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From our Washington correspondent

General Motors (GM) hopes to return to profit this year. But, for the six months following its release from bankruptcy – that is to say the second half of 2009 – the American manufacturer said Wednesday losses of 4.3 billion. A deficit can be explained by the accounting impact of one-off payment of 2.6 billion dollars to fund medical expenses of its workers unionized. Losses in the second half to add 88 billion of accumulated losses reported by GM since 2005. Fallen giant, which reveals for the first time since its release its finances in bankruptcy, however, is reassuring in terms of "positive cash flow of one billion dollars."GM will release its 2010 first quarter results next month.

The largest U.S. auto also Wednesday renewed his promise to repay the U.S. Treasury $ 4.7 billion by next June. This is the outstanding amount of loans to support its radical reorganization and exit bankruptcy instant payday loan. But the bulk of 50 billion dollars of state aid to GM has been converted into shares. The Treasury, which holds 61% stake in the manufacturer, hopes that conditions will be reunited as quickly as possible to divest this anachronistic situation through a grant from the reintroduction Detroit giant."We have important work to achieve but we are building the foundations that we will be re-listed," said Chris Liddell, the new group finance director, Microsoft hired by GM's new boss, Ed Whitacre .

Moving faster than expected GM bankruptcy has eliminated most of its debts and reduce its cost of labor. If we do not consider brands that are being abandoned, like Pontiac, Hummer and Saturn, GM sales are recovering.

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The CAC 40 gained 0.49% to finish at 4053.94 points, its highest level since the beginning of the year. Frankfurt has won 0.27% and 0.62% in London.

After four days of Easter break, European markets greeted the resumption of job creation in the United States, announced last Friday as well as good numbers of activity in services and real estate published in recent days.

U.S. markets plying highs not seen since late 2008, however, regained their breath. The day before, while Wall Street took note of good statistics published during the week end, the Dow Jones closed up 0.43% and the Nasdaq had allotted 1.12%.

After this beautiful hike, investors preferred to play the card of caution before publication in the night "minutes" of the Fed.A document that transcribes the discussions that took place at the last meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Fed and many analysts imagine animated. Although directed at the opening, the Paris market has reduced its earnings in mid-session, affected by Wall Street and by new concerns about Greece which weighed on the euro.

Raw materials and surging oil

On most major world stock markets, the values related to raw materials and light winds were driving the increase. The latest U.S. statistics have dramatically raised prices. The barrel is trading around 86 dollars in New York, on the summits of 18 months!

In Paris the title of the mining company ArcelorMittal has spent virtually all sitting at the head of the CAC 40 with a gain of nearly 4%, followed closely by oil services Technip and Vallourec disputed second on the podium.On the deferred settlement (SRD), Eramet jumped more than 7%. The title was borne by a positive note, analysts at Exane BNP Paribas, which have raised their price target to 260 euros against 175 previously.

After disappointing results in 2009 of Soci?t? G?n?rale, its CEO Frederick Oud?a knows waited. Both internally and externally. Vis-?-vis its troops, he has to take action. He unveiled a few days to key executives of the bank the outlines of a comprehensive transformation plan, dubbed "Ambition SG 2015" on which management has plate in the second half of last year.

Fifty sites have been identified, comprising four strands of work – customer relationships, image, operational efficiencies, staff. A strategic committee, chaired by the CEO, will meet every fortnight to confirm their advance."This is not a restructuring plan," warns the outset Severin Cabannes, deputy CEO, which states: "We expect and we adapt to changes in the environment."

A regulatory environment which strengthens capital requirements, requires the optimization of resources. It is no coincidence that, for the first time since the acquisition of Cr?dit du Nord in 1997, the bank plans to share its resources with regional gem. "We want to preserve the entrepreneurial spirit of the bank and we will associate with an industrial approach," says Severin Cabannes.

Another declared objective of the Societe Generale, the transition to a company focused on customer relations, as opposed to a counter which "push" of products.Same logic: the regulators, when calculating the liquidity needs of banks, will weigh the deposits according to the fidelity of goodwill. The challenge is even more crucial for a network that is still recovering Kerviel scandal and controversy surrounding stock options. So, at Societe Generale, a barometer of customer satisfaction is now one of the criteria for evaluating managers, next to the control of operational risk and the expense ratio on income.

Change Image

The most urgent projects such as the brand platform, the convergence of retail banking networks or approximation of systems have already been placed on the rails. "Changing the image of the bank is one of our priorities. We have already started work.The new ads end of 2010 will be marked by the change, "and warns Caroline Guillaumin, the new director of group communications.

