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PSA Peugeot Citroën can overcome the disaster in the first half Japanese. The first French car maker reported Wednesday a net profit after minority interests up 18.5% to 806 million euros in the first half. Revenues rose 9.7% to 31.1 billion euros, driven by sales outside Europe, while trading profit rose 1.8% to 1.16 billion. The agreement gave a turnover of 30.52 billion euros and a net operating income of 1.15 billion.

The effect of the disaster that hit Japan in March was still represented 147 million euros for PSA in the first half. Excluding this impact, operating income would have emerged an increase of 14.7%."In an environment unfavorable market declines of the group in Europe, higher raw material prices and disruptions caused by the disaster in Japan, the company posted a robust performance. This context reinforces the relevance of our strategy to move upmarket Peugeot and Citroen, globalization and improving operational performance, "said Philippe Varin, CEO of PSA, in a statement.

Disturbances yet to come

The negative effects of the disaster of March 11 should not disappear in the second half."In Japan we have had negative effects and we continue to have negative effects because there are a number of components that are in short supply, and force us to change our product offering and, thus, to have a dialogue with our customers a little more complicated, "said Frédéric Saint-Geours, CFO of PSA, during a teleconference.

The problems in Japan, combined with rising commodity prices, should have a negative impact stronger than expected second quarter. "The environment should deteriorate further € 300 million compared to previous estimates," says the group. Degradation that will fail to fully offset by productivity gains and income derived from its performance plan, he warns.

Despite this difficult environment, PSA confirms its target of an increase in profit from recurring operations throughout the year. The supplier Faurecia, which still holds PSA 57.4% stake, has also raised its 2011 targets on Tuesday after a first half marked by strong growth in all regions of the world.

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As in Asia, the Paris Bourse tries to rebound on Tuesday. At the opening, the CAC 40 gained 0.16% to 3819.23 points. Same in the rest of Europe: the London Stock Exchange opened up 0.11% to 5931.99 points and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange up 0.34% to 7369.89 points.

But investors remain cautious as Barack Obama has not convinced the issue of debt. In a speech to the nation live from the White House, Bush denounced the attitude of the Republicans that led to an impasse "dangerous". The world's largest economy may end up in default within a week if no agreement is reached on raising the debt ceiling, an event "irresponsible" by the president. Facing him, the chairman of the House Republican John Boehner, remained inflexible. He accused Barack Obama face of intransigence solutions proposed by his party."The sad truth is that the president wants a blank check. This will not happen, "he said.

Faced with the growing nervousness of the markets, it has however promised to submit to the Senate and the president a bill to avoid a default. "If the president promulgates it, the atmosphere of crisis it has created will disappear of itself," he said. Barack Obama also wanted to be reassuring: "I told the leaders of both parties that they must reach a compromise in the coming days, which can be passed by both houses of Congress, a compromise that I can enact. And I'm sure we can seal this compromise. "

In addition to the markets, the United States are now under pressure from the IMF suggests that a "severe shock" if no agreement is reached on time.The institution has also damaged its projections for the U.S. national debt.

The dollar attacked

The dollar is suffering in this context. The dollar briefly fell below 78 yen Tuesday, its lowest level since March 17, when President Barack Obama spoke to Americans. The euro has also appreciated against the greenback at 1.4420 dollars against 1.4375 dollars late Monday. "The president's speech Obama has disappointed market expectations of progress hoping to break the deadlock," said Hideki Hayashi, an economist at the brokerage Mizuho Securities, quoted by Dow Jones Newswires.

Oil prices were, themselves, without direction in electronic trading in Asia, the market continued to worry about the lack of agreement. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in August took 15 cents to 99.35 dollars.That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery lost 29 cents to 117.65 dollars.

Investors also will keep an eye on the indicators of the day:

– The morale of French households is somewhat back in July after months of stability, with a gain of 3 points in the index that measures at 86 points, according to data released Tuesday by INSEE. But that level remains low.

