Business News & Financial News

In Spain 19th February 2026

Repsol achieves net income increase of 8% to €1.899 billion in 2025

Adjusted net income stood at €2.568 billion, 15% lower than in 2024. These results were achieved within a complex environment characterized by high volatility in energy markets—which dragged the average price of a Brent barrel down to $69.1 in 2025 (down 14.5%)—growing geopolitical uncertainty, and the impact of the blackout in Spain on April 28th. Portfolio Optimization and Key Geographies During the fiscal year, the company completed its exit from…

In Europe 19th February 2026

German economy continues to face structural challenges, especially in industry and private investment

Bankinter | The ZEW economic sentiment survey showed somewhat mixed data in February. Expectations fell to 58.3 from 59.6 (against 65.2 expected), while the current situation improved in line with expectations to -65.9 from -72.7. The overall indicator remains stable, signalling that the German economy is entering a still fragile recovery phase. Bankinter analysis team’s view: The largest economy in the European bloc continues to face structural challenges, especially in…

In the World 19th February 2026

Empire Manufacturing indicates that manufacturing activity in New York continues to expand

Bankinter | Empire Manufacturing (February): 7.1 versus 6.2 expected versus 7.7 previous. Bankinter analysis team’s view: The indicator shows that manufacturing activity in NY continues to expand moderately. New Orders remained positive (5.8), reflecting continued growth in demand, albeit at a moderate pace. Shipments weakened and fell to -1.0, signalling a stabilisation after the strength of the previous month (16.3). In the labour market, the Employment Index improved to positive…

“We need to approach negotiations with the U.S. on terms that are completely different from those currently being proposed”

Says Antonio Bonet, president of the Club of Spanish Exporters and Investors. He points out that “Europe has a single tariff applied by all member states, but the U.S. applies a tariff to each country, meaning it can decide that the tariff applied to Spanish black olives is higher than that for Italian olives, as it did at one point. So there is a part of the negotiation between Europe…

“Fifteen years ago, the European economy was larger than that of the U.S. Today, the U.S. economy is one and a half times that of Europe”

“It is a shame that we are able to mobilize economic resources for large-scale projects abroad, but not in our Spanish market”

In an interview with Consejeros magazine, Sacyr’s coordinating advisor, Elena Jiménez de Andrade, explains that now “We have great capacity to win projects, a capacity that until now contrasted with a series of financial limitations and balance sheet size. However, in this strategic cycle, we are going to eliminate those barriers. That is why we have set an ambitious goal for 2033: to triple the value of our assets. We…

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