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CESEE
Austrian Business Location: Further Slump in Competitiveness
According to the Swiss Management Institute IMD, Austria only ranks 21th among 59 analyzed countries. The Austrian tax policy is the absolute weak point.
May 31, 2012
Erste Group: Poland and Ukraine Benefit from Euro 2012
EURO 2012 investments helped to boost investments in both countries. € 30.2bn invested whereof approx. 90% spent on infrastructure in Poland & Ukraine.
May 26, 2012
Hypo Group May Need Further State Aid
The directors of the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) did not exclude that the nationalized Hypo Group Alpe Adria has a substantial capital shortfall.
May 23, 2012
Downsizing: Hypo Group Aims to Achieve Proceeds of € 1.5bn
The nationalized Austrian banking group Hypo Group Alpe Adria starts its sales program in SEE countries and wants to achieve proceeds of € 1.5bn
May 21, 2012
Corporate Lending in CEE Remains Stable
According to Bank Austria, financing to the corporate sector is holding up well, but a diverging performance among countries is likely to persist.
May 18, 2012
Merkur Records Stable Profit
The Austrian insurance company could improve its results in 2011. The pre-tax profit showed a slight increase to € 6.9m from € 6.8m.
May 8, 2012
VTB Continues Growth Course
The Austrian subsidiary of the Russian VTB Bank registered a 39.8% growth in net income. Total assets grew by 43%.
May 7, 2012
Alpine Launches New Corporate Strategy
The Austrian construction company underlines its commitment to the energy sector. Profitability should be enhanced, CEO Dotter emphasized.
May 7, 2012
Improved Business Atmosphere in CESEE Region
According to a survey by OeKB (Oesterreichische Kontrollbank), expectations of investors are beyond the level of January. Austrian exports to the CESEE region may increase.
May 4, 2012
VBI: Sberbank Injects € 300m
The Russian Sberbank raises the equity base of its new Austrian subsidiary VBI, which should become the hub for the CEE region.
April 24, 2012
Triple-A Will Not Return Soon
The U.S. rating agency S&P dashes hopes that Austria may get back its “AAA” soon. Austrian banks may still face risks as the crisis is over yet, S&P says.
April 20, 2012
Fitch Confirms “AAA” For Austria
The U.S. rating agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed Austria's Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings at 'AAA'. The rating Outlooks on both Long-term ratings are Stable.
April 17, 2012
US and UK Dominating at CEESEG
Investors from the UK and the US are the most important participants at CEESEG in 2011.
April 16, 2012
Austria Tries to Adapt its Image
In order to attract foreign investors, Austrian companies are attempting to amend the country’s image. Instead of tourism and culture, the industrial sector and the expertise should be underlined.
April 13, 2012
Strong Growth at UniCredit Leasing Austria
Volume of new business rises by 23.6 per cent to about € 943m. In 2011, UniCredit Leasing Austria expanded its market lead in Austria to a market share of 14.9 per cent
April 12, 2012
AVE Needs Fresh Funds
The waste management company, which is held by the Upper Austrian energy company Energie AG, intends to pursue its growth strategy in CEE. New capital is needed therefore.
April 10, 2012
Austria and CEE: Slight Upward Trend
Real GDP in CEE to grow by 2.6 per cent in 2012, while GDP in eurozone set to shrink by 0.5 per cent. Austrian GDP to expand by 0.3 per cent.
April 10, 2012
Failed Austerity Package: „Austrian Rating Not Affected“
Bernhard Felderer, director of IHS (Institute of Advanced Studies) thinks that the incomplete austerity package has no effect on Austria´s prospects to return to the Triple-A status.
April 7, 2012
Austrian Insurance Industry: Growth Opportunities in CESEE
Last year foreign business accounted for almost 40% overall. Austrian insurers believe there is further potential, above all in Eastern Europe.
April 6, 2012
CSC: Substantial Growth in CEE Markets Expected
The U.S. IT service supplier CSC upgrades the Viennese subsidiary again. Recently, CSC Austria became a regional headquarter for ten countries. Now, a R&D center was created.
April 5, 2012
Austrian Insurance Firms Continue to Commit to Internationalisation
Last year foreign business accounted for almost 40% overall. Austrian insurers believe there is further potential, above all in Eastern Europe.
April 4, 2012
Steiermärkische Interested in Hypo Group´s Subdidiary
The head of Austrian regional bank Steiermärkische Sparkasse said he was interested in buying some Balkan assets from nationalized lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria, a newspaper reported.
April 3, 2012
Austria Must Underline its Headquarter Function
Austria as hub for CEE markets is still popular. Nevertheless, there is a lack in a sustainable and flexible strategy. The geographical proximity to CEE countries is insufficient.
April 2, 2012
Strong Rise in Foreign Direct Investment
According to Austrian Business Agency (ABA), total investment increased by 34%. 1,822 new jobs were created.
