Spanish PM hopes stability in Catalonia will trigger GDP growth

Next year’s economic growth figures could be adjusted strongly upward if normality returns to Catalonia following the regional elections next month, Spain’s prime minister said on Tuesday, according to AP. GDP growth expectations for 2018 had been increasing, but the government lowered its estimate from 2.6 percent to 2.3 percent, citing instability in the prosperous northeast. Mariano Rajoy told COPE radio that the figure could rise to “between 2.8 to 3 percent” if stability returns. Madrid took control over Catalonia and called a snap regional election for December 21 after the Catalan government declared independence.