Overview
- - The Catalan government’s new macro outlook projects GDP growth of 2.3% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027, with alternative “adverse” and “severe” cases that cut those figures if the conflict and energy disruptions persist.
- - Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce lowered its 2026 growth call for Catalonia to 2.2% and estimated a €670 million hit linked to the war’s effects, warning that price pressures could bite into wages and spending.
- - City data show Barcelona’s economy grew 3% in 2025, while household disposable income rose 5.2% at a slower pace than the prior year and registered jobseekers ticked up slightly in early 2026.
- - Housing pressure intensified in 2025 as sale prices rose about 10% for new and second‑hand homes and average rents hit a record €17.04 per square meter in the fourth quarter, or €1,161 a month.
- - Tourism kept recovering into 2026, with 720,000 hotel guests in March, up 2.1% year over year, and a 2025 visitor mix that leaned more on non‑EU travelers, helping services drive growth despite weaker trade.