Shops experience ‘best 8th December in years’

Categories
Business

Retail trade representatives are delighted about “sensational” revenue as hundreds of thousands of Austrians took the opportunity to go shopping on yesterday’s (Weds) national holiday.The 8th of December – which marks the Immaculate Conception of Mary – is traditionally one of the busiest days in the year for the retail trade sector as shops have […]

Air Berlin passenger numbers take off

Categories
Business

FlyNiki stakeholder Air Berlin registered more than 30 million passengers in the first 11 months of this year.The German airline announced today (Thurs) that it recorded 31.3 million customers between January and November of this year. The Berlin-based firm had 27.9 million passengers in 2009.Air Berlin also said it managed to increase its turnover by […]

OMV 2010 earnings beyond €2bn, says CEO

Categories
Business

OMV will earn more than two billion Euros this year, according to firm chief Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer.Asked whether the oil and gas company’s earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) will take the two-billion-Euro hurdle this year, Ruttenstorfer said today (Thurs) that there was “no doubt” about it. The internationally operating firm’s Ebit in the first three […]

Road cargo volume may rise as RCA ups rates

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Business

Tons of cargo could be taken off the rails and transported on Austrian roads as cash-strapped Federal Railways (ÖBB) have raised their fees.ÖBB’s cargo transport subsidiary company Rail Cargo Austria (RCA) decided recently to increase rates by around 30 per cent in a bid to get back in the black. ÖBB head Christian Kern said […]

Smokers brace for price hikes

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Business

Prices for some of the most popular cigarette brands in Austria will increase from next year, it has emerged.Japan Tobacco International (JTI), which manages Austrian tobacco maker Austria Tabak, announced today (Weds) that its product range will get more expensive from next month. JTI said the unit price for a packet of Memphis, Smart, Camel […]

Spending cuts will not affect purchase power, survey shows

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Business

Austrians’ spending power will increase year on year in 2011 despite higher taxes and less welfare spending, a new study suggests.RegioData announced today (Tues) that it expected Austrians’ purchasing power to rise by 2.6 per cent next year compared to this year’s rate. The research agency said this increase meant people will have 450 Euros […]

Mayor in court over attempted rape claim next year

Categories
Politics

A People’s Party (ÖVP) mayor faces a trial over an alleged sex attack, it has emerged.Wilfried Berchtold, ÖVP Mayor of the city of Feldkirch, went on sick leave from his political position after a woman’s accusations were uncovered by local media earlier this year. Now the state prosecution of Feldkirch confirmed that Berchtold will be […]

Eurozone troubles pose bigger risk than EE, says Treichl

Categories
Finance

Erste Bank boss Andreas Treichl has revealed he is more concerned about developments in the Eurozone than about developments in Eastern Europe (EE).The banker said today (Fri): “The biggest risk for us, the financial service providers, is the insecurity about the debt rates in the Eurozone and how they can be covered in the coming […]

Austrian and Italian police team up at Xmas market

Categories
General News

Austrian police are cooperating with their Italian colleagues in a new pilot project.Carabinieri Lorenzo Galli and Paolo de Biasi will join Austrian police officers on patrol at the Christmas markets of Innsbruck, Tyrol, during the next few weeks.The Italian policemen said today (Fri) they will try to reduce communication troubles when their fellow countrymen become […]

OeNB ups economic outlook

Categories
Business

The Austrian National Bank (OeNB) said today (Fri) it expected the Austrian economy to grow by 2.1 per cent year on year.OeNB announced only in June that the country’s economy could improve by 1.8 per cent in 2011 compared to this year.The bank’s latest estimation is also more optimistic than recent predictions by Austria’s leading […]