– The number of starts of new homes rose 13.4% year on year in France for the period April to June, said Tuesday the Department of Housing.

Coming to the United States: the index of house prices and new home sales. Also the program overseas indices of investor confidence and consumer.

Values ​​to follow

The banks are recovering from their fall the day before.Crédit Agricole (1.64% to 9.06 euros), BNP Paribas (1.48% to 47.39 euros), Société Générale (1.39% to 36.77 euros), Axa (1, 28% to 13.88 euros) and Natixis (1.26% to 3.29 euros) are the highest increases in the ACC.

Faurecia: -1.55% to 29.87 euros

The automotive supplier has revised up its forecasts Tuesday turnover for 2011 between 15.7 and 15.9 billion euros and operating margin, after a good first half. But the forecast annual cash flow is lowered.

Veolia: 0.67% to 18.16 euros

The city of Warsaw has chosen Dalkia, Veolia and controlled by EDF, to buy the operator of its district heating network, the company SPEC, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Orpea: 0.20% to 34.44 euros

The investment company said it had taken FFP 6% stake in Orpea, a company specializing in the treatment of addiction, for a total of 88 million euros.

TF1: 5.30% to 13.40 euros

The television group has published a net profit up 60% to 118.6 million euros, but a turnover in a very slight decline (-0.5%), 1.3 billion euros, for the first half of 2011.

STMicroelectronics: -6.53% to 53.97 euros

The group said Monday second-quarter sales in line with analysts' expectations, but said that they could fall during the current quarter.

LVMH: 0.15% to 130.75 euros

The group said on Monday maintained at 12.25 euros per share price of its tender offer to purchase the remaining shares of the Italian jeweler Bulgari and denied having purchased from the family part of the shares at a higher price. It will publish its results after market close the first half.

Klépierre: 0.55% to 27.56 euros

The group reported Monday, against all odds, a growth of almost 4% of its rental income, supported by the increase in rents in shopping centers in an economic context, however, marked by the slowdown in consumption in Europe.(See

Mercialys: -0.81% to 29.40 euros

The group identified Monday its growth target for this year after reporting a growth of over 9% of its rental income in the first half and its Board of Directors decided to distribute an interim dividend for 2011 .

SEB: -7.10% to 67.62 euros

The group released Monday interim results up, thanks to its good performance in emerging markets, and is confident for the full year.

Faiveley Transport: -3.99% to 62.50 euros

The group confirmed Monday forecast for 2011 a slight increase in sales, just over a month after a warning about shifts orders.

April Group: -2.13% to 17.03 euros

The group recorded an increase of 1.3% of its turnover to 377.8 million euros, a jump of 8.2% in brokerage on which the group has refocused more than offsetting the decline 9.6% in insurance premiums.

After market, Sopra Vinci and publish their turnover for the second quarter, Gascogne, Euler Hermes, Spir Communication, TV and Radio Next Icade unveil the results of the second quarter, M6 will report its results in the first half.

This time, the Fininvest will have to pay. The court sentenced him on Saturday appealed the group owned by Silvio Berlusconi to pay 560 million euros in the CIR group, owned by Carlo de Benedetti. The judges of the Court of Appeal of Milan have found that control of the publisher Mondadori, obtained in 1991 by Fininvest, to the detriment of the EIF through a favorable court decision, was made possible by the corruption of judge and lawyers involved. In 2007, the Criminal Justice had issued a similar notice, including the judge sentenced Vottorio Metta was stationed in nearly three years in prison.

On appeal, the Milan judges, however, reduced the magnitude of the financial penalty, determined in the first instance to 750 million euros.Unlike 2007, the decision will also be immediately enforceable: Fininvest will address 560 million euros in damages without waiting for the trial to the Supreme Court that the group should seek. "Our lawyers are already beginning to study the complaint," has indeed responded Marina Berlusconi, the eldest daughter of the Head of Government and president of Fininvest. This assesses the amount of the penalty "to double the participation of Fininvest in Mondadori."

