Eurozone Unemployment Hits 12.2%

Eurostat reports that the rate of unemployment in the Eurozone hit 12.2% in April 2013, up from 12.1% in March. This compares very unfavourably with the levels of unemployment in the UK (7.7%) and the USA (7.5%).

The level of youth unemployment in certain countries is particularly shocking, the highest being in Greece (62.5% in February 2013), Spain (56.4%), Portugal (42.5%) and Italy (40.5%).

As I have said before, this level of unemployment is not sustainable and is a threat to democracy.

Hollande Leads Eurozone Breakaway Movement

For reasons that are unclear President Francois Hollande appears intent on destroying the French economy.

Why does he want to do that?

Could it be that he wants to lock in France's fate fully with Greece, Portugal, Spain et al thereby creating a level of economic failure so great (a form of critical mass) that the Eurozone cannot afford to expel these countries without an economic implosion, and using this as an opportunity to lead a breakaway movement from German dominance of the Eurozone?

Ten Countries Most Likely To Default

Bottom 10 Sovereign CDS ranked by spread at end-March 2012

Name    5Y Spread   Change   % Change   Feb ranking
Cyprus     1183             4              0%             N/A
Portugal   1075          -90            -8%             2 (0)
Ukraine      859         101            13%            4 (+1)
Argentina   809           32             4%             3 (-1)
Venezuela  712          -13            -2%             5 (0)
Ireland       572          -27            -5%             6 (0)
Hungary    546            50           10%             8 (+1)
Egypt        544           -52            -9%              7 (-1)
Lebanon    459          -17            -4%               9 (0)
Spain         428           55            15%             16 (+6)

Source markit

Greece is not on the list, because it has already defaulted.