Why The Euro Collapses In 2011

The Euro is a doomed currency. It always has been and always will be, as long as it continues to exist. I firm believe that the Euro will collapse in 2011 as we know it and very well could split into two currencies, a Northern Euro and a Southern Euro. The Northern Euro will have the stronger countries, like Germany, France, Luxembourg and Austria, while the Southern Euro has the weaker countries, like Spain and Portugal. The stronger countries will get tired of bailout out the weaklings, and 2011 will be a year of many bailouts. I expect Spain, Portugal and potentially Italy to be bailed out in 2011, should things continue on the track they've been on during 2010. Ireland and Greece have already been bailed out this year, and Greece still can't get its fiscal house in order. I would not want to be a German citizen when they find out they have to foot the majority of the bill because one of their Euro brethren doesn't want to make painful austerity cuts because they are used to living to a certain lifestyle. Europe, and especially the weaker countries, do not realize that nothing is a given in life. You're not afforded the ability to retire in your early 50's. Retirement should be mid to late 60's, and if that's something you have to give in order for your country not to go down to the brinks of hell, that's a choice that has to be made. To play this, investors can short any of the aforementioned countries ETFs, like iShares MSCI Spain Index ETF

or iShares MSCI Italy Index

or watch the crash and burn of the Euro by shorting the CurrencyShares Euro Trust

. 2011 will see a major crisis in one of the European Union countries, most likely Spain. I've seen estimates that bailing out Spain could cost well above $500 billion. If Spain, Portugal and Italy need to be bailed out next year, as many expect, I don't see how the EU stays together and the euro survives in its current form. You have two distinct sets of ideologies in the Northern and Southern European countries. A divided Euro can not stand, and therefore, it must fall. Disclosure: no position in names mentioned