Banking Industry

S&P Keeps an Eye on Slovenian Banking Sector

The rating agency highlights the critical conditions of the Slovenian banking industry.

January 25, 2014

Another Emergency at Hypo Group Alpe Adria

The series of bad news does not come to an end. After enormous capital injections in 2013, the nationalized Austrian lender again needs help from the Austrian state.

January 24, 2014

Austria: OeNB Forecasts Modest Economic Growth

According to the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) economic growth in Austria only came at 0.3 percent last year.

January 24, 2014

CEE: Economic Sentiment at Lowest Level

ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for the CEE at lowest level.

January 24, 2014

Slovenia: NLB Facing Downsizing Measures

Slovenian NLB is facing severe downsizing measures. As part of the restructuring process, the country’s biggest bank has to lay off personnel.

January 24, 2014

Serbia: World Bank Delays Loan

The World Bank has delayed a loan in the amount of US-$ 250m for Serbia.

January 24, 2014

Foreign Banks Leaving Bulgarian Market

In the past three years three non-domestic banks have left the Bulgarian market.

January 24, 2014

RBI Not to Be Sold to Hungarian State

Hungarian Minister Varga announced that the Hungarian state had no interest in taking over RBI’s local affiliate. Instead, RBI announced that staying in Hungary was “the right decision”.

January 23, 2014

CEE: Insolvencies Declining But Larger Effect

The number of insolvencies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is declining. However, the individual insolvencies are becoming larger, as reported by French credit insurer Coface.

January 23, 2014

Poland: Banking Sentiment Rises

The Polish banking sentiment indicator Pengab increased by 1.2 points in January on a month-on-month comparison basis to a total of 27.5 points.

January 23, 2014

Bulgaria Imposes Interest Ceiling on Quick Loans

The Bulgarian parliament plans on putting a lid on the interst rates of quick loans.

January 23, 2014

Poland: PKO BP Bond Rated A2

Rating agency Moody’s gave an “A2” with a negative outlook on the € 500m bond by Polish key lender PKO BP.

January 23, 2014

Slovenia: Bank Losses Tripled in 2013

Over the last year losses in the banking sector tripled to almost € 1.1bn.

January 23, 2014

Hypo Group: Decision Within First Quarter of 2014

The long-awaited meeting between the government and Hypo Group’s taskforce has been fixed to find a solution of the Austrian problem bank. The option of a bank participation is still on top of the list.

January 23, 2014

€ 2.78bn for Raiffeisen Bank International

The second-largest lender in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe has started the capital increase. The free float grows substantially.

January 22, 2014

Austria: Savings to Shrink Further

According to Erste Group, the amount to be saved continues to shrink substantially. What is more, average loan amounts are declining moderately.

January 22, 2014

Bank Dispute between Croatia and Slovenia Reappears

Last year Slovenia was ordered in the first instance to pay back the foreign currency deposits of LB’s former affiliate in Sarajevo.

January 22, 2014

Eurozone: Number of Banks Declining Fastly

The decline in the number of euro area monetary financial institutions (MFI) continued in 2013, according to ECB’s (European Central Bank) reports.

January 22, 2014

Austrian Bank Levy: “Penalty Gone Wild”

On the basis of a new method of calculation around € 90m more in bank levy should be generated compared to the previous year.

January 22, 2014

Slovenian Economy to Shrink “Only” 2 Percent

According to the ERBD’s (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) revision, Slovenia’s economy will shrink “only” 2 percent up from a 2.5 contraction of GDP which was forecast in November.

January 22, 2014

Capital Increase: Raiffeisen Bank International Has High Hopes

The second-largest lender in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) wants to raise funds of € 2.9bn. This is substantially more than initially scheduled.

January 21, 2014

„Only A Catastrophy Will Bring a Change“

Bestselling author Marc Friedrich criticizes the IMF sharply and thinks that the Basel III framework is “ridiculous”. The U.S. monetary policy is “doomed to failure”.

January 21, 2014

Czech Economy to Grow Not Sooner than 2016

The Czech economy will struggle to show economic growth both this and next year, according to the Czech Federation of Trade Unions CMKOS.

January 21, 2014

Austria: Nowotny Calls for Fast Decision on Hypo Group

The Governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) presses the government to act quickly and avoid further straining the budget and burdening the taxpayers.

January 21, 2014

Erste to Maintain Business in Hungary

According to CEO of Erste Group’s Hungarian affiliate, the bank will remain in the country to expand business activity.

