Struggling firms in Italy, Spain mean more woes for the eurozone

Thousands of small companies struggling to repay loans in Italy and Spain signal bigger problems on the horizon for the eurozone after the dust has settled on Cyprus' bank bailout.

Defaults by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), easily the biggest employers in Spain and Italy, are rising at a worrying clip, spelling trouble for the banks and two countries at the heart of Europe's debt crisis.