Sponsored Content
M & A
Hypo Österreich = Austrian Anadi Bank
Hypo Österreich will be renamed to “Austrian Anadi Bank”.
February 20, 2014
Polish PKO BP Tapping into Swedish Leasing Market
Major Polish lender PKO BP has opened a branch of its leasing unit in Sweden.
February 20, 2014
Bawag: Losses for Cerberus Running into Billions
There are persistent rumors that the U.S. investor may leave the Austrian bank. For Cerberus, Bawag is a disaster.
February 11, 2014
Sale of Bad Assets: UniCredit Under Pressure
The parent company of Bank Austria, the Italian lender UniCredit, wants to sell its risky assets as soon as possible. Insiders report that UniCredit wants to sell its “bad bank”.
February 8, 2014 · Updated: February 8, 2014; 14:12
FHB Bank Acquires Stake in Takarek Bank
The largest Hungarian mortgage bank becomes a core shareholder of the Hungarian savings bank Takarek Bank. Takarekbank is an umbrella bank for the Hungarian savings bank sector.
February 7, 2014
Raiffeisen Bank International: Moody´s Downgrades Ukrainian Subsidiary
Due to the political instability, the U.S. rating agency lowers the rating of Aval Bank, the Ukrainian affiliate of Austrian RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International).
February 5, 2014
Santander on Circulated Sales Talks: „No Comment“
As reported by Vindobona, Spanish Banco Santander is said to be interest in taking over the fifth largest Austrian lender Bawag. Bawag´s management remains silent on this matter.
February 4, 2014
„Hungary and Austria Must not Become Enemies“
Ewald Nowotny, governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) wants a solution between the Hungarian government and the Austrian banking sector.
February 4, 2014
OTP: Takeover of Croatian Banco Popolare Fixed
On Friday Hungarian OTP signed a deal to take over Croatian affiliate of Italian Banco Popolare.
January 31, 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
„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
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
Raiffeisen Bank International Moves Up a Gear
The second-largest lender in CESEE is in a hurry. According to the news provider Bloomberg, the capital increase may take place in the next few weeks.
January 14, 2014
Bank Austria Declines Selling Plans in Ukraine
CEO of Bank Austria, Gianni Franco Papa, rejects rumors about Bank Austria intending to leave the Ukraine.
January 14, 2014
RBI: Capital Increase Because of Unsuccessful Partner Search
For Raiffeisen Bank International, the capital increase is nothing else but an emergency solution. The main loser is RBI´s core shareholder, the Austrian Raiffeisen Zentralbank.
January 10, 2014
RBI: No Withdrawal from Hungary
Due to massive losses, the second-largest lender in CESEE was said to leave the difficult Hungarian market. RBI denies such reports.
January 8, 2014
Hungary: SZKB to Take over Hungarian RBI?
Hungarian Economy Minister Mihaly Varga considers it unlikely for Szecheny Commercial Bank (SZKB) to take over the Hungarian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI).
January 8, 2014
Growing Evidence for RBI’s Withdrawal from Hungary
According to media reports, Hungarian partly nationalized Szechenyi Commercial Bank has placed an offer for the take-over of RBI’s Hungarian affiliate.
January 7, 2014
Hungary: Erste Group Confident
The third-largest lender in CESEE underlined that the Hungarian subsidiary will not be sold. The Austrian bank is confident to reach the turnaround soon.
January 6, 2014
First Offer for RBI´s Hungarian Subsidiary
The partly nationalized Hungarian lender Szechenyi Bank is interested in the Hungarian subsidiaries of the Austrian banks Erste Group and Raiffeisen Bank International.
January 6, 2014
Hypo Group: Fatal Errors of Austrian National Bank
Before Hypo Group Alpe Adria was nationalized in late 2009, the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) has misjudged the situation of the problem bank completely. The Austrian government demonstrates its incompetence once again.
December 30, 2013
AXA Leaves Hungary
Austrian Vienna Insurance Group takes over 100% of AXA Hungary.
December 27, 2013
VIG: Sale of Bulgarian Affiliate Failed
Vienna Insurance Group has to find a new buyer for the Bulgarian pension fund Doverie. United Capital, the potential buyer of Doverie has lost its bank license.
