Hopes remain for reintroduction of the retention period for securities
29 December 2023 | Austria Press Agency
In an interview with Barbara Lengauer from APA, CEO Christoph Boschan reviews the stock exchange year 2023 – and also shares a glimpse into the future. Despite the difficult conditions, the Vienna Stock Exchange can look back on a good year. Regarding 2024, Boschan continues to expect the reintroduction of the retention period for securities, as agreed in the government programme, despite the legislative period coming to an end soon. Boschan also warns against political attempts to develop individual market segments and calls instead for the capital market as a whole to be strengthened. This would reduce the financial burden on households, provide capital for innovation and allow the population to benefit directly as shareholders from the development of the domestic economy.
Boosting the Wiener Börse's competitiveness
29 November 2023 | The Banker
In an interview with Michael Klimes from "The Banker", CEO Christoph Boschan points out the need for a strategic vision for Europe in order to be able to better compete with the US as a listing venue in the future. This vision must include a key point, as Boschan emphasises: the alignment of pension systems with the capital market. This would solve several problems at the same time: the financial viability of pensions, the advent of capital pools for investments and thus more listings in Europe. On the other hand, over-regulation at European level would lead to less diversity and competition within the EU bloc - in favour of the large stock exchanges. Boschan also highlights the continued resilience and attractiveness of the Vienna Stock Exchange and ATX companies, despite the noticeable effects of the war in Ukraine due to the strong CEE network.
"Europe needs to establish large capital pools"
5 October 2023 | CNBC
Europe needs a wake-up call: substantial, large pools of capital need to be established. As a live guest at CNBC in London, Vienna Stock Exchange CEO Christoph Boschan talks to the anchors Julianna Tatelbaum and Joumanna Bercetche about the current complex market conditions for new issues and why several European companies have recently opted to float in the United States. In order to strengthen Europe as a listing venue, Boschan sees pension systems that are at least partially oriented towards the capital market as indispensable. He also emphasises why investments in Austrian equities are interesting even or especially in the current challenging environment: historically low valuations and an average dividend yield of around 5 percent.
"Economies with well-developed capital markets transform faster"
15 July 2023 | Zeitschrift für das gesamte Kreditwesen
There is no alternative to stocks – this applies just as much to private retirement planning as it does to corporate equity capital. In an interview with Carsten Englert of the German "Zeitung für das gesamte Kreditwesen", Vienna Stock Exchange CEO Christoph Boschan provides an update on the Vienna Stock Exchange and the Austrian capital market. He identifies a considerable need for action, not only at the EU level but – what is often overlooked – also for each individual member state, to improve the framework conditions. In view of the enormous challenges our society is facing, the need for innovation financing is enormous. Only with the leverage of a strong capital market the transformation of the economy will succeed.
Read more (pdf-file 995 KB, German only)
„Stocks beat all alternatives“
17 May 2023 | OÖ Nachrichten
In an interview with Alexander Zens from the Upper Austrian daily newspaper “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten”, CEO Boschan talks about stocks as the most secure and profitable investment in the long term, Austria as a high-dividend country and why, also in international comparison, investors should always have a look at the ATX Total Return, which includes dividends. Boschan is irritated by the current debate around profit skimming, since successful private entrepreneurship forms the core of any welfare state order. This is the only way taxes can be collected and people can find employment. Once again, the stock exchange boss pleads for the implementation of the retention period embedded in the government programme and thus tax relief for longterm investors.
Read article (pdf-file 270 KB, German only)
Watch video interview (German only)
Austrians know about stocks
12 May 2023 | trend
Investing is active participation in a modern social economy. A strong capital market offers answers to societal challenges of our time. In his guest commentary in the Austrian magazine "trend" on the occasion of the latest data of the stock barometer, CEO Boschan emphasises that Austrians are increasingly acknowledging this benefit and are apparently further ahead in this respect than the political debate. Boschan highlights that countries with strong capital markets are transforming faster and are heading towards a carbon-free, digital future with higher growth rates.
Guest commentary (pdf-file 100 KB)
Corporate profits at the core of the welfare state
11 May 2023 | Uwe Sommersguter | Kleine Zeitung
In an interview with the Austrian daily "Kleine Zeitung", CEO Christoph Boschan and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Heimo Scheuch emphasise that stocks are the safest and most profitable investment option in the long term and that Austria is on the right track towards a broad shareholder base. Commenting the current debate on dividend payments, they point out that politicians should be proud of companies that generate profits and thus create prosperity. Economically successful private companies form the core of the welfare state.
Read interview here (German only)
"Long-term holding of securities pays off"
26 April 2023 | Hans-Peter Siebenhaar | Focus Money
Stocks beat all other asset classes in the long run, a fact of which Christoph Boschan, CEO of the Vienna Stock Exchange, is deeply convinced. Broad, long-term stock investment plans are increasingly becoming a common practice in the German-speaking world. In an interview with Hans-Peter Siebenhaar, Focus Money, the stock exchange CEO talks about investment culture and folklore, the role that dividends play and the necessary political steps that need to be taken on the capital market.
Read interview (pdf-file 210 KB, German only)
It doesn't work without stocks
11 April 2023 | Börsen-Zeitung
According to recent surveys, every 4th person in Austria and every 5th in Germany holds securities. The population is increasingly recognising the opportunities offered by the stock market for long-term asset accumulation and retirement provision. In a guest commentary in the Börsen-Zeitung, Christoph Boschan explains why a strong capital market is essential for tackling the new challenges and make our society sustainably fit for the future.
Read guest commentary here (German only)
Stock exchange CEO: "The state does not want people to provide for themselves"
25 March 2023 | Susanne Bickel | Die Presse
In an interview with Die Presse, Christoph Boschan discusses how the capital market should be incentivised to have an ideal effect. Boschan outlines that people need easing of the tax burden. This creates financial flexibility to provide for the future and to secure prosperity. He considers it unfair that employees have to pay multiple high taxes on their invested capital.
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Stock exchange CEO to ChatGPT: "Is there a successful planned economy?"
14 February 2023 | Clara Peterlik | profil.at
Digitalization and artificial intelligence are increasingly shaping many areas: Clara Peterlik looks at the influences of new developments such as ChatGPT on the financial sector. CEO Christoph Boschan uses a concrete example to show where there is still potential and gives an outlook on the rapidly developing stock market world of the future.