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.
Spanish economy general

Spain to grow 2.6% in 2025 after public debt (103.5% of GDP) increases 3.3%

The Bank of Spain (BoE) published yesterday that the debt of all public administrations in Spain rose in March to €1.667 trillion. Compared to February, Spanish public debt grew by 1.3%, which represents an increase of €21.263 billion. In the last 12 months, Spanish public debt has grown in absolute terms by 3.3%, equivalent to €52.729 billion. This figure contrasts with the 2.6% growth expected for Spanish GDP by the…


catalana occidente nueva 2

CNMV admits Inocsa’s takeover bid for 100% of Grupo Catalana Occidente shares to be processed

Link Securities | The National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) has adopted on 16 May 2025 the resolution to admit for processing the voluntary takeover bid for 100% of the shares of Grupo Catalana Occidente (GCO), considering that the prospectus and other documents presented, after the complementary documentation registered on 7/05/2025, are in accordance with the provisions of the regulation. The admission of the aforementioned application for processing does not imply…


Alemania Exportaciones

Eurozone posts €62-billion suplus in 1Q25 compared to €55 billion in 1Q24, exports and imports both up

Link Securities | Eurostat reports that, according to its first estimate of the data, the Eurozone’s trade surplus stood at €36.8 billion in March compared to €22.8 billion in March 2024. In March, exports of goods from the Eurozone to the rest of the world amounted to €279.8 billion, an increase of 13.6% year-on-year. On the other hand, imports from the rest of the world amounted to €243.0 billion, an…


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US rating downgrade to Aa1 from Aaa reflects “more than a decade-long rise in government debt ratios”, says Moody’s

Bankinter | Moody’s downgrades the US credit rating to Aa1 (Stable) from Aaa (Negative). According to the agency, it “reflects the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels significantly above those of countries with similar ratings”. Analysis team’s view: It is the last of the three rating agencies to cut the triple-A; Fitch and S&P were already at AA+ Stable. S&P did…


Spain home market

House sales increase 40.6% year-on-year in March, totalling 62,808 transactions

According to figures from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the sale of homes increased in March by 40.6% year-on-year, totalling 62,808 transactions. This represents the highest figure for this month since 2007, when over 74,000 sales were recorded. The sale of homes has now seen nine consecutive months of year-on-year increases. The year-on-year increase in home sales in March was a consequence of the rebound in transactions involving both…


aena barajas3CM

Aena passenger numbers accelerate to 6.3% in April, 5.2% increase accumulated so far this year

Bankinter | Passenger numbers accelerate to 6.3% in April (year-on-year) compared to 4.2% previously, supported by the ‘Easter effect’. Aena airports recorded 27.2 million passengers in April. This represents an increase of 6.3% year-on-year, compared to 4.2% in the previous month. This brings the cumulative increase for the year to date to 5.2%, compared to 4.7% previously. Bankinter analysis team’s opinion: Good news for Aena. Airport traffic continues to break…


Talgo new

Basque consortium postpones entry into Talgo by one month to unblock financing of €116 million fine imposed by Renfe

Renta 4 | According to press reports, the Basque consortium formed by Sidenor, the Basque government and the BBK and Vital foundations has not formalised its entry into Talgo’s capital within the deadline set, opening a one-month extension to close the deal. The main problem is obtaining financing to structure the operation since Renfe imposed a €116 million fine on Talgo for delays in the delivery of AVRIL trains. The…


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Trump’s fiscal plan includes proposal to increase debt by $4 billion

Norbolsa | Republicans introduce the fiscal plan in Congress, which includes the tax cuts promised by Trump during his campaign (making the tax cuts from the first term permanent; tax exemptions for tips, overtime, private education payments, pensions and local tax cuts). No estimate of the cost (revenue shortfall from the plan) has been provided, which they hope to offset with cuts to the Medicaid healthcare programme, other spending cuts…


Companies restructuring

‘Creditors’ contests grow by 12% up to April

According to the monitoring of insolvency proceedings published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) carried out by Iberinform, the business fabric registered a year-on-year decrease of -3.5% in business insolvencies in April. For the year as a whole, they accumulate an increase of 12% compared to the same period in 2024. A creditors’ contest is a judicial procedure designed to manage and administer the assets of a company that cannot…


Alemania Eurozona

Economic sentiment in Germany improves again, perception of Europe stands at 11.6 points

CdM | Economic sentiment has improved again in Germany. In the May survey, the ZEW indicator shows that, at 25.2 points, it is 39.2 points higher than in the previous month, thus clearly in positive territory. ‘With the arrival of the new government, some progress in the tariff disputes and a stabilising inflation rate, optimism has increased.’ This is according to ZEW President Professor Achim Wambach, who adds that ‘expectations…