Spanish borrowing costs rocketed yesterday as investor fears about the nation's public finances came roaring back

Spanish borrowing costs rocketed yesterday as investor fears about the nation's public finances came roaring back and the head of the central bank warned that the country's ailing banking sector might require further official support. The yield on 10-year Spanish sovereign debt breached 6 per cent at one point in trading yesterday, the highest level since the beginning of the year, as markets signalled concern that Madrid could be forced to follow Greece, Ireland and Portugal and seek a bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. The cost of insuring Spanish debt also increased, with five-year Credit Default Swap rates widening to 4.78 per cent. On Monday, the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, announced a further €10bn (£8.25bn) of spending cuts, on top of the €27bn package of austerity measures and tax rises for 2012 his government unveiled earlier this month. But some analysts fear the large cuts in spending will undermine demand and push the Spanish economy, which is already forecast to contract by 1.7 per cent over 2012, still deeper into recession and make it impossible for the country to service its debts. Market alarm over Spain's fiscal position was exacerbated yesterday by a warning from central bank governor Miguel Angel Fernandez Ordonez that prolonged recession would undermine the solvency of Spain's banks, forcing them to seek more capital from the Spanish government.

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