It is one of those key weeks this week when we start a new quarter, so lots of financial bodies are preparing with brand new spreadsheets.
In the business sector, the results of Solaria and Tesco will stand out, along with Nike, among others. As will the payment of dividends by Banco Sabadell and Ebro Foods.
We will break down what is happening in Spain, Europe, the UK and beyond each day this week, and have a little look at a couple of TV highlights, as well as what is happening on the roads, as this is The Week Ahead, brought to you by SpanishVida.com and N332.es.
Also, next week, I will have some exciting news to share with you regarding how you can listen to this information each week. I could tell you now, but I have a couple of little plugs to connect first, so I will definitely tell you next week. #spoileralert, you will be able to listen in more ways!
Monday 30 September 2024
There are a handful of local holidays of note on Monday, firstly El Prat de Llobregat in Catalonia, notable really because that is where the airport is. Also local holidays in Gandia, Daya Nueva, and San Miguel de Salinas.
Monday is a very exciting day globally, because it is International Podcast Day.
The week starts with several economic events. The Bank of Spain publishes the debt of the Public Administrations for the second quarter of 2024, as well as the balance of payments for July. In addition, the Institute of National Statistics (INE) reports the export and import price indices of industrial products for August, revealing Spain’s current account balance relevant to the trend of exports, one of the main drivers of economic growth in the country.
In the midst of tension and discussions to reduce the working week in Spain to 37.5 hours, the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, closes the Labour Economics Conference organised by the General Council of Economists of Spain in Santiago de Compostela.
Outside Spain, retail sales figures in Germany will be of interest, along with the CPI of Germany and Italy, and the Q2 GDP of the United Kingdom will be the financial focus.
Eurostat publishes data on energy efficiency in eurozone households for 2023.
In the UK, we will have the Nationwide House Price Index published, and the Bank of England Money and Credit report.
Monday is a day of huge industrial significance in the UK, as Britain becomes the first G7 nation to phase out coal power, when the country’s last coal-fired power plant ceases operations.
Over in America on Monday, Donald Trump’s first assassination attempt suspect Ryan Routh goes on trial.
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Welcome to a brand-new month on Tuesday, the official start to quarter 4, but, more importantly than any of the current financial or news related topics, the official start to spooky season, heading towards Halloween. We also get a day of in Spain the day after, but we will talk about that nearer the time, as always.
Globally, Tuesday is World Vegetarian Day, and International Coffee Day, so that’s 2 boxes ticked for me. It is also International Day of Older Persons.
On Tuesday, the focus will be on the publication of the final data for September of the Eurozone manufacturing PMI, and especially on the preliminary reading of the CPI of the monetary bloc in September due to the implications that it could have on the decisions of the ECB.
The Institute of National Statistics will publish more tourist occupation figures on Tuesday, which will come off the back of news last week that there are fewer domestic tourists, but they are paying more, fuelled by the higher prices in hotels and hospitality, mostly.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be in the headlines this week again, as he is set to appear before a Council of Europe panel in Strasbourg on Tuesday, giving testimony at the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs.
In the UK on Tuesday, the new law on public sexual harassment comes into effect, as does the latest energy price cap.
Also on Tuesday, the Met Office climate stats for September are published, and the latest report on adult smoking habits in the UK. Pasty and steak bake fans will learn how they are contributing to the economy as Greggs publish their financial results. Personally, I shall wait with anticipation of vege sausage roll results.
Wednesday 2 October 2024
At the midpoint of the week, investors’ attention will be focused on the publication of the Eurozone unemployment rate, which will also be released for Italy. In addition, the registered unemployment rate Spain in September will be published.
Also in Spain, we will have the tourism spending figures for August from the INE, and tourism movement figures, which are collated using real data including mobile phone movements, amongst others.
Wednesday is a local holiday in Soria, and a little bit of local factual and driving related information, Soria is statistically one of the safest places in Spain to drive. Specifically, young female drivers are the safest.
We have a new moon starting its visit, at 20:49 local time. Incidentally, on the Costa Blanca, sunrise on Wednesday is 07:45, and it sets again at 19:17.
The UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, jets off to Brussels on Wednesday, after being all over the place last week, literally, and this time he is set for talks with Ursula von der Leyen on resetting the UK-EU relationship.
The Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business list is published on Wednesday.
