Standard & Poor’s has announced an upward revision in its long-term credit rating for Repsol from BBB- to BBB. It has also improved its short-term rating from A-3 to A-2, with both ratings assigned a stable outlook. S&P had already improved its outlook for the Spanish oil major from “stable” to “positive” in July, leaving the door open for a ratings upgrade.
The European Commission (EC) has started an investigation into the aid which Spain’s coal-powered electricity plans receive for the installation of filters which reduce the levels of contamination and so comply with legal targets. Since 2007, fourteen plants have received €440 million in subsidies for this concept and payments are expected to continue until 2020.
Mirwais Parsa | China, an economic giant, has started the move to revitalize the ancient Silk Road. Its ambitious Belt and Road (B&R) initiative includes a major investment in South Asia: the $46-billion Wakhan corridor, which would connect if built, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, bringing stability to the region.
According to the stress tests carried out by the Bank of England (BoE), the UK banking system could absorb £50 billion of losses with the capital they have in excess of the minimum requirements. Banco Santander’s UK subsidiary did a good job in the tests.
BBVA has confirmed the sale of its portfolio of property assets, held by its subsidiary Anida and valued at 13 billion euros, to Cerberus. Some 78,000 properties are included in the sale agreement.
Liu Xiao and Wu Yujian via Caixin | After a tumultuous year, the price of bitcoin surged past $10,000 on Wednesday morning Beijing time, growing more than tenfold from the beginning of the year.
Pressure is high on the UK to offer a better financial Brexit deal and a solution to Irish borders by 4 Dec. in order to unlock the more important talks on trade. A successful exit deal is the precondition to Julius Baer’s base case, which foresees a trade agreement but the loss of the EU passport.
Leaving aside the hole left by the last hurricanes, insurance companies’ P&L accounts tell the story of a sector which has not suffered much in the context of zero interest rates. An insurer runs less of a risk in a context of zero interest rates than of a financial crisis.
Siemens Gamesa has become the second largest turbine supplier in the world after sealing its merger last April, with a 19.3% market share.
From October 2 to November 24, 2.773 companies have transferred their headquarters (HQ) from Catalonia to other regions in Spain, according to figures from the College of Mercantile Registers in Spain.