Nov 21




A slow start. The English concept of "charity shop" landed in France in 2007 when the NGO Oxfam has opened a used bookstore in Lille. Since then, the association has invested Paris, where two "book stores" have settled in the 14th district and in the 11th. It intends to move to the next level, opening mid-December, its first thrift store in Lille. "In line with our three stores, this new store will offer second-hand clothes, good quality at a smart price," said Stephanie Dufour, Deputy Director General in charge of finance and the development of Oxfam France.

With only four stores in four years, the NGO hard to take off his "charity shops" in France. In comparison, there were 45 shops in Ireland in 2010, 36 in Germany (where it is installed since 1995), 42 in Belgium and 697 in Britain, where the phenomenon was born in the 1940s.Today there are nearly 9000 "charity shops" across the Channel, all groups combined. "The concept is relatively new in France. It takes time to make it known, "said Stephanie Dufour. The charge is, however, before encouraging figures. "Our bookshop in Lille will achieve a turnover of 120,000 euros in 2011, a very respectable performance and comparable to those of traditional libraries."

Stores "like the others"

Unlike other charity shops such as boutiques Emmaus 300 or nearly 800 "locker room" and "vestiboutiques" of the Red Cross, Oxfam outlets wants to blend into the landscape business. "We develop like other stores, as well stocked and equipped.

Nov 9




Company margins have never been so high, companies are full of cash, they were debt-free … and yet their share price despair managers. Some values, such as Peugeot, Air France and Lafarge are at their lowest for 20 years. "Since 1990, the profits of European companies have more than doubled, while the PE (valuations on the stock exchange), declined. But will there for years or decades to return to normalcy "asks Jacques Burlot, manager" action "Tocqueville Finance. The management company is nevertheless optimistic about business conditions. "Their margins may decline, but not collapse.There are of course cycles, but historically each drop, the level reached is higher than the previous "says Nelly Davies, also manager at Tocqueville, which lists all the supporting factors that benefit companies: inflation remains low, interest rates are at their lowest, the cost can be further reduced through outsourcing, wage inflation is zero and productivity gains have not been completed payday loans. However, managers are careful Tocqueville predicted a bright future for investors. "Trying to predict the future is a waste of time. Remember Goldman Sachs, which in March 2008 predicted oil at $ 200 a barrel at the end of the year. He had fallen to 50 dollars "they ironically. What to do? Forget the computer screens, and visit the companies consider their strategy, the quality of their management.

Nov 4




The Financial Stability Board, responsible for coordinating global financial regulation, announced Friday on the sidelines of the G20 is a list of 29 banks deemed "systemic". In other words, they are major financial institutions worldwide, which by their size or nature of their activities, are likely to destabilize the world in case of bankruptcy.

It's a surprise, as many as four French banks are listed: BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Societe Generale and BPCE. Including Dexia, the Franco-Belgian bank in difficulty, the quota is the tricolor represented after the eight listed U.S. banks, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo, to Goldman Sachs. Are also four British, three Japanese, two Swiss, or an Italian bank (UniCredit) and Spain (Santander).Bank of China, finally, is the only Chinese bank to integrate this "elite" of fat.

These institutions, the list will be reviewed annually, will be subject to increased surveillance by the regulators. In particular, they will be more capitalized than their competitors. While the Basel Committee requires hard capital ratio of 7% for all banks, these institutions must show systemic 1.5 to 2.5 points of additional ratio by 2019. The exact level will be set for each speaker in 2014.

Pay the piper

This is for the authorities to break this hellish dynamic in which the banks seek to become ever larger, more complex, with no risk to it since at the end is always the taxpayer who pays the pieces.

Oct 24




The debt crisis that shook the euro area, the French deep mine. This is for 79% of them, the crisis "the worst" in recent years, according to a poll Ifop for the Journal du Dimanche. Faced with the economic and social situation of France, 53% of respondents said they were "rebels," while 29% are "resigned." A resignation which probably explains why the movement of "outraged" that began in Spain last spring and has spread across Europe and to the United States, failed to France.

