economic

An economic science fiction text has sunk Visa and Mastercard in the stock market. The reason is more disturbing than the story itself

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Citrini Research, a hedge fund American published this week a text written as if it were a macroeconomic memorandum from June 2028. It is not a prediction, its authors warn. It is a speculative exercise. A feasible scenario. It has achieved 24 million impressions, and counting. It is not an anecdotal tweet. The markets they have responded by sinking. Visa has fallen 4.4%. Mastercard, 6.3%. American Express, almost 8%. And Capital One, 8%. This deserves an explanation. And it’s not what it seems. Between the lines. The market reaction is not explained by the specific content of the Citrini Research report, which includes arguments as debatable as that AI agents will abandon cards to pay with stablecoins in Solana. Antonio Ortiz, technology analysts, has pointed it out precisely: part of the argument “it is from the first of Twitter AI-hype“. The idea that an agent will compare twenty food delivery apps vibecodeadas to find the cheapest one smells like a caricature of the future. But the panic is not irrational. It is precisely the panic of not knowing where the limit is. Why is it importantand. What has moved the market has not been so much the thesis about payments but the thesis about the destruction of value. And that is solid: many billions of dollars of market capitalization have been built on a single foundation: that humans are slow, impatient, forgetful and loyal out of inertia. That we do not compare prices. That we renew subscriptions that we do not use. And that we pay commissions that we do not negotiate. An AI agent has none of those weaknesses. And that changes everything. The backdrop. Citrini’s report comes at a time when the so-called “saaspocalypse“is no longer a metaphor. WSJ states that investors are terrified by the possibility that AI ends up doing the work that large software companies bill for today. ServiceNow, Salesforce, business management platforms… all built on the premise that companies need software for their employees to do their jobs. But… what happens when employees disappear? What if the software itself can be replicated in weeks with agentic coding tools? Citrini’s fiction begins exactly there, in early 2026, when a competent developer can reproduce the core functionality of a mid-market SaaS in a few weeks, and constructs a scenario of systemic collapse. The big question. The report’s most disturbing argument is that in every previous technological cycle, job destruction created new jobs that only humans could do. This time, AI is already occupying those new positions as well. If that’s true—if AI improves faster than workers can reorient themselves—the self-correcting mechanism that has always kept creative destruction from turning into outright destruction wouldn’t work. That is the scenario that the markets have discounted this week, even if only partially and speculatively thanks to a creepypasta financial. Yes, but. The scenario requires assuming a speed of adoption that is not guaranteed, a completely absent political response and a total absence of new economic sectors. None of the three conditions are set in stone. Furthermore, as Antonio points out, there is some collective hysteria in the reaction: each announcement or “scary story catches attention and moves investors.” Markets are trading in panic over the unknown. But there’s an important difference between saying “this scenario won’t happen” and saying “this scenario is impossible.” And that difference is exactly what has the market nervous. The alarm signal. The most striking thing this week is that a speculative text, written in economic science fiction format, has been enough to move billions in market capitalization. That says a lot about the state of certainty in the markets regarding AI: it is practically non-existent. Nobody really knows how much a company whose moat It is human friction in a world where that friction is disappearing. The canary is still alive. But investors have stopped trusting the canary. In Xataka | AI promised to revolutionize all sectors. It has only revolutionized programming while the rest is still waiting Featured image | Avery Evans

