Spain raises growth forecast, unemployment falls in June

Spain's conservative government raised its growth forecast on Thursday for both this year and next, as official data showed registered unemployment fell for the fifth straight month in June. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government, which is facing a year-end general election, now sees growth of 3.3 percent in 2015 and of three percent in 2016. The government had earlier this year hiked its economic growth forecast to 2.9 percent for 2015 and 2016.