Business

The data corresponded to the end of June. The Spanish Statistics Institute confirmed the data, proving the prediction by the Bank of Spain of a slowdown in the economy.

The new mooring station to load and offload oil and other bulk liquids is designed for large ships. It will be the deepest of all the Western Mediterranean, including Northern Africa. 275-metre-long ships, weighting up to 175,000 tons and with a 15-metre-deep draft will be able to dock in Barcelona. Barcelona harbour aims at consolidating its leadership among all Mediterranean harbours regarding goods transportation, bulk and by container.

Farmers from Southern France have stopped lorries carrying Spanish fruit and vegetables across the Spanish border and have destroyed all of the produce. The Catalan Government asked the European authorities to intervene in the conflict, since the French police have not stopped the destruction. As a reaction, Catalan farmers threat to block French vehicles returning to France at the end of the month.

During July, inflation rates experienced their third consecutive month of decline. In the last 12 months, the cumulative price increase now stands at 3.2% in Catalonia. The drop of summer sales has helped to lower inflation.

Unnim’s profit is 8.7% inferior to the same period last year. The savings bank says the decrease is due to of the merger costs and the general economic situation. Unnim is the result of a merger announced last summer between three Catalan saving banks. Unnim failed in the last stress test’s worst scenario, but according to the Bank of Spain will not have to be rescued.

Barcelona-based Gas Natural Fenosa enlarges its capital with 515 million euros invested by the multinational North-African company, Société Nationale (Sonatrach).

The yields for Spanish 10 year bonds are well over 6% while economic growth remains slow

The yield on Spanish bonds reached 400 points more than German ‘bunds’, a record since the introduction of the euro

Catalonia and five other autonomous communities have had their long term rating downgraded whilst the Spanish state's credit rating comes under review.

Visitors from the United Kingdom were the highest contributors in June, spending 1229 million. Germans follow, with a total expenditure of 900 million euros while French tourists, with 514 million euros, increased their cumulative expenditure by a surprising 16.4%

The low-cost airline has reduced its activity by half after failing to reach an agreement with the Government. This cut entails, according to the company, a 50% drop in traffic, which will decrease the number of passengers from 2.6 to 1.3 million.

The Catalan capital secures this global event despite competition from Paris, Milan and Munich. The economic impact for the entire period of 2013-2018 is estimated at a staggering 3459 million.

The results are 11% higher than last year. The group stresses that has strengthened its capital standing by 11.3%, 2.4 points higher than in December 2010.

Robert Casajuana warns, however, that Spain is "getting dangerously close" to offering yields of 7% for 10 year bonds, the point, according to him, "of no return"

The Catalan President has inaugurated the expansion of the facilities of the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical company in Sant Cugat. Artur Mas stressed that behind the crisis “is always the industry, companies turn ideas into products that give way to new opportunities”