Sundial of world news

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) does not know where to turn. While the barrel of oil tops $ 125 in London and $ 110 in New York, raising fears that inflationary pressures in many countries, member countries are unable to agree on an increase in production quotas for calm the markets. Remains to be seen if the latest monthly forecasts for world oil demand, whose publication is expected on Tuesday, will decide this debate.

Meanwhile, two factions seem to oppose the organization. First there is the one represented by Kuwait, which calls for calm markets. The country takes a dim view of soaring prices identical to that of 2008 which would result in slowing global economies and ultimately, the demand for black gold."While we appreciate a high price, we wish to see lower prices, we want a more normal," recently told the press Farouk al-Zanqi, the head of state conglomerate Kuwait Petroleum Corp.. (KPC). "Given current events, the normal price of a barrel should be between 90 and 100 dollars," he said.

In the same camp, Qatar has condemned a sharp rise in prices mostly due to speculators. "The fundamentals are good as regards the offer. Stocks are at an adequate level, "said Qatari Energy Minister, Mohammed Saleh Al Sada. "OPEC can do nothing regarding the speculation, but it seems to be the main reason for the current level of oil prices," he said.

Barrel "will reach $ 150"

Facing them, the other camp, represented by Iran, takes a different speech.President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, believes that rising crude poses no problem and reiterated last week that no decision was required from OPEC fast cash. "Currently, the price increase is not determined by market criteria, but by political issues. You asked me if the price was still rising: yes it will increase. I think it will reach 150 dollars, "he even added. The opinion of Iran should not be taken lightly: the country is the second largest producer in OPEC, which he currently chairs.

This view is shared by Venezuela, whose weight within OPEC is not negligible with 2.3 million barrels per day.

"No hasty decision"

This internal strife is nothing new. Since the beginning of the year, the tone has escalated between exporting countries.In February, Iranian Oil Minister Massoud Mir Kazemi stated that "OPEC members need not take hasty decisions and unilateral," a reference to Saudi Arabia, the largest producer (8.4 million barrels per day), who had expressed readiness to provide extra barrels to replace lost production from Libya. In early March, the Kuwaiti oil minister, Ahmed Abdullah al-Sabah, had countered that a "possible" increase in production was under discussion.

Despite the admonitions of the President of Iran, Saudi Arabia did increase its production to 9 million barrels per day last March. Kuwait and the UAE has followed suit.

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For this last week's meeting, the CAC 40 struggled to take off, after surging 1.41% on Thursday. The index in Paris rose 0.20% to 3976.95 points. In London, the FTSE rises 0.33% to 5900.57 points while in Frankfurt the Dax advance of 0.12% to 6942.03 points.

The caution is when the problems of sovereign debt of countries of the European Union back to haunt the markets. Fitch and Standard & Poor's (S & P) lowered the rating of sovereign debt by two notches from Portugal, because of "increased political uncertainty" that has shaken the country since the resignation of Prime Minister Jose Socrates.

European leaders are meeting just since Thursday in Brussels to find a way to fly to the rescue of the country and avoid a domino effect.They endorsed the night of Thursday to Friday a comprehensive system of defense against crises of debt that carries the actual capacity of the Fund's lending support to countries in the Eurozone in trouble from 250 to 440 billion euros.

The Japanese nuclear supervision

In addition, the Japanese nuclear situation remains worrying. This Friday, the operator of the plant in Fukushima, Tepco, said that the work of rehabilitation of the plant could take another month because of the difficulties encountered by workers to cool the reactors.

In Libya, fighting continued between armed forces of Colonel Gaddafi and the coalition forces.The NATO countries have agreed on Thursday to take command of military intervention and will next week over the coalition led by France, Great Britain and the United States.

U.S. GDP revised upward in 2010

However, operators should carefully monitor the indicators of the day. On the menu this Friday:

– French GDP in the fourth quarter. Insee said Friday it has revised upwards to 0.4% growth in gross domestic product of France in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to the previous quarter. A first estimate published on Feb. 15 gave an increase of 0.3%.

