The government of Spain’s wealthiest region says 90 percent of those who voted backed independence, but turnout was only 43 percent as many opponents of independence stayed at home. Ruling party lawmakers say Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is considering taking the unprecedented step of dissolving the Catalan parliament and triggering new regional elections, the so-called nuclear option. BUSINESS CLIMATEMarkets have been rattled by the Catalan crisis, raising Spain’s borrowing costs and pushing down shares. Publishing house Grupo Planeta said it would move its registered office from Barcelona to Madrid if the Catalan parliament unilaterally declared independence. Opinion polls conducted before the vote suggested a minority of around 40 percent of residents in Catalonia backed independence.

Source: bd News24 October 10, 2017 10:07 UTC