does not produce 13 minerals critical for economic security

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For years, the so-called critical minerals have remained out of the focus of public debate, despite the fact that entire industries and a good part of the economic security of countries depend on them. Its relevance does not respond only to a technological issue, but also to geopolitical tensions, fragile supply chains and strategic decisions that today condition industrial development. In that context, Mexico has begun to put figuresnames and concrete limits to their own exposure, opening a conversation that goes far beyond mining and reaches directly to their productive future. What exactly is considered a critical mineral. These are elements present in nature whose demand is high while their availability is limited, either due to geological restrictions inherent to finite resources or due to external factors such as geopolitical tensions and trade blockades. That combination of scarcity and dependence makes them sensitive pieces for contemporary industry. They not only intervene in everyday electronic devices, they also determine energy efficiency, component durability and thermal stability in multiple technologies. Image shared by the Government of Mexico The concrete photography of Mexico. The Mexican Geological Service has defined which materials are scarce or directly non-existent in the national territory, or without technical and economic conditions today to produce them viably, a diagnosis that allows foreign dependence to be measured with sufficient precision. The list is not small and concentrates a good part of the inputs associated with electronics, energy and various advanced industrial chains. These are the 13 minerals classified as scarce or non-existent resources in the country: Aluminum Cadmium Cobalt Chrome Germanium Iridium Lithium Nickel Palladium Platinum Tantalum Titanium Vanadium The reverse of the diagnosis. Mexico has a relevant mining base in certain materials where there are not only reserves, but also extraction and processing capacity, which allows it to sustain its own industrial chains and participate in international markets. This dimension is key to avoiding a reading solely focused on external dependence and understanding that the resource map combines shortcomings with operational strengths. According to the Mexican Geological Service, the minerals that the country concentrates or processes are the following: Baryta Copper Fluorite Graphite Magnesium Manganese Silver Lead Zinc The diplomatic channel and the geopolitical board. The diagnosis of available resources has not remained internal. Mexico has brought the issue of critical minerals to the field of international politics with a specific goal: to ensure access to materials that are necessary for its present and future industry. This is how Marcelo Ebrard explained itSecretary of Economy, when detailing the country’s participation in different forums and coordination spaces, including areas linked to the United Nations. The strategy, as he stressed, does not seek to offer its own reserves, but rather to be part of the decisions that will determine how these supplies are guaranteed in an increasingly competitive environment. Coordination with the northern neighbor. The United States Trade Office (USTR) announced that Its ambassador, Jamieson Greer, and Marcelo Ebrard agreed on an action plan aimed at building a preferential trade scheme for critical minerals, which includes everything from the identification of priority materials to the exploration of adjusted minimum border prices for imports and consultation on how to incorporate these minimum prices into a binding plurilateral agreement. The cooperation seeks to respond to global market distortions that have left North American critical mineral supply chains vulnerable to disruption. The initial calendar, it should be noted, establishes a work horizon of two months to analyze measures before defining subsequent steps. Lithium. State ownership and pending viability. Among the minerals that explain the Mexican position, lithium occupies a unique place. The Constitution establishes that only the State can exploit it, a decision that reinforces its strategic nature but, at the same time, coexists with technical and economic limits. As President Claudia Sheinbaum notedthere is already a technology developed at the Mexican Petroleum Institute to obtain lithium in clays, although “today it is not economically viable, it is very expensive.” This combination of state control and production difficulty illustrates why guaranteeing access to critical materials remains an open question for the national industry. In conclusion. The image that emerges is not that of a country without resources, but of an economy that must precisely manage its material dependencies in an increasingly demanding international environment. Mexico has relevant mining capabilities and, at the same time, faces clear limits on essential inputs for the technology and energy industry. Between both extremes is a strategy that combines internal diagnosis, diplomatic action and technological development still in process. The result does not close the debate, but it does define the context in which the country must work. Images | Dominic Vanyi + Nano Banana In Xataka | What are rare earths, the elements that move the technological world and separate China from the West

Science suggests that economic stress ages the heart

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For decades, cardiovascular medicine has operated under an almost immovable dogma: If you want to protect your heart you have to watch your dietexercise and control blood pressure. However, science has begun to see that there are other social factors that can also be very important, such as the status of personal bank accounts. The study. In order to reach this conclusion that aims to drastically change an authentic dogma of medicine, the Mayo Clinic has analyzed more than 280,000 patients thanks to the artificial intelligence application. To do this, the AI ​​has analyzed the patients’ conventional medical tests and their history. In this way, researchers have discovered that the factors that accelerate the biological clock the most of the heart is not always in the medical history, but in the bank account and in the shopping basket. The ‘invisible’ age. The technological core of this discovery is found in an AI algorithm applied to electrocardiograms. In this way, unlike the analysis carried out by a cardiologist who looks for arrhythmias or abnormalities in the conduction of the heart, this learning model analyzes changes in the electrocardiogram that are very subtle in the electrical signals that can go unnoticed by the human eye. In this way, the algorithm can estimate something that science calls “heart age.” From here, when the researchers compared the figure with the patient’s actual age, a cardiac age gap emerged. That is, there were people with a heart that looked older than it should, which is a much more accurate predictor of mortality than some traditional markers. The social impact. Now the question that science asks is why. The results of the study published in Mayo Clinic Procedures, place financial stress and food insecurity as the most aggressive social determinants of health (SDH). In this way, what the study demonstrates is that constant worry about payment, rent, mortgage or the increase in the cost of basic foods generates a state of physiological wear and tear that AI detects as premature aging of cardiovascular tissue. The reasons. At a biological level, this phenomenon is explained through the chronic stress response. Economic uncertainty keeps the body in a state of permanent “alert”, triggering levels of cortisol and adrenaline. This prolonged hormonal overexposure damages the vascular endothelium and alters heart rate variability, effects that the Mayo Clinic algorithm identifies as signs of an aging heart. Surprisingly, the study indicates that the impact of this precariousness can equal or even exceed the risk posed by physical inactivity or chronic diseases such as diabetes in terms of accelerated mortality. From loneliness to inflation. This work is not an isolated event, but the culmination of a line of research that the Mayo Clinic has reinforced in recent years. In 2024, the same team used AI to show that social isolation acts in the opposite way: having strong support networks and community ties works as a biological “brake” that slows down the aging of the heart. However, the new 2025 study is the first to prioritize economic factors over clinical ones. Change the rules of the game. This finding reminds us of the importance that in clinical practice, beyond seeing results of tests or electrocardiograms, we must also know that in front of the doctor there is a human patient. And not only is the high cholesterol in the analysis important, but there are also many social problems behind him that can interfere with his pathology and that doctors should be aware of. The relevance of this work lies in its ability to prioritize. While other previous studies already talked about social stress, this is the first to use AI models to quantify exactly how economic precariousness “rusts” the heart muscle compared to traditional medical factors. Images | Robina Weermeijer Christian Erfurt In Xataka | Half of employees say they work under constant stress: they would give up 21% of their salary to avoid it