– The French consumer confidence has deteriorated more than expected in March, returning to its level of last July partly because of fears about price trends, shows the monthly business survey released Friday by the INSEE .The composite indicator of consumer confidence has emerged after 85 to 83 in February.

– Money supply M3 in the euro area rose by 2% in February (+1.5% in January).

– The barometer Ifo business climate, the main index of business confidence in Germany fell to 111.1 points in March, ending nine months of increases in a row and a record high of 111.3 points in February, according to figures released Friday.

– Overseas, economic growth accelerated sharply in the fourth quarter – GDP grew by 3.1% against 2.8% forecast by the Ministry of Commerce and 2.9% by analysts – allowing States USA finished 2010 on a rise better than expected at 2 paydayloans.9%, according to figures released Friday in Washington.

As for currencies, the euro was stable against the dollar at 1.4166 dollars against 1.4168 on Thursday.

On oil markets, a barrel of light sweet crude for May delivery yielded 3 cents to 105.57 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for May delivery gained 21 cents to 115.93 dollars. "Oil prices remain high due to geopolitical tension and underlying factors that support lessons, and this dynamic market seems set to continue," note analysts at Barclays Capital in a note.

Values ​​to follow

Farm Credit: + 2.22% to 12.20 euros

Farm Credit has the highest increase of ACC on Friday, while BNP Paribas qu'Exane initiated coverage of French banks with a buy recommendation on the green bank.The analyst opinion adopted a "outperform" on the Crédit Agricole, with a target price of 16.70 euros.

Edenred: + 0.33% to 21.34 euros

Edenred the group's title, after the split in July with the Accor hotel group, continued his progress on Friday, still worn by various rumors about a possible takeover of the company or paying a special dividend. The work took more than 18.5% over the last five sessions

Eurazeo: + 5.03% to 55.75 euros

The group announced Friday the creation of value target of two billion euros by 2014, a goal that comes as the investment company just return to profit in 2010.Moreover Eurazeo and fund Colony Capital exclude launch a bid for hotel group Accor, which they together hold 32.79% of voting rights, to come into compliance with new regulations, said Friday Patrick Sayer, Chairman the Executive Eurazeo.

Schneider Electric: + 0.72% to 119.40 euros

The group announced Thursday it had acquired US Summit Energy specializes in services for Energy, for $ 189 million.

Lagardère: -0.45% to 30.03 euros, Vivendi: + 0.25% to 19.74 euros

Canal + will launch at the end of a free television channel, announced the CEO of the encrypted string in an interview with Le Figaro.

TF1 (-4.02% to 12.90 euros) and M6 (-2.52% to EUR 18) react badly to the news.

Lafarge: + 0.84% ​​to 44.25 euros

Based on a review of the MFA, the Egyptian Sawiris family increased its shareholding in cement producer of over 14% in March.

EDF Energies Nouvelles: -0.53% to 35.75 euros

The group announced Thursday it had signed two contracts in Canada of electricity supply in 20 years with Hydro-Quebec for wind projects totaling 49.2 megawatts.

France Telecom: + 0.03% to 15.69 euros

Polish operator TPSA its announced Thursday it had sold its subsidiary Emitel $ 1.7 billion zlotys (423 million euros) at the bottom of Montagu Private Equity.

The Bel Cheese must publish their annual results this Friday.

The Paris Bourse playing yoyo Monday. Already upset Friday by the earthquake and tsunami that hit on Japan, the Cac 40 fell back. After changing course several times in the morning, he sold 0.72% mid-term to 3900.59 points.

In London, the FTSE-100 5839.11 0.02% gleans points. The concern, however, is more vivid when the ignition Dax loose 0.56% to 6842.66 points.

Operators are reluctant while alarming news from Japan are linked. The Government refers to as a loss that would have a "considerable" on the national economy, adding that huge funds needed to finance the reconstruction of the areas tested.

