The certainty that we are on the threshold of a phase of consistent interest rate rises – the Fed could implement two or three further hikes this year – is spurring the European banks to endow themselves with liquidity from the ECB, at low prices.
Over the last few weeks, Spanish businessmen’s concern has increased over the fact Spanish ports are becoming less effective due to the stevedore’s work-to-rule. According to business sources, currently it’s taking almost twice the amount of time to arrange a ship’s entrance into port, which also has direct consequences on the transport service.
There are still opportunities in office buildings but investors need to be very selective. And it’s important to add value to the property, for example through refurbishment, according to Eduardo Fernández-Cuesta who worked for 25 years in CBRE.
The eternal debate as to whether Spain has a quality democracy, with a level of legal security on a par with Europe, has recently become topical again following the courts’ decisions in the cases of Urdangarin and the “black” credit cards. Weeks before legal security also appeared because of the courts’ ruling related to the floor clauses.
Companies have to make an effort to generate quality jobs so the recovery in confidence and consumption ends up being consolidated, says Mutua Madrileña chairman Ignacio Garralda.
There is a sudden push to cut taxes in the US and Europe, although the Spanish government is preparing to increase taxes here, particularly for companies.
There is no question about the importance of the renewables auction due to take place between now and June if we take into account that installed renewables power in Spain (excepting hydraulic) is 31.216 Mw. So in other words, the new installations will increase this energy park by 10%.
“The stock market’s relevance and its trading volumes increase to the extent there is a good derivatives market, given that this helps neutralise part of the risk of exposure to the stocks. In this sense, multiple products help to deepen the market.”
The majority of the population in Spain put the blame for their excessively high electricity bills exclusively on the electricity companies which, in the end, only get paid a third of the bill for generation. This situation has enraged the companies who are more and more daring in their criticisms of the government – the current and previous ones – for their energy policies.
The AVE high-speed train has undoubtedly been one of Spain’s big success stories and very positive for its international image. Spain is not just the European country with the most high speed lines (2,900 km), in front of the pioneer (France), with 2,000, but it has also reached these levels in a little over 30 years. France took 30.