There are people stealing spoons, napkins or glasses in restaurants. And for many it has become an economic drain

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Those of us who have lived in student flats know that there are objects that appear without anyone remembering very well how they got there. A jug of 100 Montaditos, for example. Be careful, I’m not accusing anyone, I found her in the kitchen when I lived sharing a flat in Barcelona. The fact is that stealing—not stealing—utensils from bars, restaurants or hotels is not something new. What is new is the standardization with which it is done and the real cost it is beginning to have for the sector. Because taking a “cute” spoon, a nice glass or a towel with a logo is not an isolated anecdote or a cute prank. It is a widespread, systematic phenomenon and, according to national media and internationalincreasingly expensive. When it affects the budget. The problem is no longer anecdotal. According to data provided to The Spanish by the gastronomic agency Foodie Love, the constant disappearance of objects forces many bars and restaurants to reserve a specific replacement item. In the province of Alicante, one of them – distinguished with a Michelin star – allocates around 2,000 euros annually solely to replacing what customers take away. The phenomenon has been described in this environment as “posh thefts”: thefts committed not out of necessity, but for fun, collecting or simple impulse. However, the label is as striking as it is questionable. Because, more than sophisticated, these thefts are repetitive, predictable and, in many cases, quite shabby. There is no epic or transgression: there is economic wear and tear and a progressive loss of quality in the premises. The impulse to take something “just because.” The objects that disappear are repeated with an almost industrial regularity: tableware, consumer products and bathroom items. On tables, what flies the most are coffee spoons, especially if they have a special design, color or texture. While a basic one can cost one euro, a designer one costs four. Saucers, cups, oil bowls, sugar bowls or sweetener jars they follow the same path. Some restaurants they recognize having to buy dozens every month. The bathroom is another key focus. As waiters report in testimonies collected by Diario Vasco Following a query launched by the profile @soycamarero, soap dishes, toilet paper, air fresheners, plugs, toilet seats, push buttons or even tiles disappear. Irony abounds among workers, but the problem is serious. Furthermore, as detailed in the specialized media Food & Wineit is not necessity, it is sentimentalization of the object, attractive design, alcohol, disinhibition and, above all, a feeling of impunity. The client does not perceive himself as a thief; He tells himself that it is a souvenir. The theft assumed in hotels. If the phenomenon is worrying in bars and restaurants, in hotels it is directly massive. According to a Hosteltur survey87% of guests admit to having taken something from a room at least once in their lives. Towels, soap dishes, mini pillows and tissue boxes top the ranking. The president of AC Hoteles, Antonio Catalán, acknowledged on the Nude Project podcast that his chain loses more than 80,000 towels a year, both in Spain and Italy. All with a logo, which do not go unnoticed at all. Some establishments have chosen to take it on as part of the business: tolerating certain losses such as involuntary advertising, selling the objects or charging them directly on the invoice. Others have explored more creative avenues. This is the case of the Swedish chain BWH Hotels, which launched the campaign The Hotel Theft Rewardinviting people to return stolen objects—from lamps to mannequins—in exchange for hotel nights or breakfasts. What if they catch me? The legal reminder. It is important not to lose sight of the fact that, no matter how normalized it may be, taking an object without permission is theft. As criminal law experts explain cited by RRYP Globalthe Spanish Penal Code clearly distinguishes between theft and robbery, but both are crimes. If the value of what was stolen does not exceed 400 euros, it is considered a minor crime, punishable by a fine. If it exceeds that amount, it can lead to prison sentences. And not only the isolated object is valued, but the total amount and the circumstances. “I accidentally took it” doesn’t always work as an excuse. The souvenir that we all pay for. Maybe that jug of 100 Montaditos is still on that floor, turned into a recurring joke. But multiplied by thousands, that same logic empties bars, restaurants and hotels of personality and quality. And it has a direct consequence: more expensive menus or cheaper products, as hoteliers recognize. cited in El Español. It is not an elegant or rebellious robbery. It is a small, repeated and assumed gesture that ends up having a big effect. And in the end, as almost always, we all end up paying for the souvenir. Image | freepik Xataka | The hoteliers promised them happy times in a summer of record tourism. Until the ghost reserves arrived

