Finance

Banking

Hungary Leasing Market Records Double-digit Expansion in 2022

New lease contract value rose 18% to HUF 859 billion in Hungary last year, Hungarian Leasing Association board member Katalin...

Ratings

Scope Ratings Affirms B+/Stable Issuer Rating for Wingholding

Scope Ratings, following its review, has affirmed the B+/Stable issuer rating for Wingholding, and it has also affirmed the senior...

Banking

Nova KBM Acquisition Makes OTP Market Leader in Slovenia

With the recently closed acquisition of Nova KBM, OTP Bank's market share in Slovenia will rise to around 30%, making...

Banking

OTP Issues USD 650 mln Bond

OTP Bank, Hungary's biggest commercial lender, announced the issue of a USD 650 million bond on international markets on Thursday,...

Debt

ÁKK Sells HUF 95.5 bln of Bonds at Auction, Over Plan

The Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) sold HUF 95.5 billion of bonds at auction on Thursday, HUF 35.5 bln more...

Trade

Slovakia Posts Largest Trade Deficit on Record

Slovakia's trade deficit widened sharply to EUR 1,250.3 million in December from EUR 214.6 million in the same month a...

Banking

Deloitte: CEE Banking Markets Remain Stable

The Central and Eastern European banking market has remained remarkably stable despite the challenges faced by the region's economies, including...

MNB

Rate-setters Augur Faster Disinflation in Q2 – Minutes

Members of the Monetary Council of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) agreed that disinflation would speed up in the...

Debt

Gen Gov’t Finishes January Close to HUF 144 bln in the Red

Hungary's cash flow-based general government, excluding local councils, finished January with a HUF 143.6 bln deficit, preliminary data released by...

Trade

Hungary’s Trade Deficit Narrows in December

Hungary's deficit of external trade in goods narrowed to EUR 154 million in December 2022, according to data published by...

Banking

Watchdog Clears Final Step of Magyar Bankholding Tie-up

The National Bank of Hungary (MNB) has approved the merger of MKB Bank and Takarékbank, set to take place on...

MNB

MNB Int’l Reserves Climb EUR 1.553 bln in January

International reserves of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) stood at EUR 40.261 billion at the end of January, up...

Debt

ÁKK Auctions off HUF 46 bln of Securities

The Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) sold a combined HUF 46 billion of securities at auction on Thursday, HUF 11...

Trade

EUR 1.4 bln Trade Deficit in November

Hungary had a EUR 1.415 billion trade deficit in November, according to a second reading of data released yesterday by...

Banking

Loan Officers Survey Indicates Increased Caution

A quarterly survey of loan officers by the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) shows lenders, as well as borrowers, are...

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...