Spanish companies invested 19,145 million euros, almost 7,000 less than in 2019. Financial and real estate activities increased more than 9,000 million euros of capital, 47.31% of the total. With 83.5% more, Murcia led investment growth. Madrid accumulated the highest volume, exceeding 7,251 million euros, almost 3,300 above Catalonia, which closed with 3,973 million. In parallel, the companies divested capital for 12,893 million euros, almost 34% less year-on-year.
This is included in the business Radar of capital increases corresponding to the close of the 2020 financial year prepared by the Axesor Economic Studies Office.
Six of the twenty sectors in which Axesor divides its business activity registered growth compared to 2019: extractive industries (+ 26.60%), information and communications (+ 17.58%), transport and storage (+14, 54%), artistic activities (+ 8.35%), education (+ 6.71%) and agriculture (+ 1.00%).
Measured in terms of volume, companies in the financial and insurance sector led the ranking of the most investing companies with 5,048.78 million euros of expanded capital, a figure 29.29% lower than in 2019. It is followed by real estate activities, with a total of 4,008.98 million euros, which represents a fall of 17.44% year-on-year. Both sectors accounted for 47.31% of the total capital increases so far this year.
Special mention deserves the transport and storage sector. Radar data shows the strength of these activities driven by online purchases. Capital increases grew by almost 70% in December and 14.5% in the year, exceeding 583 million euros, surpassing the hospitality industry (581 million euros) and very close to those of the sector of information and communications (664 million euros).
On the other hand, commerce and hospitality, two of the sectors in which the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 has hit the hardest, closed with capital increases amounting to 1,676 and 581 million euros, respectively. Figures 22.72% and 31.73% below those registered a year ago.
The case of companies in the Murcia Region stands out, which closed with an 83.48% increase in the volume of capital increases, to 646.44 million euros. It thus becomes the seventh community where companies have invested more capital and the first of the four in which increases grew – ahead of Cantabria (63.07%), Extremadura (28.64%) and La Rioja (17,22%).