that China loses the AI ​​race, but wins the economic war by bleeding them dry

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The AI ​​race has two main players, but their bets are very different. While the United States has already spent $350 billion in AI (and plan to spend much more), China has only invested 100,000 million. Silicon Valley optimists start from the belief that AI will radically change the world and whoever masters AI will dominate the future. And if not? As they say in financial times, The United States could win this battle, but lose the economic war. USA. You have put all your eggs in the same basket. Exorbitant investments are guided by the belief that AI will change the world as we know it, that AGI will make humans finally stop working. It is an epic speech in which AI is presented to us as a kind of messiah that will save the world, one that completely ignores the alternative: that AI is a great technological leap, yes, but neither so revolutionary nor, above all, such a great business. And it’s not just a technology thing, investors are absorbed in the same obsession. China. In 2017, China announced the “Development Plan for a New Generation of Artificial Intelligence” in which they defined AI as a strategic technology. For China, AI is a national priority, but its approach is more pragmatic and much less speculative. You just have to look at their AI models, like DeepSeek, effective but very far from the very expensive ‘frontier models’ in which the US is investing. His vision for AI is not so much to transform the world, but rather to function as a tool to be even more efficient in different processes. a few months ago They announced the “AI+” planwhere they detailed the deployment of AI in six sectors: scientific and technological development, industrial applications, consumer services, public welfare, governance and security, and international collaborations. The AI ​​war. We always hear the idea of ​​this stark battle to dominate AI from the American side. In many cases, the AI ​​war, like AGI, is another point of pressure for Silicon Valley to justify the tremendous expense or achieve its objectives. We have seen it recently with Jensen Huang pushing for the government to let him sell his chips in China and his argument revolved around the idea that China will achieve technological independence and then win the AI ​​war. The paradox for the United States is that its own invention is benefiting its enemy. The AI ​​war also functions as a pressure point for China: forcing the US to mortgage its economy to the technology they consider the future, while they overtake them in everything else. The economic war. The United States is betting everything on a single winning horse, while China has not stopped investing to ensure its dominance in other key sectors, such as electric cars, batteries, robotics and, above all, renewable energy. For China there are many futures, for the US only one. The commitment to diversification is going well. In 2024 China already manufactured 76% of electric cars sold worldwide and 80% of all lithium batteries. They are also the country with more industrial robot installationswhich gives them an advantage to continue being the factory of the world. There is much more, they are also undisputed leaders in other sectors such as the manufacture of drones, solar panels, high-speed trains and graphene. China’s AI is energy. China carries years investing in clean energy. According to Carbon Brief reportIn 2024 alone, China invested $940 billion, and it is not the year it spent the most. The curious thing is that energy is key for many sectors, especially AI. The United States knows this well and has already encountered a wall: They don’t have power for so many chips. Not only is China producing more energy, it is also is subsidizing it. Jensen Huang warned about this situation, ensuring that “China is going to win the AI ​​race” thanks to the government’s energy aid. Trump, for his part, has discouraged renewable energies and the electric car industry. In the end it will turn out that, for the United States, it is AI to win or nothing to win. Image | Gemini In Xataka | China already has an army of 5.8 million engineers. His new plan involves accelerating doctorates

