July 16th, 2009

Spain’s economy is likely to have shrunk ’substantially’ less in the second quarter than in the first, though growth will remain negative to the end of the year, the economy secretary was quoted on Monday as saying.

‘We don’t have a precise estimate, but we believe that the fall (in gross domestic product) will be substantially less than in the first quarter,’ Jose Manuel Campa said in an interview with the financial daily Cinco Dias.

‘Until the end of the year we will continue to have negative growth rates, but increasingly smaller ones.’

Spain’s economy shrank 1.9 percent in the first quarter from a quarter earlier, its sharpest contraction in half a century – most acutely felt in the Spanish property market. Savings bank foundation FUNCAS said on Monday the worst may be over.

‘Available data point to a less abrupt contraction in the second quarter than the previous two quarters,’ Funcas said. Talk of economic recovery may be premature, the foundation said.

‘The worst may be over, but that doesn’t mean the economy will recover soon, just that the recession will be less intense,’ Funcas said.

The Spanish economy would shrink by 3.6 percent in 2009 and 0.6 percent in 2010, according to consensus figures published by the foundation on Monday.

The Spanish government has launched one of the world’s largest economic stimulus packages in relative terms which has inflated a ballooning public deficit likely to rise above 10 percent of GDP this year from 3.8 percent in 2008.

Campa reiterated the government’s target to cut the deficit to below 3 percent in 2012 in line with European Union recommendations.

‘It is our commitment to the European Union and we meet our commitments,’ he said. ‘Obviously, it is not easy, but it is feasible.’

Related posts:

1. IMF: Spain Not in Same Boat as Greece
2. ECB: Interest Rates on Hold Until End of 2010
3. Recovery in Europe Best News for Spain
4. Spain moves to ease impact of crisis
5. Brits Buy As Pound Gains Against Euro

Tags: financial crisis, Recovery, Spanish economy

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at 13:58 and is filed under Financial & Mortgages. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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One Response to “Spanish Economic Recession Substantially Less Intense”

1. Economic Recession says:

   24 July 2009 at 08:35

   According to me we should take recession as good event, I know that all will disagree with me but I have some explanation on this, we all know that saving money, spending limited money are very much essential points for our financial security but still we don’t follow it. Recession is the way by which we all can learn how to save and spend without any tutor for that.