Articles by The Corner

About the Author

The Corner
The Corner has a team of on-the-ground reporters in capital cities ranging from New York to Beijing. Their stories are edited by the teams at the Spanish magazine Consejeros (for members of companies’ boards of directors) and at the stock market news site Consenso Del Mercado (market consensus). They have worked in economics and communication for over 25 years.
ChinaSolarPanels

Asia green tech: China’s dominance clouded by over-investment and geopolitics

Alicia García Herrero (Natixis) | China is taking a big slice of the cake from its prominent supply role as the world accelerates green transition. This is a rare spotlight of the Chinese economy given the pressure ranging from real estate sales to consumer confidence. China’s production of electric vehicles (EVs), batteries and solar panels, also known as the “New Three” sectors, have experienced fast growth in investment and exports….


iberdrola solar

Iberdrola sues Repsol for exaggerating biofuels efforts and presenting itself as leader in energy transition

Alphavalue/Divacons| Iberdrola has filed a complaint against the oil company, accusing it of greenwashing, El País reported on Tuesday. Iberdrola is suing Repsol for distorting reality by exaggerating its biofuels efforts to the public and presenting itself as a leader in the energy transition, while 99.4% of its revenues come from non-renewable energy. Iberdrola: Add, Target Price €13.1/share. Repsol: Add, Target Price €17.8/share.


Espana Bandera Mapa

Spain’s 4Q23 GDP figure confirms 2% annual growth, 1/10 of a percentage point higher than in previous quarter

In Spain, the final 4Q GDP data brings no news and confirms the +0.6% quarter-on-quarter growth, which puts the year-on-year advance at +2%, one tenth of a point above the previous quarter. This growth was entirely supported by domestic demand, which contributed +2.1 p.p. to GDP, while foreign demand retreated one tenth of a percentage point. In quarterly terms and analysing the data for the main demand aggregates, household final…


Spanish mortgages market

Mortgages falling for last 12 months

According to data released yesterday by the National Statistics Institute (Ine), the number of mortgages taken out on housing fell by 10.3% last January compared to the same month in 2023, to 33,128 loans, with the average interest rate soaring to levels not seen in almost a decade. Specifically, this reached 3.46%, compared with 3.32% in December, thus reaching its highest value since the end of 2014, when it stood…


Caixabank

Caixabank’s stake in Telefónica reduced to 2.510%

Link Securities| The Catalan entity informed that it has decided to partially liquidate a hedge on a 1.957% of its 3.510% stake in Telefónica by delivering a 1% stake. The stake in Telefónica will therefore be reduced to 2.510%. Caixabank estimates that this transaction will have no material impact on the income statement or the CET1 ratio. CaixaBank’s stake in Telefónica thus falls to the lowest level since it notified…


Telxius

SEPI announces it now owns 3% of Telefónica and reinforces company’s “Spanishness”.

Renta 4| According to National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) records, the state-owned industrial holding company Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI) now controls 3.044% of Telefónica’s capital. It should be remembered that the Council of Ministers last December approved the purchase of 10% of the operator’s capital by SEPI. Caixabank also announced that it has divested 1%, dropping to 2.51%, while Criteria is increasing its stake. The aim is to…


China stocks markets

China’s model of economic transition and industrial upgrading will face headwinds

Alicia García Herrero (Natixis) | This year, China’s “Two Sessions” have been particularly important to understand where the Chinese economy is heading as it marked the beginning of a new era, that of Premier Li Qiang. Li Qiang’s first “Work Report” signifies a departure from the previous decade under Premier Li Keqiang’s leadership as Premier, where much more emphasis is put on supply than on demand forces. The focus on…


ECB night

ECB: Tomorrow, March 27th, the last big maturity (€216 billion) of the TLTROs

Banca March: tomorrow, March 27th, the ECB and European banks will face the last large maturity of the TLTROs (“Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operations”) for an amount of approximately €216 billion. According to our estimates, this maturity will represent a reduction in the balance sheet of around -1.6 p.p. in terms of GDP, and will leave an outstanding balance of €177 billion (8% of the programme’s initial amount). It is important…


Sanchez

Brussels calls on Spain to make an “additional effort” to develop a credible fiscal strategy

The European Commission has asked Spain to make an additional effort to develop a credible fiscal strategy to ensure a significant reduction in its high levels of public debt and structural deficit, as it considers that policy action in this regard has been “limited” in recent years. “A further consolidation effort is needed for Spain to achieve a sound budgetary position,” says the report published on Monday, which assesses the…


Talgo

Trilantic negotiates possible counter-bid for Talgo with Stadler, no high-speed positioning but increasing presence in Spain

Renta 4: According to press reports, the private-equity fund Trilantic could be negotiating with Stadler the launch of a counter takeover bid on Talgo after the possible rejection of the takeover bid of Magyar Vagon by the government. Assessment: The news could be considered to be positive because it may open a door to the success of a takeover bid for Talgo, but it may be difficult for it to…