Manufacturing activity in the eurozone worsened last December, ending 2025 in a near-constant recession, according to Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data compiled by S&P Global. The index closed December at 48.8 points, eight-tenths of a point below the previous month's level, the worst figure since March. This index, a key international indicator of economic activity by sector, signals expansion when it is above 50 and contraction when it is below. Although some analysts suggested that 2025 could be a year of recovery for industrial activity in Europe, the data have ultimately confirmed the opposite. "Demand for manufactured goods in the eurozone is slowing again," said Cyrus de Rubia, chief economist at Germany's Harmburg Commercial Bank, in comments reported by EFE. "It's not surprising that companies continue to cut staff in this environment," he added. Germany, the continent's industrial and export powerhouse, closed December with a manufacturing PMI of 47 points, its worst figure in ten months, while Spain stood at 49.6 points, its lowest in eight months. Italy also fell below 50 points, with 47.9, but at the other end of the spectrum, France and the Netherlands closed the last month of the year with 51.1 and 50.7 points respectively. In France's case, this is the highest figure in the last three and a half years. Looking ahead to 2026, however, the situation shows no signs of changing, at least in the short term: "Companies don't seem capable or willing to generate momentum; instead, they are acting cautiously, which is hurting the economy," says De la Rubia. However, the significant fiscal stimulus approved by the German government, which will be heavily focused on infrastructure improvements and aid for industry and innovation, could be a driving force in the coming months, not only in Germany but also across Europe, given that much of the industry in the eastern and southern European Union states is German-owned. Since the post-pandemic recovery, European industry has suffered several difficult years due to logistical and supply problems, rising raw material costs, and the energy crisis stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which drove up the cost of oil, electricity, and natural gas. More recently, the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump, trade tensions with China, and the entry of Chinese electric vehicles into the European market have decimated many subsectors.

Three people were seriously injured in a fire at a recycling plant in the La Borda industrial park in Caldes de Montbui. The incident occurred around 7:00 a.m. this Friday at the warehouse of Tratamiento de Subproductos Industriales, a company dedicated to industrial recycling. All three are employees of the plant. A series of explosions, heard from the town, caused a fire that spread rapidly throughout the factory and was brought under control two hours later. The injured, as confirmed to Catalunya Ràdio by the mayor of Caldes de Montbui, Isidre Pineda, are three workers who were inside the factory at the time of the accident. All three were transported by the Medical Emergency Service (SEM) to Vall d'Hebron Hospital. One of the injured suffered burns to 20% of his body, and the other two suffered burns to 9% of their body, but in critical areas. The Catalan Fire Service (Bombers de la Generalitat) brought the flames under control around 9:00 AM, but were still working mid-morning, pouring water on the fire. They also had to remove pallets and other materials because the fire threatened to spread to adjacent warehouses. The emergency services plan to maintain a presence until nightfall to fully extinguish the blaze.

Spain will have two large battery factories. One will be in Sagunt, under the auspices of Seat and its parent company Volkswagen. The other will be in the Extremadura town of Navalmoral de la Mata. Here, the Spanish company Acciona and the Chinese group Envision will build a battery gigafactory, Extremadura daily Hoy has reported and sources familiar with the project have confirmed to ARA. Spain will thus have two large battery factories.