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☆ European banks in Russia face 'awful lot of risk', Yellen says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Kent Nishimura | Getty ImagesU.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters that European banks face growing risks operating in Russia and the U.S. is looking at strengthening its secondary sanctions on banks found to be aiding transactions for Russia's war effort. "We are looking at potentially a tougher stepping-up of our sanctions on banks that do business in Russia," Yellen told Reuters in an interview, declining to provide specifics and not identifying any banks at which they could be aimed. Speaking on the sidelines of a G7 finance leaders meeting in northern Italy, Yellen said that sanctions related to banks' dealings in Russia would only be imposed "if there was a reason to do so, but operating in Russia creates an awful lot of risk," she added. European Central Bank policymaker Fabio Panetta had clear instructions for Italian banks on Saturday telling reporters that lenders must "get out" of Russia because staying in the country brings a "reputational problem." Raiffeisen is the largest European lender doing business in Russia, followed by UniCredit.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Kent Nishimura, Yellen, Central Bank policymaker Fabio Panetta, Joe Biden's Organizations: Treasury Department, Getty, Treasury, Reuters, Bank International, Central Bank, UniCredit, United Arab Locations: Washington , DC, Russia, U.S, Italy, Ukraine, China, United Arab Emirates, Turkey

☆ The US is pressuring the biggest Western bank in Russia to cancel a $1.6 billion industrial investment
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewAn Austrian bank's plan to repatriate $1.6 billion in assets still stuck in Russia is facing US pushback, on concern that the deal would breach Western sanctions. The Raiffeisen Bank International remains the biggest foreign-owned lender remaining in the country, as efforts to sell or spin off its Russian unit have struggled since Moscow's tightened exit requirements on foreign firms. That's as Deripaska is sanctioned for potential links to the Kremlin, making the transaction a possible breach of Western restrictions. Aside from Raiffeisen, the US has been stepping up pressure on foreign banks that continue to facilitate transactions with Russia.

Persons: —, Oleg Deripaska, Raiffeisen, that's Organizations: Service, Raiffeisen Bank, Business, Reuters Locations: Austrian, Russia, Russian, Vienna, Washington, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey

☆ Barclays names three global stocks to buy for the next quarter, giving them major upside
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Barclays has named three European stocks — Smurfit Kappa , Leroy Seafood and Raiffeisen Bank — for investors to consider buying for the upcoming quarter. 7: Smurfit Kappa Barclays is bullish on paper packaging maker Smurfit Kappa with a £38.30 ($49.10) price target, indicating 16% upside potential. SKG-GB 1Y mountain Leroy Seafood Barclays also highlighted Leroy Seafood Group, a Norwegian seafood company. Raiffeisen Bank Barclays named Raiffeisen Bank International, an Austrian banking group, as another stock to own in the next quarter, giving it an upside potential of 35%. "Strabag deal improves credibility on Russia exit plan," Barclays analyst Krishnendra Dubey said in a note to clients on Mar.

Persons: Kappa, Leroy Seafood, WestRock, Gaurav Jain, Leroy, Krishnendra Dubey Organizations: Barclays, Raiffeisen Bank, U.S, Mar, Smurfit Kappa Barclays, Kappa, Seafood Barclays, Leroy Seafood Group, Raiffeisen Bank Barclays, Raiffeisen Bank International, Raiffeisen, Strabag Locations: London, New York, Norwegian, Austrian, U.S, Russia

A view of the sign of Signa Holding on their headquarters in Vienna, Austria, November 6, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA/FRANKFURT, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Property and retail giant Signa declared insolvency on Wednesday after last-ditch attempts to secure fresh funding failed, the biggest casualty so far of Europe's property crash. Signa blamed its problems on external factors affecting its property business and pressure on high-street shopping. Fuelled by low interest rates, billions were funneled into property, which was viewed as stable and safe. Weakness in commercial real estate in the United States as offices remain empty after the pandemic and the struggles of major property developers in China have focused global attention on the sector.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Rene Benko, Signa, Switzerland's Julius Baer, Hannes Moesenbacher, Matthias Inverardi, Rachel More, Madeline Chambers, Catherine Evans Organizations: Signa, REUTERS, Rights, Chrysler, Austria's Raiffeisen Bank, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, FRANKFURT, Germany, Switzerland, Hamburg, Bavaria, Hesse, Europe's, United States, China

View of the construction site of the Elbtower building, owned by Rene Benko’s Signa and a Commerzbank subsidiary, in Hamburg Germany, November 2, 2023. On Friday, Signa Real Estate Management filed for insolvency in a local court in Berlin, according to a court filing. The real estate sector was a bedrock of Germany's economy for years, accounting for roughly a fifth of output and one in 10 jobs. Now a sharp rise in rates has put an end to the run, tipping some developers into insolvency as deals freeze and prices fall. Weakness in commercial real estate in the United States as offices remain empty after the pandemic and the struggles of major property developers in China have focused global attention on the sector.

