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Austrian Banks React to ECB’s Interest Rate Decision
The Austria banks quickly passed on the interest rate hike to their customers. Christoph Leitl regards the decision as an impediment for budgetary consolidation.
July 8, 2011
European Stress Test Results to Be Published on July 15
The test performance of 91 participating banks will be available next week. According to Moody’s, Austrian Volksbanken AG is at risk of failing the test.
July 8, 2011
OTP Bank Shows Interest in Volksbank International
The Austrian Volksbanken AG found a second potential buyer for its Eastern European subsidiary. The Hungarian OTP bank wants to expand into the markets where VBI has a presence.
July 7, 2011
Sale of VBI to Be Signed in July
The Austrian Volksbanken Group and Sberbank have come close to an agreement on the sale of the Eastern European bank. The transaction price will be € 700m.
July 5, 2011
RBI Hit by Bankruptcy of Saudi Arabian Company
The Austrian bank has problems with its credit business in Saudi Arabia. “An amount in the low hundreds of millions” is at risk.
July 4, 2011
Successful Start for RBI’s Direct Bank Zuno in Slovakia
18,000 Slovak customers have deposited a total amount of € 125m in the first six months since the bank entered the market in December 2010.
June 30, 2011
RBI: Acquisition of Polbank Stake Advancing
The Austrian bank has received anti-trust approval of the deal. Closing and operational merger are expected in Q4/2011 or Q1/2012.
June 30, 2011
Profit Situation of Austrian Banks Improved Significantly
The banks recorded a positive development in the first quarter. However, net profits of the full year will fall as a result of the newly introduced bank tax.
June 27, 2011
Erste Group: Delayed Redemption of State Capital
The Austrian bank will not repay the € 1.2bn of participation capital before the end of the month, probably due to the ongoing stress test.
June 24, 2011
Constitutional Court Cancels Starting Date of New Capital Gains Tax
The Court has no objections to the new capital gains tax itself. Only the starting date for automatic collection by the banks was declared unconstitutional.
June 24, 2011
Erste Group Manages Bond Issue of Czech Railways
The order book grew in only one hour to € 400m from 60 institutional investors. Approximately 75% have been subscribed by investors from Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria.
June 21, 2011
Austrian Financial Sector Stable – Remaining Challenges in Particular Business Segments
Stress test results show Austria’s banks to be more resistant to risks than in 2010 – Boosting equity remains on the agenda nevertheless.
June 21, 2011
Raiffeisen Expanding Its M&A Business in Russia
The Austrian bank group is planning a joint venture between RBI and RIAG in order to put the investment banking in Moscow on a new footing.
June 16, 2011
Bawag-CEO: “No Exit of Cerberus in 2012”
After five years, a sale of the Austrian bank would become possible next year. The shoe retailer Stiefelkönig will be sold this summer.
June 15, 2011
Stagnating Level of New Bank Lending
Loan development in the first quarter: increase in long-term lending, but decline in total corporate lending volume.
June 10, 2011
RBI Could Raise More Than € 3bn
The Austrian bank prepares for issuing up to 97.75 million new shares. The company has not yet set a timetable for redemption of capital injected by the state.
June 8, 2011
Bankers' Bonuses Back to Pre-Crisis Level
Bonus payments of Austrian banks have recovered from the effects of the financial crisis. Rules for the payout have become stricter.
June 7, 2011
Stable PIGS-Exposure of Austrian Banks
The last quarter of 2010 has brought only minor changes in the total amount of lending to the four countries in southern Europe by Austrian banks.
June 6, 2011
Charges against Former Board Members of BayernLB
Accusations relating to the acquisition of the Austrian Hypo Group: breach of duty, embezzlement of bank funds.
June 3, 2011
UniCredit and Raiffeisen Seek to Broker Bulgaria's EVN Stake Sale
Bulgaria is going to sell its minority stake in an electricity distributor operated by the Austrian energy company.
June 3, 2011
Ex-Finance Minister Pröll Hired by Raiffeisen
The former Austrian Finance Minister was named CEO of Leipnik-Lundenburger Invest Beteiligungs AG as of July 1.
June 1, 2011
Hypo Alpe Adria to Sell its Italian Subsidiary
The Carinthian bank intends to divest its operations in the neighboring country. The subsidiary achieved a profit of € 10.82m in 2010.
June 1, 2011
Sberbank Targeting RBI
The Russian bank intends to expand its business to Kazakhstan and the Baltic countries. Both companies denied speculations about a potential capital injection.
May 30, 2011
Swiss Expert Criticizes Austria’s Role in International Money Laundering
OECD expert: “Austria is used as a gateway for international money laundering. It is doing too little to fight the phenomenon.” Only twelve convictions were made in 2009.
May 26, 2011
Fitch Upgrades Individual Ratings of Austrian Banks
The “A” rating of the big Austrian banks has been confirmed. The individual rating of Erste, RBI and Bank Austria was upgraded.
May 25, 2011
Erste CEO Aims to Repay State Capital Before End-June
The Austrian bank is negotiating the terms of refunding € 1.2bn for which it currently pays 8% interest per year.
