Spain | A turning point in activity?
Published on Friday, May 15, 2020
Spain | A turning point in activity?
Summary
Economic activity in Spain is seeing a historically sharp drop. The 5.2% decline in GDP in the first quarter of the year can be explained only if we consider that it dropped by 30%–40% over the last two weeks of March.
Key points
- Key points:
- Restrictions placed on activity were even stricter at the start of April. This could have caused GDP to drop by up to 50% at the beginning of the second quarter.
- The available data suggest that although demand remains constrained, it has not worsened.
- Income support measures have helped sustain expenditure on food, health and utilities.
- On a positive note, it is worth highlighting that job destruction has not been proportional to the decline in GDP.
Geographies
- Geography Tags
- Spain
Topics
- Topic Tags
- Employment
- Regional Analysis Spain
Authors
Miguel Cardoso
BBVA Research - Chief Economist
Documents and files
Press article (PDF)
Miguel_Cardoso_Punto_de_inflexion_en_la_actividad_Expansion_WB.pdf
Spanish - May 15, 2020