January 21, 2014

Croatia: Hungarian OTP to Acquire Banco Popolare Croatia

OTP will, according to media reports, take over Banco Popolare Croatia which has a market share of only 0.56 percent.

January 21, 2014

Spindelegger Met Almunia: „Bank Aids Were No Issue“

Today, Austrian Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger has met Commissioner for competition Joaquin Almunia.

January 20, 2014

Czech Republic: Lending Conditions to Remain Stable

According to the Czech National Bank (CNB), credit conditions for corporate and mortgage loans will remain unchanged while conditions for consumer loans will tighten.

January 20, 2014

Austria: Real Estate Prices Surging since Financial Crisis

Prices in the Austrian real estate market have been rising dramatically since the financial crisis broke out.

January 20, 2014

Erste Group: Moderate Economic Recovery in Eurozone

Euro area sentiment indicators point to a continuation of the moderate recovery, according to Erste Bank.

January 20, 2014

Poland to Do without Further Bond Issues

Poland will abstain from issuing new US-Dollar or Eurobonds.

January 20, 2014

Kotian: “Growth in CEE is Accelerating“

In an interview with Austrian daily “Wirtschafts-Blatt”, CEE expert at Erste Group, Juraj Kotian, points out that the bond market is expected to see growth supported by the successful reduction of debts and high economic growth.

January 20, 2014

Austrian Banks to Resist Further Burdens?

Podium discussion at Viennese law firm Binder Grösswang.

January 20, 2014

Mitterlehner: „Hypo Group Must Not Burden State Budget“

Austria´s Minister of Economics underlined that the Austrian government is looking for an effective and cost-saving solution for the nationalized Lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

January 20, 2014

„Hungarian Economy Must be Rearranged“

István Töröcskei thinks that the Hungarian banking sector is highly interesting. In general, the financial sector must help to develop the Hungarian economy, Töröcskei argues.

January 18, 2014

Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Austrian Government Becomes Nervous

Although the participation of the private banking sector is unrealistic, the Austrian government does not give up. However, the time pressure grows week by week.

January 18, 2014

KPMG: „Social Media Is the Key“

The image of the global banking industry is not satisfying at all. According to a study released by KPMG, banks have to put more effort in social media activities.

January 18, 2014

Croatia: “Loose Monetary Policy Shows First Signs of Success”

Boris Vujcic, governor of HNB (Croatian National Bank) thinks that the quantitative easing policy works.

January 17, 2014

Oberbank Continues Expansion Strategy

The Austrian regional bank considers Vienna and the Czech Republic as potential growth markets.

January 17, 2014

S&P Optimistic About Slovenia

The U.S. rating agency reiterated the Slovenian sovereign debt rating at A-. The outlook remains “stable”. S&P´s analysts consider Slovenia´s crisis management as adequate.

January 17, 2014

Hungary: Forex Loan Problem to be Solved

According to the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), the problem of the foreign-exchange loans could be solved in the next half year.

January 17, 2014

Austrian State Sues Six Banks

The Republic of Austria filed lawsuits against six lending banks of bankrupt construction enterprise Alpine.

January 17, 2014

Slovenia Attracting FDI from US and UK

The Slovenian Ministry of Finance is taking great efforts to attract investors from the US and the UK.

January 17, 2014

$ 1.0trn Capital Shortfall in European Banking Sector?

According to U.S. economists, the stress tests carried out by the European Central Bank are too soft.

January 16, 2014

BayernLB Bought Hypo Group Alpe Adria above Value

Apparently former member of BayernLB’s supervisory board acquired Hypo Group Alpe Adria above its value.

January 16, 2014

Poland Added in IMF´s Watch List

According to the International Monetary Fund, Poland is one out of four new countries which are systemically important in terms of crisis management.

January 16, 2014

Bulgaria: Loan Portfolios Expected to Increase

The increase in industrial production will have a positive effect on the number of loans taken out.

January 16, 2014

Causa Aliyev: Austrian Justice Minister under Pressure

Austrian Justice Minister Brandstetter has registered more former members of the Kazakh secret service than was previously known.

January 16, 2014

Austria Inflation Rate Dropped in 2013

Last year the overall annual inflation rate dropped to 2.0 percent after 2.4 percent in the previous year.

January 16, 2014

Expansion Course of Austrian Banks Slowed Down

After the financial crisis cooled down the expansion course of Austrian banks in CESEE countries was dampened down.

January 16, 2014