Spain Finance – News In Brief

HANGING AROUND

THE Spanish still have €1.69billion worth of peseta coins and notes which they have not exchanged at the bank of Spain. Around €1million is exchanged every month. The peseta was withdrawn on March 1, 2002.

BIN LADENS

THE number of €500 notes in Spain has fallen by 17.5 per cent since the onset of the financial crisis. There are currents 94 million €500 notes in circulation according to the Bank of Spain.

MAGIC DEAL

BANK La Caixa has sold the Isla Magica theme park in Sevilla to French company Looping Group, which runs Pleasurewood Hills in the UK amongst other theme parks in Europe.

NEW BRAND

THE new brand of Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), ‘& Other Stories’ will arrive in Spain this Spring.  Barcelona is one of the seven cities in Europe chosen for the launch.

BEST WISHES

FREE mobile messaging service Whatsapp beat its own records the past New Year’s Eve with 18 billion messages sent, making it one of the most popular ways to send good wishes.