Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/457075
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2015 11 Business Today www.creditinfo.com.mt info@creditinfo.com.mt Tel: 2131 2344 Your Local Partner for Credit Risk Management Solutions Supporting you all the way Profi ts up for Santander Santander, the eurozone's largest bank, has reported a 32% jump in an- nual pre-tax profi ts to €9.72bn and says it will continue to focus on retail banking in 2015. The bank said new loans rose by 5% in the year to €7.6bn, while it reduced costs by 1%. Net income for the last three months of 2014 was 70% higher at €1.46bn compared with a year earlier, the bank added. Santander said profits rose in all its 10 key markets for the first time since the start of the financial crisis. Europe contributed 52% to the group´s overall profits, led by the UK (19%) and Spain (14%). Latin America accounted for 38% of profits, with Brazil (19%) and Mexico (8%) leading the way, while the remaining profit came from the US. The annual results are the first under new chair Ana Botin, who replaced her father Emilio Botin after his death in September 2014. Botin has moved away from the serial acquisitions of her late father, though she has said she wants to preserve Santander's international presence, which has helped to shield the group from local crises. Industrial producer prices remain 'stable' in Malta In December 2014, compared with November 2014, industrial producer prices fell by 1.0% in both the euro area (EA18) and the EU28, according to es- timates from Eurostat, the statistical of- fi ce of the European Union. In Novem- ber prices decreased by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU28. In December 2014, compared with December 2013, industrial producer prices fell by 2.7% in the euro area and by 3.1% in the EU28. The average industrial producer prices for the year 2014, compared with 2013, decreased by 1.5% in both the euro area and the EU28. Monthly comparison by main industrial grouping and by Member State The 1.0% decrease in industrial producer prices in total industry in the euro area in December 2014, compared with November 2014, is due to falls of 3.1% in the energy sector, of 0.5% for intermediate goods and of 0.1% for non- durable consumer goods, while prices remained stable for capital goods, and increased by 0.1% for durable consumer goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy decreased by 0.2%. In the EU28, the 1.0% decrease is due to falls of 3.7% in the energy sector, of 0.4% for intermediate goods and of 0.1% for non-durable consumer goods, while prices rose by 0.1% for both capital goods and durable consumer goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy fell by 0.2%. Industrial producer prices fell in nearly all Member States, with the largest decreases observed in Greece (-3.3%), the Netherlands (-3.2%) and Belgium (-2.7%). Industrial producer prices increased only in Estonia and Sweden (both +0.3%), Cyprus and Slovenia (both +0.1%), while they remained stable in Malta. Annual comparison by main industrial grouping and by Member State The 2.7% decrease in industrial producer prices in total industry in the euro area in December 2014, compared with December 2013, is due to falls of 8.3% in the energy sector and of 1.0% for both intermediate goods and non- durable consumer goods, while prices rose by 0.6% for capital goods and by 1.3% for durable consumer goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy fell by 0.5%. In the EU28, the 3.1% decrease is due to falls of 10.6% in the energy sector, of 1.1% for non-durable consumer goods and of 0.8% for intermediate goods, while prices rose by 0.7% for capital goods and by 1.0% for durable consumer goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy fell by 0.4%. Industrial producer prices fell in all Member States, except Latvia (+0.5%). The largest decreases were observed in Lithuania (-8.3%), the Netherlands (-7.8%), Belgium (-6.8%), the United Kingdom (-6.0%), Denmark (-5.4%) and Greece (-5.3%). Fewer workplace accidents reported in Q4 2014 Non-fatal accidents at work in the fourth quarter of last year decreased by 29, or 3.7 per cent, compared to the corresponding period in 2013. Records show that 752 persons had a non-fatal accident at work during the fourth quarter of 2014. Manufacturing was the most economic activity in which accidents at work took place – 21.1 per cent of total accidents for the last quarter. Other economic sectors where accidents were quite common included Construction (15.4 per cent) and Transport and Storage (13.2 per cent). When comparing with the same period of 2013, accidents went down by 26 in Public Administration and Defence but on the other hand they increased by 29 in Human Health and Social Work activities. The largest portion of accidents at work during the quarter under review involved persons in elementary occupations followed by those working in crafts and related trades. The injuries at work which affected the upper parts of the body, such as the fingers and hands, contributed to 46.5 per cent of the total cases. Wounds and superficial injuries, followed by dislocations, sprains and strains were the most common types of injuries, amounting to 447 and 164 cases respectively. Over the corresponding period of 2013, wounds and superficial injuries increased by 33.0 per cent and dislocations, sprains and strains decreased by 15 per cent. In the quarter under review, the majority of accidents at work took place in enterprises with more than 500 employees. Between October and December, no fatalities at work were reported. Republic Street, Valletta next to the Courts