Serious malfunctions at nuclear power plants in the region ravaged quicken concerns about the consequences of this disaster on all Japanese companies and the entire region.The Bank of Japan (BoJ) tries to calm markets by injecting funds into the financial system records. At midday on Monday, already 15,000 billion yen (131.6 billion euros) have been released. But this news has not been enough to reassure the markets of the region, primarily the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which has unscrewed from 6.18% at closing for its first full day of trading since the disaster.

Concerns from Asia should also largely occupy the mind for that day. Indeed, no major indicator except industrial production in the euro area in January, is expected Monday.It will wait until Tuesday for a news might make a difference in publishing in the U.S. index of house prices and the Fed decision on rates.

Oil and euro down

In this tense environment, oil appears down in electronic trading in Asia, the market worried about a drop in demand in the short term hit in Japan. Around 11:00, Brent North Sea crude for April delivery traded at 111.82 dollars and New York, a barrel of light sweet crude (WTI) let go two dollars to 99.16 dollars.

On the currency markets, the yen Monday morning in front flexes in other currencies. The intervention of the BoJ has helped slow the sharp rise of the yen against the dollar. Around 10:30 am Monday in Tokyo, the dollar went back to 82.20 yen after falling to 80.60 yen on Sunday, its lowest level in four months.For its part, the euro fell to 112.47 yen. Against the dollar, the European currency gained some ground. Around 11:45 am, the euro bought 1.3971 dollars against 1.3901 on Friday.

Renault, EDF and LVMH affected by the disaster

Renault: -3.15% to 39.47 euros, the biggest drop CAC 40

Nissan, Renault's Japanese partner in the Renault-Nissan, has closed four assembly plants in Japan and no site would reopen Monday. Nissan, the second Japanese manufacturer, manufactures 22% of its vehicles in the archipelago. Furthermore, the manufacturer faces a new twist in the case of alleged espionage. Dominique Gevrey, one of three security officials of the group, was remanded in custody to view this weekend.He is indicted for "organized fraud" and jailed in January following the dismissal last three frames of the group.

LVMH: -3.50% to 106.15 euros, PPR: -1.61% to 106.75 euros Hermes: -2.16% to 149.75 euros, L'Oreal: -0.70% at 81 , 07 euros

The luxury sector is likely to suffer the effects of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the north-eastern Japan. The archipelago is the second largest global luxury goods market after the United States and elbow to elbow with China. For Hermes is the first market (17% of sales) while for LVMH, representing 9% of sales. The luxury division of PPR meanwhile 16% of its turnover in Japan. L'Oreal, for its part carries about 2.5% of its turnover in the country.

Areva (-8.91% to 31.75 euros) shows the largest decrease in the CAC 40 also affected by the nuclear risks in Japan.EDF (-4.51% to 29.20 euros) is also in trouble as Scor (-2.29% to 18.82 euros).

Bolloré put on Guinea

France Telecom: -0.61% to 15.38 euros

Orange and the Kuwaiti Agility will acquire a 44% stake in mobile operator Korek Telecom Iraq, announced Monday morning the French incumbent in a statement.

Bolloré: + 0.29% to 158.95 euros

The group on Friday signed a contract worth 500 million euros with Guinea for management of container port of Conakry, the capital of the West African country, state television reported.

Sopra Group: -0.63% to 71.05 euros

The group announced its intention to hire 2,500 people in 2011 in Europe, 1600 in IDUs in France in the consulting, systems integration and software development.

Altran: + 1.22% to 4.30 euros

The French group technology consulting has reported a net income Group share loss of 26 million.The group said to be in talks to divest all of its activities in Brazil. He anticipates continued growth at a high level in France in 2011 and continued improvement of its operating margin in 2011.

Vivendi: -0.10% to 19.73 euros

The group does not invest more than 6 billion pounds (6.9 billion euros) for the redemption of the capital of SFR held by the British telephone operator Vodafone, according to the Financial Times.

Note that the bank is well oriented: Credit Agricole (3.99% to 12.13 euros) is the largest increase at Societe Generale (3.34% to 48.31 euros), followed by Natixis (+2 , 74% to 4.21 euros) and BNP Paribas (2.39% to 54.41 euros).