Five economic computers from 329 euros

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There is less for the return to school, so if this school you need a laptop to studyin this article we have gathered a selection of models oriented to low budgets, having in mind whenever at least offer a Good value for money. HP 15 by 329 eurosan economic computer that comes with Windows 11 Home. Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 Gen 8 by 499 eurosa laptop with Windows and 512 GB of SSD. Samsung Galaxy Book4 by 548.89 eurosan excellent computer with Intel processor and Windows 11 Home operating system. MSI Thin 15 by 599 eurosa computer with graphics card RTX 2050. Gigabyte G6 by 619.65 euros By adding it to the cart, a graphics card RTX 4060 and 1 TB of SSD. HP 15 If you want to spend little money or simply do not need a very powerful computer, the HP 15 It is one of the best options we can find in its price range. Mediamarkt has it for 329 euros And it comes with a 15.6 -inch screen, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage, Intel N100 processor and UHD Graphics graphics. In addition, it includes Windows 11 Homeso you should not install the operating system. * Some price may have changed from the last review Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 Gen 8 A step above we find the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 Gen 8a computer that in Amazon has a price of 499 euros. This laptop has fast charge (Two hours of autonomy with 15 -minute load), it comes with a 15.6 -inch screen and its processor is the Ryzen 5 5625U. It also includes 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD, its graph is an AMD Radeon and comes with Windows 11 Home. Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 Gen 8 * Some price may have changed from the last review Samsung Galaxy Book4 Although its catalog is more concise than that of other devices, Samsung also has some laptops. He Samsung Galaxy Book4 is located in Amazon by 548.89 euros And it stands out mainly for having a fairly thin design, but also does it for its technical file: 15.6 inches screen, Intel I5-1335U processor16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD. In addition, it includes an Intel Iris XE Graphics and Windows 11 Home graph. * Some price may have changed from the last review MSI Thin 15 On the other hand, if what you are looking for is an extra power and performance, among the gaming laptops we have the MSI Thin 15whose price at Amazon is 599 euros. Assemble a 15.6-inch screen that offers a 144 Hz soda rate, it comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD, its processor is the Intel I5-12450H and set up a RTX 2050 graph. The bad thing is that it comes without operating system. MSI Thin 15 (B12UCX-1682xes) * Some price may have changed from the last review Gigabyte G6 The computer with the best value for money of this list is the Gigabyte G6a gaming laptop found in Mediamarkt by 619.65 euros; The price will come out once the cart is added. This computer assembles a 16 -inch screen that offers a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels and a 165 Hz rate, comes with the processor Intel i7-13620h together with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD and its graph is a NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 4060. The bad thing is that it also comes without operating system. Gigabyte G6 (KF-73es894kd) * Some price may have changed from the last review Some of the links of this article are affiliated and can report a benefit to Xataka. In case of non -availability, offers may vary. Images | Andrew Neel in UnspashHHP, Lenovo, Samsung, MSI, Gigabyte In Xataka | What is the best portable computer to work in 2025. Tips and recommendations In Xataka | Best laptops in quality price. Which to buy depending on the use and eight recommended models

In silence, Morocco is becoming a peculiar economic power: the "Türkiye" of the teeth

