Malaga combines cosmopolitan sophistication with the relaxed air of the Costa del Sol.

Spain’s retail sector is performing strongly, which is a good indication of a recovering economy.

According to data published this week by Spain’s National Statistics Institute INE), Spanish shops are now hiring staff at pre-crisis levels.

This positive data will ensure that the country ends 2015 on a high after 12 months of near-constant good news concerning its economy…

The INE data showed that job creation across Spain’s retail sector grew by 1.8% in November as stores geared up for the Christmas rush, while sales that month were also up 3.3% compared to 2014.

Although Christmas data is not yet readily available, there is widespread belief that the festive season will prove lucrative to many businesses in Spain, with consumer confidence having flooded back, wages slowly rising and job security – as well as job creation – increasing.

Such encouraging economic data will be seized upon by whoever comes to power in 2016 following the recent general election. The various parties are still locked in talks over how best to form a government, with a decision not expected until January at the earliest, experts believe.