of 2010, Raiffeisen’s direct bank now takes up business in a second country.
July 19, 2011
Stress Test: Erste Group and Raiffeisen Passed, Volksbank Failed
Volksbanken Group is the only Austrian bank that failed the stress test. Taking into account the measures that are currently being implemented, the core tier I ratio would be above the benchmark.
July 15, 2011
Meinl Bank in the Red
Meinl Bank surprisingly presented results on Thursday. The institute slid into the red, while the Group was able to reduce losses.
July 15, 2011
Erste Group Provided Financing for Hospital in Warsaw
The € 32m acquisition financing is the first private hospital financing in CEE of that size which has been closed by Erste Group and also a first in Poland for the bank.
July 15, 2011
Former Cheuvreux Duo Berger and Reisenberger to Work for Wiener Privatbank
Former Cheuvreux analysts Alfred Reisenberger and Eduard Berger join Wiener Privatbank as of August 1.
July 15, 2011
VBAG and Sberbank Agree on Sale of VBI
After several months of negotiations the two banks have agreed on the main conditions of the sale of Volksbank International. The deal will be closed by the end of this year.
July 15, 2011
Wealth Growth of Private Households Comes to a Halt
Austrian households’ financial assets increased only marginally to € 462bn in the first quarter. Investments in bank bonds were the driving factor with a total of € 1.1bn.
July 14, 2011
Volksbanken Group Speeds Up Sale of VBI
In the face of the looming negative result of the stress test, the Austrian bank is trying to conclude negotiations with Russian Sberbank.
July 13, 2011
Helmut Bernkopf New Head of UniCredit’s Private Banking Division
Bank Austria’s Head of Corporate and Investment Banking moves up the career ladder and becomes boss of the parent company’s Private banking division.
July 12, 2011
Austria’s Exposure in Italy: € 16.5bn
Domestic banks’ exposure in the neighboring country is much greater than in Greece, but smaller than in Eastern Europe.
July 11, 2011
Slow Recovery in Banks’ Lending Activity
Corporate loans recovered faster than loans to private households. Interest rates have increased only slightly since April 2010.
July 11, 2011
Fast News Search