The French are indeed very pessimistic. Only 4% of them believe in a crisis within the next six months. Nearly a majority (46%), however, do not expect improvement until 2014. "This survey highlights the malaise of the French," said Frederic Dabi, director of the division of opinion Ifop."For them, this is a serious crisis which they do not see the exit and on which policies can not be weighed." However, they are preparing for 57% of the "painful and difficult measures." They are also willing to make sacrifices, including cutting costs in their "comfort" and in their holiday budget, the study said.

When asked about the causes of the crisis, 52% of French people point the finger at the role of financial markets. Far behind, the government (26%), banks (15%), EU (10%), the French as a whole (6%), emerging (5%) and businesses (1%) are also considered partially responsible for the current crisis. "Paradoxically, while their commitment to the EU is often tenuous, the French for more Europe," Frederic Dabi analysis.As proof, they say they support the creation of a European Ministry of Economy.

Theme of the presidential election

As European leaders gather in Brussels on Sunday for a coordinated response to the crisis, the French have already an idea of ​​what the state could do 63% of them believe the government should take an interest in banks, either by becoming the majority shareholder of the establishment or nationalization. Despite their concern, 23% of respondents would prefer the state to intervene simply abstain. Maybe they think that the French economy can only suffer, as the government prepares to revise downwards its growth forecast for 2012 still set at 1.75%."Part of the public continues to believe that when dealing with Greece, it does not deal with French," says Pierre Giacometti, advisor opinion of the President of the Republic, in the columns of world.

Yet a few months before the presidential election, the crisis in the euro area will be the theme of the campaign. Nicolas Sarkozy will speak on the subject on television next Thursday, the day after the second EU summit is to say, once firm decisions have been taken. A key event with the French, while the popularity of the president is at half mast. "Even if the credits of some courage, nothing will be counted as long as there is a lack of visibility on the crisis," Pierre Giacometti analysis in Le Monde.

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Oct 12




Future on major indices of the New York Stock Exchange indicate a slightly higher opening of U.S. markets on Wednesday. Like the European markets, Wall Street should not resist the Slovak Parliament on strengthening the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF). Tuesday, after four sessions of strong gains in a row, Wall Street ended in a disorganized. Investors chose to garner a share of profits.

On the front of the debt crisis in the eurozone, Slovakia, a second vote could be held with the support of the left opposition. "It's not good news but I trust the authorities of Slovakia to hold a second vote," said Wednesday morning the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Alain Juppé on radio France Info.For its part German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that strengthening the EFSF be ratified "in October." The Slovak Parliament was the last to vote on the strengthening of the European relief fund. Indeed, the unanimity of the country is essential to confirm the agreement reached by the Heads of State on July 21 dernier.Berlin and Paris commitments marchésLes reassure the weekend by Germany and France had restored a little hope of financial markets. Last Sunday, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have in fact committed to respond "lasting and comprehensive peace" to the crisis in the euro area for the G20 summit in Cannes, 3 and 4 November. About the difficulties of the European banking sector, the two leaders said they were "determined to do whatever it takes to ensure the recapitalization of our banks."But again, the "details" to be specified later, and the EU summit scheduled for October 17 and 18 was postponed to October 23. After several missed appointments with the financial markets, Europe hopes this time strike a blow to stop the contagion of the crisis in the euro area.

The euro will always be a "hard currency", has also assured Angela Merkel, following Slovakia's rejection of strengthening financial relief funds in the euro area. On the foreign exchange market, the euro was virtually unchanged munching 0.05% against the greenback at 1.3658 dollars.

Alcoa opens the ball quarterly results

In the U.S., the season of quarterly results of large companies began Tuesday after the close of Wall Street. As usual, the aluminum giant Alcoa kicked-off for these publications.Including follow on Wednesday, PepsiCo, and Thursday, JPMorgan Chase and Google internet group and finally, Friday, Mattel. Analysts bet on an average increase of 13% earnings per share for the third quarter.

The group Alcoa reported, after market, a net quarterly profit of $ 172 million, an increase of 182% over a year and a decrease of 47% over the previous quarter. Revenues jumped 21% year on year to 6.4 billion. In 2011, Alcoa still expects growth of 12%.

For his part Infosys Technologies also announced after the market have achieved in the second quarter of fiscal year 2011-2012 (ending September 30) a net profit of 411 million dollars against 374 million last year while sales rose to 1.75 billion dollars against 1.5 billion a year earlier.For the full fiscal year 2011/12, the group expects a turnover of 7.08 to 7.2 billion dollars.

