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UniCredit: Common Bad Bank with Intesa Sanpaolo?
The parent company of Bank Austria may create a common bad bank with its Italian competitor Intesa Sanpaolo. The bad bank may be sold later on.
April 22, 2014
VBAG to be completely Nationalized?
According to experts, VBAG is the only Austrian bank which will not pass the stress test. In this case, there are only two alternatives: liquidation or full nationalization.
March 6, 2014
Fitch Criticizes European Stress Tests
The rating agency argues that there is still a lack in technical details. Regarding the robustness of the stress tests, Fitch demonstrates skepticism.
February 6, 2014
Poland: Sixteen Banks to be Examined by EBA
In total, sixteen Polish banks will participate in the stress tests carried out by the European Banking Authority.
February 4, 2014
Stress Tests Become Harder
Experts expect that not all banks participating in the examination will pass the stress test.
February 1, 2014
PKO: Capital Base Improves
According to the European Banking Authority (EBA), the largest Polish bank could strengthen the capital position.
December 17, 2013
Capital Shortfall at European Banks
According to Boston Consulting Group, European Banks still have much work to do.
November 19, 2013
„Not Enough Bank Insolvencies“
Andrea Enria, head of the European Banking Authority (EBA), claims that the banking landscape did not change sufficiently.
November 18, 2013
Banking Supervision: Fekter Calls for Flexibility
Today, the meeting of the Finance Ministers of EU countries was unsuccessful. Austria´s Finance Minister Maria Fekter comments that quality is more important than speed.
December 4, 2012
Rothensteiner: „No Credit Crunch“
Walter Rothensteiner, CEO of Austrian Raiffeisen Zentralbank, thinks that the capital shortfall of European banks does not limit credit supply.
December 3, 2012
Erste Group Achieves 9.9% Capital Ratio
Erste Group comfortably meets the EBA capital requirement:capital ratio reached 9.9% as of June 2012 (excluding retained earnings).
October 4, 2012
Austrian Banks Meet Substantially Increased Capital Requirements
EBA exercise to strengthen capital positions of large European banks concluded: Erste Group Bank AG and Raiffeisen Zentralbank AG meet the increased Capital Requirements, Austrian National Bank announces.
October 3, 2012
S&P Criticizes Weak Capital Base of Austrian Banks
According to the U.S. rating agency, Austrian big banks should increase their equity base in order to compensate further risks.
September 7, 2012
Austerity Program at RBI
Raiffeisen Bank International´s CEO Herbert Stepic is against a capital increase. The market conditions would be unfavorable.
July 20, 2012
Austrian Banks Fulfilled EBA Requirements
The European Banking Authority published today an overview report on the implementation of the capital exercise. The vast majority of the banks in the sample meet the required ratio of 9% Core Tier 1 (CT1).
July 11, 2012
Banking Supervision: Nowotny Warns of Botch
The governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) thinks that the timeline fort he planned unified banking supervision authority is „very short“.
July 10, 2012
„ECB as Only Supervisor Not Likely“
OeNB`s (Austrian Central Bank) Governor Ewald Nowotny does not think that ECB will act as only banking supervision authority.
July 2, 2012
Rothensteiner: Return to Drachma would be „Utter Chaos“
The CEO of the Austrian RZB (Raiffeisen Zentralbank) warns of a Greek exit. At the moment, there would be not contagiousness for Spain or Italy.
May 21, 2012
BCR: Treichl Expects Soon Recovery
Andreas Treichl, CEO of Erste Group, anticipates a soon recovery of the Romanian subsidiary Banka Comerciala Romana.
May 19, 2012
Erste Group Surpasses Expectations
The Austrian banking group improves net profit to € 346.5m in Q1 2012, EBA capital requirement already met as of March 2012.
April 30, 2012
RZB to Increase Capital
In order to cover its capital shortfall, RZB (Raiffeisen Zentralbank plans a capital increase of € 840m. Participation capital will turn into core Tier 1 capital as per EBA definition.
April 20, 2012
RZB Group: Profits Fell by 38%
The Austrian banking group posts an operating income of € 5,416m (minus 1.5 per cent). Profit before tax reached € 1,144m (minus 11.5 per cent).
April 17, 2012
RBI Is Optimistic to Reach Equity Requirements Without Capital Increase
The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International sees no need to raise capital. The 9.0% Tier 1 quota should be reached by June.
March 30, 2012
RBI: No Capital Increase
Christian Konrad, general attorney of the Raiffeisen sector, is against a capital increase at RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International). The 9.0% tier-1 quota will be reached without that measure, Konrad is convinced.
