Hi °C | Lo °C 
Spain's National Statistics Institute has confirmed that the country's economy shrank 0.4% in the first quarter, placing it back in recession.
The contraction follows a 0.3% decline in the final quarter of last year.
This is Spain's second recession in three years.
Two consecutive quarters of economic contraction are seen as constituting a technical recession.
The institute's findings confirm figures advanced by the Bank of Spain last week.
It comes days after Spain had its debt rating downgraded by Standard & Poor's.
