Sundial of world news

In the 2000s, they are scooters that are purchased in groups at the lowest price possible on clust.com. For several months, cosmetics and sunglasses sold off at bargain prices to compete for the Internet on sites like Groupon Dealissime or who provide promotional offers provided to achieve a minimum number of buyers.

And soon, the mechanics of buying community will also afford the houses. That, at least the bet made by Serge Benichou, founder of the social network of real estate businesses-urban profil.com. He plans to hold from 14 March to 14 April 1 internet sales of a Parisian building of 850 sqm in bulk purchase.This should kick off a sustainable supply, called GroupUP, whose mission is "to enable groups of buyers or investors to buy a whole and simultaneously a property," says the organizer in a statement.

His project is not the first bulk purchase unusual: in the online banking Monabanq, the rate of pay on savings and varies depending on the number of subscribers, and Capital Games, bunch of video game companies to Ile-de-France, organized the bulk purchase of market research.

Iliad exceeds all market expectations. The provider of Internet access reported on Wednesday a turnover of 313.1 million euros in 2010, up 78% and well above the 288 million consensus estimate of analysts. The EBITDA jumped 20.7% to 798.1 million euros (above the expected 773 million) while sales gained 4.3% to 2.038 billion euros. Free cash flow for the ADSL business has emerged up 33% in 2010 to 435.5 million euros.

The most notable of the past year is the rapid recovery of Alice in restructuring since its acquisition in August 2008 to Telecom Italia.The subsidiary has seen a further erosion of its subscriber base in 2010 (565.000 in 2010 against 678,000 in 2009) and a decrease in sales (-16.7%) but its profitability has improved throughout the exercise in favor of a policy of cost reductions initiated last two years. Alice has contributed positively to EBITDA of up to 83 million euros.

The group will propose a dividend of 0.40 euro per share for 2010, against 0.37 euros for 2009.

Outlook confirmed

Based on these results, Iliad confirmed its objectives for short and medium term. The group, owner of Free, has a cumulative free cash flow of over 1.1 billion euros between 2010 and 2012, including Alice. Turnover is also expected to double by 2015.

Side operational objectives, Iliad expects a coverage of 4 million households in the fiber optic end of 2012 and 100,000 subscribers to fiber optics by the end of the year. The timing of the launch of the mobile offering is also confirmed for next year. The ISP, which just signed a partnership with Orange, plans to cover 27% of the French population with its own network by January 2012.

ALSO READ:

"Free is preparing a" major innovation "for its Freebox

The rating agency Moody's downgraded Monday the note of Greece three notches to B1 from Ba1, and warned it could still lower in the months to come. The Mediterranean country now finds itself ranked at Belarus and Bolivia. For analysts, the outcome is inevitable. "Greece is insolvent and continue to lend without significant reduction of its debt is not a viable strategy," write in a recent analysts Bruegel Institute. Athens returns to its public debt below 60% of GDP within two decades, according to them should be amputated about 30%.

Officially, a restructuring is not on the agenda. But Brussels can not do without thinking about his conditions of loans to countries in distress."The euro area is expected to lower lending rates in Greece and Ireland, two countries that have already appealed to European solidarity," said Monday, the Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn daily Handelsblatt. "The maturity of the loan to Greece should also be extended to three and a half to seven years" to loosen credit conditions "too strict".

After haggling

This rate cut may be hard bargaining behind the scenes when the Heads of State and Government of the eurozone will meet Friday in Brussels for an extraordinary summit. Last week in Helsinki, Angela Merkel made clear that there would be counterparties to any eventual loosening of the device.In this case, negotiations could include corporate taxation, while Ireland defends a very low tax rate than its European partners see as a form of tax dumping.

Another sensitive topic, the abandonment of wage indexation on inflation is no longer included in the document prepared by the chairman, Herman Van Rompuy and chief executive Jose Manuel Barroso. In all, a sanitized version of the "pact of competitiveness" that Franco-German leaders discuss the eurozone Friday, including raising the retirement age or the inclusion of a "rule of Golden budget. But on all these issues, Europe must make a timely response and to see a united front cash advance no faxing. For another danger lurks already on the forehead Portuguese one.

