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There is a lot going on this week around the world, and we’re not even going to mention Donald Trump! Apart from Thursday, when nothing significant is planned.
All this week, ROADPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, will be carrying out a speed awareness and enforcement campaign, focussing on one of the Fatal 4 most contributing factors in road traffic collisions.
Let us have a look at The Week Ahead, day by day…
Monday 15 April 2024
Monday is a local holiday in Santa Pola for San Vicente.
The week will begin with the publication of Eurozone industrial production for the month of February, which will maintain its negative year-on-year trend despite the rebound in production recorded in Germany and Italy.
The Bank of Spain publishes the spring Financial Stability report.
The world’s leading power, the USA, will publish the reading of its manufacturing Empire and the evolution of retail sales in March, important for investors to be able to elucidate the level of economic activity in the country.
In the UK, Monday´s news will once again be dominated by the Rwanda Plan, as the Government once again tries to convince those in power it´s a good idea, in the wake of news last week that even Rwanda´s own national airline don´t want to be involved in the plan in case it damages their reputation, and news that most of the houses supposedly allocated in the country are no longer available. The negotiations are expected to last most of the week.
Monday marks five years since the Notre Dam fire.
Tuesday 16 April 2024
Tuesday is a local holiday in the A Coruña town of Ferrol.
On Tuesday the 16th we will have the release of Germany’s ZEW Survey, which could continue to reflect the improvement in expectations for its economy, consistent with the rebound in industrial production, exports, and order recorded in the month of February. This data will be accompanied by the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom, the CPI in Italy and the trade balance in the Eurozone.
In addition, in the USA on Tuesday the 16th we will know the data on construction licences and homes started in March. Coupled with this, we will know the US industrial production, after only advancing 0.1% in monthly terms in February.
Bank of England Governor, Andrew Bailey, is in America, Washington DC to be precise, for the annual IMF/World Bank spring meeting, and on Tuesday he will be armed with the monthly statistics from the ONS on employment and wages, which will then be followed by the release of the IMF’s annual World Economic Outlook and its latest forecasts for UK growth (or decline).
In Wales, Vaughan Gething takes part in his first FMQs.
Wednesday 17 April 2024
Wednesday is a local holiday in Seville.
The focus of investors’ attention will be on Wednesday with the publication of the final Eurozone CPI data for March. Being fundamental to be able to analyse the next movements of the ECB, after its decision this month to keep the official interest rates unchanged.
Specifically, investors expect the ECB to begin the process of easing its monetary policy at its next meeting in June, with a 25 bp reduction in reference interest rates.
In America, investors will focus their attention on Wednesday on the Fed’s Beige book, which will predictably advance current economic trends and the possible challenges that the main world power is facing.
In Spain, the INE publishes birth data.
Back in the UK, inflation data for March are released and no doubt Rishi Sunak is hoping for a pre-election boost if last month’s bigger-than-expected fall is repeated.
Wednesday marks the 100-day countdown start for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Thursday 18 April 2024
Thursday seems to be taking a day off work this week, as there is hardly anything of note planned, but it is International Day for Monuments and Sites, so perhaps we can all be distracted and find and read up on a monument in our town and learn something.
No prizes, it’s just for fun, but your task this week is to locate the monument in the picture. Can you guess where it is? I will give you the answer next week.
Service Sector industry figures are published by the INE in Spain on Thursday, along with competition data.
Friday 19 April 2024
The week will end with the reading of Germany’s PPI, together with UK retail sales and Spain’s trade balance.
Furthermore, the end of the week will feature the Fed’s Philadelphia Survey in the USA, which will complete the analysis of the degree of dynamism of the US economy.
The Active Population figures are published by the INE in Spain.
Business Insights
At the business level, the payment of dividends from Miquel y Costas, Banco Sabadell and Unicaja, and the General Shareholders’ Meetings of Renta Corp and Viscofan will take place, with the latter also presenting results.
In the business field, the publication of results from companies such as M&T Bank, Goldman Sachs, US Bancorp, Abbot, Blackstone, Netflix, American Express, P&G, among others…
Things to Do – Upcoming Events in Spain
Here is the roundup of things to do and events coming up over the next few weeks, from music and culture to sports and spectacles.
