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Banking Industry


Major Changes in Hungarian Banking Industry Ahead

The Hungarian government comes closer to its objective. Foreign banks are leaving the country step by step.
December 7, 2013


Austrian FDI Worth Less than in 2003

Due to the financial crisis after 2008, foreign investments of Austrian investors have lost in value dramatically.
December 7, 2013


Sale of Hypo Group: Small Number of Potential Buyers

In 2014, Hypo Group´s assets will be sold. It is not certain whether there will be a bad bank or not. Even a bankruptcy is not completely excluded.
December 7, 2013


Hypo Alleged of Having Hoarded Assets of Former Serbian Regime

A Serbian NGO suspects assets of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic at Hypo Group Alpe Adria. The Austrian bank strongly rejects this allegation.
December 6, 2013


Austria: Nowotny Warns of Choking off Economic Growth

The Austrian National Bank (OeNB) has slightly decreased this year’s economic growth from 0.5 percent to 0.4 percent. However, the recession of the past two years is over, the bank claims.
December 6, 2013


Slovenia: Bank Stress Test Results Expected Earlier

According to a source within the European Union, the test results of the asset review of Slovenian banks will be published on December 12.
December 6, 2013


Croatia: New Difficulties for Borrowers Ahead

The Croat banking sector pegs the interest rates to the EURIBOR. Consumers may have to pay higher borrowing costs.
December 6, 2013


Erste Group: Shareholder Structure Changes

The core shareholder of Erste Group continues to reduce its stake in the third-biggest Austrian banking group.
December 5, 2013


ECB: Debates about Further Measures in Monetary Policy

Today the 23 member of the European Central Bank’s Council have initiated debates about the the stance of monetary policy. The base rate, lowered to 0.25 percent last month, is expected to remain unchanged.
December 5, 2013


Poland: BGZ Bank Taken Over by BNP Paribas

Polish BGZ Bank will be taken over by French BNP Paribas for a selling price of around € 1bn.
December 5, 2013


Slovenia: National Bank Rejects Rumors

The Slovenian National Bank has reacted to the increasing number of reports on the possible result of the stress tests at eight Slovenian Banks.
December 5, 2013


Bank Austria: Massive Case of Customer Data Abuse.

Bank Austria files a lawsuit on the abuse of consumer data as Austrian magazine “News” got hold of data of around 5,000 costumers
December 4, 2013


RZB Faces Severe Restructuring Measures

The Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) is facing severe restructuring and downsizing measures as it has to cut the number of employees.
December 4, 2013


Austria: Insolvency of Hypo Group Still an Option

Both the center of government and the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) reject Hypo Group’s bankruptcy. However, insolvency options are currently being assessed by the Finance Ministry and the Federal Law Office.
December 4, 2013


UniCredit: Withdrawal from Hungary as Potential Option

UniCredit does not completely rule out a withdrawal from the Hungarian market in case further burdens will be imposed on banking institutes.
December 4, 2013


Bank of Albania Presses for Agreement with IMF

The Albanian economy from short-term adjustment toward long-term sustainable growth. Why Albania needs an agreement with the IMF.
December 4, 2013


Raiffeisen Bank among Top Three Banks in Romania

Top three banks with best reputation - „The bank of Romanians” is client-centered, honest and transparent.
December 3, 2013


Slovenia: LJSE Suspended Trading Bank Shares

According to the Stock Exchange "not all conditions for a fair, orderly and efficient trading in the securities are satisfied."
December 3, 2013


UniCredit Bank Ukraine and Ukrsotsbank to be Merged

CEE Division completes additional steps in business refocusing.
December 3, 2013


Austria: Government Rules Out Hypo Group’s Insolvency

Chancellor Faymann referred to incalculable economic and political consequential effects due to the liabilities assumed by Hypo Group Alpe Adria.
December 3, 2013


Bratusek: Slovenia Will Manage Bank Rescue

According to Prime Minister Bratusek, Slovenia will manage the bank rescue on its own.
December 3, 2013


Austria: Bawag to Pay back Participation Capital

The Austrian Bawag announced its plans about paying back a further tranche of the state capital participation.
December 2, 2013


Bond Swap at Raiffeisen

RBI offers bond holders of RCB to swap their debenture bonds to promissory notes.
December 2, 2013


Bank Austria: Sales Proceeds for Kazakh Affiliate Dropped

Sales proceeds of Bank Austria’s Kazakh affiliate ATF Bank only came at € 294m which is significantly less than announced by the bank in the first half year.
December 2, 2013


