By Tania Suárez, in Madrid | German and British banks are trying to woo the economic elite of the Spanish society, “la crème de la crème” of wealthy Spaniards. Or, in plain English: the ones with the big bucks. The uncertainty over the Spanish future is making the depositors nervous, and banks from the UK and Germany are trying to take advantage. According to this article of the online daily El Confidencial Digital, foreign…
MADRID | The cost excess the Spanish government pays for credit from the capital markets in comparison with Germany, which is considered the benchmark in confidence matters in the sovereign bond sector, has fallen since last week's euro summit. The main two reasons seem to be that the plan for financial aid for Spain to recapitalise its banks was somehow agreed by the euro authorities, and the possibility that the…
The electricity bill in Spain rose by 3.95 percent on July 1, as a consequence of a transfer of higher generation costs. The natural gas bill went up, too, by 2.26 percent. But demand in both cases fell last month, by -1.8 percent and -1.8 percent, respectively.
MADRID | The Summit has just avoided the worst from happening. Super-Mario and an unexpectedly bold Mariano Rajoy achieved a coup d’état toppling Ms Merkel from her undisputed pedestal. Hollande’s support was vital in depriving her of her hitherto boundless power. Yet one has the impression we assisted to a rehearsed show meant to provide an excuse for Germany to cave in to pressure. Everyone was afraid of having to confront the…
MADRID | University students in Spain who fail more than half of the subjects they enrolled for will have to return the full amount of their awarded scholarship. A royal decree that sets the thresholds of income and family assets and the amounts of grants and financial support for the 2012-2013 academic year came into effect Monday after its approval by the Spanish cabinet. Before the changes, it was required that…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | After so many fruitless meetings, conversations and rounds nobody expected that the European leaders would be able to reach a more than reasonable agreement for Europe, that tough Germany would relax its position towards its Southern partners, and Spain and Italy would resist before the steam engine of the euro zone. But it happened. Banks will be recapitalised directly with the European Stability Mechanism…
LONDON | It is a raging war what today burns within the Madrid-Rome-Berlin triangle, and with the survival of not only the European common currency but the future of the United States of Europe at the epicentre of the negotiations. Painful obedience has evolved into a tense, dynamic partnership. The stiff stillness imposed by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the most powerful economy representative has for once been broken…
From www.valenciaplaza.com | By Tomas Berggren, equity analysts at Saxo Bank | The result of the independent stress test on Spanish banks calmed the market somewhat. According to the report, the total losses in a worst-case scenario are €250-270 billion with the corresponding capital shortfall being €51-62 billion, i.e. well within what was expected and probably in line with what Madrid wanted to hear. The losses are still hefty, though, and should be…
By Tania Suárez, in Madrid | José Luis Herrera, analyst at CMC Markets, considers that it’s necessary a Federal Europe in order to achieve economic policies with a combination of austerity and growth. In his opinion, authorities need to undertake growth measures that have an effect on the real economy, but avoiding a new bubble. You recently said in an interview that world central banks could take a joint action…
By www.valenciaplaza.com | The Spanish industry of capital goods (machinery and equipment that integrates the production process) increased by 1% its turnover in 2011 to €39 billion. The sector has some 2,000 companies, the vast majority of which are small and medium-sized firms. According to the National Association of Manufacturers of Capital Goods (Sercobe) last year, SMEs increased their revenues in €404 million to €26.13 billion, with a growth rate of 1.5% compared to…