March 30, 2012
Bank Austria Considers Leaving East European Markets
UniCredit´s subsidiary may leave Baltic countries as well as Kazakhstan. CEO Cernko is optimistic to achieve more than € 1.0bn in profits this year.
March 30, 2012
Poland Remains Attractive for Real Estate Investors
In its country report, Bank Austria sees Poland still as an interesting real estate market. Nevertheless, prime yields are declining already.
March 28, 2012
Banks have CEE-Subsidiaries „Under Control“
RBI´s CEO Herbert Stepic criticizes the skepticism against banking in Central and Eastern Europe. The economist Aiginger sees more advantages than risks for Austrian banks.
March 21, 2012
Bawag to Refund Bank Aid in 2014 by Earliest
The U.S. owned bank was the only one in Austria which could increase its profits last year. The restructuring is successfully completed.
March 17, 2012
Vienna Initiative an Insurance Policy, not a Game Changer, Fitch Says
The principles adopted Tuesday in “Vienna Initiative 2.0” do not change Fitch’s base case expectation that central, eastern and south-eastern Europe (CESEE) will continue to see weak, or marginally negative, credit growth in the near-to-medium term.
March 15, 2012
No Credit Crunch in CEE
Western European banks maintain the liquidity of their subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe. The equity provision is better than expected.
March 14, 2012
Hypo Group: Losses of € 165m
Hypo Group Alpe Adria, a nationalized Austrian lender, does not pay a dividend to the state. According to IFRS, Hypo Group could achieve profits of € 69.3m.
March 13, 2012
Turkey as Growth Market for Siemens Austria
Siemens Austria ´s CEO Wolfgang Hesoun regards Turkey as most attractive growth market, as the economy is highly diversified and shows high economic growth rates.
March 12, 2012
Magna Plans 40 New Sites
The automotive component supplier intends to establish new sites in Eastern Europe and South America.
March 12, 2012
Hypo Group: Costs Could Increase up to € 10bn
The nationalized Hypo Group Alpe Adria may need massive capital injections by the Austrian state. The bank must downsize radically.
March 10, 2012
AUA: Confrontation of Management and Workforce Sharpens
The management of Austrian airlines must find an agreement with its pilots until March 13. A solution is not in sight.
March 8, 2012
Henkel CEE Achieves Stable Results
The Vienna based CEE-headquarters of the German Henkel Group raised sales by 7.2% in 2011.
March 8, 2012
Uniqa Aims for Growth in CESEE Region
The Austrian insurance group wants to sell stakes by the minority shareholders of subsidiaries in Eastern Europe. The capital increase is scheduled for 2013.
March 5, 2012
Viennese Office Market: Collapse Threatens
Although office rents are relatively low in Austria´s capital, multinational companies tend to establish their headquarters elsewhere. Real estate experts fear a vicious circle.
March 5, 2012
Nowotny: „Austrian Banking Activities in CEE Better than their Reputation”
According to the governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), Ewald Nowotny, Austrian banks engaged in Central and Eastern Europe are more stable than they are supposed to be.
March 1, 2012
Atos Keeps Vienna as CEE Headquarters
After the takeover of Siemens IT solutions (SIS), the French IT service provider keeps Vienna as headquarters for Central and Eastern Europe.
February 27, 2012
Austria Discussing Top Banks’ Capital Rules With EU Commission
Austria’s regulators are discussing rules for its top banks that will curb excessive lending in Central and Eastern Europe with the European Commission.
February 25, 2012
EVN: Rise in Sales, Decline in Profits Expected
The Austrian energy company will publish its results for the first quarter on February 28. Earnings should rise, profits should fall, RCB estimates.
February 24, 2012
Siemens Austria Has Growth Targets
The Austrian subsidiary of the German Siemens Group builds a new factory at the Viennese sub-headquarters.
February 24, 2012
Slight Growth Rates of Spar in CEE Region
For the first time, the Austrian supermarket chain´s sales totaled more than € 12.0bn in 2012. Sales growth amounted to 3.8%.
February 24, 2012
Baumax Faces Stagnation
The Austrian building center chain records declining sales in real terms in Austria. Growth rates are observed in Eastern Europe.
February 24, 2012
CSC Establishes its CEE Headquarters in Vienna
The U.S. IT service supplier CSC upgrades the Viennese subsidiary as regional headquarters for ten countries.
February 22, 2012
Stepic Criticizes Rating Agencies Sharply
For Herbert Stepic, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), statements given by the U.S. rating agencies are “undifferentiated”.
February 20, 2012
Sberbank Upgrades VBI´s Headquarter in Vienna
After the acquisition of the Austrian VBI, the Russian bank wants to expand massively in Europe.
February 20, 2012
Austrian Outlet Center Market is Saturated
The Eastern European factory outlet center market still has growth potential. Up to 100 new outlet centers are possible.
February 17, 2012
Cernko Against „Talking Down Austrian Banks“
Bank Austria´s CEO is strictly against an undifferentiated view on CEE-countries. Austrian banks with an exposure in the CEE region shall not be talked down.
February 17, 2012
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