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Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-08-03)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

August 3, 2011

Three Applicants for Lottery Concession

The match for the Austrian lottery license goes into its final round. Three companies have submitted an application.

August 3, 2011

Trend towards More Bonds in Corporate Financing

Companies will increasingly rely on the capital market as bank loans are becoming more expensive due to Basel III and stricter liquidity requirements.

August 3, 2011

Erste Group Planning New Branch Concept for Czech Republic

The Austrian bank’s Czech subsidiary is working on a modern concept which will be targeted at new customer groups.

August 3, 2011

Kapsch CarrierCom Wins Order in Czech Republic

The Austrian technology company was chosen as general contractor for the GSM-R technology in the Czech Republic. The order value is € 20m.

August 3, 2011

Polytec Expands Capacities after Strong First Half of 2011

The Austrian component supplier achieved significant growth in earnings and is going to invest in its core competences. The group will acquire PPI Plastic Products Innovation GmbH & Co KG.

August 3, 2011

Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-08-02)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

August 2, 2011

Debt Crisis Dampens Austrians’ Propensity to Buy

Austrians are reducing consumption and increasing their savings. Only 24% expect an economic upswing.

August 2, 2011

Bank Austria Finances Portfolio of Apartment Houses in Vienna

The Austrian bank generates a stimulus for Vienna’s real estate market and finances 53 apartment houses with € 110m.

August 2, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Off German Biogas Plants

The Austrian nationalized bank pulls out of the biogas sector. Sale of its plants in Austria is planned for the second half of 2011.

August 2, 2011

Porr Wins Major Order in Germany

The Austrian construction company will build two tunnels as part of the Stuttgart 21 project. Total volume of the order is € 700m.

August 2, 2011

Immofinanz Acquires Development Site in Poland

The Austrian real estate company plans to develop a shopping center in the Polish city of Lublin. Opening is scheduled for 2013.

August 2, 2011

Changes in the Management Board of Pankl

The Austrian component supplier extended the contract of CEO Wolfgang Plasser for further five years. Josef Faigle will succeed Alfred Hörtenhuber as COO.

August 1, 2011

AutoBank with Improved Half-Year Results

The Austrian specialist bank increased new business volume by 4.2%. Stable growth was achieved in all areas.

August 1, 2011

SW Umwelttechnik Secured Mid-Term Financing

The Austrian technology company reached an agreement to delay bank loan repayments until 2012. € 60m were invested in plant modernizations between 2005 and 2008.

August 1, 2011

Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-08-01)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

August 1, 2011

Austrians Buy Less – Sales in Retail Trade Dropped 0.8%

Sales volume of food retail trade was up 0.3% in the first half of the year while the non-food sector registered a decline by 0.8%.

August 1, 2011

Decline in Unemployment Rate Continues

The number of unemployed fell by 4% to 262,904 in July. The positive development has lasted for 17 months already.

August 1, 2011

Immofinanz Completed Sale of Office Campus Gasometer

The Austrian real estate company and its partner sold an office property in Vienna for € 75m to Bank Austria Real Invest.

August 1, 2011

Start-Ups in Austria 2009: Rate of Enterprise Creation at 6.9%

On average, 2.4 jobs were created per start-up. 85.4% of all new enterprises were operating in the services sector.

August 1, 2011

Martin Schwedler Appointed CEO of Raiffeisen Investment in Moscow

The previous board member of RIAG will focus on expanding the Austrian bank’s presence in Russia’s growing M&A and ECM business.

August 1, 2011

Bawag Sells Stiefelkönig to Leder & Schuh

The Austrian shoe retail chain is taken over by its strongest competitor. The deal is subject to approval by the competition Authority.

July 29, 2011

Austrian Industrial and Construction Turnover Up by 10.9%

Opposing production trends in industry and construction in April 2011; turnover increased by 10.9%. Energy and metal industry are dominant factors.

July 29, 2011

Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-07-29)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

July 29, 2011

bwin.fr and sajoo.fr to Merge

The online gaming providers agreed to merge their French businesses. The companies have already been working together since 2008.

July 29, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Schlosshotel Velden

The Austrian bank signed a purchase agreement with Amisola Immobilien AG. Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group will take over management of the hotel.

July 29, 2011

Construction Output Down by 3.4%

Austrian output of construction of buildings and civil engineering decreased by 3.4% from January until April 2011. Volume of orders increased by 8.1%.