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In recent years, Morocco is becoming a proper name in several sectors. His relevance in the geopolitical panorama, economic and energetic It is now out of any doubt, but also wants to do A elbow hole in the tourism sector. Rather, to bites, since a trend that has taken traction between tourists is to travel to Morocco to visit the country and return home with a new mouth. And has made Spanish dentists raise an eyebrow. All inclusive tooth tourism. When we travel, many opt for complete packages that guide the experience. What is happening in countries like Morocco is that travel agencies and dental clinics themselves offer all inclusive packages that combine everything we need to enjoy both the country and extra services. These packages include flights, cultural experiences and, to finish off, Dental treatment. If you have ever had to undergo some mouth treatment, you will know that they have been between previous analysis, the procedure itself and the reviews, but these clinics highlight their ability to perform the treatment in a few days. The goal is to arrive, receive medical attention, do tourism and return home. In Xataka The Canary Islands will tend an underwater cable to Morocco. If Morocco decides to extend it, Spain will have a problem Usual treatments. They make it clear that they have 3D scanners, CAD/CAM technology (scanning tools, virtual design and automated manufacturing thanks to 3D printers) and the specialized personnel necessary to carry out the procedures. Which is it? Well, some quite helped and “from here I catch you, here I kill you”, and others somewhat more complex: Aesthetic veneers. Dental implants. Crowns and complete reconstructions. Whitening Orthodontics. {“videoid”: “x8px49v”, “Autoplay”: True, “Title”: “Antibiotics are ceasing to be effective and the problem is superbacteria”, “Tag”: “Webedia-prod”, “Duration”: “327”} Price and record time. And, apart from the times, if you have had to touch your mouth you will know perfectly what it costs. Prices vary depending on what treatment we do, but the most common seems to be the veneers. They are what we can see with the naked eye in a smile and may, influenced by the media pressure and beauty standards With perfect smiles On television, Tiktok and InstagramIt is also the most popular. It is estimated that the prices of this procedure in Morocco are between 70 and 80% cheaper than in countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom. It all depends on the material (composite or porcelain veneers can be made, for example), but there are also couple offers with resin veneers composed of 1,250 euros per person … or 2,000 euros for two people. Not only Morocco. It must be said that Morocco It is not the only destination that we can see publicized in networks or the web if we want to make any touch -up. Türkiye (also popular for other aesthetic procedures) and Albania have been one of the Main destinations for dental tourism. The veneers, again, are the protagonists, with cheaper prices than in other markets. The arguments are exactly the same as we see in the case of Morocco: “A recklessness “. The big question is what Spanish dentists think. And the answer is evident: not very well. The General Council of Dentists published on July 1 a release On this type of tourism, recommending that we be cautious about this type of advertising. The main argument that wields against these dental treatments Express is that the necessary time is not dedicated to it. In Xataka There are young Spaniards earning $ 10,000 a month in the Australian coal mines. But everything that shines is not gold All treatment entails risks, and if the oral state of each person is not correctly evaluated, short and long -term inconveniences, such as dental sensitivity, gum problems and even dental loss may arise. Traveling to another country to undergo a health process is not an adventure, it is a recklessness, ”says Oscar Castro, president of the Council. In addition, it ensures that leisure and health cannot be mixed and that, if something happens with the pieces that the patient has put in Morocco, who is responsible. In Xataka | Spain has been an untouchable power of Mediterranean tourism for years. A country steps on your heels: Türkiye Image | CAROLINE LM (Function () {Window._js_modules = Window._js_modules || {}; var headelement = document.getelegsbytagname (‘head’) (0); if (_js_modules.instagram) {var instagramscript = Document.Createlement (‘script’); }}) (); – The news In silence, Morocco is becoming a peculiar economic power: the “Türkiye” of the teeth It was originally posted in Xataka by Alejandro Alcolea .

The decisive moments of our economic life

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The Swedish background EQT paid a few days ago 2,000 million euros for Adevintacompany specialized in classified advertisement portals. In the background you can see a pattern in the purchases that EQT has made on Spanish soil. He has bought something that Silicon Valley could never create: the exact moment in which the Spaniards change his life. Why is it important. ADEVINTA Spain (Fotocasa, Milanuncios, Infojobs, Cars.net) It is not a company that competes against large technological ones. Rather it complements them. When we look for a floor, work or sell the car, we are not going to Amazon, neither to Instagram or Google. We go to Spanish portals that have been dominating those important moments of our economic life for decades. In figures. Among the six portals … They receive 146 million visits per month. And add 18 million unique users. They generate 225 million euros a year. With just over 1,600 employees. Its valuation, of 2,000 million euros, places them above many startups that presume to be disruptive. The context. EQT knows the business and land well. Controls 18% idealist after sell it to Cinven for 2.9 billion in 2024. It also has the European University and Freepik As a majority shareholder. Its strategy is clear: buy the decisive moments of Spanish digital life. Between the lines. This operation values national technological success. The Spanish portals have resisted the arrival of giants, mostly Americans, because they understood that it is not enough to have the best technology if you do not understand the cultural factor. In this case, the way in which Spaniards look for work, house, car, motorcycle. The threat. For years there was fear that Google, Amazon or Facebook swept this Spanish ecosystem. It did not happen. The Marketplaces premises built something more valuable than algorithms: trust, cultural proximity. When we want to sell something, we have turned to Milanuncios Oa Wallapop (outside this equation, but also Spanish). Vinted is also dominating second -hand fashion, but “only” that niche. Facebook Marketplace never went too far in our country. Yes, but. Consolidation always has its risks. EQT adds Adevinta to his participation in idealist. That is, it concentrates power in the portals that the Spaniards use the most. Less competition that usually derives to upward prices for publishing ads. The money trail. Blackstone and Permira bought Adevinta For 14,000 million in 2024. They now sell Spain for 2,000 million, staying with Germany, France, Holland and Italy. It is the classic strategy: chop and sell in parts to maximize value. A typical movement of investment funds. EQT promises to boost innovation and AI in the portals, but its true business is another: better monetize the moments in which the Spaniards need to change their lives. And those moments, by definition, cannot be shaken from the outside. In Xataka | Buy second -hand car: what to look and take into account before buying Outstanding image |

