The market for warehouses over 5,000 square metres recorded a strong activity in Germany throughout 2011 and returned to growth in France and in the United Kingdom. The disparity between second hand and new premises is widening in most countries since demand is mainly turned towards high-grade premises. According to a BNP Paribas Real Estate research, even though the market has been vigorous during the past few quarters, supply levels…
LONDON | The average 2011 annual pay for directors of small companies, with a turnover of less than £5mn a year, has fallen by £5,000 from the levels of five years ago (£87,500 in 2007). In the last 12 months alone, their average pay has fallen by 15% or over £14,000 taking their total pay package to £82,500 (in 2010 it was £96,568). Directors of larger organisations, with a turnover of…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | The Spanish financial analysts received the news that arrived from Brussels with a certain degree of optimism, not without disappointment, but recognising that the pacts that were achieved imply a step forward. Banco Sabadell experts give an outline summary of the conclusions reached at the meeting. “Starting with the fact that expectations were low and that the market’s sentiment was negative, the final balance is…
Digital news website El Confidencial on Tuesday published an article about the effect the so-called Rubik Plan would have on the Spanish budget. This is a bilateral agreement to lift banking secrecy in Switzerland, which would allow hidden account holders in the country to pay taxes anonymously in Spain. The conclusion of experts is clear: the amount collected thanks to this measure would barely exceed €200 million, a somewhat tiny…
The newspaper El Economista alluded in its Wednesday edition to an article appeared in the magazine Der Spiegel, in which the German publication criticises the German government “because it likes to pride itself of its solid finances, when Germany’s budget management is not exemplary and the national debt could be above the EU limit.” These are some of the most direct statements made in Der Spiegel to chancellor Angela Merkel:…
France’s economy is coming to a standstill. The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for France declined 0.6 percent in September to 112.8 (taking 2004 as benchmark), following a 0.5 percent decline in August, and a 0.3 percent decline in July. The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index (CEI) for France, a measure of current economic activity, though, was unchanged in September at 105.6, following a 0.1 percent increase in August, and a 0.1 percent…
NEW YORK | Debt market turmoil and Spain’s borrowing squeeze is now hot news in the US. Experts are talking about investors fears, record-high interest rates and credit freeze but some of them are also lining up for an idea: Berlin and others with big surpluses need to save less and spend more. For The Huffington Post Business editor, Peter S. Goodman, “Germany’s inflation fetish is a major global economic…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | The shared understanding between Berlin and Paris, that is, between chancellor Angela Merkel and president Nicolas Sarkozy, has suffered a breakdown for the first time since the euro crisis began. The reason is their different views on what role the European Central Bank (ECB) should be playing for the euro crisis to find a way out. While France defends giving the European Financial Stability…