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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.
Spain's Social Security

In Spain 15th July 2025

Pedro Sánchez Breaks Up Social Security by Handing Over Unemployment Benefit Payments to 44,700 Basques to PNV

Today, President Pedro Sánchez will break with the principle maintained by all Spanish governments to protect Social Security from nationalist demands for its fragmentation. In the meeting starting at 5:30 PM in La Moncloa, delegations led by Sánchez and the Basque Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, will address the transfer of unemployment benefit and unemployment subsidy payments. This executive capacity will mean that the 29,335 Basques receiving unemployment benefits, plus the 14,472…

Indra novedad

Relevant News Item 15th July 2025

Indra Board divided over ‘conflicts of interest’ with acquisition of Escribano, one independent director resigns

Link Securities | Conflicts of interest arising from Indra’s possible purchase of Escribano were the focus of a Board of Directors meeting lasting more than four hours, which ended with the departure of an independent director, Ángeles Santamaría, who had expressed her reservations about the operation and resigned yesterday for ‘personal reasons’. Santamaría, who did not attend the meeting, has recently been appointed director of Mapfre. At the meeting, it…

Repsol

Relevant News Item 15th July 2025

Repsol acquires 70% of energy and gas marketing company ODF Energía for approximately €21 million

Renta 4 | According to information published in the press, Repsol (REP) has agreed to acquire 70% of On Demand Facilities S.L. (ODF Energía), an electricity and gas marketing company, for a price of around €21 million.ODF Energía, which has a portfolio of around 22,000 business customers (>1% of Repsol’s portfolio), bases its value proposition on a flexible business model that is close to the channel, with a strong focus…

alemania berlin ampelmann

European economy 15th July 2025

German Senate definitively approves €46 billion tax exemption package

Bankinter | The German Senate (Bundesrat) has definitively approved the €46 billion tax exemption package (approximately 1.1% of GDP). The stimulus measures include a reduction in corporate tax of 1% per year from 2028 (from the current 15% to 10%, not including the extra local tax, which varies between 14% and 17%) and deductions for the purchase of new machinery and other equipment. Bankinter analysis team’s view: Good news. These…

CAF trolleys

In Europe 14th July 2025

CAF consolidates presence in France with two new contracts in consortium with Alstom for €300 million total

Intermoney | The company will manufacture trains and trams for France after being awarded two new contracts worth a total of €300 million. In consortium with Alstom, the Basque group will supply 14 trains from the Coradia Polyvalent platform to the Burgundy region. The shared contract stems from agreements between the two companies following CAF’s purchase of Alstom’s Reichshoffen plant three years ago, after the French company was forced to…

The short-lived Republic of Catalonia

In Spain 14th July 2025

Government Negotiates “Unique Funding” with Catalonia Today

The Bilateral Government-Generalitat Commission is meeting today in Barcelona. This meeting has socialists in many regions holding their breath, as it will address the so-called “unique funding” for Catalonia. An agreement is expected to advance Catalonia’s tax management of personal income tax (IRPF). The pact signed last year between the PSOE and ERC involves giving the Catalan government the management, collection, settlement, and inspection of taxes obtained in Catalonia, a…

Talgo building

Relevant News Item 14th July 2025

Basque consortium secures €75 million demanded by SEPI to acquire stake in Talgo, calls for situation to be resolved before 15 July

Renta 4 | The Basque consortium formed by Sidenor, the Basque government and the BBK and Vital foundations has managed to raise the €75 million demanded by SEPI to finance half of the €150 million loan to be granted to Talgo, according to press reports. Once SEPI’s requirements have been met, the Basque consortium is asking for the operation to be unblocked before 15 July so that it can formalise…

fcc edificio

Relevant News Item 11th July 2025

FCC registers deed of increase in paid-up capital: share capital set at €472 million

Link Securities | FCC (FCC) announces that on Thursday the public deed relating to the company’s paid-up capital increase was registered in the Commercial Register, through which the flexible dividend (scrip dividend) agreed by the Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting of FCC held on 12 June 2025 was implemented, for a nominal amount of €18,115,902.00 through the issue of 18,115,902 new shares in the company with a nominal value of €1…

abertis–acs autopistas

In Spain 11th July 2025

ACS, Ferrovial and Acciona face potential additional costs of up to €500 million due to end of tolls on motorways

Norbolsa | The government will return 1,000 kilometres of toll motorways to public management in December 2025, after 19 years under private concession. Construction companies such as ACS, Ferrovial and Acciona face potential additional costs of up to €500 million to comply with the standards required by the Ministry. In principle, the government should deliver the reports to the concession companies with the action plan this month, and the companies…

Spain confronts Brexit: The moment of truth for Spanish companies in the UK

In Europe 11th July 2025

IAG potentially interested in 49.9% stake in TAP Portugal put up for sale by Portuguese government

Bankinter | The Portuguese government is putting 49.9% of TAP Portugal up for sale. 44.9% will go to investors and 5% to employees. The details of the operation are not yet known. Analysis team’s view: This news was expected, and there was even the possibility that 100% would be put up for sale. Remember that TAP was nationalised during the pandemic (at a cost of €3.2 billion). This news is…