Jean-Christophe Delfim (Edmond de Rothschild ) | Economic growth in the Eurozone was 1.9% in 2018. However, in the last quarter a slowdown was observed to 1.2% yoy, due to the negative contribution of the trade balance (-0.4 pp), as a consequence of the sharp deceleration in exports provoked by international trade disputes.
The Spanish hotel chain announced a single dividend payment for 2018 of 0.183 euros/share (+8.9% vs 2017; in line with what was expected), date ex date 5 July and date of payment 9 July. Yield 2.2%.
Shareholders approved the payment of a gross dividend of 1.175 euros/share charged to 2018, 3.5% more than the previous year.
Peter Isackson via Fair Observer | The media will never tire of Warren Buffett’s oracular pronouncements, nor will it dare to put them in perspective or critique them.
The latest profit warning from Nucor for Q2 (1.20-1.25% vs consensus 1.48$) seems to confirm the weakening of tendencies in the steel sector in this period.
“Beyond our scepticism about the ability of new stimulus measures to drive the economy, we recognise that the ECB is obliged to act which will create a situation unfavourable for its inflation targets,” analysts at Intermoney point out. In this scenario, we consider that the reactivation of asset purchases with certain adjustments (based on the reality of German debt) would be the measure with the greatest positive impact, more so than interest rate cuts. Nevertheless, if the second path is explored, it would be accompanied by measures to mitigate the effect of negative rates on the banking sector.
Nominal labour costs in Spain have increased +2.1% in Q1 2019, compared to 0.9% in Q4 2018. It is the largest increase since Q4 2103 (+2.1%).
The new Housing Credit Law, better known as the Mortgage Law, came into effect in Spain this week. The new legislation has been delayed more than three years and stirred various controversies. Spain is thus the last European country to transpose Brussels’ directive.
The new capital requirements regulation (regulation CRR2 and directive CRD V) could improve the capital levels in European banks through its treatment of software intangibles, according to Morgan Stanley analysts. The changes would not come into effect until 2021/2022; depending on what the EBA says in 2020.
Baker McKenzie | There were no flotations in Spain in the first half of 2019, consolidating the progressive decline in these operations since 2017.