Persons: Rene Benko’s Signa, Fabian Bimmer, Signa, Elliott, Rene Benko, Switzerland's Julius Baer, Hannes Moesenbacher, Matthias Inverardi, John O'Donnell, Miranda Murray, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Elliott Investment Management, Chrysler, Estate Management, Austria's Raiffeisen Bank, Thomson Locations: Hamburg Germany, Austrian, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Berlin, Bavaria, Hesse, Hamburg, Europe's, United States, China

☆ ECB says property slump could last years in threat to lenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An ECB report which examines threats to financial stability underscored heightened concern over a property boom that is now unravelling in countries such as Germany and Sweden. Commercial property prices have been hit by economic weakness and high interest rates over the last year, challenging the sector's profitability and business model, the ECB said. The sector is not big enough to create a systemic risk for lenders, but could increase shocks across the financial system and greatly impact the financial firms, from investment funds to insurance firms, collectively known as shadow banks. The ECB issued its report as deep cracks emerged in the property market of the euro zone's top economy, Germany. Commercial real estate transactions were down 47% in the first half of 2023, compared with the same period in 2022.

Persons: René Benko, Banks, Balazs Koranyi, John O'Donnell, Barbara Lewis, Alexander Smith Organizations: European Central Bank, ECB, Signa, Chrysler, Signa Group, Reuters, Raiffeisen Bank, Bank, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany, Sweden, Austrian, Hamburg, Austria, Bank Austria

☆ Austria's RBI: realized extra 150 mln euros of property sector risk provisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is seen at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, March 14, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) (RBIV.VI) has realized additional forward-looking risk provisions of around 150 million euros ($163 million) for the real estate sector, the Austrian bank's risk chief, Hannes Moesenbacher, said on Tuesday. Chief Executive Johann Strobl added that these provisions are "on top" and therefore go beyond what can be modelled. "In total, our top five commitments in the real estate sector amount to 2.2 billion euros," said Moesenbacher, who added that number one position amounted to 755 million euros. At its general meeting in March, RBI had decided not to distribute a dividend for the time being due to uncertainties.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Hannes Moesenbacher, Johann Strobl, Moesenbacher, Rene Benko, Strobl, Alexandra Schwarz, Miranda Murray, David Evans Organizations: Raiffeisen Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Signa Group, RBI, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, Austrian, Russia

☆ UniCredit, RBI among banks on hook for $2.4 bln in Signa loans -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

RBI, which the person said had sharply reduced its exposure to the Signa group in recent years, declined to comment on Thursday. The European Central Bank (ECB), which supervises the banks, declined to comment. Raiffeisen Landesbank Niederoesterreich-Wien, Raiffeisen Landesbank Oberoesterreich and Erste Group are also among the banks with exposures to Signa, the person said. The other two Austrian banks declined to comment. A spokesperson for Austria's central bank said it had no concerns about the country's financial stability, when asked about Signa's financial position.

Persons: UniCredit, Signa, Rene Benko, Fitch, Landesbank, Banks, Arndt Geiwitz, Francesco Canepa, Tom Sims, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexander Smith Organizations: Signa Group, Chrysler, Raiffeisen Bank, Bank, European Central Bank, ECB, Reuters, Erste Group, Erste, Austria's National Bank, Market Authority, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Banks, Austria, Bank Austria, Wien

☆ CIMB, J Trust among suitors for Indonesia's Bank Commonwealth -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Yantoultra Ngui | Thomson Reuters | Yantoultra Ngui Is A Southeast Asia Deals Correspondent With Reuters In Singapore | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Malaysian bank CIMB (CIMB.KL) and Japanese finance company J Trust (8508.T) are among firms vying to buy Indonesia's PT Bank Commonwealth, a deal that could value the lender at $400-$500 million, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. Bank Commonwealth, which is 99% owned by Australia's biggest lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) (CBA.AX), focuses on retail lending as well as corporate banking services for small and medium enterprises. 2 bank, and J Trust have expressed interest and are looking at submitting binding bids, the sources said. CIMB, J Trust, CBA and Morgan Stanley declined to comment. Bank Commonwealth did not respond to a Reuters request seeking comment.

