BARCELONA | By Joan Tapia| The crisis and recovery start management in Spain could be clearly improved. As a consequence, the economic confidence index stands at a gloomy 30.8 in December but have increased by 41% regarding 2012’ same month, while political sentiment is even lower at 27.1 and continues falling.
NEW YORK | By Ana Fuentes | In an eagerly awaited meeting for the Spanish government, PM Mariano Rajoy made his first official visit to the White House on Monday. As expected, Barack Obama praised the progress and reforms made by the Southern European economy, although both leaders agreed unemployment rate is still posing a major challenge. Later, Mr Rajoy also met IMF’s Head Christine Lagarde. After two hard recession years, and even more painful austerity measures, Spain is looking to restore international investors’ confidence.
MADRID | By Álex García.
MADRID | By Francisco López | Spanish banks face into the new era of banking union with their homework successfully completed, both in terms of adjustments and efficiency in the stress tests. Their balance sheets are healthy, although now a new challenge awaits: how to improve profitability in an adverse economic cycle, with rates close to 0% and with credit lending remaining worryingly low.
THE CORNER TEAM | As the euro zone crisis shakes off a recession, investment opportunities are mushrooming across the South of Europe. In Spain, banking and media sector as well as infrastructure are the preferred bets. “As maximum exposure recovery in Europe’s periphery, FCC is ideal. Just don’t think about the downside,” the Financial Times’ Lex argued on Friday, after millionaires George Soros and Bill Gates have both bought stakes in the indebted construction company in less than three months.
MADRID | By Francisco López| By the end of November 57.6 millions of international tourists had arrived Spain with British, German and French leading the visits. It mean a 5% increase over the same period of 2012, but domestic demand still burdens results.
MADRID | By Julia Pastor | The UK is the European country which has given more financial support to its banking sector with €82.000 millions since 2008, followed by Germany (€64.000 millions), Ireland with €63.000 and Spain with €60.000, according to an European Comission’s report.
MADRID | By Luis Arroyo | During the so-called Transition period in Spain, a new entrepreneurial force should have arisen, but there was a destruction of the nationalized companies. Thus, the country doesn’t have strong big firms. Something is wrong with the Spanish fiscal system.
MADRID | José Fernández Albertos at El Diario via Presseurop | European elections are transnational, but voting is determined by campaigns on local issues, and the political consequences of the election results are essentially local. This paradox is a major obstacle for European integration.
MADRID | By The Corner Team | Mexican investors, such as Grupo Financiero Ve Por Mas among others, will invest 450 million euros ($621 million) in Banco Popular Español SA (POP), thus acquiring a 6 percent stake in Spanish bank.
*PHOTO by Bloomberg.