March 23, 2012
Bawag Buys Back Hybrid Capital
The U.S. owned Austrian bank purchases € 300m in hybrid capital back in order to strengthen the equity base.
March 9, 2012
RBI Optimizes Its Structure of Participations
EBA decides not to recognize privately placed participation capital. RZB Group will nevertheless meet the EBA target, the bank argues.
March 8, 2012
EBA Does Not Accept Participation Capital as Equity
Austrian banks face new difficulties. The European Banking Authorities does not approve participation capital by the Austrian state as Tier-1 Equity Capital.
March 8, 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
Capital Shortfall at Austrian Banks Could Decrease
Possibly Erste Group and Raiffeisen can lower their capital shortfall. The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) is currently talking to EBA.
January 24, 2012
VBAG No Systemic Bank Anymore
After the sale of VBAG´s subsidiary VBI to Russian Sberbank, the bank will not be systemic anymore, the Austrian Financial Market Authority announced.
January 21, 2012
Austrian Lending Restrictions Under Observation
The plan of the Austrian FMA and OeNB to restrict lending in CEE countries could be a violation of EU-law.
January 19, 2012
Austrian Banks Claim to Continue „Vienna Initiative“
In 2009, international banks agreed on maintaining their lending operations in Eastern Europe. Now, the cooperation should be extended.
January 18, 2012
Experts Consider Sale of Bank Austria
After the sluggish capital increase of UniCredit, experts do not exclude a sale of Bank Austria, which operates the CEE business.
January 10, 2012
Worsening Economic Outlook for 2012
Economists and analysts expect a massive fall in Austrian economic growth for 2012.
January 4, 2012
Industry Wants to Suspend Banking Tax
The new capital requirements for banks are criticized by the Federation of Austrian Industries and the research institute WIFO.
December 29, 2011
Erste Group: Capital Shortfall to be Covered by Profits
The new equity requirements will be fulfilled, Erste Group´s CEO Treichl says. The capital shortfall amounts to € 743m.
December 27, 2011
Fitch Calls for Higher Capitalization of VBAG, Raiffeisen, Erste
The Austrian banks’ viability ratings are under pressure due to low capitalization and the banks’ exposure to CEE.
December 21, 2011
OeNB: Developments in the Sovereign Debt Crisis Will Be Crucial for Financial Stability
The Austrian National Bank (OeNB) presented the 22nd Financial Stability Report.
December 16, 2011
Treichl: „9% Quota Is Adequate“
The CEO of Erste Group, Andreas Treichl, is optimistic to achieve the prescribed 9% tier 1 capital quota by mid-2012.
December 10, 2011
Nowotny Attacks EBA
The Governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), Ewald Nowotny, criticizes the high speed which EBA requires from banks to build up equity capital.
December 9, 2011
Erste Group: Drastic Cut in Hungary
The Austrian bank cuts 450 jobs in Hungary. However, Erste Group emphasizes to stay in Central and Eastern Europe.
December 9, 2011
Reduced, But Still High Shortfall at Austrian Banks
EBA shortfall for RZB Group set at approximately € 2.1bn, for Erste Group at € 0.74bn. However, the initial shortfalls were reduced for RZB.
December 8, 2011
Treichl to be Confirmed as CEO
Erste Group´s CEO Andreas Treichl will extend his function at the Austrian major bank.
November 26, 2011
Volksbanken Group Result Negatively Impacted by Extraordinary Write-Downs
The Austrian bank posted a consolidated loss of € 689m for the first nine months of the year. The annual result is expected to decrease even further.
November 25, 2011
Growing Capital Shortfall at Volksbanken Group
The Austrian bank will need another € 200m in order to comply with the EBA’s capital requirements. The price for the sale of VBI might be reduced to € 500m.
November 24, 2011
Increasing Capital Requirements for Austrian Banks
The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) needs to raise its equity base by € 2.5bn instead of € 1.9bn, the bank supervision claims.
November 19, 2011
Raiffeisen’s Capital Shortfall Grows to € 2.5bn
The Austrian bank said it would not require state support to ensure compliance with the new requirements set by the European Banking Authority.
November 18, 2011
Massive Layoffs at Volksbanken Group
Hundreds of employees of the Austrian bank will lose their job in the next years, according to media reports.
November 9, 2011
Capital Needs of Austrian Banks Total € 4bn
The increase is mainly a result of Erste Group’s third quarter loss, according to OeNB’s Executive Director Andreas Ittner.
November 3, 2011
No Nationalization of Austrian Banks
The head of the Austrian bank holding company Fimbag, Klaus Liebscher, believes that Austrian major banks do not need further capital provided by the state.
November 2, 2011