Electoral setback and legal troubles

The Cavaliere had nevertheless worked hard to save the payment of such penalty to the group. Approaching the verdict, he did not hesitate to try to vote by Parliament an amendment to the Civil Code suspending sanctions in excess of 20 million euros on appeal, until the final decision of the court of Cassation.A measure to be adopted in the Bill ratifying the austerity plan. Faced with the outcry in the opinion of this measure, the Cavaliere has this week backed down.

This decision is more bad news for the chairman, who combines political defeats in recent months and legal troubles. Also implicated in the "Rubygate" Silvio Berlusconi suffered a severe mid-June electoral setback. The Italians have indeed overwhelmingly (over 94%) rejected four bills proposed by his government and put to a referendum: one devoted to the construction of new nuclear power stations, one on the privatization of water management by municipalities, and two providing legal immunity of ministers and the chairman of the board. Silvio Berlusconi, who announced Friday he would not stand in 2013, probably did not finish with the law.

Renault is working to revive its sales in Europe in 2012. The automaker, whose image was tarnished by the case of false intelligence to launch a "flurry" of new products next year on the old continent, said La Tribune.

Starting with the renovation of smaller models. The group of diamond brand and will revamp its Twingo "with a front face far more original," says the group business daily. No time to breathe, the group will then present its model for electric car Zoe in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show prior to the market at a price of 15,000 euros from August 2012.

Then, the Clio IV will land on the market. The aim is to produce 450,000 Clio IV year, said La Tribune bad credit pay day loans. The vehicle will be produced in Bursa in Turkey but also Flins, near Paris. The new Clio will replace the previous ones.

New Dacia

On the Dacia brand, the group plans to launch a "compact van." Then the manufacturer will present models of renewed Logan and Sandero. These vehicles will be sold under the Renault brand outside Europe and Africa.

In the longer term, in 2014, new small city car produced in conjunction with Smart (Daimler) will emerge. Twingo a third version, and a smart four-seater will be produced on a single platform based in Slovenia. The year 2014 should be the revival of high-end vehicles.

For many employees of EDF, is the safety of nuclear plants is at stake They are concerned about an internal memo released Saturday by Le Parisien in France today, which aims to increase the maximum working in nuclear plants during "outages", those moments during which the reactors are closed, including maintenance.

During these periods unprofitable, EDF would indeed be able to quickly restart the reactor by its employees to work harder. The letter dated May 10 and addressed by the deputy director of EDF's nuclear generation, Philippe Druelle, each plant manager, and plans "to request exceptions to the limits to working with the inspectors work" or Regional Labour Directorate. EDF would like to apply a measure "by the summer of 211".

The project raises the ire of unions and employees' concerns. "EDF is organized to legalize abuses Hourly unacceptable and dangerous for employees and therefore nuclear safety," said the CGT. "EDF wants to push through and have hands on working time of its executives, including weekends and holidays, creating a zone of lawlessness, without any legislation on the organization of work "added the daily Annie Thebaud-Mony, director of research at Inserm.

Decreased alertness

While these periods of outages, which usually last from one to three months, is already reflected by an increased pace of work ranging from simple to double, with penalty of night and weekend , employees are concerned about the consequences of such change on their health and efficiency."We do work twelve hours or more is absurd, evidenced by a technical framework of the Chinon power plant. Beyond a certain limit, we can no longer be vigilant to 100% payday loans. " "I do my work carefully so as not to endanger the operation of the site. But it is already to the detriment of my health. Nationally, it is impossible to continue at this pace without consequence, "said another engineer of the Central Blayais in the Gironde.

For its part, EDF denies wanting to increase the working hours of employees. "This is a misunderstanding. [...] It will never matter to executives working 78 hours per week. This is contrary to the values ​​of a responsible nuclear operator, has defended Bernard Lassus, director of human resources group in the columns of Le Parisien – Aujourd'hui en France.This ensures that the meetings with the general direction of work aimed instead to "clarify the organization of work", so as to "allow executives to take their daily rest period of 11 hours."

