24 Feb 2012

Eurozone recession expected

1:49 pm on 24 February 2012

The Eurozone is expected to enter its second recession in three years.

The European Commission has predicted that the eurozone economy will contract by 0.3% in 2012. Previously, it had forecast growth of about 0.5%.

However, it expects the bloc to experience only a mild recession, as it sees signs to stabilisation.

The biggest drag on the eurozone economy is expected to be Greece.

Greece and Portugal were the only economies the Commission expected to contract in its previous forecast in November.

The BBC reports Belgium, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Slovenia have now joined Greece and Portugal on a list of countries expected to do worse than previously forecast.

Germany looks like it will avoid a recession.