Madrid Times

Paterna’s La Corda Festival Sets Off More Than 70,000 Rockets in Valencia

Tens of thousands gathered in Paterna for the traditional La Corda festival, where participants detonated more than 70,000 rockets in a closed-off urban area as the municipality celebrated its pyrotechnic heritage.

Andalusia Introduces Tougher School Bullying Rules Including Transfers for Aggressors

The Andalusian government has approved new anti-bullying rules that allow authorities to require identified aggressors to move to different schools as part of broader protections for vulnerable students.

Repsol Shares Rise 1.36% as Middle East Tensions Lift Energy Stocks

Spanish energy group Repsol gained 1.36% on the IBEX 35 as oil markets reacted to heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, while telecommunications operator Cellnex came under selling pressure.

Spanish Football Bodies Agree to Fund Fertility Preservation for Female Players

Spanish football authorities and major player unions have agreed to cover egg-freezing procedures for professional female athletes, addressing fertility concerns during players’ peak competitive years.

Catalonia Opens Sanctions Process Against Glovo Over Deliveries During Red Heat Alert

Catalonia’s labor inspectorate has begun disciplinary proceedings against Glovo after finding that the delivery company failed to suspend operations during a government-declared red heat alert in July.

Spain Approves €168 Million Emergency Package for Ceuta After Migration Surge

The Spanish cabinet has authorized €168 million in emergency funding for Ceuta to support the enclave’s economy and expand migrant reception capacity following a sharp increase in irregular arrivals.

Spanish Regions Challenge Sánchez Government Over Catalonia Financing Concessions

Popular Party-led regions and socialist-controlled Castilla-La Mancha are opposing the central government’s regional financing plan, increasing political pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as he remains dependent on Catalan separat...

Spain’s Electricity Prices Forecast to Reach €127 per Megawatt Hour in Fourth Quarter

Spanish wholesale power futures point to prices of €127 per megawatt hour by the fourth quarter as higher European gas costs and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz threaten to raise industrial energy costs.

Spain Records Hottest Summer on Record With More Than 5,000 Heat-Related Deaths

Spain’s meteorological authorities said the summer of 2026 was the hottest recorded on the Iberian Peninsula, contributing to more than 5,000 heat-related deaths as emergency health measures extended into September.

Spanish Home Prices Rise 12.8% as Affordability Pressures Deepen

Spanish residential property prices climbed 12.8% year on year in the first quarter, more than twice the European Union average, while average monthly rents surpassed €1,200.

Spanish Rental Supply Falls More Than 60% as Landlords Shift Toward Room Rentals

Traditional rental availability has dropped by more than 60% under Spain’s 2026 housing rules, with landlords increasingly turning to less-regulated room rentals in cities including Madrid and Valencia.

Spain Accuses Russian and Israeli Networks of Fueling Ceuta Migration Crisis With Disinformation

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ruled out Moroccan state involvement in the arrival of 72,000 migrants in Ceuta, instead accusing Russian and Israeli networks of using social media disinformation to destabilize Spain’s borders and European ...

Spanish Sports Bodies Introduce Fertility Preservation Support for Elite Female Athletes

Several Spanish sports federations and clubs have agreed to cover egg-freezing costs for elite female athletes, addressing the conflict many competitors face between peak sporting careers and plans for motherhood.

Nicolas Correa Reports Higher First-Half Profit as Asian Expansion Supports Growth

Spanish industrial machinery maker Nicolas Correa reported increased consolidated net profit and an 11% operating margin in the first half, supported by its Chinese subsidiary and demand for advanced machine tools.

eDreams ODIGEO Posts First-Quarter Profit as Subscription Strategy Advances

Barcelona-based travel technology group eDreams ODIGEO reported a positive net profit for the first quarter of its 2027 fiscal year as it continues shifting toward a multiproduct digital subscription model.

Madrid-Based Xoople Raises $130 Million as AI Investment Accelerates in Spain

Geospatial imaging company Xoople secured $130 million in private equity funding as international investors increase backing for Spanish artificial intelligence companies in industrial software, healthcare and deep technology.

Spain’s IBEX 35 Falls Below 20,000 as Oil and Rate Concerns Weigh on Markets

Madrid’s benchmark stock index opened September lower, led by declines in real estate and technology shares as investors responded to higher oil prices and uncertainty over European Central Bank interest rates.

Spanish Mortgage Rates Remain Above 3% as Housing Affordability Pressures Persist

Bank of Spain reference data show average mortgage rates holding above 3%, maintaining financial pressure on younger buyers and limiting purchasing power in major urban housing markets.

Spanish Courts Weigh Extradition Case After American Political Activist Arrested in Ibiza

Spain’s government and National Court are handling a sensitive extradition dispute involving a wealthy American political activist arrested in Ibiza whose lawyers say he faces politically motivated persecution in the United States.

Repsol Plans to Triple Venezuela Oil Production Over Three Years

Spanish energy company Repsol is seeking to triple crude production in Venezuela over the next three years following changes in US sanctions policy and new political agreements between Washington and Caracas.

Indra and Hanwha Aerospace Finalize €420 Million Artillery Manufacturing Partnership

Spanish defense group Indra has formalized a €420 million partnership with South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace to jointly manufacture K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers for the Spanish Army.

Spanish Tourism Arrivals Reach Record 58.1 Million as Spending Tops €82 Billion

Spain welcomed 58.1 million international visitors through July, generating more than €82 billion in spending even as popular destinations including Catalonia and the Balearic Islands face growing protests and environmental pressure from...