There are economic incentives to detect excess

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It is one of those situations associated with the arrival of airlines Low Cost in airports around the world. We talked about the waiting in the shipment next to an imposing figure that gives access to the plane: the metal structures or boxes with pre -established measures to verify that effectively the Measures of your suitcase They pass the cut in cabin, or quite the opposite: it is time to pay an extra succulent. It turns out that there was something else in the search for excessive luggage: an economic incentive. A hidden model. The story was told this morning the British newspapers. Apparently, A report That he has seen the light has revealed a practice in the United Kingdom airports so far unknown. A disturbing aspect of the Easyjet operating model: a bonuses system Economics aimed at encouraging employees of land assistance companies, such as Swissport and DHL Supply Chain, to detect passengers with hand luggage that exceeds the dimensions allowed. Through an internal filtered email, it was learned that these workers receive a specific remuneration for each suitcase intercepted at the boarding door: 1.20 pounds per unitwhich translates into 1 net pound for each “gate bag” consigned. This policy was communicated by a Swissport supervisor in November 2023 and remains in force, applying in airports such as Birmingham, Glasgow, Jersey and Newcastle, as well as in others managed by DHL such as Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester. Pressure and poorly paid. The story puts the focus something else. I remembered The Guardian That employees who execute these tasks charge around 12 pounds and, according to testimonies collected by the press, do not have maneuvering margin. An old passenger services manager described the experience as a direct confrontation With passengers, many times tense and proclaimed verbal abuse, especially when it comes to groups such as the typical single farewell travelers, who are required to pay more for a suitcase than by the ticket itself. These agents are not only under pressure to detect breaches, but also to the scrutiny of an internal monitoring system that, although it ensures not having disciplinary purposes, can be used forto “detect training opportunities” according to the language of mail. Despite the apparently neutral tone, the workers, According to The TimesThey understand that compliance with objectives is part of a broader business logic that conditions its permanence and pace of work. Extra income at the expense of the passenger. Easyjet Allows for free To passengers carry a small bag that fits under the seat. However, any additional luggage requires an early payment that begins, in the United Kingdom, In 5.99 pounds. The true friction point occurs when travelers reach the boarding door with a suitcase that exceeds the stipulated measures. In that case, if the bulge has not been declared or paid, the passenger must disburse 48 pounds so that the piece goes to the winery. The amount of surcharge and the moment it imposes makes it a “luck” of economic punishment rather than a transparent rate. In this way, the opera incentive system Like a trap that makes door staff Executors of a policy aimed at maximizing benefits, not facilitating flight experience. Mentioned. Swissport He has responded claiming that it simply applies the rules defined by the airline, without commenting on the bonuses scheme that has generated controversy. Easyjet, on the other hand, has said that It does not manage directly the remuneration of external agents, but strives to ensure a “consistent and fair” application of their policies. Low Cost doubts. It We count The weekend, although low -cost airlines have been built on the logic of basic rates and disaggregated servicesthe revelation that agents are financially rewarded for penalizing the passenger reopens the debate on the model ethics. Far from being an isolated anecdote, this practice seems one more manifestation of the turn they have taken Some airlines In your effort for monetizing every aspect of the trip. While the strict application of standards is necessary to guarantee efficient operations, doing so directly to the land personnel can pervert the balance between control and customer service, generating an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust. Instead of promoting understanding or flexibility in situations of minimal deviation, the reward system Punitive surveillance and converts the boarding door into a friction point between airline and passenger. It was already the closest thing to a psychological horror scene for many, but now that we know that the rules are applied by employees that could have more economic incentives to punish, than to help, it is a little more. Image | Heute, JWH In Xataka | We have been binding to the suitcases to identify them at the airport for years. Your employees warn that it is a bad idea In Xataka | Ryanair will expand the size of the hand suitcase this summer. Its real objective is another

In Madrid there were no economic hotels left, but there was a “virgin” space for tourists: polygons

