Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Spain Reports Record Capital Flight

From Spiegel Online

Original source

Capital outflows from Spain more than quadrupled in May to €41.3 billion ($50.7 billion) compared with May 2011, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Spanish central bank.

In the first five months of 2012, a total of €163 billion left the country, the figures indicate. During the same period a year earlier, Spain recorded a net inflow of €14.6 billion.

The outflow has resulted from domestic banks sending money abroad, foreign lenders pulling out cash and mostly non-resident investors dumping Spanish assets. The steep rise was likely due to Bankia, the banking conglomerate, having requested a bailout in May.

Over the last 11 months, funds equivalent to 26 percent of gross domestic product exited the country, Tuesday's data from the Bank of Spain showed.

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