Spain and France Push for EU-Wide Child Safety Rules for Social Media

Spain and France are calling for common European Union rules on child safety and algorithmic transparency on digital platforms, seeking tighter protections for minors and greater oversight of major technology companies.

Ceuta Faces Growing Strain as Irregular Migration Surge Pressures Health and Security Services

Spain is managing a sharp rise in irregular migrant arrivals in Ceuta, where local healthcare and security services are under mounting pressure and residents are demanding greater central government support.

Spain Increases Russian LNG Imports 42% as Middle East Supply Disruptions Intensify

Spain raised purchases of Russian natural gas by 42% in the first half of the year as supply disruptions from Qatar and the wider Middle East increased pressure on European energy security.

Catalonia Funding Deal Triggers Political Backlash Ahead of Regional Finance Summit

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is facing opposition from conservative parties and some Socialist regional leaders over a deal granting Catalonia an additional €4.7 billion ahead of a Sept. 4 meeting on regional financing.

Spain Unveils €104 Billion Infrastructure Plan to Counter Drought and Extreme Flooding

Spain has outlined a 10-year, €104 billion program to modernize dams, strengthen coastal defenses and protect agricultural production from increasingly severe drought and DANA flooding.

CaixaBank Mobile and Wearable Payments Rise 27.5% in First Half

CaixaBank recorded a 27.5% increase in mobile and wearable payment transactions during the first half of the year, processing nearly 140 million digital transactions in June alone.

Ubisoft Barcelona Workers Begin Recurring Strike Over End of Remote Work

Employees at Ubisoft Mobile in Barcelona have launched an indefinite strike covering six days each month after the company moved to eliminate remote-working arrangements.

Spain’s High-Speed Rail Passenger Numbers Fall 15% in First Half of 2026

Passenger volumes on Spain’s high-speed rail network dropped 15% in the first six months of 2026, increasing commercial pressure on Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo as competition intensifies on major routes.

Airbus Spain Workers Reject Pause in Strike Over Long-Term Pay Deal

Employees at Airbus facilities across Spain have voted against suspending strike action, rejecting a proposed 7.6% wage increase spread through the end of the decade as insufficient after recent inflation.

Spain Faces Pressure to Release Legal Report Behind Conditions on BBVA-Sabadell Bid

Spain’s Economy Ministry is facing demands to publish the State Attorney report used to justify government conditions on BBVA’s contested takeover offer for Banco Sabadell.

Spain and France Push for EU-Wide Rules on Minors’ Access to Digital Platforms

Spanish and French regulators are seeking binding European Union legislation governing children’s exposure to social media platforms and algorithms following recent compliance concessions from technology companies including Meta.

Euribor Rises to 2.95%, Increasing Costs for Spanish Variable-Rate Mortgages

The main benchmark for Spanish residential mortgages climbed to 2.95% at the end of August, reversing recent declines and raising monthly payments for hundreds of thousands of variable-rate borrowers.

Spain Abandons Data-Centre Moratorium and Pledges €180 Million for AI Infrastructure

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government has dropped proposals to restrict high-energy data centres and announced €180 million in funding to expand artificial-intelligence infrastructure and domestic computing capacity.

Spain Raises Diesel Subsidy to 20 Cents Per Litre for Transport and Agriculture

The Spanish government has increased its diesel rebate for professional transport and agricultural operators after eight consecutive weeks of rising fuel costs, seeking to limit logistics inflation and supply-chain disruption.

Sánchez Blames Russian, Israeli and Far-Right Networks for Ceuta Disinformation

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has denied that Morocco facilitated the July migration breach in Ceuta, instead accusing Russian, Israeli and far-right networks of spreading coordinated disinformation, allegations rejected by Moscow...

Catalan Party Junts Threatens to Block Spain’s Regional Financing Deal

Junts per Catalunya has warned Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government that it will oppose the proposed national financing framework unless Catalonia leaves the common system and gains full control over regional tax revenues.

Spain Faces September Deadline for Final €25 Billion in EU Recovery Funds

Spain has less than a month to request the final tranche of the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery program, with more than 140 reform commitments tied to the remaining €25 billion in transfers and loans.

Spain Inflation Accelerates to 4.3% as Energy and Fuel Costs Rise

Spain’s annual inflation rate climbed to 4.3% in August as higher fuel prices reversed recent disinflation, increasing pressure on household spending and complicating the government’s economic outlook.

Spanish Museums Launch Major Picasso and Dalí Exhibitions

Museums in Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga have opened coordinated international exhibitions devoted to Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí as Spain seeks to attract more cultural tourism from North America and Asia.

Vodafone Spain Chief Executive to Testify in Finetwork Debt Dispute

Vodafone Spain’s chief executive is due to appear in court in a multimillion-euro dispute over debt owed by mobile virtual network operator Finetwork, highlighting financial pressure in Spain’s competitive telecommunications sector.

Madrid Hotel Rates Surge Ahead of Formula One Grand Prix

Luxury hotel rates in Madrid have risen to as much as four times normal levels as international visitors secure accommodation ahead of the city’s Formula One Grand Prix.

Spain’s Luxury Property Market Stabilises After Golden Visa Programme Ends

High-end property brokers in Madrid, Marbella and the Balearic Islands report more normal transaction levels following the termination of Spain’s residency programme for non-European property investors.

Spanish Olive Oil and Wine Producers Face Weak Prices Despite Harvest Recovery

Olive and grape harvest volumes are recovering after several years of drought, but Spanish producers remain under financial pressure from lower international commodity prices and persistently high production costs.