Finance

Debt

Bulgaria’s gross foreign debt rises at end-2020

Bulgaria's gross foreign debt amounted to EUR 36.8 billion at the end of 2020, up 4.7% on an annual comparison...

Debt

N. Macedonia’s budget gap more than doubles in Jan

North Macedonia's budget was in deficit of MKD 2.7 billion (USD 53.4 million) in January, compared with a MKD 1.2...

Debt

Poland’s budget shows surplus in January

Despite the limitations related to the pandemic, budget revenues remained stable at the end of January, while the budget recorded...

Trade

Hungary’s live pig exports fell last year

Hungary's exports of live pigs fell between January and November last year, the Institute of Agricultural Economics (AKI) wrote in...

Banking

Erste earnings fall more than 2/3 on impairment

Austrian banking group Erste booked net income of EUR 56.1 million at its business in Hungary last year, down 68%...

Trade

Bosnia’s Serb Republic trade gap narrows in Jan

The trade deficit of Bosnia's Serb Republic decreased by 60.5% to BAM 19.5 million (EUR 10 million) in January, the...

Banking

Bulgaria’s non-govt deposit growth speeds up in Jan

Deposits of Bulgaria's non-government sector rose by 11.9% year-on-year in January, to BGN 94.1 billion (EUR 48.1 billion), after growing...

Trade

NAK joins campaign against EU’s South American FTA

The Hungarian Agriculture Chamber (NAK) is joining a campaign by COPA-COGECA, Europe's biggest interest group for farmers, against a free...

MNB

MNB’s policymakers keep base rate on hold

The Monetary Council of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) decided to leave the central bank base rate unchanged, at...

Debt

Slovakia c/a gap narrows in Dec

Slovakia's current account deficit narrowed to EUR 186.3 million in December 2020, from EUR 251.3 million in the previous year,...

Ratings

Fitch revises Bulgaria’s outlook to positive, affirms ‘BBB’ rating

Fitch Ratings revised the outlook on Bulgaria's long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) to positive from stable and affirmed the...

Trade

Net FDI into Bulgaria halves in 2020

The net inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Bulgaria decreased by 50.7% on the year to EUR 561.7 million...

Debt

Gen gov’t surplus at HUF 198.8 bln in Jan

Hungary's cash flow-based general government, excluding local councils, had a HUF 198.8 billion surplus at the end of January, the...

Banking

Serbian banks’ NPL ratio rises at end-December

The ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Serbia's banking sector rose to 3.7% at the end of December from record-low...

MNB

MNB buys HUF 60 bln of securities, weekly QE data show

The National Bank of Hungary (MNB) bought HUF 60 billion of securities in the framework of a quantitative easing program...

Banking

OTP Says Exposure Limited as Paraguay’s Ueno Bank Enters Insolvency

OTP Bank said its USD 47 million investment in Paraguay’s Ueno Bank represents a small exposure for the Hungarian lender...

Ratings

Fitch Sees Hungary’s Deficit Narrowing but Debt Burden Rising

Hungary’s budget deficit is expected to narrow and growth to accelerate in 2027, but rising debt and fiscal vulnerabilities continue...

MNB

MNB Cites Global Uncertainty Behind September Rate Hold

Global economic uncertainty constrained Hungary’s monetary policy room for maneuver, the National Bank of Hungary’s (MNB) Monetary Council agreed at...

OTP Says Exposure Limited as Paraguay’s Ueno Bank Enters Insolvency

OTP Bank said its USD 47 million investment in Paraguay’s Ueno Bank represents a small exposure for the Hungarian lender...

What Happens Next to What We’ve Built? New Challenges in Family Wealth Planning

Building a successful family business takes decades of work, but its future also depends on how carefully the transfer of...

Hungarian Banks Seek Gradual Reduction in 45% Effective Tax Burden

Hungarian banks hope for a “slow but certain” reduction in their tax burden, Hungarian Banking Association President Radovan Jelasity said...

MNB Probe Widens as International Arrest Warrant Issued for Ádám Matolcsy

International arrest warrants have been issued for Ádám Matolcsy, son of former Hungarian central bank Governor György Matolcsy, and businessman...

MNB Holds Base Rate at 5.5%, Maintains Symmetric Interest Rate Corridor

The Monetary Council of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) left the base rate unchanged at 5.5% at its monthly...

Gránit Bank Hit by Largest Loan Loss Provision in Its History

Gránit Bank reported an additional approximately HUF 9.4 billion loan loss provision in the third quarter of 2026, the largest...

Fitch Sees Hungary’s Deficit Narrowing but Debt Burden Rising

Hungary’s budget deficit is expected to narrow and growth to accelerate in 2027, but rising debt and fiscal vulnerabilities continue...

MNB Cites Global Uncertainty Behind September Rate Hold

Global economic uncertainty constrained Hungary’s monetary policy room for maneuver, the National Bank of Hungary’s (MNB) Monetary Council agreed at...

MNB International Reserves Fall to EUR 62.1 bln in September

The National Bank of Hungary’s (MNB) international reserves stood at EUR 62.061 bln at the end of September, down EUR...

K&H Bank and Mastercard Extend Strategic Partnership Through 2030

K&H Bank and Mastercard have extended their exclusive strategic partnership through 2030, with plans to expand personalized digital financial services...

OTP Forecasts Hungary’s GDP Growth at 1.7% in 2026, 2.5% in 2027

Hungary’s economy could expand by 1.7% this year and 2.5% in 2027, with household consumption driving growth in 2026, according...

Hungary Posts EUR 481 mln Trade Deficit as Import Volumes Jump 13%

Hungary recorded a EUR 481 million goods trade deficit in August as import volumes rose 13% year-on-year while export volumes...

Bayer Construct Gets Default Ratings After Bankruptcy Protection Filing

Scope Ratings has assigned default ratings to Bayer Construct following its bankruptcy protection filing, citing financial pressure linked partly to...

Former Central Bank Governor Matolcsy Questioned as Suspect in Erste Case

Police have questioned seven suspects, including former National Bank of Hungary Governor György Matolcsy, in an investigation into alleged abuse...

MNB to Lower Inflation Target to 2.5% From 2028, Holds Base Rate at 5.5%

The National Bank of Hungary (MNB) will lower its inflation target to 2.5% from Jan. 1, 2028, while retaining its...