Aug 26




New tough session in Paris. After opening close to balance (-0.11%), ACC widened its losses in the afternoon, in response to the speech from Fed chairman Ben Bernanke. The index rose from 3045 to 3015 points in minutes. But investors quickly resumed: a comprehensive plan was not finally ends probable.Le CAC down 1% to 3087.64 points.

Earlier, the index feature of the Paris market was disappointing not welcome the publication of the second estimate of U.S. GDP in the second quarter. It rose 1% annual rate over the previous three months, said the Commerce Department, revising and down 0.3 points his first estimate of growth in the spring published in late July.Analysts had forecast a less pronounced rate revision, to 1.1%, according to their median forecast.

In Frankfurt, the Dax-30, very bumpy this week limit case and ends with a drop of 0.84% ​​to 5584.14 points after losing more than 3% in séance.À the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE- 100 finished virtually unchanged: it loses 0.02% to 5129.92 points.

Over the whole week, the ACC is, however, more than 2%, reversing some of its heavy losses last week.

Fed pushes to place an ad in September

Highly anticipated speech of the President of the U.S. central bank, Ben Bernanke does not reassure investors. In fact, Ben Bernanke has pushed the September announcement of concrete measures to support the U.S. economy. The central bank is expected to meet more fully next month, he indicated, to "discuss more fully" in the policy.Ben Bernanke also called on U.S. lawmakers to take fiscal stimulus, saying they have more flexibility than the institution.

As for currencies, the euro lost some ground against the dollar after the speech of Ben Bernanke. Around 16:30, the European currency was worth 1.4359 dollars against 1.4441 to 15 hours. As for the oil markets, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery was trading at 110.72 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London, up 10 cents while the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" (WTI) for the same maturity lost 25 cents to 85.05 dollars.

In the euro area, regardless of major macroeconomic news.This morning, the companies manufacturing have revised their forecasts down slightly investment for this year and expect a 14% increase (against 15% previously) online payday loan lenders.

The bank's head Cac 40, Peugeot sinks

Essilor International: -0.30% to 52.97 euros

Essilor International in the first semester a turnover of 2.06 billion euros, up 6.9%, the band announced via a press release issued in the edition of Les Echos to appear Friday.

Financials

The ban on short selling financial stocks on Thursday was extended to France, like Italy, Spain and Belgium, and the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) said it would review its position by late September.

This decision only briefly managed to reassure investors.If this decision technique to limit selling pressure on the sector, it does not address the fears that persist on European banks and their exposure to countries in need. After posting the largest gains of the Paris stock in early trading, financial stocks are once again very attacked: Societe Generale lost 2.82% to 21.33 euros, BNP Paribas was down 2.33% at 33, 56 euros, Credit Agricole down 1.41% to 6.419 euros while Natixis closed the show the worst performance (-4.51% to 2.686 euros).

In an interview with Le Figaro, the CEO of Crédit Agricole (-1.41% to 6.419 euros) said the group had "significant cash reserves" and "has no difficulty in financing" .

Conversely, other cyclical stocks, car manufacturers, will gradually take after opening the largest declines in the Paris stock exchange.Peugeot (-0.62% to 19.36 euros) which bought between 12 and 22 August last, about 2% of its capital amounting to 92,010,000 euros, folds to 2.03 %, to 19.01 euros. Renault wins its 0.46% to 26.32 euros.

Total: -0.73% to 32.5 euros

Total expected to present a reorganization in the fall of scale of its operations downstream, with a planned merger of its refining and petrochemicals, according to Les Echos, citing union sources.

As for oil, prices were mixed Friday morning during electronic trading in Asia, in a sluggish market, before the highly anticipated speech of the head of the U.S. central bank (Fed).In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October gave 10 cents to 85.20 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery took 19 cents to 110.81 dollars.

Note that APRR and Bel Cheese (1.24%, to 163 euros) will publish their interim results after market close.

Aug 23




The U.S. stock markets may well wake up so brutally that they fell asleep. Shortly before their opening on Tuesday, the markets were indeed approached up slightly after the day gleaned 0.34% for the Dow and 0.15% for the Nasdaq. The index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 rose by 1.66% to 1141.90 points and 2076.50 points to 1.50%. The Dow Jones was waiting for his part in an initial advance of 1.41% to 11,000 points.

New home sales for the month of July in the United States are known to 16 hours. They are expected at 310,000 according to a consensus of analysts against 312,000 previously. This will be the only macroeconomic indicator on the agenda Tuesday.If others will be announced in the coming days, investor caution, but market volatility, however, should remain in force throughout the week until Friday.

That day, in fact, speak the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke. Speculation is rife, some still hoping that it will decide a third monetary easing to support the U.S. economy. Will also be unveiled for the second estimate of U.S. GDP for the second quarter.

