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The group Mersen (ex-Carbone Lorraine), specializing in graphite solutions and electrical components, confirms its growth targets for 2010 after the publication of an increase in its half-year profits of 25.4%. Net income for the first half was $ 17.3 million, for an operating margin of 9.9% against 9.5% a year ago, and sales, already published, 348.1 million (+14.8%).

"The event was very well directed, welcomed Thomas Baumgartner, the chief financial officer, during a conference call.However, despite this improvement, the activity has still not regained its 2008 level, before the start of the economic crisis.

While saying "pay attention to macroeconomic uncertainty," confirmed Mersen wait for all of 2010 a "return to organic growth" and increased its operating margin (about 9% in 2009. "We confirm our objectives even more confidence "that the end of July," said Thomas Baumgartner, ensuring not see at present any adverse effect of the macroeconomic environment on the recovery. And to indicate that the group would give more details of its 2010 targets September 15 at a meeting on the strategy Mersen.

In late June, the group's net debt, which has acquired companies such Boostec and M. Schneider, widened to 255.8 million euros against 214.9 million at end December.

The U.S. Intel acquired the business "wireless" (Wireless Business Solutions) of the German manufacturer Infineon semiconductors. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter 2011, approximately $ 1.4 billion (nearly 1.1 billion euros), according to a joint statement released Monday.

The wireless division will continue to operate independently within the Intel group, the statement said. She recorded the last fiscal year sales of 917 million euros, representing about 30% of the total turnover of Infineon.

With this sale, the German group wants to focus on its core business: automotive technology, industrial and security.

The transaction should allow Intel to increase the market for smartphones and embedded technologies with the expertise of Infineon payday loans. The acquired technology is also used in laptops, ultra-portable or tablets. "The acquisition of Infineon's wireless business strengthens the second pillar of our strategy computer connectivity to the Internet and allows us to offer a product portfolio covering the full range of wireless solutions," said Paul Otellini The CEO of the California firm.

Rumors of rapprochement between the two groups were revealed Sunday by the Wall Street Journal, which states that Samsung and Broadcom were also interested in the transaction. The U.S. daily said that Infineon hoped to realize $ 2 billion of the transaction.

Economists had expected worse. U.S. growth amounted to 1.6% in the second quarter, according to the second estimate of the Department of Commerce presented this Friday. A figure down 0.8 points from the first estimate and that betrays the slowdown after growth of 3.7% in the first quarter.

The difference is explained by taking into account the last calculation, external trade, the main weakness of the U.S. economy. "The slowdown reflects a sharp increase in imports," said Department of Commerce. The end of the replenishment of stocks by enterprises has also contributed to the resumption of breath.

More details to come …

Among the issues raised on the office of Nicolas Sarkozy, the creation of a bank co-development of the countries of southern and eastern Mediterranean has a special place. Even during reentry, the creation of a facility designed to finance development projects around the big blue remains a concern.

This Wednesday, Charles Milhaud gave the President the report by an international commission as a basis to work on creating this new financial institution, at the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Union Mediterranean (UPM), held in Barcelona in November.

Three scenarios were selected. The first, and probably one of the most probable, is to create a bank of the Mediterranean from the spin-off activities of the FEMIP (Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership).This includes all the instruments of intervention of the European Investment Bank (EIB) for development and economic development of partner countries. The Bank would become a shareholder with a stake between 35% and 50%. The second possibility, perhaps the most delicate, lies in the creation of a specific bank can easily imagine that it would require a significant capital raise.

Public-Private Partnerships

The third hypothesis advocates the establishment of an institution size smaller funds from deposits and consignments of countries concerned.

If the current subsidies reach 20 billion euros per year (including 5 billion from the EIB), the report reveals a shortfall of funding in some sectors.The major regional projects such as solar plan, water, urban development difficulties that could be resolved through public-private partnerships. The SMEs crucial to the development of this region of the world also face this problem.

The stakes are high. "We must realize the potential development of Mediterranean countries, like Germany has to do with the countries of Central and East," said Charles Milhaud. With a hope: that the institution's capital is also home to the southern states of the Mediterranean, but also the Gulf.

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The French are always prone to develop an ecologically minded when it can bring them money. Regarding photovoltaics, however, investment should soon be as attractive payday advance lender.

After the sugar cane, beet and corn whiskey. Researchers at the very serious Napier University in Scotland (could it be otherwise?) Have patented a biofuel made from byproducts of whiskey. That Captain Haddock is reassured, personal consumption is not threatened. These are manufacturing residues Scottish distilleries that can find an outlet in the petrochemical unexpected.

