Puls 4 outpaces ATV

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Business

ATV has been robbed of its standing as Austria’s most popular private TV station. Puls 4 overtook its key rival for the first time in four years thanks to a market share of 3.2 per cent last month. ATV garnered a stake of three per cent, according to TV consumption research released yesterday (Thurs). ServusTV, […]

Schlecker to sell foreign business

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Business

Works council chiefs and unionists are closely observing developments at Schlecker as the German drugstore chain revealed plans to sell its international business. Schlecker officials announced yesterday (Mon) they wanted to put the firm’s foreign activities for sale to ensure meeting creditors’ demands. The Ehingen-based enterprise started controlled insolvency procedures last month. Schlecker, which runs […]

Getting Festive in Vienna

Categories
Lifestyle

Countless Christmas markets may spring up in cities across Northern and Central Europe during the coming months, but it is Vienna’s Christkindlmarkt that deserves a special mention. The tradition of winter street markets in Austria dates back to the Middle Ages and markets selling festive items and seasonal food have since then become a staple […]

ORF market share keeps dwindling

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Business

The number of people tuning in for national broadcaster ORF’s programmes keeps declining. The company announced yesterday (Mon) that ORF 1 achieved a market share of 12 per cent last month, up by 0.5 per cent compared to September 2010. ORF 2 suffered a decline of 1.3 per cent at the same time, the broadcaster […]

Fewer supermarkets in Austria

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Business

Austria’s leading supermarket chains have reduced the number of their shops in the past years, a survey has found. Market analysis company RegioData said today (Thurs) the country’s strongest supermarket companies currently run 5,000 shops, down from 5,700 in 2004. The agency explained market leader Billa, Spar Austria and other firms were trying to optimise […]

Many Austrians willing to relocate, study shows

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Business

A fifth of Austrians plan to move within three years, a new poll reveals.Public opinion research firm Market found that 20 per cent of people are so unhappy about their current accommodation they seek a change of scenery in the coming three years. The agency said today (Weds) especially people aged 30 and older want […]

Market manipulation suspects nabbed in Austria

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Finance

Businessmen accused of having masterminded a multimillion-Euro financial market manipulation scheme have been arrested in Austria.The Vancouver Sun newspaper reports today (Fri) that ex-stock newsletter editor Pascal Geraths and Canadian stock promoter Aly Babu Mawji were put in custody in Salzburg and Vienna respectively.German prosecutors, who are currently investigating the potentially illegal stock market activities, […]

Poor interest in gas provider switch as prices soar

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Business

Fewer than two per cent of Austrians are changing their electricity providers to save costs, it has been revealed.Walter Boltz, head of market watchdog E-Control, said today (Thurs): “No more than 1.7 per cent of households are changing their electricity providers each year despite the liberalisation of the sector (in 2001).”Speaking to the Kurier newspaper, […]

‘Incomprehensible’ gas price hikes exposed

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Business

An energy sector watchdog has hit out at energy providers for jacking up gas prices.Independent market observer E-Control said today (Weds) companies operating in Austria must not give the ongoing debate about a possible farewell to nuclear energy in Germany as a reason for their gas price hikes.E-Control revealed Austrian households have been forced to […]

Long-term joblessness down as EE labour barrier vanishes

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Business

The number of people failing to find a job for a long time is in decline, new figures show.Social Democratic (SPÖ) Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer said today (Mon) that 5,037 of all of last month’s jobseekers had been out of work for more than a year. The minister pointed out that this number was 30.2 […]