Banks and investment funds turbulent agitated

As for values, it will be interesting to see if the securities of the banking sector managed to recover. The meeting this Monday night has been very rough in New York, the indices have again been a roller coaster free 3-in-1 credit report.If technology stocks have bounced back, supported by investors looking for bargains, banks have suffered greatly, however. These are the titles of the financial sector that weighed most heavily on the DJIA. Bank of America has yielded 7.9% on rumors of capital increases.

News is expanded on the side of investment funds. The investment fund Cerberus and its partner Chatham Lodging Trust and have informed the United States real estate company Innkeepers Trust (Marriott franchise) they did not buy the walls of 64 of its hotels in the United States. The transaction, amounting to $ 1.1 billion, was announced in May.

The investment fund Jana Partners in New York and the pension fund Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, shareholders of the publisher McGraw-Hill, for their part, state recommend a separation of the group.The two investors, who had announced in early August have acquired a total of 5.2% of the capital, advocated in a paper presented to the authority of the U.S. equity markets (SEC) that the group split its divisions Education, Information and Media and stock index Standard & Poor's.

Finally, on the front of mergers over the world stock markets, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved on Tuesday the merger of NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse, which should give birth to the first exchange operator world.

Jul 14




Carrefour and its major shareholders still have progress to make to master the subtleties of samba. The merger of the Brazilian subsidiary of global distributor with the second casino, Grupo Pao de Acucar (GPA), is abandoned.

Scaffold for months in the back of its local partner Casino Abilio Diniz (President and owner of 21% of GPA), with the support of BNDES, the Brazilian equivalent of the Deposit, the project would have allowed Crossroads take control of all activities involving the two Brazilian groups. The company, known as Pao de Acucar Novo, would have made 30 billion euros in sales and held 32.3% of the local market, against 11.1% for the U.S. WalMart.

Las.The latter, entered the capital of the retailer in March 2007, when the action was worth 53 euros, have increased the project, or attempted to bounce the stock price, which dropped by half since: sale of Brazilian and Chinese subsidiaries , public offerings of real estate branch, split Dia. In vain.

Brazil lost the battle has also cast a cruel light on the performance of Carrefour in the country, its first growth opportunities ahead of China payday advance lender. Abilio Diniz revealed that the operating profitability of Carrefour Brazil was 1%, seven times less than that of GPA. Casino and pointed the loss of market share of hypermarkets in Brazil, for the benefit of supermarkets and convenience stores.If its chain of wholesale stores Atacadao is a success, Carrefour, local leader, sees its hypermarkets suffer against those of Extra, a subsidiary of ABM.

Overconfidence

After 550 million of provisions recorded by Carrefour last year as a result of accounting fraud at its Brazilian subsidiary, the latter saw his image tarnished again. The withdrawal of the BNDES also shows that Carrefour had underestimated the political power relations in Brazil, or too trusted Abilio Diniz …

If new proposed combination with GPA must be submitted to the board of Carrefour in the coming months, it would still be opposed to casino, and no political support in Brazil. This time, the independent directors of Carrefour might well make their voices heard.

Jul 1




Here are the planned changes on 1 July 2011.

• Retirement

The law on pension reform, enacted November 10, 2010 after a long parliamentary battle will come into effect on Friday. The legal age will gradually increase from 60 to 62, with four more months per year. The first people affected are those born after 1 July 1951.The age of the full rate – that is to say that from which an employee receives a full pension even though he has not contributed enough quarter (165 quarters forward) – is raised gradually from 65 to 67 between 2016 to 2023.

By persons possessing a degree of permanent disability of at least 20% and, after notice of a multidisciplinary committee, those possessing a degree of permanent disability between 10 and 20% are still able to go to 60 years.

• SMIC

The minimum wage was last adjusted on 1 January will not be automatically upgraded in July. The rise in prices which reached 2% since last revaluation of the minimum wage – could lead to an increase in August the minimum wage indexed to inflation.Prime Minister François Fillon has also been clarified that no additional boost would be granted.

• Unemployment benefits

Unemployment benefits will be revalued by 1.5% from 1 July, decided Thursday Unédic or at a rate lower price developments and the minimum wage increase of 1.6% occurred at the beginning of years. "The debate was very long to the Board of UNEDIC" consisting of representatives of employers and employee organizations, which manage all unemployment insurance, said the president of UNEDIC, Gaby Bonnand at a press conference.

• Transport

– SNCF: the prices of train tickets will increase by an average of 2.5%. This increase will, as every year, uneven tickets. It will range from 10 cents to 2.70 euros by destination.The price discount cards remains unchanged.