Bosnia: NPLs Increasing Dramatically

Almost 15 percent of the total volume of loans in Bosnia are bad.
December 2, 2013


Raiffeisen Bank International Negotiates with Alfa Bank

Vienna-listed RBI wants to leave Ukraine. RBI´s subsidiary Bank Aval may be sold to Alfa Bank.
November 30, 2013


Sberbank: Lawsuit Against VBAG

The largest Russian banking group has filed a lawsuit against Austrian VBAG at the International Court of Arbitration.
November 29, 2013


Hungary: Economic Acceleration Takes Form

According to French BNP, the Hungarian economy starts to grow again. Nevertheless, the banking industry does not face better times yet.
November 29, 2013


Sevelda: „We Are Close to the Breaking Point“

In a guest comment published by the Austrian business magazine Format, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International Karl Sevelda refers to the high burden for Austrian banks.
November 29, 2013


„We Can Exclude a Bankruptcy of Hypo Group”

Ewald Nowotny, governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) and Klaus Liebscher, head of Hypo Group´s supervisory board argue that the nationalized bank will be downsized according to plan.
November 29, 2013


CESEE: Slight Growth Acceleration, but Uncertainties Persist

The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) has published the economic forecast for the CESEE region today. The economic performance varies substantially from country to country.
November 28, 2013


VBAG: No Interest Payments on Participation Capital Until 2016

The partly nationalized Austrian bank group VBAG faces further losses. As a result, VBAG will have to perform interest payments not before 2017.
November 28, 2013


RBI Calls for Better SME Financing in Europe and CEE

RBI CEO Karl Sevelda calls for improvement of SME financing.
November 28, 2013


PwC: Turbulent Years for Banks

According to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) the core capital of European banks need to be increased significantly.
November 28, 2013


Germany Claims Key Positions at EU Banking Regulator

The German federal government claims one key position in the European banking regulator.
November 28, 2013


Sberbank Strives for Organic Growth in CESEE

In 2012, the largest Russian bank took over VBAG´s sub-holding for the CESEE region. As Sberbank still has to invest a lot in the former subsidiary of Austrian VBAG, CEO German Gref is not perfectly satisfied with the acquisition.
November 27, 2013


RBI Faces Austerity Measures.

Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) does not take into consideration capital increase.
November 27, 2013


Bulgaria: More than Half of Citizens Would Not Take Out Bank Loan

According to a survey, almost 60 percent of Bulgarians would not take out a bank loan regardless of the terms.
November 27, 2013


ECB Considers Restricting Credits

The ECB takes the option of restricting banking to industrial enterprises only into consideration.
November 27, 2013


Croatia: HNB Pushes Credits

According to reports by Reuters, the Croatian National Bank (HNB) intends to issue HRK 4bn (US-$ 707m) to support credits. Further details will be published by the Central Bank later this week.
November 27, 2013


RBI: Profits Decline by More than Half

Raiffeisen Bank International with consolidated profit of € 411 million in the first three quarters 2013.
November 27, 2013


Hungary: Monetary Policy Eases Further

Today, Hungary´s National Bank (MNB) has cut the two-week deposit rate to 3.2% from 3.4%. The government is optimistic that the monetary easing will help Hungary´s economy.
November 26, 2013


CESEE: Austrian Banks Face New Challenges

For Austrian banks, the assessment by the ECB may bring new difficulties. Non-performing loans in CESEE are said to be higher than officially known.
November 26, 2013


New Austerity Measures for Bank Austria

UniCredit´s Austrian subsidiary and biggest Austrian bank faces job cuts and structural measures again.
November 26, 2013


Dispute about NLB Reignites between Slovenia and Croatia

Damaged savers of NLB filed lawsuit against the bank at the European Court for Human Rights.
November 26, 2013


Czech Republic: CNB Aquires Foreign Currencies

During monetary interventions CNB has purchased foreign currencies in the amoung of CZK 200bn.
November 26, 2013


Hypo Investigations Could Last Several More Years

Yesterday the first court proceeding at the Regional Higher Court in Munich started. Investigations in Austria will take up to four years.
November 26, 2013


Hungary. Forex Loans Probed by Supreme Court

Due to the upcoming elections in 2014, Hungary´s government puts pressure on the Supreme Court.
November 25, 2013


ECB Does Not See Danger of Deflation

Benoit Coeure, member of ECB’s supervisory board, does not see the danger of deflation in Europe.
November 25, 2013


Poland: IMF Corrects Growth Forecast Upward

Growth forecasts for next year were increased by 0.3 percent by IMF.
November 25, 2013