The Spanish economy grew 0.4% in the second quarter, one tenth less than in the previous quarter and also a tenth less than advanced at the end of July. It is the lowest rate of quarterly growth in three years, according to the National Accounts published this Monday by the National Institute for Statistics (INE).
Fernando G. Urbaneja | Spanish politicians have been unable to interpret last April´s elections and, having dissolved parliament, have summoned Spaniards to vote again on 10 November. In principle it seems that the new parliament will look much like the old one, but the latest polls detect some changes among the voters.
Ana Fuentes | New Spanish elections: the political parties have been incapable of reaching agreement and the Spanish will have to vote again. They will be the fourth elections in four years. A period in which the credibility of the politicians, the patience of the voters and the economic muscle of the country have been worn thin, due to both internal and external factors.
Antonio Castillo Espinosa via The Conversation | Spain proposes to tax the operations most undertaken by citizens (buying and selling shares, which the peculiarity that, in addition, households and families own about a quarter of the market, twice the European average.
Ana Fuentes | A tense autumn was expected between Madrid and Catalonia, but perhaps it will not be so bad. With the Supreme Court´s sentence on the Catalan separatist leaders only weeks away, and the anniversary of the illegal referendum on 1 October, Thursday´s demonstration in Barcelona was seen as a key measure of the temperature of Catalan separatism. Finally the figures show that the tension has (apparently) reduced: according to the local police, 600,000 people took to the streets. It was a massive, peaceful and colourful demonstration, but with the lowest turnout in 7 years, when the strongest drive for independence began.
J.P. Marín Arrese | This motto struck by Bertrand Russell galvanised those opposed to the nuclear weapons race. In his view, surrendering to communism stood as a less harmful choice than the dire prospect of massive immolation in a new world war. Fortunately, we skipped confronting the bad and worst alternatives Mr Russell thought would inevitably emerge.
CaixaBank Research | In Spain, middle class incomes fell with the crisis, although on average they suffered less than the rest of the population. However, in recent years they have only recovered part of the lost territory. With the crisis, middle class households saw their income reduced less than the rest of the population. Concretely, their income reduced 8.5% between 2008 and 2013, while lower class incomes fell 13% and upper class incomes 13.2%.
Ana Fuentes | Spanish politics has settled on a disturbing calendar. This week the government of the social democrat Pedro Sánchez must clarify whether he will reach an agreement with Unidas Podemos or if he will call elections on November 10. It would be the fourth general election in five years. Time plays against and the feeling of uncertainty weighs more and more each day.
This completes six months of the index on a downward trend and more than three years negative.
According the association of carmakers (Anfac), sellers (Ganvam) and concessions (Faconauto), sales of new cars and SUVs in Spain fell 30.8% year on year in August to 74,490 vehicles.