– RATP Navigo Pass packages will increase by 2.7%, except for Zone 5. Zone 6 is removed and merged with the 5, which will mechanically decrease by 11% the price paid by its users, reduced from 123.60 to 109.90 euros for a monthly fee. In detail: the monthly zone 1 and 2 increased from 60.40 euros to 62 euros (+2.6%). That of zones 1 to 3 passes to 80.30 euros (+2.7%), and that of zones 1 to 4 to 98.10 euros (+2.7%). The single ticket remains unchanged at 1.70 euro.

The bus fare increases to 1.90 euro (+5.5%), while the book of 10 tickets will increase to 12.5 euros (+4.2%).

• Energy

– Electricity: Household bill increases of 2.9%.The industries and large companies take 4.4 to 4.9% according to the rate at which they are submitted.

– Gas: gas rates for individuals do not change, but those businesses increased by 3.2%.

• E

La Poste has announced that the price of postage for mailings of letters under 20 grams would rise by two cents, from 0.58 to 0.60 cents.

• Mobile Phone

The price of mobile communications passed from another European country down. It will now cost 42 cents per minute against 47 before. Subscribers operators in metropolitan departments and overseas subscribers Dom operators in mainland France also benefit from lower rates.

• Environment

A thousand everyday products will be subject to an experimental display decided at the Grenelle Environment Forum.Packaging will be accompanied by a statement indicating their carbon footprint and their impact on biodiversity, water, etc..

• Bank

A summary of bank charges (basket of services, payment systems, operational occurrences, agios) will now be on the monthly bank statements, which also display the ceiling of the overdraft.

• Pets

The electronic chip designed to identify the pet becomes mandatory for all animals that will travel outside French territory.

(With agencies)

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Jun 23




With one of the highest birth rate in the European Union, the French threw every year a million diapers that end up buried or incinerated. Further pollution to which a pilot project, called "Happy Nappy" ("happy coat" in English), seeks to end. Conducted by SITA, a subsidiary of Suez Environnement, the program has evaluated the recyclability of liners for babies and adults. Conclusion: they can be recycled to 90%.

This program of 340,000 euros, 40% funded by the Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), spread over more than two years. After grinding the layers and their separate components, the program evaluated the energy recovery potential of each subject.Based on the work of the team, which make up plastics from 10 to 20% of the layers are recyclable, as are the fibers (10-20%) and feces and urine (50-70%). Only superabsorbent polymers (5-10%) remain unresolved recycling. Upon arrival, a "triple value" with energy production, compost and recycled materials. Research is being conducted in other countries but "the idea of ​​the triple value is unique," says Laurent Galtier, project manager.

Final stage of the program: a solution to the residual organic matter from anaerobic digestion: they could be valued in agriculture. "It remains to perform tests on the agricultural sector in line with the Ecole Nationale Superieure Agronomique de Toulouse (ENSAT)," says Laurent Galtier.

"In a nursery, the act of sorting is done"

How to collect, then the used diapers? "Initially, we are interested in nurseries and nursing homes," said Laurent Galtier who visited both types of institutions and who claims to have met an "immediate acceptance" of his project. "In the nursery, the act of sorting is done," says he: the babies are, in fact, changed in the same place and layer thrown into the same bin.

The recycling plant layers could settle near a water treatment plant, to use the treated water discharged by the station and to enjoy the digester already present. "These are two very important points of synergy that could cause the project's success," said Laurent Galtier.

Concerned, diaper manufacturers have contacted the team.According to Laurent Galtier, a possible collaboration could include the development of plastic components and superabsorbent polymers. They "could be a future pilot project," says Laurent Galtier elsewhere.

The economic viability of the project "Happy Nappy" will be evaluated by the end of the year. Its director, however, provides that there is "no industrial process before 2013 at best."

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May 23




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.

May 21




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)

Apr 28




To maintain its objective of reducing the public deficit to 4.6% of GDP in 2012, the government may have to announce in September 6-10000000000 additional efforts in the form of spending cuts, reduced tax loopholes or tax increases. This is the opinion of the Senate Finance Committee. Its members consider overly optimistic growth scenario of the stability program.

In this document, which will be sent to Brussels after a review in the Senate on Wednesday and the Assembly Monday, the government expects GDP growth of 2% in 2011 from 2.25% in 2012 and 2.5 % thereafter. "We prefer to anticipate growth of 2%, which corresponds to the potential of the French economy," noted Philippe Marini, the UMP rapporteur of the commission payday loans.Indeed, the commission table even on a GDP increase of 1.75% in 2011.

"The government does not provide enough specific measures to ensure that there will be savings on public spending," added Philippe Marini. The increase in expenditure is to rise from 2.4% per year on average to 0.6%. "And that starts badly, for in 2011, operating expenses and state intervention will not decline as expected," says Jean Arthuis, the centrist president of the commission.

Apr 19




LVMH saw sales growth accelerate in the first quarter despite the disaster in Japan, while analysts had forecast a slowdown in the growth of global luxury goods giant.

