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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.
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Relevant News Item 24th February 2025

Ence agrees with BBVA to acquire and promote La Galera biomethane plant: bank to contribute some €19 million

Link Securities | Spanish cellulose manufacturer Ence (ENC) has reached an agreement with BBVA (BBVA) to acquire and promote the La Galera biomethane plant, which it recently acquired in Tarragona through its subsidiary Ence Biogás, according to the Expansión newspaper. Using the project finance formula, BBVA will contribute just over €19 million for the purchase of the factory from a group of local ranchers, farmers and investors, as well as…

ECB Eurosystem

European economy 23rd February 2025

ECB says inflation risks increasingly ‘skewed to upside’ and could consider ‘pauses’ in rate cuts

BancaMarch | The ECB could discuss ‘pauses’ in rate cuts. Isabel Schnabel, a member of the ECB’s executive board, has said that the monetary authority could be close to ending the process of rate cuts in the eurozone, concluding that the risks surrounding inflation are increasingly ‘skewed to the upside’. It should be remembered that, since the summer, the ECB has cut the price of money relatively quickly, and everything…

Fed Septiembre 2023

In the World 23rd February 2025

Fed minutes show main risk is possible rise in inflation due to trade policies

Norbolsa | The policy proposals of the new Trump administration were causing inflationary concerns within the US monetary authority, as reflected in the minutes of its last meeting in January. In these, the attendees reflected the main risk of the scenario as the possibility of inflation picking up and not the concern that the labour market would lose strength, expressly citing the potential effects of trade and immigration policies, the…

Electricas

In Spain 21st February 2025

Electricity 200% more expensive than a year ago, but futures predict sharp decline in spring

Grupo ASE | The upward trend in electricity prices began last summer. This is mainly due to the rising costs of gas and CO2 emissions. However, analysts at Grupo ASE describe the increase recorded so far in February, of nearly 200% year-on-year, as extraordinary and point to wind energy, which has been well below its historical averages. They explain that the growth of renewables means that weather conditions increasingly impact…

iberdrola solar

Spanish economy 21st February 2025

Iberdrola to supply Diamond Foundry with 100% renewable energy for manufacture of synthetic diamonds in Trujillo

Link Securities | Iberdrola (IBE) and Diamond Foundry have signed a contract whereby the energy company will be responsible for supplying the energy to the company for the synthetic diamond manufacturing process at the plant that has been commissioned in Trujillo (Cáceres), according to the Bolsamanía portal. The contract states that the supply will be 100% renewable and with a guarantee of origin issued by the National Commission for Markets…

china real estate 1

In the World 21st February 2025

Chinese house prices fall in January for second consecutive month, down 5% year-on-year compared to 5.3% previously

Norbolsa | New housing prices in China stagnated in January for the second consecutive month, with an annual fall of 5% compared to 5.3% previously. The number of unsold new homes increased by 16.2%, reaching 390.88 million m², and new projects fell by 23% in 2023. In the secondary market, prices fell 30% from their peak, with annual declines of 5.6% (first-tier cities), 6.0% (second-tier) and 8.2% (third-tier), representing 59%…

airbus A320

European economy 20th February 2025

Airbus Q4 2024 profit reaches €2,424 million -up 66% year-on-year- 269 commercial aircraft delivered and 171 helicopters contracted

Bankinter | Results meet expectations, ambitious 2025 targets. Some pressure remains on supply chains. Key figures from the results for Q4 2024 versus the company’s own consensus estimate: Sales €24,716 million (up 8% year-on-year) versus €24,678 million estimated. Adjusted EBIT of €2,556 million (up 15.8% year-on-year and €2,601 million expected); reported EBIT of €2,614 million (up 38% year-on-year versus €2,571 million expected) and net income of €2,424 million (up 66%…

bbva sabadell

In the World 20th February 2025

Mexican regulator authorises BBVA to acquire indirect control of Banco Sabadell subsidiary in country

Link Securities | BBVA (BBVA) has received authorisation from Mexico’s National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) to acquire indirect control of Banco Sabadell’s (SAB) banking subsidiary in the country, according to Expansión newspaper. The bank now has all the required authorisations from Mexican regulators. This is the last regulatory authorisation BBVA needed in Mexico, as in December it received the go-ahead from the Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece). The competition…

Naturgy Australia

Spanish economy 20th February 2025

Naturgy, €1.901 billion earnings in 2024, launching €2.4-billion voluntary takeover bid for 10% of capital to recover free float

Naturgy earned €1.901 billion in 2024, down from the €1.986 billion obtained in 2023. The company’s EBITDA was €5.365 billion, compared to €5.475 billion a year earlier, while investments for the year amounted to €2.280 billion (€2.747 billion in 2023) and net debt rose to €12.201 billion from €12.090 billion, with a debt/EBITDA ratio of 2.3 times. Naturgy has emphasized that these figures illustrate “the group’s ability to continue creating…

Repsol's bet on alternative energies

In Spain 20th February 2025

Repsol posts net income of €1.756 billion in 2024

Repsol reported a net income of €1.756 billion in 2024, 45% less than the previous year. Adjusted income amounted to €3.327 billion, 34% lower than in 2023. The 2024 earnings were influenced by a complex geopolitical context; lower crude oil, gas, and electricity prices; moderate margins in refining; and low margins in chemistry. In this scenario, the performance of the company allowed it to improve shareholder remuneration and maintain an…