The Canadian Research In Motion listed on Wall Street, affected by major failures affecting the Blackberry, is facing a revolt by disgruntled shareholders calling for the sale or replacement of its executives while its action has already lost 60% since the beginning of the year.

For its part the world leader in lithography for semiconductor, ASML also listed on Wall Street believes that there will be a slowdown in growth in most segments of the semiconductor, with the exception of technologies related to tablets and smartphones. At the Amsterdam Stock Exchange gained 2.7% action to 27.25 euros in the morning.

Oct 9




How to help her children buy a home? Faced with soaring prices of the stone, more and more parents are wondering. For young people without a little help family, buy a property is often difficult. But the stone is more than ever the key to any well-constructed assets.

A DONATION as a financing

With the recent reform of the taxation of wealth, each parent can give full tax-free, but every ten years now, up to € 159,325 (reduction in force in 2011) to each child or € 318,650 for a couple . And if the child is an adult, he took advantage of an additional allowance of 31 € .865 (per parent under 80 years), allowing it in the end, even in the capital, to acquire a lovely pied-a -land …A strategy that offers the advantage of not "inflate" its own property portfolio, since it is your child immediately becomes sole owner of the property. Thus, it can allow parents to avoid the wealth tax if the value of their taxable net wealth falls short of 1.3 million euros, or to play down if it does not exceed 3 million euros.

This approach has its drawbacks, however. "A coming of age, the child who has de facto full ownership, may sell at any time, even if the parents object," says Brillat Michel, director of engineering heritage of the EU Financial France. To "block any attempt inappropriate," Louis Aussedat, notary Althémis Network, advises the inclusion in the deed of gift, and in the deed of purchase, a prohibition to alienate.This provision makes the sale to the agreement of parents.

Know that it is still quite possible to do this for the benefit of a minor, but we must in this case the approval of the guardianship court. And while the child is under 18, the slot is part of global real estate portfolio of his parents, with possible consequences in terms of ISF.

To a lesser extent, if you own a home savings plan, you can send your borrowing rights to your child, provided that it is itself the holder of such a plan (open for at least 3 years) no faxing pay day loans.Finally, give money in advance and not a property which you would already own, you can be exempt from land registration fee (0.715%).

SEND ACHETERET in a SCI

Here is the real estate company (SCI) who acquires the home and not you and / or your children directly, thus, again, to fund and pass more easily again. Parents are partners and own the shares of the SCI. A major advantage of this legal structure is its flexibility. A condition of relying on a notary or a lawyer to draft the statutes (beginning approximately € 2,000), all management schemes, or nearly so, may indeed be calmly considered: full or bare ownership only given to children, in whole or in part, etc..Parents may reserve the role of manager to get their hands on the decisions and procedures to meet the requirements (general meeting …). "In this configuration, the children, even adults, can not sell without your consent," said Gilles Etienne, Partner at Cyrus Council. The SCI can also borrow, even if minor children are involved. Only requirement: well set, with the help of a professional, their responsibilities vis-à-vis the debt and obtain the consent of the judge. Finally, the very existence of an ICS is not limited in time and value, as the designation of heritage that can be managed, is not fixed.

Scellier Act: rent-to-child

Parents who buy a home with the benefit of the tax reduction under the law Scellier can rent the apartment to their children.A three conditions: it must be the principal residence of the latter, that it is detached from the tax home of the parents (it is then placed on its side), finally, that actually pays the rent. ALSO READ: "Placement: the French have confidence in real estate

Oct 4




It is half a relief to senior citizens out of work. Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand said Monday on RMC and BFM TV partial restoration of the retirement equivalent allowance (REA) abolished on 1 January. At a cost of 1000 euros per month maximum, this aid was a replacement income for the unemployed who have reached the required number of quarters, but not the legal age of retirement.

Established in 2002, the EAR allowed these people, who generally have started working very early, wait until they receive a full pension. Its removal has the financial difficulties some 40,000 people who benefited and who have seen their incomes for many fall by half.Most do in fact perceive more than the specific solidarity allowance, amounting to 467 euros maximum.