Group sales, which opens the dance industry publications, came out to 5.247 billion euros. This amount is significantly higher than the consensus of analysts polled by Reuters, which called for 4.970 billion.

Organic growth (ie at constant exchange rates), it also took analysts by surprise, posting a gain of 14% (as against only 9% expected) and marking a further increase from 13 % of first and last quarters of 2010.

LVMH achieves 9% of its sales in the Japanese archipelago, but to his nugget Louis Vuitton, the proportion reached 16% to 20%, according to analyst estimates.All the fashion and leather goods division of the group, which also marks Marc Jacobs, Celine, Loewe or Fendi, in turn realizes there 16% of its sales. At the Annual General Meeting in late March, its CEO Bernard Arnault had again expressed his confidence for sales in 2011, despite the situation in Japan, which should not affect his view that LVMH in a "fairly limited".

Development of brands

The luxury giant, which has a portfolio of sixty brands including Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Celine, Moet et Chandon, Ruinart, Veuve Cliquot, Parfums Christian Dior and Guerlain, speaks of an "excellent start to the year continuing trends "in late 2010 payday advance.

"The United States, Europe and Asia are experiencing a strong momentum," said Bernard Arnault group.By branches, wines and spirits increased by 20% over the first three months of the year to 762 million euros, thanks to good performance of champagne and cognac. The watches and jewelry surged by 28% to 261 million euros. Both areas were heavily affected by the global economic crisis in 2009. For LVMH, they continue their "strong rebound in effect confirmed the resumption of demand from customers."

Fashion and leather goods, driven by a Louis Vuitton "organic growth in sales and double digit increases his lead, rises 17% to just over $ 2 billion. Selective distribution (Sephora, DFS Dufy Free) increases from 20% to 1.4 billion euros.Perfumes and cosmetics registered a 9% increase to 803 million euros.

For 2011, "given the geopolitical and economic environment, LVMH will continue to focus its efforts on the development of its brands."

The group Bernard Arnault, who announced in early March, the takeover of Italian jeweler Bulgari, also relies on "the diversity of its businesses" or "the geographic balance of its sales in 2011 to further strengthen its lead in the global market high quality products. "

Apr 10




The unions had already waved the threats late last March. They put their threats into effect, calling all employees hypermarket distribution group to strike on Saturday to protest against including salary increases for 2011, considered insufficient. The appeal, launched by the FGTA-FP, the majority union at Carrefour (with 40% representation), is supported by the CGT, CFDT and CGC.

In total, the 65,000 employees of the French distribution group are known not to work and show around the shops this Saturday, the day the traditional busy in hypermarkets. Early estimates labor, the movement is widely followed in more than 200 superstores supermarket group. Over thirty sites are completely blocked, workers blocking access to supermarkets.Even when they are not blocked, the strike rate range from 30% to 85% as estimated by Dejan Terglav, general secretary of the FO-FGTA reported in the AFP. When contacted, the management of Carrefour has not confirmed those numbers, always carrying an inventory of mobilization.

From yesterday, union officials expected a high rate of mobilization of employees in a group unaccustomed to large-scale social movements. An impression confirmed this morning. "It's a movement that looks quite memorable. It is widely followed, "said Franck Gaulin, Steward central CGT.Jean-Claude Mailly, secretary general of Force Ouvriere (FOR), is expected today at Le Mans to support the movement.

Insufficient wage increase

While management offers its employees a 1% increase in wages to March 1 and another 1% increase on 1 October, union officials estimate that these increases do not cover inflation announced by 2%. "It does in fact represents only 1% over the year," says a leaflet distributed by the FGTA-FO.Even the promise of recovery to 10% (against 7% previously) discounts on purchases of stores, and the announcement of the reopening of negotiations next Wednesday, will not suffice to bring back the union leaders on their decision.

Moreover, the malaise is becoming stronger on the side of employees on the deteriorating conditions of employment and new working methods since the arrival at the head of the group of Swedish Lars Olofsson, in January 2009.

Opposition to the plans of division

While President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday expressed its willingness to link salaries to dividends, the unions could ask for more support for their speeches.For beyond wage increases claimed, employees believe that the demerger proposal by listing the subsidiary Dia hard discount and the 25% of Carrefour Property land would bring six billion euros to the two main shareholders, Bernard Arnault and Colony Capital (14% stake and 20% of voting rights between them).

In the words of Dejan Terglav, secretary general of the FGTA-FO, reported in Les Echos this Friday, the organization also wants the Mutual Fund Business (CIPF) 'vote against the division (during the next meeting June 21 di ed.) CIPF owns approximately 1.33% of the shares but the double voting rights "said the union leader. Bringing to nearly 4% the number of shareholders opposed the project, with the fund Knight Vinke (more than 1% of capital).But for now insufficient to meet a third of votes needed to derail the project.

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