Austrian banks benefit from upswing
(World News Austria)

Presentation of the 34th Financial Stability Report of the OeNB Austrian banks reported another increase in profits in the first half of 2017, following major restructurings in recent years. Banks benefited from the favorable market environment and low risk costs. This notwithstanding, raising efficiency continues to be a top priority for banks with a view to increasing competitiveness and safeguarding financial stability over the longer term. Systemic risks arising from real estate lending have remained subdued, but close supervisory monitoring is warranted. `Thanks to the broad-based economic expansion we see today, growth prospects are looking up, not just at the global but in particular...