Persons: Bazuki Muhammad, Morgan Stanley, Yantoultra Ngui, Anton Bridge, Kane Wu, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: CIMB, REUTERS, Rights, J Trust, Indonesia's PT Bank Commonwealth, Bank Commonwealth, Australia's, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, CBA, Bank International Indonesia, China's, China's Bank of, SS, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Rights SINGAPORE, Malaysian, Indonesia, Southeast, Southeast Asia, China's Bank, China's Bank of Hangzhou, Hangzhou, Singapore, Tokyo

☆ Take Five: Volatile start to busy week
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 9 (Reuters) - Financial markets have got off to a volatile start to the week, after Hamas militants launched an assault on Israel at the weekend, triggering violent conflict that left hundreds dead. A bond market rout last week and currency gyrations already had financial markets on edge ahead of U.S. inflation numbers and the start of earnings season. Here's your week ahead in markets from Kevin Buckland in Tokyo, Lewis Krauskopf in New York, Rachel Savage in Johannesburg, and Naomi Rovnick and Dhara Ranasinghe in London. Amid these tensions, the IMF and World Bank are trying to boost their lending.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, gyrations, Kevin Buckland, Lewis Krauskopf, Rachel Savage, Naomi Rovnick, Wells, LSEG IBES, Rishi Sunak's, Sumanta Sen, Pasit, Vineet, Karin Strohecker, Kim Coghill Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Financial, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Labour, JPMorgan, Citigroup, PepsiCo, Delta Air Lines, UnitedHealth, Reuters, LABOUR, Conservative, Labour Party, MOROCCO Finance, Monetary Fund, U.S, Bretton Woods, IMF, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Tokyo, New York, Johannesburg, London, Central, Morrocan, Marrakech, China

Here are the big questions about the move, which led to a slide in shares of Chinese EV makers on Thursday:WHY EXPORT TO EUROPE AND HOW MUCH HAS IT GROWN? That is mainly due to Beijing's decade-old industry promotion policy of incentives and subsidies that enabled China to become the world's biggest EV market and control the global EV supply chain, including raw materials. The single largest exporter is Tesla, accounting for 40% of China's EV exports between January and April, U.S. thinktank the Center for Strategic and International Studies says. Chinese state subsidies for electric and hybrid vehicles totalled $57 billion between 2016 and 2022, consultants AlixPartners have estimated. It paid out nearly $15 billion to encourage EV purchases through 2021, China Merchants Bank International has estimated.

Persons: Annegret, Bill Russo, EVs, BYD, AlixPartners, Brenda Goh, Ellen Zhang, Miyoung Kim, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Commission, EV, EU, Volkswagen, Renault, BMW, WHO, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Volvo, SAIC's, MG, HK, China Merchants Bank International, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, China, Shanghai, Europe, United States, CHINA, Netherlands, Denmark

☆ China 2023 GDP growth forecast cut to 5.0%, 4.5% in 2024 - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Vivek Mishra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The primary culprit is the property sector. This source of growth has now evaporated and won't be coming back," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at Capital Economics in Singapore. The Sept. 4-11 Reuters poll of 76 analysts, based in and outside mainland China, predicted the economy would grow 5.0% this year, lower than 5.5% forecast in a July survey. While recent data showed signs of improvement in the economy, some economists said more policy support was needed for the ailing property sector. A strong majority of economists who answered an additional question said the risks to their 2023 and 2024 GDP growth forecasts were skewed to the downside.