The general direction of the Company asserts course very attentive to the additional stress involved in this challenge to its 160,000 employees. The trauma of France Telecom is in everyone's mind. "All projects will be accompanied by change experts. If we go more slowly, we'll go more slowly, "insists Severin Cabannes.

"We presented this business plan to the 1000 Ambassadors of the bank and 95% of them said they adhered to it. This shows a very strong support and I see a show real momentum around Frederick Oud?a "concluded Deputy CEO.Certainly, the bank needs to show it solidly behind his boss, when critics suggest instead a degree of uncertainty since the redesign of the staff. Vis-?-vis the outside, the long awaited day of 8 June investors will take stock of the strategy and financial outlook for 2012. The same day the trial begins Kerviel. A coincidence heavy.

The story accelerates. This Friday, the Japanese group Sharp has introduced a tiny touch screen, color, reproducing 3D videos. The big innovation is that this screen does not require glasses. A step that should be taken seriously. Unfashionable as it may eventually large screen televisions in 3D now being launched in the U.S. by Samsung and Panasonic but need to don special glasses.

However, to see the effect in relief, it is necessary to be right in front of the small screen, 30 cm apart. "We can only produce small screen in this technology. In addition, 12.7 cm diagonal. It must be well in front, otherwise the perception of 3D fade, "says Patrick Chardin, director at Sharp France. To develop its new technology, the Japanese group has improved its previous innovations.Three years ago, in Tokyo, Sharp has introduced an innovative technology which allowed three people to watch at the same time, a different program broadcast by the same TV, depending on the position of each face on the screen. Each point on the screen was broadcasting a different image depending on the viewing angle of the viewer.

According to this principle, with an image emitted for each eye, the semiconductor division of Sharp has designed its new 3D display device called an "interlaced effect. The additional cost compared to a conventional screen is not excessive.For the screen in landscape consists of a conventional LCD panel on which is placed a filter.

Nintendo

But because of its limited size for the 3D effect, "we focus on three markets: portable gaming devices, smartphones (note: mobile phones for surfing) and embedded screens, such as GPS in cars" said Patrick Chardin make quick cash.

Production should begin in September. One of the first objects that can use this technology should be the next portable game console, Nintendo 3DS, announced last week and promised for 2011. For its previous screens of the DS, sold 125 million units, Nintendo had already appealed to Sharp as a supplier.

Nintendo's next console will be presented in June in Los Angeles at E3.The Japanese group said the old games the DS can be reused on its future console. With 3DS, the group led by Satoru Iwata will take another step ahead of the Sony PSP (67 million), which was sold two times less than the DS. In addition, the CEO of Nintendo will reduce competition from the iPhone and iPod Touch which guests are on the market for portable game consoles.

Moreover, it could sell 78 million smartphones equipped with 3D screens by 2018, says DisplaySearch.For now, only one mobile is sold only in Japan by Hitachi, with a 3D effect without glasses.

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They were euphemistically called the "very high salaries." These are the 133 000 full-time employees the more lucrative private sector who have received an average gross earnings of EUR 215 600 in 2007. Three times more than the "high wages" and seven times more than all full-time employees. The heterogeneity of this category is very large: the differences in annual revenues ranging from 84 500 euros to more than 13 million.

This category of the population does not know the crisis."While they represent only 1% of the workforce, people with very high incomes receive 5.5% of earned income, 32% of income from assets and 48% of the windfall revenues reported (capital gains, exercise of options), "INSEE noted in the 2010 edition of its publication The income and household wealth.

Between 2004 and 2007, the number of employees earning more than 100 000 per year has increased by 28% and those exceeding the half-million dollars … 70%! Since 2002, wages rose an average 5.8% per annum in real terms, against a 2.3% increase for all employees on the same period. Three focus areas more than half of these very high salaries: advice and assistance (including sector "business administration" including holding companies, the group headers), financial activities and trade activities Wholesale.

West Paris in mind

40% of these very high salaries are salaried executives who earn on average 230 000 per year, 15% of financial professionals, such trader or chief of a financial service of a large company (290 000), and More anecdotally, for 0.8% of them, the athletes earning almost 450 000 euros on average per year.

Nearly nine in ten very high salaries (87%) are men. "The more you go up the hierarchy, the higher the proportion of men increases," notes INSEE estimated 6% difference in pay between male and female quotas at this level of responsibility.

Another feature related to the experience, they are older (49 years on average) than high wages (45 years) and that all employees (40 years). Only 16% of them are under 40 years.Finally, nearly one in two lives in West Paris, in the three departments (Paris, Yvelines Hauts-de-Seine) where the head offices of large enterprises.

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