A potential windfall for local producers of whiskey, which already weigh 4 billion pounds (3.28 billion euros) in turnover. Scholars believe that the funds stills (precisely 1.6 million liters of pot ale and 187 000 kg of "draft") could easily supplying fuel to local gas stations.

Yes, lack of resources, only cars in Scotland would be entitled to preferential treatment.Unfortunate as this new biofuel benefits. It can be used in any car, without engine modification, and returns 30% higher than ethanol. But the story does not say if the streets will feel the "pure malt".

If the summer was finally not as hot as expected, the return should be it. In any case, the unions will do everything in this direction and plants already sharpening their weapons for the looming battle over pensions. "We feel strong enough discontent in the opinion," says Jean-Claude Mailly, secretary general of TF. The situation is still difficult in terms of employment and purchasing power. And then there's the pension reform that does not pass. One has the impression that the government is sailing to and try to solve problems by tapping the employees. "

In the crosshairs? The great day of mobilization unit of September 7, the day of commencement of the review of the pension reform in the Assembly.The goal is to do better than at the last day of protest and strike, June 24, where between 800,000 and 1.9 million French citizens – according to figures for the police and the CGT – marched to four corners of the Hexagon to protest against the project led by Eric Woerth.The unions have also worked hard this summer to convince the French to continue to fight against a reform they consider "unfair and ineffective": CGT visited factories and businesses to inform employees who do not go on holiday, the CFDT has toured throughout France with its green bus to entice young people to their cause, FP has preached the good word by flooding the beaches of postcards with the message clear: 'Holidays is great, retirement at age 60, too! "…

Heavy disruption to transport

A strategy that should be paid for, in the opinion of all experts, the mobilization of September 7 should be followed despite its very early in the schedule back.Strong perturbations are already announced in public transport, especially in the SNCF and the RATP house where unions have filed strike notice sometimes renewed. "Nicolas Sarkozy has skillfully diverted attention during the summer by returning to the front of the media spotlight the issue of security and forcing us to react," observes Lawrence Berger, the national secretary of the CFDT labor. It played well strategically, but it will not prevent a strong mobilization on September 7, "says he.

The challenge remains to prepare the post-September 7. The Inter meets on Monday evening in a Parisian suburb, the headquarters of the FSU, not only to capture passwords and goals of the mobilization of September 7, but will be talking about for him."A single event, unless it is huge, not enough to reverse the government concedes Jean-Claude Mailly. If you want to succeed, there should be a power stronger, and FOR will again offer the rapid organization of an inter-day strike to call for all unions. "Probably by mid-October , when the reform was passed by the Senate. A proposal that also appeals to the ultras in SOUTH but the CGT and CFDT still reject for fear of failure. "This is a high risk situation, because we can not afford to offer the French repeating events that would lead to nothing, nor call one-day strike which would result in not a failure," admits Lawrence Berger . The government, he, bet on a weakening of the movement and the resignation of the French.Top response on September 7.

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SOCIETE GENERALE posted Wednesday net income by 3.5 Muliple the second quarter of 2010, above expectations, thanks to a decline in its stores and a smaller than expected loss in its toxic assets. The bank led by Frederic Oudea confirms its objectives. SocGen, which has set a target of an annual profit of 3 billion euros, has already earned a net profit of 2.1 billion in the first half alone.

The second quarter was particularly strong for the second French bank by market value after BNP Paribas. It announced in its press release via effects have achieved a net profit of 1.084 billion euros for the second quarter ended in June, where the consensus reached by Reuters expected a general result to 732 million. The jump of the result depends primarily on a favorable base effect.In the second quarter of 2009, the bank had indeed been beset by such elements exceptionnels.Le group had had to reassess the value of its debt, due to improved market conditions, which had cost $ 1.3 billion over the period. This time, Societe Generale has received the opposite effect, to the tune of 254 million euros.

The cost of risk declines more slowly than in BNP and HSBC

Like BNP Paribas, which has published its accounts on Monday, its provision for potential loss on the credit over the period fell 6%. However the pace of decline in the cost of risk is much slower than some of its rivals, reflecting a more cautious speech of SocGen on strength of economic recovery.

BNP Paribas and British bank HSBC, for example reported Monday in stores near their level before the crisis in one hour payday loans. "The economic recovery that began in late 2009 confirmed, but it remains fragile," said Frederic Oudéa, CEO of Societe Generale, said in the statement. "Especially in Europe, growth prospects remain subdued," he adds.

Penalized by the toxic assets, and author of "profit warnings" on their accounts of 2009, SocGen tries since the beginning of year to convince the market of its ability to turn the page of the financial and economic crisis and the of the Kerviel affair.The new management team led by Frederick since May 2009 Oudéa promised mid-June to double the profits of Societe Generale in two years and is targeting a net profit of six billion euros in 2012.