And finally, brush of your memory of the lyrics to Old McDonald, as Wednesday is World Farm Animals Day, not to be confused with World Animal Day, which is on Friday.
Thursday 3 October 2024
On Thursday, the final data for the Eurozone composite PMI for September will be published. In turn, the Eurozone PPI for August will be published, which registered a 2.1% year-on-year drop in July (vs. -3.3% in June).
Thursday is a relatively quiet day after the buzz at the start of the month.
In the UK, in the wake of the Tory party conference, Laura Kuenssberg interview with Boris Johnson airs on TV. We will have more TV highlights later.
Plus, Thursday will give us the statutory homelessness statistics (2023/24), and the Waterwise/BSI Water Scarcity Index.
Friday 4 October 2024
We will end this first week of a new month with the publication of industrial output for August in France and Spain, which will be key to determining the situation of the manufacturing industry beyond Germany. In addition, Italian retail sales for August will be released.
Provisional commerce figures for Spain will also be published by the INE.
Friday is the feast of St Francis of Assisi, a religious day, but notable in Spain as there will be a number of celebrations, and as it is Friday, they may well continue through the weekend.
Depending on the outcome of Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting in Europe earlier in the week, Brexit might well be making the headlines for other reasons on Friday, as JD Wetherspoon publishes their results. Sir Tim Martin being a vocal supporter of Brexit, before his businesses then felt the problems of lack of staff and supplies which a number of experts blames squarely on the impact of the UK leaving the EU.
Friday is World Animal Day, and as we head to the weekend, we can share a grin with anyone and everyone we meet, as it is also World Smile Day
TV Highlights
TV highlights this week include Joan on ITV 1, a two-parter over 2 nights starting on Sunday, based on “I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief by Joan Hannington”.
The drama stars Sophie Turner in the lead role, previously known for Game of Thrones.
Also, teen love drama Heartstopper is back on Thursday on Netflix for series 3, and also on Thursday, The Search for Nicola Bulley on BBC One will no doubt be a somewhat damning but emotional insight from the inside story of the search for Nicola Bulley, as told by her family, the police and social media sleuths. Her disappearance sparked a storm of global headlines and online speculation.
Driving in Spain This Week
On the N332.es website this week we have articles explaining things such as gifting vehicles, double parking, and a road sign that often confuses people.
When it comes to gifting a vehicle, there are different procedures, and taxes, for giving a vehicle as a present, for example, to receiving one in a will, and also in the case of sentimental separation such as divorce.
The procedures are explained, along with the relevant tax information, in an article published on Sunday.
On Tuesday we talk about double parking, and answer the question of whether it is allowed. We are talking about a car parking alongside a row of parked cars, and, the simple answer is NO, it is not allowed, but there are minor exceptions. That article will be published on Tuesday.
Finally, on Thursday, we talk about a road sign that confuses many people and can land you in a lot of trouble if you don’t comply, especially as it is often seen at police and Guardia Civil checkpoints.
It is a red-bordered circular sign with a horizontal thick black line with rounded edges in the centre. We explain exactly what the sign means.
Generally, on the roads of Spain, there is nothing specific taking place this week. However, during the autumn weekends, an increase in traffic is expected on the main routes, national roads, motorways and dual carriageways towards rest areas and second homes, as well as leisure and recreation areas close to urban centres.
Generally speaking, the busiest times, and therefore times to try and avoid, are Fridays between 7pm and 9pm, Saturdays between 11am and 1pm, and Sundays between 6pm and 10pm, although on Sundays the traffic flow is reversed with vehicles heading back inland away from tourist locations.
Looking ahead to future specific campaigns, next week we will have the ROADPOL Focus on the Road campaign, ROADPOL being the European-wide traffic police network,
ROADPOL Operation Focus on the Road is a coordinated pan-European enforcement action by Traffic Police Officers from each ROADPOL member country and takes place on Europe’s roads addition to the daily national Traffic Police enforcement activities to combat distraction in road traffic.
In addition to speed, distraction is one of the most common causes of collisions. Although this is often thought, distraction in traffic is not such a modern problem at all. Of course, the focus has increasingly shifted to this due to the mobile phone and its use, especially by road users.
Specific to Spain, the next operation by the DGT, operated by the Guardia Civil, revolves around All Saint’s Day on 1 November, with the special operation running from 30 October to 3 November across the country.
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