MADRID – Uncertainty over Catalonia’s political future is set to hurt the independence-minded Spanish region’s public finances after an international agency lowered its credit rating.
Standard & Poor’s downgraded Catalonia’s rating from BB to BB- due to the “nascent tensions” between the region and the central government in Madrid.
S&P said in a statement late Friday it maintained a “negative outlook” for Catalonia because the political controversy could make it hard for the region to borrow money.
It also noted that the northeastern region, which represents nearly a fifth of Spain’s economic output, has a high debt load and a poor budgetary performance.
A pro-independence alliance won most votes in a Catalonia regional ballot last month, fueling the secessionist drive.
Spain has ruled out any possibility of Catalonia becoming independent.
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