After being snubbed in 2010, the Livret A is it taking its revenge on life insurance, the other place occupied by the French? According to figures released Wednesday by the French association of insurance, the amount of life insurance premiums collected in January 2011 declined 11% over the same month last year to 11.8 billion euros.

For combination, this double-digit decline can be explained at least partly by rising rates of remuneration of the Livret A. Increased to 2% – instead of 1.75% – 1 February, the rate of pay, even if it remains near its record low, making it less attractive to certain life insurance contracts. In 2010, contracts in euros have indeed reported between 3.20% and 3.40%, before taking into account inflation. With inflation at 1.8%, the yield of the Livret A is positive.Most importantly, this product is considered a safe investment, and this contributes to its success in times of crisis.

Life insurance keeps the advantage in terms of net inflows

For now, the net inflows of life insurance, that is to say the sums paid amputees are removed from all contracts, is still higher than the Livret A cheap business cards. It was 4.6 billion euros, representing a 35% drop compared with 2010, but exceeds 3.76 billion collected by the Livret A in January, its highest total for two years.

The daily Les Echos, insurers, however, look to the future with caution. For two years, contributions grew more slowly indeed. They were up 4% last year instead of 13% in 2009. This year, growth is also forecast to below 4%. Another unknown could also weigh on life insurance.The government is currently working on reforming the taxation of wealth, and the system of life insurance could be changed. In 1997, the questioning part of tax and social benefits of life insurance had caused a fall of 17% of the collection.

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If, on the political front, he has decided to maintain the suspense, the director general of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn did not go around the bush to discuss the global economic crisis. "Considerable progress is being made, [...], but they are much too slow, we are far from", says in an interview face to readers of Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France published Monday.

The crisis in Europe

As the world tries to get out somehow this economic and financial crisis, Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned, using its ambiguous wording. "You mouth holes but others are created. The act of drawing lessons does not guarantee that we will prevent all future crises. This is what is most worrisome, "he warns.

This does not preclude the IMF Managing Director to distribute good points."All of Asia is distributed, also Latin America, with the same risk of overheating," he says. Even Africa is complimented: "Africa is rather better," says DSK. However, if "Europe has avoided the catastrophe," it off again more slowly and it may last. Missing from the euro zone it has not since the beginning: more coordinated economic policies, "he says. And for that, he insists that "the States to waive part of their sovereignty. However, fashion is not so much to have more Europe today …».

"The euro

"There has not really had a crisis of the euro as its currency." Unsurprisingly, the IMF Managing Director supports the European currency, while some are calling for the abandonment of the euro. "A vast deception," he says.The countries that come out of the euro area would lose much of the confidence necessary for a good economic situation. "

For DSK, banks are as responsible as those who were to supervise "and did not the police." Thus, in regulating the banking sector, he lamented that the good will of the states have not been implemented. "What I find shocking is that banks today have returned to practice before the current crisis, including pay and bonus, he offended. Me, I heard some politicians say "never again". Result: The bonus came back as before. "Bad points for France or the United States, which claimed the control of a bonus in banks of their warhorses.

"The 35 hours

On social issues such as 35 hours, retirement or tax on capital, Dominique Strauss Kahn was less talkative.

About 35 hours, he recalls that "it is a historical process that is due to improvements in productivity and should be considered at the scale of life." He added: "Overall, the long-term time employment is still a downward trend in all developed countries," he says.

"Retirement

Regarding retirement, he confirms what he said on France 2 last May ("Retirement at age 60 is not a dogma")."If life continues to grow, we can not hold with fewer people working to pay the pensions of more and more people," he replies to other members of his party, the Party Socialists, with whom he disagrees on this issue. Without taking a position on the reform undertaken by the government, it simply states that "the purpose of a pension system is that it be fair to those who worked longer or shorter time, under conditions more or less difficult and just vis-à-vis assets.