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Like most of the large cities on the planet, prices for stay in Madrideither for a long time like a short stay, they have shot themselves. If we focus on tourist accommodations, already We tell it Recently: it’s not a sensation, hotels are more expensive than ever In Spain, and in cities such as the capital They are prohibitive. In fact, tourists are beginning to look for other destinations Like Morocco. The solution for hoteliers is in the surroundings: the polygons. The new face. Three years ago it was already coming. Then, he counted in a Report the ABC That on the outskirts of the M-30, where many still believe that Madrid is blurred in gray ships and empty streets at the afternoon, the polygon Julián Camarillo It offered a radically different image. This almost 200 hectares enclave, located between the linear city and Suanzes stations, had begun to transform into a vibrant, accelerated and multifaceted area, a reflection of a city in constant mutation. Its streets combine industrial vestiges from the 50s to 80s with new constructions, hotels, artisan breweries, gastronomic spaces, technological centers and an incipient cultural vocation. As happened before in Barrios Like Shoreditch in London or the District 22@ from Barcelonathe polygon seemed to position itself as an urban laboratory where the post -industrial laboratory gives way to the allegedly modern. Tourist destination Three years later, The country counted That in Julián Camarillo, which once was territory marked by half -empty offices, aged industrial buildings and unused solar, a phenomenon as unexpected as unstoppable is brewing: its transformation into an incipient hotel district. Yes, what at first glance seemed a little hospitable environment has become A tourist reef Thanks to its proximity to the center of Madrid and at the low cost of accommodation. Here is a proper name: the Catalan businessman Óscar Sánchez, founder of the Bestprice chainhas been one of the pioneers to bet on the enclave, describing it as an “oil well” for the potential it offers to those who risk. Its hotels, located only eight subway stops from Puerta del Sol, attract young visitors who prioritize the price aesthetics. The figures endorse it: since 2020 they have Opened eight hotels in the area and there are at least seven others in project. From illegal loft to functional hotels. Apparently, the previous attempts For redefining the area they did not prosper with equal success. At the beginning of the century, the New York Soho model with the loft fashion was attempted, and then promoted the term Madbit to attract to Technology companies. Both initiatives collided with the lack of regulation and a weak corporate demand. Instead, hotels have grown without institutional campaigns or brand names for the neighborhood. The specialized real estate agency in the area confirmed the country that many office promoters are transforming their projects into tourist establishments due to the evidence that the demand for accommodation exceeds that of work space. This boom coincides with something we have gone counting: he normative hardening Towards Airbnb and Tourist Housing The historical record of visitors in Madrid, where 10.4 million tourists were reached in 2024. The Carabanchel node Urban Fever. In the background, international consultants have confirmed the effervescence of the sector. Colliers has identified more than 60,000 square meters available for new hotel projects in Julián Camarillo, although warns that urban limits slow down the rhythm, so many of the New establishments They are small and functional, with less than one hundred rooms. Most are classified as a star hotels, and together they add more than 1,500 active rooms. Meanwhile, chains Like Ibis or Spark by Hilton They add to the model initiated by Bestprice, consolidating the area as the one that wakes up most between investors. Other consultants, Like Engel & VölkersThey observe a similar trend in industrial polygons from other cities such as Valencia, Bilbao or Barcelona, ​​where land prices and the lack of alternatives in the center push the hotel sector to colonize spaces traditionally relegated to the manufacturing activity. Asequible accommodation. The triumph of this model is Understand alone. The logic behind this transformation is because there are every time Less active factoriesoffices do not absorb enough demand and tourism needs affordable spacewell communicated and functional. With rates of between 60 and 70 euros per night, 20 minutes from the center of Madrid, hotels in polygons such as Julián Camarillo fill that hole. Carabanchel adds. Something similar is also happening to the south of the capital, although here with the aim of giving a housing alternative to creative young people at a step in the city. It The world told. In the heart of Carabanchel, a neighborhood more and more associated with urban artHE Inaugurated Node Carabanchela half stay hotel that redefines the concept of flexible accommodation with a thousand rooms designed for creative young people, students, digital nomads “and people in vital transition.” With one investment of 100 million In euros, the gigantic complex includes fully equipped studies and apartments, and offers a community experience focused on art, music and coworking, with spaces such as rehearsal rooms, podcast, theater, gym, swimming pool, sporting tracks and a scourge on the roof for concerts and cultural events. Replicating other models. Node aspires not only to accommodate, but to actively integrate into the local fabric through collaborations With schools, galleries and neighborhood artists, promoting a living and shared community. Driven by the Node Living company With the support of Bain Capital, this is its third project in Madrid and is part of an international expansion that replicates a model born in Brooklyn and already present in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London and Barcelona. Mutant neighborhoods. Be that as it may, all these proposals have a common denominator: Madrid is made big And it reinvents itself because its nerve center has become A theme park of Closed Coto. Of course, the spontaneity with which they have Grown polygons like Julián Camarillo To tourist district modes, they … Read more

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