A technician Areva denounces inadequate security at the Hague

A retired technician from the treatment plant of La Hague nuclear waste warned Wednesday against the "inadequate security" site, which is home to one of the largest volumes of radioactive material in the world. Heard by the Local Information (CLI) of the site, he defended the idea that Areva is expected to build a "cathedral of concrete" against possible projectiles, when the site is currently protected by a "simple metal siding. For if a projectile reaches the pools, which contain the equivalent release of 100 reactors, "it would be worse than Fukushima," he said.For its part, Areva believes that site security is already assured by the existence of contingency plans in case of overflight of the plant.

It is an open secret. Bercy is seriously considering reducing the tax benefits for 2012 related Scellier.

So far, it was expected that next year, the buyer of a property to rent commitment over nine years has a tax reduction equal to 18% of the value of the property. This would already be less favorable than this year, where the tax reduction amounts to 22%. And still less in 2010, when she was 25%. But in times of fiscal restraint, the Budget Ministry believes that this tax shelter is too expensive and would like to reduce again. For now, nothing is fixed about the contours of this consolidation. Trade-offs are expected in late August.

But this project is already causing an outcry on the part of developers."During the first quarter, with sales support Scellier decreased by 35%, mainly because of lower tax benefit, argues Marc Pigeon, president of the REIT (real estate developers Federation). If an additional movement of the plane Scellier is made in 2012, we may descend to 80 000 new home sales next year, against 115,000 in 2010. "

"Any reform which will reduce the tax benefits will reduce the market," says echoing Bertière Francis, CEO of Bouygues Immobilier. A real threat when the housing shortage is still going strong. And the real danger that prices will rise again, even in the older building, due to insufficient supply.

A cost of 3.6 billion euros last year

Another argument for professionals: reducing the Scellier, the government will lower savings than they expect facially."It will be much less VAT, besides the loss of sales will raise unemployment in the construction," said Marc Pigeon.

Proponents also believe that substantial savings have already been made. "Last year, 60,000 homes were sold with this law, which represents a commitment by the State to the tune of 3.6 billion euros, says Guy Nafilyan, CEO of Kaufman & Broad France. This year, the profession is just to sell some 40 000, a limited spending to $ 2.4 billion. Finally, in a time when the contours of the new scheme are still under study, proponents navigate view. "Unaware of the tax benefits for 2012, we are very careful when buying land," illustrates Alain Dinin, Nexity CEO.

Remains an even more fundamental question. The Scellier is supposed to expire December 31, 2012.Aware that such a decision would be dramatic for the construction sector, members of the Finance Committee are working on a replacement device. "The goal is to lower the cost to the state, so that it is more than about 1.2 billion. However, the tax cut should be at least 15% incentive to stay, "said Gilles Carrez, UMP general rapporteur of the commission. MPs want the measure to be passed this autumn, under Budget 2012, "to give time to prepare for the sector," said Francis Scellier, UMP housing specialist, who gave his name to famous device. For once, developers find there is nothing wrong.

Greece must provide more work and results, said the French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, who put pressure on Athens in an interview with Austrian daily Der Standard to be released this Saturday.

"Greece must deliver results and why the country must do more than during the last twelve months," said Christine Lagarde, whose name is mentioned as a successor to Dominique Strauss-Kahn to head the IMF.

Asked about her refusal of any debt restructuring, Christine Lagarde said: "We already gave Athens more time to repay its loans in the euro area is already a concession." He continued: "It is legitimate that we expected that Greece will make its share of work."

"We do not want a state of bankruptcy"

The French Minister of Economy recognizes that the Greek government has done things, "but there are still areas where things are moving too slowly", referring to privatizations. "Either Greece delivers results, then we can imagine additional help.Otherwise there is the question of how Greece is ready to play the game for its own bailout, "said ministre.Et further emphasized:" What we certainly do not want, c 'is a state of bankruptcy, a default in Europe ..

