Spain

Standard & Poor's has delivered another blow to sentiment across Europe after cutting Spain's long-term credit rating by one notch, from AA to AA-.

Italian and Spanish government debt have both been downgraded by the Fitch credit rating agency.

A UK tax consultant has joined forces with a Spanish accountancy firm in order to provide expat clients with expert advice on the tax issues in both countries.

It's our round-up of Friday's national finance news...

Spain has put in place a public sector borrowing cap in an effort to ease its debt burden.

Spain has remained the most popular choice for expat retirees looking for a place in the sun, Standard Life has found.

It may be a delicate subject, but it is often left to financial advisers to remind clients of their mortality.

The number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased with Spain handling the most cases (1,024) followed by Greece. Proportionally Brits are most likely to be hospitalised in Thailand.

EU leaders have agreed a further €109bn (£96bn) bailout for Greece, one-third of which will come from private sector bondholders.

Baker Tilly's Gary Heynes and Edward Emblem on the tax implications of owning a property in Spain.