Awwal 07, 1432, Feb 10, 2011, SPA -- The yield on Portugal's 10-year bonds has risen to a euro-era record, signaling the debt-stressed country has so far failed to dispel investor fears about its fiscal health, according to AP. Analysts say Portugal's anemic growth and heavy debt load may force it to seek a bailout like Greece and Ireland. The government insists it can restore fiscal health without help, but its borrowing costs could become unsustainable. The 10-year bond interest rate hit 7.6 percent on the secondary market Thursday _ not far off the level that forced Dublin to accept aid. The minority government has introduced tax hikes and pay cuts to cut debt. But the measures, which have brought strikes, could cast Portugal into recession and worsen its plight.