While the Greek Government discusses the rise in unemployment generated by the austerity plan, the minister reminded the unemployment rate in Spain, according to her superior to that of Greece, but where "the country still does its job, saved and managed to turn around. "

Challenge to implement a program

The rating agency Fitch, meanwhile, lowered on Friday noted the long-term debt of Greece to three notches. This is a new blow to Athens which also saw its borrowing costs on market reached a new record.Fitch lowered the rating of BB + Greek + to B, referring to the "challenge" for Greece that is the "implementation of a program of structural reform and radical tax necessary to ensure the solvency of the state and the foundations of sustained economic recovery "in the country.

"New fiscal austerity measures are necessary" to achieve that Greece's budget deficit target of 7.5% of GDP in 2011, said Fitch. The agency suggests including poor tax revenues and difficulties in implementing a privatization program.

Greece also saw its cost of borrowing on the markets at a record Friday, the rate of its ten-year bonds exceeding 16.7%. Sign that investors fear that Greece is not able to honor its debts.

The Greek prime minister said his country would repay its entire debt."We will refund the loans," said George Papandreou, whose country was granted last year a plan to help the EU and the IMF amounting to 110 billion euros to avoid it default.

But many observers believe that Greece will avoid a major restructuring of its debt, meaning pay creditors later or less than expected. But the European Central Bank precludes this scenario.

In the wake of Fitch, another rating agency S & P has for its part lowered by one notch the rating of the long-term debt of the Crédit Agricole to 'A +' cons 'AA-' before, because of its exposure Greece."We believe that the French banking group Credit Agricole is particularly prone in Greece, because of the issue of solvency and the economic outlook" of the country, particularly through its subsidiary Emporiki, S & P said in a statement.

(With Agencies)

After opening down, Wall Street back into positive territory on Friday. The Dow Jones gained 0.16% to 12,003 points, the S & P 500 ahead 0.50% to 1302 points and the Nasdaq rose 0.33% to 2710 points. Caution remains appropriate. Investors fear the consequences of the earthquake that hit Japan last night. Bad news that comes on top of disappointing indicators released Thursday and the tensions that persist in Libya.

Oil continues to unwind

These concerns, however, help to relax the price of oil which opened Friday down $ 3.05, passing below the 100 dollars to 99.65 dollars exactly.

On the macroeconomic front, retail sales in the U.S. rose 1.0% in February from January, as analysts anticipated, according to figures released Friday in Washington by the Department of Commerce.

U.S. consumer confidence fell in March, according to an index released Friday by the University of Michigan, which was 68.2 against 77.5 the previous month.

Restocking of manufacturing firms and corporations increased 0.9% compared to December in the U.S., according to figures released Friday by the Washington Department of Trade and rather good news for the U.S. GDP.This increase is slightly greater than the median forecast of analysts who gave 0.8%.

AIG: -0.49% to 36 low fee pay day loans.30 dollars

The insurer American International Group said on Thursday to buy back $ 15.7 billion in cash (11.4 billion) of mortgage assets that the U.S. government had recovered during the financial crisis through the bailout group.

National Semiconductor: 3.88% to 14.71 dollars

National Semiconductor has published an annual turnover less than expected for the third quarter of fiscal year due to destocking at its distributors, but its forecast of sales growth for the current quarter is in line with expectations .

Clearwire: -1.74% to 5.65 dollars

The Clearwire CEO Bill Morrow has resigned as part of a wider reshuffle at the head of the wireless network operator, amid difficulties to finance its investments and dispute between the group and its majority shareholder Sprint Nextel.

Chevron: 0.64% to 99.71 dollars

Chevron announced the sale of its refinery in Pembroke, Great Britain, for 730 million dollars U.S. refiner Valero. The latter said in a separate release that the acquisition would be accretive to its earnings immediately, adding that the transaction should be finalized in the third quarter.

Apple: +0.41% to 348.09 dollars

Apple launches this Friday the marketing of the new version of its iPad tablet.

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.

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.

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