As expected, Erste Bank approved a dividend of EUR 0.5 / share at its AGM yesterday. The record date for dividend payment is Friday, May 13. The stock starts trading ex-dividend in Prague on Monday, May 16 and in Vienna on Tuesday, May 17 (as May 16 is a state holiday in Austria). The dividend will be paid out on May 19.
Separately, according to the Austrian daily Wirtschaftsblatt, at least 15 international banks have shown interest in the privatization of the Romanian savings bank CEC, which is expected to start in the second half of May this year. Erste Bank, BACA and Raiffeisen International are among the interested banks. The other potential bidders were not named.