Persons: Julian Evans, Pritchard, Bingnan Ye, Teeuwe Mevissen, Vivek Mishra, Devayani, Anant Chandak, Veronica Khongwir, Jing Wang, Kevin Yao, Ross Finley, Sam Holmes Organizations: Capital Economics, China Merchants Bank, People's Bank of, Rabobank, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, China, Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, People's Bank of China, Netherlands, Bengaluru, Shanghai

☆ As war grinds on, HSBC halts Russia payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HSBC Bank logo is seen in this illustration taken March 12, 2023. "We have therefore reached the decision to restrict commercial payments by our corporate entity customers to or from Russia and Belarus through HSBC," a HSBC spokesperson said. Business customers have been informed the bank no longer intends to process the payments, the spokesperson added, rolling out globally from this month. HSBC has announced an exit from Russia, but the planned sale of its unit to local lender Expobank has hit delays and is pending final regulatory approval. The United States has pushed for harsher action against banks with Russia links, while China in contrast has deepened economic ties with Russia.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Expobank, Iain Withers, John O'Donnell, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: HSBC Bank, REUTERS, HSBC, Belarus, Business, Nikkei, SWIFT, Raiffeisen Bank, United, Thomson Locations: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Europe's, China, United States, Hong Kong, Moscow, Europe, Russian

RBI has not yet outlined its plan to supervisors at the European Central Bank (ECB), two people with knowledge of its dealings with the central bank said, making a spin-off unlikely by September. Furthermore, the approval of Russia's central bank, finance ministry and, in the event of a sale, even Russian President Vladimir Putin, will be needed before RBI acts. The ECB urged RBI not to pay a dividend this year because of its concerns over Russia, one of the people said. Austria's central bank and the ECB declined to comment. Another source said he has urged the U.S. not to pressure RBI.

Persons: Raiffeisen, Vladimir Putin, UniCredit, month's Wagner, Robert Holzmann, Christine Lagarde, Magnus Brunner, Brian Nelson, Francesco Canepa, John O'Donnell, Alexander Smith Organizations: Raiffeisen, Reuters, Austrian, European Central Bank, ECB, Treasury, Foreign Assets, OFAC, U.S, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Russia, Austria, Moscow, U.S, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Vienna, Soviet, Austrian, United States, Frankfurt

☆ Tesla to hit record quarterly sales in China even as market share shrinks - analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, June 28 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) is set to hit another record quarter with its China sales while it faces mounting pressure from local competitors such as BYD eating into its share in the world's largest auto market, analysts say. Deutsche Bank predicted Tesla's China sales to hit 153,000 units in the second quarter, while globally it could sell 448,000 units in total. Tesla will announce global sales numbers over the weekend, while China sales will be available from association data in the first week of July. It has outsold Tesla in Singapore in the first five months while its Atto 3 outsold Tesla's Model 3 in Australia in May. As its Shanghai plant achieves an annual production capacity of over 1 million units, Tesla is selling into new markets in the region including Thailand and Malaysia with China-made cars.

Persons: Shi Ji, Shi, Tesla, Yale Zhang, BYD, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Lincoln Organizations: U.S, China Merchants Bank International Securities, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Deutsche Bank, Automotive Foresight, EV, HK, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Shanghai, North America, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia

☆ ECB urges banks in Russia to leave quickly
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, June 13 (Reuters) - Euro zone banks in Russia should leave quickly, the bloc's top supervisor said on Tuesday, making a rare explicit call on those lenders to wind down operations more than a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "I think that it is important that banks remain very focused on reducing further their exposures and, ideally, exiting the market as soon as they can," Andrea Enria, the European Central Bank's chief supervisor, told a conference. More than a year into the war in Ukraine, a handful of European banks, including Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBIV.VI) and Italy's UniCredit (CRDI.MI), are still making money in Russia. Raiffeisen and UniCredit, which both say are shrinking their businesses in Russia, play an important role for Russia's economy, which is grappling with sweeping Western sanctions. Raiffeisen, the most important Western bank in Russia, has said it is examining a spin-off or sale.

Persons: Andrea Enria, Italy's, Enria, Raiffeisen, Balazs Koranyi, John O'Donnell, Andrew Heavens, Emelia Organizations: Central Bank's, Austria's Raiffeisen Bank, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ Nio cuts prices for its cars — and delays business expansion plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla and other electric car companies in China had cut prices earlier this year in a bid to attract buyers. The analysts cut their rating on Nio shares to hold, from buy. Looking ahead, Nio said that it aimed to deliver at least 20,000 cars a month in the second half of the year. watch nowNomura analysts said they expected the car company can improve its deliveries with new models, like the ES6 SUV and ET5 touring sedan. Nio's cash and cash equivalents fell below $1 billion at the end of 2019.

