The European Commission on Monday raised its growth forecast for the Spanish economy this year and lowered its inflation forecast, widening the expected performance gap between Spain and the other large European Union countries.

The Commission upgraded its 2023 economic growth forecast to 2.2%, up from a previous 1.9% seen three months ago, and cut its EU-harmonised inflation forecast to 3.6% from a prior 4%. (Reporting by Inti Landauro and Jan Strupeczewski; Editing by Toby Chopra)