Greek degradation was still climbing the Portuguese borrowing rate at 10 years, to 7.58%.An unsustainable level for analysts, who bet on an imminent call for help from Lisbon. Fund bailout (FESF) would again be involved; EU leaders have until March to complete the reform process.

Athens judge agencies 'irresponsible'

Lowering three notches on Monday of the sovereign rating of Greece decided by Moody's, making the country move back into the category of risk states having only "low security long repayment term" , caused a very unusual anger in Athens.

This reduction is "completely unjustified, because it does not reflect a balanced and objective assessment of conditions under which Greece is facing now," retorted violently Ministry of Finance said in a statement more than a page.The agency insists on actually all that remains to be done if the country can only borrow again in the financial markets and regrets that, despite the 6-point deficit reduction achieved by Greece in 2010 – or only a year – this country is failing to increase its tax revenues sufficiently.

It also stresses that, vis-à-vis the euro area, even if the partners agree to relax the terms of the loan granted last May in Athens, the result can only work by "reducing the rate and magnitude of the deteriorating situation in the country. " A few days before the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the euro area, this decision appears in the eyes of Athens as the kick ass.The Greek government considers the rating agencies completely "irresponsible", while, for its part, the European Commission does not wish to respond, showing, it seems, a certain embarrassment.

ALSO READ:

"Greece is sanctioned by the rating agency Moody's

Wen Jiabao's speech at China's parliament on Saturday took on the appearance of mea culpa. Chinese Premier, speaking at the 3000 delegates to the NPC, met for ten days in Beijing, acknowledged that the price increase was the source of calls for protests that flourished in the country. "We need to consider price stability as the priority of our macro-economic control," he said.

During the inaugural session of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, Prime Minister described the inflationary expectations of "problems which are closely the standard of living of the population, the overall situation and stability of the country." Rising consumer prices rose 4.9% in January over a year.The government promises to reduce it to "4%" this year.

Always fight against inflation, the Chinese authorities want to implement "a prudent monetary policy," which will require the limitation to 16% of the increase in money supply M2, which includes the aggregate of currency in circulation, accounts demand deposits and savings accounts.

Avoid the shock wave

Even if the Prime Minister made no reference to the popular liberation movements that are shaking the Arab world, his speech illustrated the authorities' concern to avoid any risk of spread to China. "Some issues that are subject to strong reactions among the population have not been resolved completely.Food security is poor and some sectors are vulnerable to corruption "he acknowledged.

To fight against these problems, the government would "continue to pursue a policy stimulus. Efforts will focus on "rural development", "improving the level of the population" and developing "social sectors".

According to this discourse that determines the main directions for the country's official year, "the educational resources and lack of quality medical and their distribution is uneven." Moreover, "the property prices have recorded an excessive increase in some cities," said Wen Jiabao, who promises to develop social housing."Social contradictions raised by the illegal requisition of land and demolition of illegal houses have multiplied," he added.

Target of 8% growth

These investments will be in a GDP growth of around 8% this year and an annual increase of around 7% over the next five years. These figures, which marked a slowdown from the 11.2% GDP growth recorded during the last five years had already been discussed by Wen Jiabao in late February at the Forum on China Internet.

Despite continued efforts to invest, the government wants to reduce the budget deficit will be contained in "about 2% of GDP".

Warning against the challenge

When the Prime Minister recognized the inequality at the source of disputes, an editorial published by the Beijing Daily, official newspaper of the Communist administration, launched a warning against the calls for protest. "Everyone knows that stability is a blessing and a curse chaos," said the newspaper stating that the "disorder" that has shaken the Arab world "has led to a massive disaster for the peoples of these countries." "It is worth noting here or abroad, some individuals feeding on ulterior motives trying to trigger chaos in China, using the Internet to foment illegal gatherings," it said.Following an appeal to all Chinese citizens so that they "conscientiously protect the harmony and stability".