May 19, 2011
ÖVAG: Strong Provisional Results for Q1 2011
Österreichische Volksbanken-AG Group (VBAG) expects a quarterly result of € 32m. The AGM concludes the combination of VBAG and Investkredit.
May 19, 2011
Kärntner Sparkasse Planning Partial Pull-Out of Italy
The Austrian regional bank intends to close a part of its Italian branches. The credit business has suffered from the crisis; the future focus will be on deposits and private banking.
May 18, 2011
Bank Austria Starts the Year with Net Profit of € 341m
Operating profit up by 8 per cent to € 851 m compared with Q1 2010, driven by strong revenue trend in commercial banking business and flat cost development
May 14, 2011
Expansion Plans at Erste Group and Raiffeisen
RBI is drawn increasingly to the Czech Republic, while the Erste Group focuses on the Polish banking market.
May 13, 2011
Radovan Jelasity appointed CEO of Erste Bank Hungary
Radovan Jelasity (43) will join Erste Bank Hungary as of 1 June 2011. Subsequent to the approval of the respective Hungarian authorities, he will be appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
May 10, 2011
UniCredit Leasing Still Number 1 in Austria's Leasing Market
With an increase of 43 per cent in the new business volume to €763m and a market share of 13.3 per cent, UniCredit is the clear market leader in Austria in 2010 again
May 10, 2011
Raiffeisen International Bank Intends to Get Further Involved in Poland
After the purchase of the Polbank in February, the Austrian RBI seems to be interested now in the Polish DZ Bank. Its chances are however considered to be low.
May 10, 2011
Contradictions Regarding Expenditure for Bank Package
According to Eurostat, € 1.4bn more were spent on bank assistance than the corresponding revenues. The Ministry of Finance contradicts this.
May 7, 2011
ÖVAG in the Black Again
The central institution of the Austrian Volksbanken was able to achieve a profit of € 67.6m in 2010 after losses for € 24.5m reported in 2009.
May 6, 2011
Erste Group Launches Rising Markets Indices
Erste Group launches Rising Markets Indices for bonds and equities focusing on high-opportunity countries. Country selection based on criteria such as GDP growth, population growth, anti-corruption measures and standard of living.
May 3, 2011
Strong Earnings Growth for Hypo Steiermark
The operating profit of Hypo Steiermark rose to 21.5 million euro, more than doubling the previous year’s result.
April 30, 2011
Raiffeisen Postpones Stock Exchange Plans
The banking group has to postpone for two or three years the IPOs of the agricultural holdings NÖM and LLI planned for 2011.
April 29, 2011
Erste Group Reports Small Profit Increase
Erste Group increases Q1 2011 net profit to € 260.6 m on lower risk costs, despite negative impact from banking taxes.
April 28, 2011
Decline in Profits for Wiener Privatbank
The profits of the Privatbank fell by 34% in 2010. The bank reported an equity ratio of 48% on the 2010 balance sheet date (31 December 2009: 44%).
April 28, 2011
Lending Behavior of Banks Remains Stable
The credit policy of Austrian banks remained stable for the third year running in the first quarter of 2011 and it is also expected to remain unchanged in the second quarter of 2011.
April 28, 2011
Hypo Tirol Continues Restructuring Process
The Supervisory Board of the Austrian regional bank appoints two new board members. Furthermore, withdrawal from Germany and Switzerland is to take place.
April 27, 2011
Erste Group Wins Lawsuit in Sweden
In a legal dispute over shares in a Swedish bank worth € 225m, the position of the Austrian Erste Group was able to prevail.
April 21, 2011
Capital Requirement of Austria's Banks: € 19bn
According to the Austrian National Bank, domestic banks needed at least € 19bn in equity capital by 2010 to meet capital requirements.
April 21, 2011
Strong Profit Growth for Raiffeisen Landesbank Niederösterreich-Vienna
The annual income of the regional bank rose by 80.5% to € 308.6m. The operating profit grew by 57.8%.
April 20, 2011
Decrease in Profit at Hypo Lower Austria
Despite improvements in operating profits, net profit of the company drops from € 19.8m to € 7.1m.
April 19, 2011
Erste Group Manages € 1.00bn increase of Slovak sovereign bonds
Total orders at approximately € 1.4bn from almost 80 investors . Approx. 80% have been subscribed internationally, mostly from Czech, Germany, Austrian, Benelux and Asian investors
April 18, 2011
ÖVAG Group Achieved Turnaround in 2010
Operating results rose by 34% against 2009, profit after taxes was € 55m. The government participation capital will be refunded this year.
April 18, 2011
ÖVAG to be Split
Resolution to transfer the banking business of Österreichische Volksbanken-Aktiengesellschaft (ÖVAG) to Investkredit Bank AG by way of de-merger planned for 19 May 2011.
April 16, 2011
Raiffeisen Zentralbank Posts 57% Increase in Profits
Profit before tax: € 1,292 million (+56.8 per cent) - Return on equity before tax 12.5 per cent (+3.7 PP).
April 15, 2011
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