Oberbank keeps regional focus

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Finance

Franz Gasselsberger has ruled out an engagement of Oberbank in Eastern Europe (EE). The Linz-based finance institute runs some branches in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary but concentrates on activities in Austria and Germany. Now its CEO said the plan was to continue “to grow in an organic way”. Gasselsberger told the Kurier: “We […]

Finance sector salary increase sealed

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Finance

Financial sector staff will get more from next month, it has been announced. Negotiators agreed about an income increase of 3.47 per cent on average yesterday (Thurs). The decision came after clerks were given the all-clear by the Federal Trade Union (ÖGB) to down tools in an attempted pressure increase. They initially called for a […]

BA boss ‘proud’ despite profit drop

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Finance

Bank Austria (BA) chief Willibald Cernko has admitted being “proud” of how his finance institute performed in the past years. The banker pointed out that BA was the only leading Austrian bank which did not sustain annual losses since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. The bankruptcy of the US investment bank kicked off […]

EU must avoid Greek bankruptcy, says BA boss

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Finance

Bank Austria (BA) CEO Willibald Cernko has warned from letting Greece go bust. Cernko said at the weekend Europe “should consider very well whether it would be a good idea to dismiss a country from the Eurozone.” The banker claimed such a move “would put the European project into question.” The BA chief warned that […]

Anger as BA expert makes aware of social expenditure

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Finance

An economist has rubbished claims that only the financial sector is to blame for the crisis. Stefan Bruckbauer, the chief economist of Bank Austria (BA), said on Saturday: “I don’t claim that banks are totally innocent since they financed the debtors.” Bruckbauer told the Kurier the Republic of Austria had to invest 1.7 billion Euros […]

UniCredit losses put BA under pressure

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Finance

Bank Austria (BA) chief Willibald Cernko has said he plans to reduce the financial institute’s workforce level to get through the crisis. The banker announced yesterday (Mon) BA would have only 10,000 employees in Austria in 2015, 800 fewer than it had at the moment. Cernko underlined that sackings were not planned. He explained some […]

BA boss warns despite rise in profit

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Finance

Bank Austria (BA) chief Willibald Cernko has pointed out the finance institute’s performance has not reached pre-crisis levels yet. Cernko announced yesterday (Thurs) BA achieved a net profit of 640 million Euros between January and June of this year, around 52 per cent more than in the first half of 2010. The businessman said BA’s […]

BA ‘scraps HGAA takeover endeavour’

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Finance

Bank Austria (BA) has decided to abstain from taking over struggling rival Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), according to a report.The Kurier newspaper writes today (Fri) that BA decided not to acquire HGAA’s Austrian department. Only in March, the BA CEO Willibald Cernko said it would be “highly ignorant” to rule out an investment due […]

Islamophobic shooter game triggers trial

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Politics

A right-wing politician could be jailed for two years over a controversial computer game.Styrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) chief Gerhard Kurzmann will be in court later this year for putting “Moschee ba ba” (Bye, bye mosque) online ahead of last year’s provincial election, it was announced today (Thurs). Prosecutors in Graz accuse the councillor of agitation […]

Transaction error upsets BA clients

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Business

Bank Austria (BA) customers have been assured they will be compensated for losses temporarily suffered due to a technical glitch.Viennese newspapers report today (Thurs) that hundreds of customers of BA and credit card payment services provider Paylife were affected by the error which meant amounts twice as high as intended had been withdrawn from their […]