Boosted by growth in central Europe

Austria's economy is in better shape than those of most of the states to its west and its companies already have a solid presence in the new EU states in central and eastern Europe. Now it is reforming its financial markets and encouraging foreign investors in order to take advantage of further gains. Ben Aris reports.

The government has introduced legislation that supports the deveopment of Austria’s stock market.

AUSTRIA’S STOCK MARKET was a sleepy backwater for most of the past decade but sprang to life last summer. The ATX index has doubled over the past 18 months, making Austria the best-performing market in western Europe. As the Wiener Börse breaks all-time highs on nearly a monthly basis, investors are streaming into Vienna. Austria has arguably become the first western European country to benefit directly from the enlargement of the European Union in May 2004.

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