"The tax on capital

Finally, while asserting that "the IMF has no vision on the TFR French," he recalls "the need for taxes on income, consumption and wealth. The more we diversify the sources of direct contributions, the more likely it is to be fair. "

The stage at Brussels was not to last as long. Friday night, two Thalys from Amsterdam to Paris and were forced to spend the night at the stop at Brussels Midi station, registering a total delay of about 14 hours on their arrival in Paris on Saturday morning.

The origin of this disruption, a technical default on the first train left at 6:16 p.m. Friday in Amsterdam. To remedy this, the train is coupled to a second train has left the Venice of the North one hour later.The operation takes a long time, so much so that the arrival of two trains in Brussels to 23 hours, it is too late to pursue the road: "The network of high speed rail network in France (RFF) was already closed at night for maintenance, "said a spokesman for Thalys, Patricia Baars.

"We tried everything, but it was not possible to make the trains run outside the operating hours of commercial network," French said the representative of the rail consortium.

Not enough room at the hotel

And the trouble does not stop there. As it is too late to implement an alternative system of transportation by bus, according to Patricia Baars, passengers are forced to spend the night there.But again, a new obstacle: "It was not possible to find hotels in the immediate vicinity of the Brussels-Midi station to house some 400 people," says Patricia Baars.

Some passengers decide to leave to go and look for a hotel in downtown Brussels, at their expense. The approximately 250 remaining up for the night. "They received a meal and hot drinks. The train was heated, and watched the train, "said Patricia Baars figaro.fr.

Not really a version shared by Marta Ayala, 38, transient. Station in Brussels, "everyone left the train. Workers, drivers, everyone is gone. Without telling us anything, "she testified. "The passengers left the train to get information. There was nobody on the docks. Thalys offices were closed, "she added, pointing to photos taken in the night.

"Around 0:15, the security personnel were brought boxes of food. Still no explanation. Then at 6:30 this morning, we were told to change trains, "she adds angrily. "I paid 200 euros, just the casual, the service terrible."

Thalys says that all passengers will be reimbursed for their tickets, and any other compensation – for nights hotels, missed connections – will be considered on a case by case basis.

Both trains were eventually depart at 6:40 Saturday morning, arriving with a delay of 14 hours for the first Thalys 6:16 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. respectively. This is roughly equivalent to that recorded by the drill nuitStrasbourg Port Bou / Nice, who had accumulated a series of incidents during the night of December 26 to 27.

Since February 1, it costs a few cents more for road tolls. On Tuesday, the price of train tickets which undergoes an increase of 2.85%. In both cases, among the reasons given to justify the rate increase include the funding of forty unprofitable rail lines, known as "trains balance of the territory".

These lines, the SNCF is required to serve on behalf of its public service mission, lost each year about 200 million euros to the company. For several years, SNCF is therefore seeking public support for their operations.This has been done since December 2009: the state has pledged an annual compensation of 210 million euros for three ans need a personal loan with bad credit.Un investment that will "sustain a vital public service for the balance of the territory" and "to meet the guidelines of the Grenelle environment," says Thierry Mariani, Secretary of State for Transport.

Offset a structural deficit

"The 210 million will compensate for a structural deficit with the objective of maintaining all these lines," said a spokeswoman for SNCF. This amount will be financed mainly by taxes on the station but also on the motorway companies, via the "Tax Planning".

Lefigaro.fr consolidates its position as the leading news site in France. Its audience grew strongly in December, reaching 7.1 million unique visitors, according to Médiamétrie NetRatings.

The site is ahead of Figaro Orange News (5.8 million unique visitors), lexpress.fr (5.3), Yahoo News (5.2), MSN News (5.2), lemonde.fr (5.1 ) and leparisien.fr (5). Internet audiences in December also show that the thread of economic and financial figaro.fr needed in the economic field: with 2.2 million unique visitors, he passes for the first time before lesechos.fr, down 1.9 million unique visitors.

In total, the Figaro Group button on the Web today 13.4 million unique visitors, one in three.

