Austerity vicious circle

The beginning of a new year is a time for making plans for the future and reaching conclusions about the year just past. Unfortunately 2012 provided many disappoints. The eurozone jobless rate rose to another record high in November and with the region’s governments pressing ahead with austerity programmes, unemployment is likely to keep on rising this year. The situation in the US labour market is rather steadier, although as far as the Federal Reserve is concerned it is not good enough. We’ll discuss the unemployment issue with Simon Denham from London Capital Group. Also in Business Weekly: talk of a pan-European telecommunication network involving the region’s top companies and the high cost of being on the Champs Elysées for retailers.