"Poor"

As the government had already hinted in September, the retirement allowance equivalent will be restored retroactively from July, but on narrower grounds. The device now called "transitional allowance of solidarity" will concern only those born between July 1951 and December 1953 or, as determined by the Department of Labor, about 11,000 people. It is designed primarily for senior citizens affected by the pension reform adopted last year, which pushes for four months a year the legal age of retirement, from 1 July.

The disbursements are therefore not the same: the retirement allowance equivalent relieve the coffers of more than 200 million euros a year according to the unions, when the new version should not cost more than 30 million. "This is clearly insufficient, responded on Monday the association against the removal of the AER. It ensured the precarious for more than 30,000 people. " "We find that inuspportable employees with a full career are found in social minimum," adds Laurent Berger, in charge of employment at the CFDT.

The decree establishing this recovery, however, should be published in the coming weeks. The issue is even more sensitive than the unemployment of older workers continues to widen, inflating the number of employees who would have been entitled to the allowance equivalent withdrawal before its reform.According to the latest figures released by the Dares, 560,300 people over age 50 were unemployed in August, a number up 13.5% year on year.

Sep 24




Wall Street has long hesitated on Friday, in the footsteps of European markets. Following his strong fall, the Dow Jones has assembled laboriously 0.35% to 10,771 points at closing. Nasdaq and S & P back however the slope more sharply with increases of 1.12% to 0.60% and 2483 points to 1136 points.

Investors take note of the willingness of finance ministers and central bankers of the twenty leading economies, meeting in Washington last Thursday, to provide "a strong and coordinated international response" to the crisis. In a joint statement, they agreed to ensure that "banks have adequate capital" and promised to provide "the necessary liquidity" to financial institutions.But "the real decisions are referred to the Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Cannes, November 3 and 4, 'the specialists Aurel BGC.

To a stability fund in Europe more flexible

The Perfect Storm, the large emerging group of "Bric" also expressed "determination to accelerate structural reforms to sustain strong growth." Brazil, Russia, India and China but also South Africa so consider "if necessary, to provide support through the IMF or other international financial institutions, to address the current challenges facing the global financial stability, according to the circumstances of each country. "The inventor of the BRIC, Jim O'Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said however that emerging markets are likely to require at least, in exchange for their support, greater clarity on how the Europe has to solve its crisis.

Precisely in response to a request from seven countries of the G20 addressed to Nicolas Sarkozy, the countries of the euro area have pledged to implement "necessary measures to increase the flexibility of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF)" to to avoid contagion from the crisis in Greece. Yesterday, the possibility of a defect in Athens, though long ruled by EU leaders, was raised by Klaas Knot, Member of the Board of Governors of the European Central Bank (ECB)."This is one of the scenarios," he told the Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad business cards.

Growth of world trade declined Another concern: the specter of a global recession was reinforced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) has revised downwards its forecast for this Friday trade growth for 2011, s 'expecting a growth of world trade by 5.8% against 6.5% forecast so far, according to its website internet.Sur the foreign exchange market, the euro climbed slightly against the U.S. dollar: it advances the Friday from 0.57% to 1.3533 dollar. Oil prices have them, continued to slump, unable to bounce back after the collapse of the previous day as markets increasingly anxious in facing the risk of renewed recession in the U.S. and Europe.On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of "light sweet crude" for November delivery ended at 79.85 dollars, down 66 cents from the forward veille.Valeurs

The side of values, after the close of the NYSE Hewlett-Packard announced the replacement of Leo Apotheker as CEO from Meg Whitman, confirming the many rumors that had circulated in recent days.

At Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is Rick Bergman Devices, responsible for products, who announced his resignation. The CEO will temporarily Rory Read office.

Covidien raised its quarterly dividend 12.5% ​​to 0.225 dollar per share.And, for its part McDonald's has increased its 15% to $ 0.7 per share.

In order to treat its shareholders well, Raytheon has authorized a stock repurchase plan of $ 2 billion.

The American manufacturer of sporting Nike has exceeded market expectations by posting yesterday after the close of U.S. markets net income for the first quarter of fiscal year up 15% to $ 645 million, driven by its Sales in North America and in emerging countries. Revenues rose 11% to $ 6.1 billion.Orders scheduled for delivery between September 2011 and January 2012 were up 16% to $ 8.5 billion.