If you have read this roundup previously, the newly added events are in bold.
For regular updates and things to do, pick up The Leader newspaper out every Monday.
Theatre, Culture and Music
29º Certamen Internacional Juvenil Habaneras takes place in Torrevieja on 20 April, at the Torrevieja Municipal Theatre.
Fans of the music of Queen might want to take a trip down to Cartagena on 20 April, where the concert, Symphonic Rhapsody of Queen, A Kind of Magic, will be taking place.
On 26 April there is a film music tribute concert taking place in the International Auditorium in Torrevieja, specifically a tribute to the music of Morricone, Williams, and Zimmer, three of the greatest film score composers of modern times, arguably.
Also in Torrevieja on the same day, a dance festival will celebrate International Dance Day.
On 5 May, Totally Tina takes place in Torrevieja Municipal Theatre, a tribute to Tina Turner from the 2008 winner of TV’s Stars in Their Eyes.
Between the 10 and 12 May, Torrevieja will go back to the 80’s and 90’s with a musical spectacle at the Torrevieja Municipal Theatre.
The Film Symphony Orchestra will also perform in Torrevieja on 25 May, offering music from the likes of Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and Mulan.
Big Name Music
- Twenty One Pilots – 21 April in Madrid, 22 April in Barcelona.
- Jonas Brothers – 25 May in Barcelona.
- Taylor Swift – 29 and 30 May in Madrid.
- Calvin Harris – 31 May and 9 and 14 June on Ibiza.
- AC/DC – 1 June in Seville.
- Olivia Rodrigo – 18 June in Barcelona, 20 June in Madrid.
- Tom Jones – 23 June in Valencia, 23 July in Marbella, Alicante on 25 July, Chiclana de la Frontera on 28 July, Almeria on 4 August.
- Alice Cooper – 28 June in Barcelona.
- Pearl Jam – 6 and 8 July in Barcelona.
- Garbage – 9 July in Barcelona.
- Metallica – 12 and 14 July in Madrid.
- James Blunt – Barcelona on 17 July, Alicante on 19 July, Chiclana de la Frontera on 20 July
- Simple Minds – 26 July in Granada.
Special Events
In Catral, the Sevillanas fiesta takes place from 19 to 21 April, commonly referred to as a May Fair, or April Fair.
Torrevieja May Fair will take place from 9 to 12 May 2024, once again at the Station Park.
Airshows
Aircraft fans can look forward to the Patrulla Aguila aerobatic team performing locally in the San Javier Airshow, taking place from 3rd-5th May – Festival Aéreo San Javier – over the playas de Santiago de la Ribera, San Javier, Murcia.
They are also at the DIFAS 2024, taking place in Oviedo on 1 June, and on 15th June, the 50º Aniversario del ALA 14, in Albacete, where a competition is open to design a Eurofighter livery.
The Gijon Airshow is on 27 and 28 July.
Sport and Fitness
From 6 May a new swimming class course starts in the Torrevieja municipal swimming pool.
On 18 May both a 10k run and walk is taking place between San Miguel de Salinas and Los Montesinos, with a focus on raising funds for charity.
On Saturday 20 April a special March Against Cancer takes place in Guardamar del Segura, specifically for the children.
From 31 May to 2 June, the YOGAMAR conference takes place in Guardamar del Segura.
Other Events
A Mental Health conference is taking place in Torrevieja on 19 and 20 April, specifically focusing on children and adolescents.
On 20 April in the IFA exhibition hall in Alicante, you can delve into the Japanese world of Manga, and if you are in Guardamar del Segura a special bus has been arranged to take fans to the event.
The Todo Tren 2024 tapas event is now on in Torrevieja, taking place until 21 April.
In Catral on 26 April a magic show, Vega Magica, takes place, then moving to Rojales on Saturday 27 April.
RBF Torrevieja 2024 – Reggaeton Beach Festival – 3 and 4 August.
Brilla Torrevieja – 27 July to 12 August.
Check with your Local Tourist Information Office
As you might expect, this is not a complete list of events, as there are far too many to put in brief, but they are a hand-picked selection of the most popular or interesting.
For more events in your area, check with your local tourist information office.
Follow Mark Nolan´s Podcast for updates on your favourite platform.