Readers already know that when it comes to Europe, the scariest chart, from a political, economic, financial and social perspective, is that showing youth unemployment - youth, which engaged in idle, non-productive activity is a powder keg for both future economic instability and social upheaval. The monthly update is presented below. This time, we are happy to also present the "scariest heatmap" that goes with it, showing the geographic breakdown of unemployment in the critical 15-24 age groups. Those looking for geopolitical hotspots in the coming months and years, look no further than the dark shaded areas.
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Europe's youth unemployment rate pushed higher once again to a record-breaking 24.4% - where Greece was in Dec 2008. What is crushingly awful is the 57.6% youth unemployment in Greece and 56.5% in Spain that leaves a social fire burning in the belly of the nations. Italy also saw a major move to record highs above 37% youth unemployment and France is now above 27% also... recovery?
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