On the occasion of a major overhaul of its website, Facebooks'est services associated with music, news and video, including Spotify, Deezer and Dailymotion, and challenge from Apple in the content.

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Sep 21




"Il Cavaliere" did not like to see the note in his country degraded by Standard & Poor's. "The ratings of Standard & Poor's seem more driven by stories in the newspapers as the reality and they seem to have been negatively influenced by political considerations," said Silvio Berlusconi in a statement. The Italian prime minister said that the country has already approved measures to balance its budget in 2013 and Italy in adopting new ones to stimulate growth. The austerity plan of 54.2 billion euros adopted on September 14 does not seem to have convinced the rating agency which doubted the credibility of the government and the Italian president.

Without having published a press release responding directly to the attack of the Italian President, Standard & Poor's is fighting back."The sovereign ratings by S & P ratings are apolitical, based on the evolution of" credit risk, provided to investors, "says one in the U easy to get unsecured personal loans.S. rating agency.

Moody's and soon …

S & P also ensures that its assessment is based on "independent analysis and detailed economic and fiscal outlook in Italy and on assumptions about the expected evolution of the debt.""The ratings indicate how the various policy initiatives may impact on the financial reliability and to hear any suggestions on policies that a government should or should not continue," said the rating agency.

Entangled in new revelations about his private life, Silvio Berlusconi is aware that the decision of S & P is a blow to the country, as Moody's may degrade the note of Italy in October that had never been lowered since the beginning of the debt crisis.

Player Figaro BFM

Sep 19




All Americans should be involved in the effort to reduce the deficit. This is the message sent on Monday by Barack Obama from the White House Rose Garden. The U.S. president, who presented his program of deficit reduction, confirmed a tax plan of 1500 billion to the deficit of 3000 billion over the next ten years. "We can not get out of this abyss only by reducing spending. It is normal that we ask everyone to pay their fair share, "said the president.

In Focus: the wealthiest Americans. Barack Obama chose not to extend beyond the end of 2012, the expiration date, the tax breaks granted to wealthier by the administration of his predecessor, Republican George W. Bush (800 billion dollars and would be recovered over ten years)."We can not afford these tax rates low for the rich. We can not help us while we are suffering large deficits, "he says.

The most significant proposal remains the introduction of a tax, "Buffett," the name of the investor Warren Buffett who has proposed. As expected, Bush did not go into details about the conditions of its applications but according to the New York Times, the tax on millionaires that will concern only 0.3% of taxpayers.

"This is not the class struggle is mathematical"

Responding to criticism from his Republican opponents, who accuse him of wanting to punish those who have succeeded and discourage the "job creators," Barack Obama said that "it is not the class struggle is mathematics ".He said "any reform plan will increase revenues to help reduce our deficit. This must be part of the formula. " Democrat for President, "the middle-class taxpayers should not pay more taxes than millionaires and billionaires. It is loud and clear, and difficult to contradict. I will not support a plan that puts the entire burden of deficit reduction on the shoulders of the average American. "

The project also includes U.S. President down $ 580 billion in mandatory spending on social programs, including Medicare (health insurance for the elderly) and Medicaid (the federal program for the poor).But Barack Obama has warned that he would veto any proposal that would reduce these benefits without requiring an increased effort in return for the wealthiest Americans and big business.

The President was prepared to lower taxes on companies providing launch an overhaul of the tax code to eliminate some tax loopholes, such as offering tax exemptions to businesses through the acquisition of business jets (gain total of 700 billion). It is also banking on an economy 1.1 trillion dollars over ten years because of withdrawals from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Propostion of "not serious"

But the camp of the Republicans who control the House of Representatives, has already expressed his displeasure."Threatening to veto, massively increase taxes to save ghosts and build on a reform of social programs, it is not a recipe for economic growth and labor market," said the leader Senate Republicans, Mitch McConnell. John Boehner, chairman of the House of Representatives, it was found that the contribution of Obama's bipartisan commission was not "serious."

The proposals of the White House must still be forwarded to a bipartisan parliamentary committee which will meet in late November. This means that the bill is unlikely to be adopted in the state.

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