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A week after being suspended due to software piracy, the European Climate Exchange will not start to a trickle on Wednesday. The platform for exchanges of Paris, Bluenext, which handles about 40% of carbon credits exchanged for cash in the European Union, will not reopen, nor ECX London. Bluenext expects the market to be officially served the securities that were stolen last week. For it is a theft committed by breaking computer, this time, tarnish the CO2 market established in 2005, already tarnished last year by a wide VAT fraud.

On 19 January, a broker Czech warned the European Commission, coordinator of the market, 475,000 carbon credits, worth $ 6.3 million, had disappeared from his account.In total, according to Brussels, 2 million licenses (worth nearly EUR 30 million) were stolen by hackers from the registers Czech, Austrian and Greek.

The some 12,000 industrial sites in Europe subject to emission quotas of carbon dioxide (CO2) are enrolled in national registries. Companies that exceed their quotas can buy carbon credits (one credit = 1 tonne of carbon) while companies can sell virtuous.

"Restoring confidence"

Other actors, brokers, banks or even individuals can open an account on the register to exchange carbon credits for cash or futures (derivatives market) on various platforms like Bluenext. Protections computer half a dozen records are inadequate, found in Brussels."The Commission is finalizing the definition of minimum safety levels," said Peter Zapfel, Directorate General for Climate Action best payday advance. In France, Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC) is the keeper of the register, which, say several sources, was not attacked. "The market is shaken" by this new case, recognizes Keiron Allen, director of marketing for Bluenext, all players must restore confidence. " "But we must not forget that it works and it helps reduce emissions of greenhouse gas emissions," he adds.

Today, each tonne of carbon Virtual European market is identified by a serial number.A warning system would alert the brokers when loans are subject to suspicious transactions could be generalized, suggests there be in Bluenext.

Still in its infancy, the Exchange of CO2 must start its third phase in 2013, where the credits will no longer be allocated initially free but sold at auction. Brussels plans to bring together the twenty-seven national records in a single, more secure.

"If there is a market to watch, where the risk exists of Far West is that of CO2," warned last month Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the president of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF). That is why in the coming weeks Bluenext will officially become a regulated market, overseen by the AMF.

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Electroshock. The announcement from Steve Jobs yesterday (Monday) to take off again, should weigh heavily on investor sentiment. As usual, when the captain left Apple-temporarily-ship Apple, the first symptom is the sudden shiver, followed by the heart racing. And generally, the stock price of the third widest largest market capitalization in the world picks up, at least for a few hours.

But today, the scenario could be catastrophic. Already because the announcement was made Monday afternoon (evening in France), while Wall Street was closed all day to celebrate the Martin Luther King Day. Steve Jobs has been given time to reflect the financial world by the reopening of markets on Tuesday at 15:30. However, this type of ad – ie a departure of Steve Jobs – has already happened twice before. Once in 2004 and again in 2009.And it is already known that his replacement, Tim Cook, has broad shoulders.

According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, "every time Steve Jobs had to leave to sick leave, the impact on Apple stock was lower. The last time the boss's absence, between January and June 2009, the same as Apple has jumped 50% over the period. A few months ago, however, while the man had appeared weak and emaciated at a conference, he had plunged 10% in one week.

Quarterly results expected tonight

So even if the statement sent to its employees, only six lines and rather elusive – you know neither the severity of her condition or the duration of his absence – the mere fact of being "transparent" seems a better way Apple cash advance.Tim Cook has sought to clarify that "Jobs is not leaving his post as CEO, we believe that his absence will be both shorter and less serious than last time."

Finally, this Tuesday is the day that Apple unveils its quarterly results. Good numbers might cons-balance the bad news on the health front of Steve Jobs. However, unless major surprise, the publication of tonight should again be placed under the sign of growth and performance, including its flagship iPhone and iPad.

And nothing seems to stop the mad rise of the mark to market the apple. The Apple stock, which has exceeded for the first time in its history the 350 dollars last week, still rose 50% over the last six months.Last May, Apple has ousted its longtime rival Microsoft in terms of market capitalization, which topped the beginning of this year's $ 300 billion.

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