Austria’s economic growth curve is set to follow a V-shaped course in the wake of the coronavirus and the containment measures implemented, according to Bank Austria, a member of UniCredit Group.

Oliver Schumy, the CEO of Immofinanz AG, is leaving the Company as member of the Executive Board on 18 March 2020. The premature termination is based on mutual agreement due to personal reasons. As of 19 March 2020, the Executive Board of the Company is thus composed of the members Dietmar Reindl and Stefan Schönauer, who will continue all agendas.

Carpinus Holding GmbH has acquired a total of 12,000,000 shares in Immofinanz, corresponding to a shareholding of approximately 10.71%. The indirect shareholders of Carpinus Holding GmbH are Peter Korbacka and RPR Privatstiftung (Ronny Pecik).

CA Immo has taken the decision to bring an action for damages against the Republic of Austria and the Province of Carinthia for unlawful and culpably biased influence on the best bidder procedure in the context of privatization of the Federal Residential Property companies in 2004 and for the unlawful failure to win the best bidder procedure.

According to the latest RICS Commercial Property Monitor, occupier and investment sentiment remains mostly positive across main CEE markets with the exception of Bulgaria where the outlook is slightly negative. Retail continues to suffer across the region as demand for retail assets fell on both the occupier and investment sides of the market in most countries.

Erste Group Bank AG has appointed Patrick Zehetmayr to head the banking group’s commercial real estate business, which encompasses non-residential activities at both the stock-listed company’s holding level and at Erste Bank Oesterreich, the group’s Austrian subsidiary. In his new role, Zehetmayr is responsible for the group’s commercial real estate coverage and financing activities, as well as for the real estate leasing business of Erste Group Immorent (EGI), whose supervisory board he chairs.

CA Immo has tapped the Eurobond market for the first time and successfully placed a €500 million fixed rate senior unsecured benchmark bond with a 7-year maturity and an annual coupon of 0.875% on 28 January 2020. The bond will trade on the Official Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange. The international rating agency Moody’s Investors Service Ltd. has assigned an investment grade rating of Baa2 to the bond.

Christie & Co recently launched their new report focusing on the hostel markets in Vienna, Prague and Budapest. The report shows an overview of the business model itself, key characteristics, the evolution of the hostel concept and gives a deeper insight of the mentioned markets: Vienna, Prague and Budapest, in terms of demand, supply and especially branded supply.

Ikea plans to open a new furniture store in central Vienna, next to the Westbahnhof railway station with no parking place for cars. The construction works started in January 2020 and will be finished by next year.

During their 7th CEE Annual Meeting held at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Vienna, RICS announced the new Advisory Board for Austria, which will be responsible for implementing RICS’ strategic goals locally and will work closely with key stakeholders in Austria.