In recent weeks, dozens of Chinese dissidents have been arrested and police have threatened to deprive alongside dozens of visas to foreign journalists if they continue to cover "illegally" appeals from sites based abroad.

ALSO READ:

"Inflation: Beijing fears social revolt

"China's growth will be more sustainable"

"China is devoted second largest economy in 2010

BNP Paribas is continuing its shopping. While the French bank has become the second European bank following the acquisition of Fortis at the height of the crisis, she joins a company controlled by Belgian financier Albert Frere to launch a takeover bid of 1.5 billion euros over the minority shares of Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille (CNP), according to the Belgian authorities. BNP Paribas and Albert Frere already hold, directly or through their joint holding Erbe, 67.3% of NPC.

In financial terms, the offer is launched by the company Fingin, totally controlled by Erbe, and relates to the 28.3% stake in NOC currently held by minority investors (the remaining 4.4% are treasury CNP) . According to the Banking, Finance and Insurance Commission (CBFA) in Belgium, offers Fingin 48.64 euros per share NOC, is listed on the Belgian BEL 20 index.The action NOC having closed Thursday at 40.31 euros on the Brussels Stock Exchange, the offer price represents a premium of well over 20%. The operation would be a bargain: some analysts value the NOC to a higher intrinsic value 51.90 euros per share.

Accordingly, the holding company NOC, which covers in particular its interests in the unlisted sector would be delisted. And withdrawal could kick off a broader reorganization of the galaxy Belgian billionaire Albert Frere, a sphere with multiple stages.

ALSO READ:

The results of BNP Paribas are worse than expected

"Brother Albert: his estate" settled "

The Courdi accounts furnish his report Friday on the Franco-German tax convergence. According to our information, this report concludes that there is some leeway in France for the VAT hike, but they should be used as part of a major tax reform. He advocated focusing instead on business taxation in order to align the two countries personal loans for people with bad credit.

The Court would consider in the future produce a joint report with the Germans focused on corporate taxation. This time it was a true co-relation. The report was issued Friday, he, been realized only by the French Cour des Comptes, which relied on the help of German authorities.

It's confirmed. The Figarol'avait as revealed on February 22, gas prices in France will increase by 5% from 1 April. Eric Besson, Minister of Industry and Energy has announced at a press conference on the installation of the National Observatory of fuel poverty that GDF Suez was preparing "to submit to the CRE (Commission for Energy Regulation, Ed) a request to increase gas prices in effect from April 1, "5%" in principle ", he said.

In January, gas prices had been frozen by government decision. These are only three months after the invoice will begin to swell. 10.8 million households connected to natural gas are affected by the bad news. The increase of about 5% represents a premium of around 45 euros for their heating bills. Especially after this increase, the price of gas has taken nearly 20% in one year.On 1 April 2010, he had jumped by 9.7%. Last July, he was again appreciated by 4.7%. This winter, the government had decreed a break.

Rising oil prices reflected

GDF Suez was announced last August the establishment of a new method of calculating gas rates in France, intended to better reflect market prices and had to be applied from 1 January 2011. If the old method of calculation had been used, the increase was 1.7 points higher.

So now, rising oil prices is it better taken into account.Yet in recent weeks, the barrel is trading above 100 dollars and even exceeds $ 110 for several days, as tensions in Libya does not fade and that the risks of contagion Arab revolutions always worried.

Besides gas prices, two other major elements involved in the fixing of prices: the cost of transportation and distribution, on the one hand, and marketing costs (contract management and billing), on the other.In the case of transportation, this element is reviewed annually on 1 April precisely.

These days, the National Housing Federation (NLC), the main tenants' organization, called the return "to a utility power with a state guarantee of rate stability."

ALSO READ:

»INFO LE FIGARO – The price of gas will increase by 5%

The oil could burn more than $ 220 a barrel

"Gas prices: the wrath of the CNL

"Rising gas prices in the study (Besson)

"The gas prices unchanged until April