In Spain

Puigdemont

Puigdemont wants to go for investiture in Catalonia and replicate model by which Sánchez governs Spain after losing elections

Despite the poor results of the pro-independence parties, far short of an absolute majority in Parliament, Junts believes it has a chance of governing. If this Sunday, former president Carles Puigdemont already suggested that he would make Pedro Sánchez’s dependence on JxCat’s seven deputies in Congress count, this Monday he has gone a step further and announced that he will try to opt for the investiture. “I can articulate a…


merlin properties

Merlin Properties considers capital increase, entry of a partner or divestment of data centre assets

Renta 4 | At Merlin Properties’ AGM on Thursday, the CEO, Ismael Clemente, revealed further details on the status of the company’s data centre strategy and options. Firstly, Merlin is reportedly receiving interest from a number of pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies and other large investment vehicles. Secondly, the management team insists that the operation to grow the data centre plan has not yet been defined, although they…


endesa novisimo

Endesa unites possibilities of 5G and artificial intelligence as allies to prevent workplace accidents

CdM | Endesa has combined the use of 5G technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the safety of workers during maintenance work on distribution network infrastructures, the company said. Specifically, e-distribución, the energy company’s network subsidiary, has deployed a private 5G network at the Ecogarraf substation in Barcelona as part of the European Smart5Grid project, which has explored the possibilities offered by 5G technology in the development of smart…


SalvadorIlla

Socialists win elections in Catalonia, pro-independence parties fail to add up… A difficult victory to manage

Salvador Illa, the candidate of the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC), with 27.9% of the vote and 42 seats, has won the elections in Catalonia. Carles Puigdemont and Junts obtained 21.5% of the votes and 35 seats, but their great partner in the “procés”, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), which until now had been in charge of the government of the Generalitat, has suffered a debacle and has been left…


industria 1

Industrial production in Spain falls by 1.2% year-on-year in March, compared with an increase of +1.3% previously

Link Securities | The National Statistics Institute (INE) published yesterday that industrial production in Spain fell by 0.7% in March compared to February, in seasonally and calendar adjusted figures. In the month, all sectors presented negative growth rates in their production, although the largest decreases were seen in Capital Goods and Energy (both with a variation of -1.6%). In year-on-year terms, industrial production in Spain fell by 1.2% in March…


property market

Home sales down 13.7% in March; average price per square metre rises by 4.2%

Link Securities | According to data from the General Council of Notaries, released on Thursday by Expansión, the number of home sales and purchases fell by 13.7% in March in year-on-year terms, to 56,559 units, while the granting of mortgage loans for the purchase of housing fell by 4.5%. By type of housing, sales of flats fell by 13.9% year-on-year to 43,761 units, while single-family homes fell by 13.2% to…



spain foreign policy

The Spanish economy surprises the most optimistic

Oriol Aspachs (Caixabank Research) | Everything pointed to the Spanish economy’s growth rate continuing to be vigorous, as we have been pointing out in the pages of the CaixaBank Research Monthly Report over the last few months. Job creation shows no signs of slowing down and, in fact, accelerated in Q1 of the year. Business activity indicators have picked up, both in the services sector and in industry. Industrial production…


Iberdrola guapa

Iberdrola can continue operating “comfortably” with “BBB+” rating after implementation of new 2024-26 strategic plan, says S&P Global

LLink Securities | S&P Global expects Iberdrola to continue operating “comfortably” within the financial margins of its “‘BBB+” credit rating with the implementation of its new 2024-2026 strategic plan, which it presented to the market last March, according to Europa Press. In a report, the rating agency estimates that the energy company will operate with a funds from operations (FFO) to net debt ratio of 19%-20%, above the 17% in…


BBVA Sabadell

BBVA launches hostile takeover bid for Banco Sabadell

BBVA maintains the same conditions that it offered to the board of Sabadell (SAB) and that the latter rejected, so now “the ball is in the court” of the shareholders of Sabadell (SAB), who will determine whether the operation goes ahead or not. BBVA shares received the news with declines of 5% while those of Sabadell (SAB) rose 4%. As Jefferies pointed out in its analysis of the offer, “Despite…