July 29, 2011

AMAG Expects Record in Profitability

The Austrian manufacturer of aluminum products reported a strong development in the first half of 2011. Sales were up 21%, EBIT grew by 18% to € 59.9m

July 29, 2011

Erste Group Increased Net Profit from January to June

The Austrian bank’s results were burdened by bank taxes in Austria and Hungary. Net profit was up 5.2%, based on a solid operating result and lower risk costs.

July 29, 2011

BDI Increases Shareholding in Enbasys

The Styrian company listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange raised its stake in the bio gas specialist to 81%. Acquisition of the remaining shares is about to be completed.

July 29, 2011

Penta Is Extending Offer for A-Tec

The Czech-Slovak investment group has affirmed its interest in a takeover of the Austrian conglomerate and extended the validity of its offer.

July 28, 2011

Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-07-28)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

July 28, 2011

Warimpex Sells Hotel in Warsaw

The Austrian real estate company sells the Sobieski Hotel in Warsaw, together with an adjacent 6,000 square meter office building to Wenaasgruppen, headquartered in Norway.

July 28, 2011

Banks Expect Tightening of Credit Guidelines in 2012

Austrian banks’ lending policies did not change in the second quarter of 2011. For two years already, no tightening of lending conditions has been observed.

July 28, 2011

Erste Bank Fixed the Takeover of Intermarket Bank

Erste Bank took over 56% in Austria’s largest factoring bank from the Polish subsidiary of Commerzbank and will acquire another 10% from Coface.

July 28, 2011

IHS: Keuschnigg in Pole Position for Succession of Felderer

The institute’s board of trustees has voted for the Tyrolean Keuschnigg as successor of retiring boss Felderer. Contracts still have to be signed.

July 28, 2011

“Austria Was Boosted by EU Accession, Euro and Opening to Eastern Europe”

Bank Austria analyzed the development of Austria since the EU accession in 1995. It concluded that the economy has taken full advantage of the opportunities offered by the changes.

July 28, 2011

KTM Achieves Strong Growth

The Austrian motorcycle manufacturer reported a positive development in the first half of 2011. Turnover increased by 24%; EBIT went up 18%.

July 28, 2011

AUA: Loss of € 63m in the First Half of 2011

Austrian Airlines is still clearly in the red. The company was not able to improve significantly on last year’s result in the first six months of 2011.

July 28, 2011

Retail Trade: No Improvement Expected

After weak first six months, the Austrian retail sector hopes for increasing demand in the second half of 2011. Weak development of incomes reduces consumers’ willingness to spend.

July 27, 2011

Austrians Still Prefer Building Society Savings

Erste Group’s s Bausparkasse benefits from the continuing trend. The amount of new lending increased by almost 25% year-on-year.

July 27, 2011

Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-07-27)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

July 27, 2011

VIG: Trouble at Romanian Subsidiary

The Austrian insurance group has reportedly lost millions due to illegal actions at one of its Romanian subsidiaries. Company representatives denied any misconduct.

July 27, 2011

Austrians’ Holiday Patterns Are Changing

Traditional summer vacation is getting less important; every third main holiday trip takes place in winter.

July 27, 2011

FlyNiki with Passenger Increase from Vienna Airport

The number of passengers departing from Vienna with Niki Lauda’s airline grew by 29% in the first half of 2011.

July 27, 2011

Verbund Reports Drop in Group Result and Sale of French Poweo

The Austrian electricity group suffered from extraordinarily weak water supply in the first six months of the year. The stake in French Poweo will be sold to competitor Direct Energie.

July 27, 2011

Pankl Acquires US-Based Superior Crankshaft

The Austrian component supplier takes over 100% of the American crankshaft producer which was also founded by Gerold Pankl.

July 27, 2011

Vienna Stock Exchange: Winners and Losers (2011-07-26)

Daily News-Flash from the Vienna Stock Exchange: Upgrades & Downgrades, Winners & Losers.

July 26, 2011

Lack of Reforms as a Threat for Start-Ups

The organization of young entrepreneurs demands improvement of framework conditions for start-up enterprises.

July 26, 2011

Kärntner Sparkasse Starts Withdrawal from Italy

The Carinthian regional bank is closing down two branches as a consequence of the economic crisis and new capital requirements.

July 26, 2011