Debt Crisis Hits Finland's Growth

Finnish unemployment rose to the highest in six months at the end of last year, increasing more than economists estimated, as Europe's debt crisis sapped economic growth in the northernmost euro member, the Irish Times reported on a Bloomberg story. The jobless rate, which isn't adjusted for seasonal variations, rose to 7.4 per cent in December from 6.2 per cent in November, Statistics Finland said Tuesday. The rate topped all four economist estimates in a survey by Bloomberg. Finland's economic growth is slowing as the European debt crisis weighs on exports, which make up 40 percent of the AAA rated nation's economy. The Finance Ministry and the central bank both forecast 0.4 per cent growth for this year. Read more.