Persons: William Li, Hector Retamal, Nio, William Li's, Tesla, Li, Nomura, Mizuho Organizations: HK, Afp, Getty, China Merchants Bank International, Monday, Nomura, State Council, EV, Mizuho Securities Locations: Shanghai, BEIJING, China, EU

Banks typically sold these perpetual bonds - known as AT1 bonds - with five years before an option to repay was triggered. In the past, investors got their money back, and banks replaced the bonds with new ones, but some are changing tack. The banks' actions show how the wipeout of billions of dollars of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds still reverberates around this market, which is estimated at roughly $275 billion. "The AT1 market is splitting," said Alessandro Cameroni, a portfolio manager at asset manager Lemanik. SHOCK ABSORBERThe AT1 bonds were designed to help banks absorb losses, and they count towards their capital buffers.

Persons: Kai Pfaffenbach, Banks, Alessandro Cameroni, Lemanik, Peter Harvey, Federated Hermes, Italy's, Morgan Stanley, Karsten Junius, J . Safra Sarasin, Chiara Elisei, Carlo Giovanni Boffa, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Suisse, Raiffeisen Bank, Reuters, Deutsche, Aareal Bank, Credit Suisse, Investors, Federated, Lloyds, Societe Generale, UBS, Santander, J ., Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Ukraine, Swiss, Schroders, Russia

☆ Commercial real estate will be the next issue in 6 to 9 months, says CLS Bank's Dino Kos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCommercial real estate will be the next issue in 6 to 9 months, says CLS Bank's Dino KosDino Kos, special advisor to the CEO of CLS Bank International, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss fear in the banking sector, whether the concerns have peaked, and what regulators may be looking at going forward.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with CLS Bank's Dino Kos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with CLS Bank's Dino KosDino Kos, special advisor to the CEO of CLS Bank International, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss fear in the banking sector, whether the concerns have peaked, and what regulators may be looking at going forward.

The European Central Bank has pressed RBI to unwind its highly profitable Russian business, people have told Reuters, and the Austrian bank says it has been working on a solution. "The group will continue to progress potential transactions which would result in the sale or spin-off of Raiffeisenbank Russia," RBI said as it released better-than-expected earnings. In Russia, profit after tax was 301 million euros ($332 million), up from 96 million euros a year earlier. Overall, the Russia business generated more than 40% of RBI's in the quarter. Reuters GraphicsThe Austrian bank has operated in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union and is Russia's 10th-largest bank by assets.

☆ Austria's RBI Q1 net profit up better-than-expected 49%
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, May 4 (Reuters) - Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBIV.VI), one of the banks in Europe most exposed to Russia, posted a bigger-than-expected 49% rise in profit in the first quarter. Net profit in the quarter was 657 million euros ($724.28 million), up from 442 million euros a year earlier, the bank said. Analysts had expected profit of 528 million euros, according to a consensus published by RBI. RBI provided the figures a day ahead of schedule with little explanation of drivers behind the earnings. ($1 = 0.9071 euros)Reporting by Tom Sims and Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Data is pointing towards weakness in the economy, says CLS Bank's Dino Kos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailData is pointing towards weakness in the economy, says CLS Bank's Dino KosDino Kos, special advisor to the CEO of CLS Bank International, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest on the Fed's inflation fight, the rate hike path, and more.

☆ Russia should not take temporary control of foreign banks' units, central-bank governor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree placing the Russian assets of Finland's Fortum (FORTUM.HE) and Germany's Uniper (UN01.DE), which both operate power plants in Russia, under Moscow's control. "Such decisions should be made with very good reasons, connected to the stable functioning of the Russian economy," Nabiullina said when asked whether Russia could do the same with banks. Foreign banks have stepped in to take business from Russian lenders hit by sweeping Western sanctions imposed after Moscow despatched troops to Ukraine in February 2022. Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBIV.VI), earned more than half of its profit last year from Russia. Reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya, Vladimir Soldatkin, Alexander Marrow and Jake Cordell; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

April 21 (Reuters) - Demand for the Chinese yuan is growing in Russia, the CEO of Sberbank (SBER.MM) said on Friday, adding that the lender has made use of central bank currency swaps providing yuan liquidity. CEO German Gref said Sberbank was gradually raising its interest rates on yuan deposits and had resorted to borrowing from the Russian central bank in yuan several times. Gref said shareholders at the bank's annual general meeting on Friday had supported the board's recommendation to pay a record 565 billion roubles ($6.94 billion) in dividends. Gref said the bank would take advantage of an early payment option and direct around 10 billion roubles to the budget. Gref said Sberbank was not engaged in any talks with Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBIV.VI) over an asset swap.

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