December 16, 2013
Croatia: Privatization of HPB Fails
The privatization of the Croat Postal Bank (HPB) has failed for the time being. For the potential buyers, HPB is too risky.
December 13, 2013
OTP Interested in MKB
Sandor Csanyi, CEO of the largest Hungrian lender OTP, considers taking over the rival MKB.
December 9, 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
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
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
VIG and Bulgaria Are Causing Headache Each Other
The Austrian insurance group VIG has sold the Bulgarian pension fund to an unknown investor. Bulgaria´s government wants to reverse the sale.
November 21, 2013
PKO to Take over Nordea Bank Polska
The biggest Polish Bank PKO Bank Polski will submit an offer to the minority shareholder of Nordea Bank Polska
November 19, 2013
Triglav: No Expansion in Croatia
The biggest Slovenian insurance company planned to increase its stake in Croatia Osiguranje. Croatia´s government rejected Triglav´s offer.
November 11, 2013
BNP Shows Interest in Taking Over Polish BGZ
In the race for the Polish lender BGZ, the biggest French bank BNP Paribas enters the stage.
November 8, 2013
Bawag Faces Radical Job Cuts
The Austrian bank implements fierce austerity measures. About a fifth of the jobs may be cut.
November 5, 2013
BGZ: Santander Aims to Expand into Poland
In order to complete its local affiliate Bank Zachodni WBK, Spanish Santander intends to take over the Polish lender BGZ.
October 29, 2013
Hypo Group to Create Bad Bank
After months of considerations, the Austrian government will decide for the bad bank. The nationalized banking group will be a major burden for the state.
October 26, 2013
Hypo Group: Worst Expectations May be Exceeded
For the Austrian state, the ailing nationalized banking group may become a financial GSA. The legal dispute with the former owner BayernLB bears enormous dangers for Austria´s public finance.
October 25, 2013
VBAG to Downsize Radically
In order to become competitive again, the partly nationalized VBAG and the Volksbanken sector will cut its structure.
October 12, 2013
Erste Observes SEE Region Intensively
Vienna-listed Erste Group, which is the third-biggest lender in the CESEE region, wants to expand into Southeastern Europe.
October 11, 2013
Telekom Austria: No Expansion into Serbia
For Telekom Austria, the entry in Serbia fails for the second time. The Austrian telecommunication group will not submit an offer for Serbia Broadband (SBB).
October 10, 2013
Austrian Post: Enormous Growth Potential in Turkey
With a local partnership, the Vienna-listed Austrian Post wants to participate in the booming Turkish post market.
October 9, 2013
Hungarian MOL May Withdraw from Croatia
The Hungarian government considers selling MOL´s Croatian peer INA.
October 4, 2013
Pecik to Buy Hypo Group´s SEE-Affiliates?
The Austrian investor Ronny Pecik is said to be interested in acquiring the Southeast European subsidiaries of nationalized Hypo Group.
October 2, 2013
Slovenia: Telekom Austria Hesitates
The Vienna-listed Telekom Austria Group has two major growth opportunities in Slovenia. Slovenian Telekom and Telemach are for sale.
September 3, 2013
EU Approves Hypo Group´s Restructuring Plan
The re-privatization of the Austrian publicly held banking group was approved by the Commission. According to the Commission´s report, Hypo Group´s expansion strategy was highly dangerous.
September 2, 2013
Hypo Group Considers IPO
The Austrian nationalized bank takes an IPO of its Eastern subsidiaries into account.
August 31, 2013
Telekom Austria Has Still Growth Plans in Serbia
According to market rumors, the Vienna-listed telecommunication group is interested in taking over Serbia Broadband.
August 17, 2013
Uniqa: Ambitious Growth Targets
The Austrian insurance group wants to put effort into selective growth. The CESEE region still has a remarkable substantial, CEO Brandstetter explains.
August 7, 2013
Romania: Another Major Privatization Ahead
Romania´s government intends to sell the publicly held share in the telecommunication group Romtelecom.
August 6, 2013
„CESEE Will Come Back“
Andreas Brandstetter, CEO of the Austrian insurance group Uniqa, thinks that Central and Eastern Europe will recover.
August 6, 2013