Spanish banks post record first‑half earnings and commission surge

Consultancy Neovantas urged Spanish banks to use the current economic boom to build sustainable competitive advantages, warning that conditions could turn negative. President José Luis Cortina noted that the six IBEX‑35 banks generated €9.48 billion in the first half of the year, a 9.1 % increase year‑on‑year, with net interest income rising 3.8 % to €15.73 billion and commission revenue up 4.9 % to €6.03 billion.

Bankinter reported total commission income of €548 million, a 15.5 % rise, driven by asset‑management, brokerage, custody, transactional services and alternative‑investment businesses. Its non‑bank financial product commissions grew 17.5 % to €196.5 million, while asset‑management fees rose 21 % and insurance‑related commissions increased 8 %. Caixabank also highlighted strong commission growth, reflecting the broader resilience of Spain’s banking sector amid low delinquency rates.