Proposed acquisitions

The bank is also considering acquisitions but said it does not fund them through capital increases. Besides the new strategic plan, the results of resistance tests conducted on 91 European banks and the announcement by the Basel Committee's flexibility to draft new banking regulator has made a boufée oxygen action SocGen, long shunned by investors.

In the past four weeks, the title, boosted by good news on the European banking sector jumped 40%. Since the beginning of the year, however, still leaves nearly 8% and continues to underperform its benchmark Stoxx 600 European banks.On Wednesday, investors welcomed the performance, action rising 2.46% in the first few transactions to 46.51 euros.

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The index futures are predicting a slight increase in opening of U.S. markets. Shortly before the opening of Wall Street, futures on the Standard & Poors'500 yielded 0.02% at 1121.6 points and the Nasdaq 100 index futures advanced 0.08% to 1895.75 points. The Dow Jones is expected to open in tiny increase of 0.02% at 10,619 points.

Wall Street has ended sharply higher Monday, nearly 2% to a high of 10 weeks. The decline of the dollar in particular has boosted energy stocks and mining. The banking sector also supported the document, benefiting from strong results that are published by big European names including BNP Paribas and HSBC. Bank of America gained 2.85% to 14.44 dollars, JPMorgan Chase, 3.38% to 41.64 dollars.The dollar resumed a few colors on Tuesday but remains under pressure, while oil continues to benefit from macroeconomic indicators that reassured investors about the pace of recovery in the global economy.

On the menu of macroeconomic indicators on Tuesday, investors will have the choice between car sales for the month of July, expenditures and household incomes in July, which will be unveiled at 14.30, the industrial orders for June, expected to 16:00, along with the promise of home sales in June

As for listed companies, Pfizer presented on Tuesday, before the market, its second quarter results, as well as Dow Chemical, and Procter & Gamble, those of Q4. Electronic Arts will publish the results after the market's first quarter.

While RIM has today with her new Blackberry.RIM could still react to the decision reaffirmed the UAE who want no more of the famous phone. In local media, the UAE were in effect Tuesday defended against criticism of their decision to suspend U.S. from October 11 major services of multimedia BlackBerry phone.

Morgan Stanley will be closely watched. The U.S. bank would have in fact decided to split the fund FrontPoint risk investments, acquired in 2006 by U.S. TV network CNBC that the deal is completed by three months.This split would allow Morgan Stanley to comply with new requirements of the Dodd-Frank legislation on financial regulation, which limits the bank's own brokerage and speculative positions.

Sanofi-Aventis has sent the U.S. biotech group Genzyme (which gained 1.15% to 70.36 dollars on Monday night) a letter citing his interest in American society, said Monday a source close to the deal, adding that the two companies were discussing the offer.

The leading manufacturer of industrial gases Air Liquide has posted its results on Monday for the first half of the year. Its sales climbed 9.7% as reported (6.3% excluding currency and natural gas) to 6.516 billion euros. Net income group share increased 13.3% to 676 million euros. For its part, the operating profit jumped 22% to 1.084 billion euros.

The operating margin reached 16.6%, an increase of 160 basis points over the first half of 2009, "resulting from increased volumes consumed by customers and the effectiveness of operational control," according to the release of the group.

Activity and gas services, which represents more than 87% of total turnover, grew by 13.4% as reported (9.5% on a comparable).The sales increase primarily in the Asia-Pacific (+25.2% to 1.213 billion euros), while activity in Europe increased slightly by 4.4% to just over 3 billion euros.

Progression from the pre-crisis

For Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO of Air Liquide, the company posted a "solid growth in its turnover and its results compared to both 2009 and pre-crisis level of 2008."Turnover has indeed found the same level as in the first half of 2008, while net income group share was up 12.4% over the same period.

Benoit Potier said that evolution is "the result of the continued increase in demand for our customers but also the adaptability of the group to a new environment, thanks to ALMA," referring to a development program Group launched in 2008.

Therefore, the band announced maintain his target new growth in net profit in 2010, a continuation of our historical performance.

At 10:00, the Air Liquide was down 0.44% to 85.99 while the CAC 40 rose 1.52%.

Sales Linde also up sharply

German rival Linde, number two on the market, has also published its interim results on Monday.Group sales rose 11.5% to 6.104 billion euros. Operating income reached 1.396 billion euros, up 26.4% year on year. Net income jumped nearly 80% to 445 million euros.

Linde has also confirmed its objective to grow revenues and operating income for the year 2010.