Spain and UK Finance News Round-Up, August 26

Financial news. Credit: Pavel Danilyuk, Pexels

Latest financial, business and tech news from Spain and the UK.

Rolser Trolleys

Founded in 1966, Rolser, a Spanish shopping trolley brand, is currently sold in over 60 countries, and Monocle reports that it is owned by 63% of Spanish homes. “We have a very special connection to the land… we tried to foster a non-tourist industry, throwing support behind the people of the area,” CO-CEO Vicent Server said.

This summer, Rolser launched a campaign to celebrate walking and conscious lifestyles. Have the trolleys become stylish once considered old fashioned?

BBVA Growth

BBVA plans to expand its operations in all markets between 2025 and 2028, with the bank aiming to earn around 48 billion euros, the bank announced on August 25th. In Spain, lending is projected to increase by 5% per year. Net interest income is projected to rise, but revenue should be low in single-digit growth. BBVA also covers an efficiency ratio of 30-33% and a 4% return on risk-weighted assets.

Micro-Driven Surge

London-based Haylo Labs has acquired Plessey Semiconductors from Plymouth, a British expert in embedded micro-LED display technology. Today’s semiconductors Report. Haylo Labs plans to invest more than £100 million in the UK over the next five years to increase production capacity and expand its labor force.

“Plessey has built the world’s most advanced microred platform,” said David Hayes, CEO and co-founder of Haylo Labs.

The acquisition could mark a turning point for UK technology.

Cybersecurity conflict

The Spanish government has suspended the 103 million euro cybersecurity contract awarded to Masolange after a legal challenge from Telefonica. Digital Economy Report. The dispute focuses on lot 3 of the CORA III project, covering the interconnection of state data centers and digital security. Telefónica argues that the bidding process lacks transparency and fairness.

With public cybersecurity at risk, should these mega contracts be more widespread for resilience?

Taqa buys GS Inima

Abu Dhabi’s Taka will acquire Madrid-based GS Inima, a leading desalination and water treatment company, for $1.2 billion (EUR 1.025 billion). Avant -Garde Report. The deal, which has agreed to South Korea’s GS engineering and construction, is expected to close in 2026 due to pending approval.

GS Inima runs around 50 projects in 10 countries, with last year a record of 389 million euros, revenue and an EBITDA of 106 million euros. The acquisition will strengthen the Taka’s global water portfolio, increasing desalination, wastewater and industrial processing capacity.

Hospitality hit

Restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels have lost 89,000 jobs since October, according to Ukhospitality. This is 53% of the national loss. Chairman Kate Nichols called the figure “amazing” and warned that the closure could coincide with COVID levels unless taxes and business fees are urgently cut.

Tiktok UK revenue

Tiktok’s UK revenue jumped to $64 billion, up 38% in 2024. With UK users, 1.5 million businesses and 3,000 staff, the future of the app is under political scrutiny.

Gas exports

Morocco became Spain’s biggest gas client in June 2025, buying 35.5% of its exports. France continued at 14.6%. Despite exports falling 40% year-on-year, analysts say Madrid Rabato Energy is closer as Morocco’s growing share signal changes global markets.