A leading Austrian economist has caused controversy by questioning the government’s stance about how to deal with ailing bank Hypo Alpe Adria. Professor Karl Aiginger, who heads up think tank WIFO and is Professor of Economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, said the government were too quick to completely reject the […]
Tag: banks
Robin Hood shoe maker back in court
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The Constitutional Court (VfGH) has rebuffed Heinrich Staudinger, the shoe and furniture producer from Waldviertel (Lower Austria). The businessman believes that businesses should be independent from bank loans and freed from debt. The examination of his complaint was rejected. Since 1999, Mr Staudinger has been able to collect 3 million euros from family, friends and […]
ÖVAG and BAWAG ‘will not merge’
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FIMBAG boss Klaus Liebscher has admitted uncertainties regarding whether the state will ever again see any of its Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) participation capital. Liebscher told radio station Ö1 today (Thurs) it was impossible to make a definitive statement regarding the issue. He admitted that it was unlikely that the more than one billion Euros would […]
Bank rescue dough ‘gone for good’
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The money the state poured into nationalised banks is lost, according to an economic expert. Franz Hahn of the Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) said today (Weds) that the Republic of Austria might not see the billions of Euros it had poured into Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), Kommunalkredit and Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) ever again. […]
BA boss ‘proud’ despite profit drop
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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 […]
The head of Austria’s leading finance institute has shown understanding for the latest bank tax hike and confidence concerning more severe equity ratio regulations. Andreas Treichl, the CEO of Erste Bank Group AG (Erste Bank), said yesterday (Weds) he was not surprised by the government’s decision to jack up the bank solidarity charge by 25 […]
Sberbank makes a good bargain in Austria
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Russia’s leading bank has managed to significantly lower the price it pays for the international operations group of Austria’s biggest banks. Sberbank bosses agreed with Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) managers to transfer 505 million Euros for all federal branches of Volksbank International (VBI) except its ailing Romanian department. Contracts sealing the takeover were signed in Vienna […]
OeNB boss criticises credit rating agency
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The head of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) has questioned Moody’s decision to lower the outlook on the Austrian economy’s further development. OeNB Governor Ewald Nowotny said yesterday (Tues) that the government’s 27-billion-Euro budget consolidation package “is a step into the right direction”. He said the rating agency may not have considered the coalition’s measures […]
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 […]
HGAA hopes for black 2011
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Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA) managed a solid performance, according to its CEO. Gottwald Kranebitter said yesterday (Mon) the bank could have reached the black in 2011. Kranebitter stressed that final figures for the past year would not be released before March. He said the current course was increasing the chance to find a new […]