Spanish Banks' Doubtful Debt Ratio Hits a 15-Year Low, Botswana urged to balance budget for economic resilience

Spain's doubtful debt ratio for banks reached 3.32% in December, the lowest since November 2008, according to provisional data from the Bank of Spain. This marks four consecutive monthly declines, with a decrease of 22 basis points compared to December 2023. The volume of doubtful debt decreased to €39.358 billion, a reduction of €2.510 billion year-over-year. The total credit balance also fell to €1.18 trillion. Separately, economist Kitso Mokhurutshe of Kgori Capital in Botswana, during the Access Bank Botswana 2025-2026 budget review, urged the country to balance its budget to ensure economic resilience. He emphasized that budget surpluses are essential for rebuilding fiscal buffers and that strengthening revenue collection and broadening the tax base are imperative steps toward this goal.