Sundial of world news

The CAC 40 is increased again this Friday, after playing the card of caution on Friday until 14:30 time of publication of U.S. GDP worse than expected.

The CAC 40 has lost more than 1% up shortly after the announcement of a U.S. economic growth of 2.4% against 2.5% expected, the index rolled up the slope and pierced the waterline to increase to 17 hours from 0.66% to 3676 points. An evolution that follows the trend taking place today on Wall Street.

The reason? A Chicago PMI, which increased more than expected and U.S. consumer confidence down, but less than expected.

Publication Burst

Alcatel Lucent (8.27 to 2.24 euros%) announced revenues of 3.813 billion euros in the second quarter.The group reiterated its outlook for 2010, including an Adjusted operating income of between 1% and 5% of its revenues.

JCDecaux (1.16% to 20.10 euros) on Friday announced a net profit in the first half of 65 million euros. The group anticipates a change in organic revenue for the third quarter less than that of the second with a cash flow of 119 million euros, compared with -1.7 million euros in the first half.

Lafarge (-4.75% to 41.43 euros) has reported a sales increase of 2% to 4.43 billion euros in the second quarter. The company expects a reduction in capital expenditure to less than 1 billion euros in 2011.

EDF (1% to 32.80 euros) announced a net income Group share 1.7 billion euros including a provision for $ 1.1 billion on its North American operations.The group, which should sell its UK electricity networks based on an enterprise value of over 5.5 billion pounds, has announced a delay of two years for his BDU Flamanville.

EADS (2.70% to 18.06 euros) announces a net profit in the first half of 185 million euros and a turnover of 20.3 billion euros.

Schneider Electric (2.14% to 88.25 euros) publishes a turnover of 8.57 billion euros in the first half (+10.5%) of which 4.661 billion (+18.5%) in the second . In an interview with Le Figaro, Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO, set an improvement for the second part of the year.

Renault (0.28% to 33.74 euros) issued a revenue increase of 23.1% for the first semester in the same area, to 19.668 billion euros.The constructor returns to the green with profits of 823 million euros.

The reaction of Peugeot (-2.23% to 22.61 euros) will be observed.Also in the automotive industry, Michelin (-1.40% to 58.52 euros) announced a net profit in the first half and said it expects a continued rebound in demand for tires in the second half of the year .

PPR (-0.34% to 102 euros) has announced a net profit after minority interests rose 86.8% to 407 million euros in the first half.

Imerys (+0.27% at 44.59 euros) has reported a net operating income rose sharply to 122 million euros in the first half with a turnover of organic growth of 16%.

Total (1.30% to 38.85 euros) announced adjusted net income for the second quarter of 3 billion euros, up 72%.

CNP Assurances (EUR 15.45 -4.01%) has published a net increase of 8% to 542 million euros and a turnover of 17.697 million euros (+2.4%).

Rhodia (1.14% to 15.93 euros) raised again after its 2010 targets announced Friday results exceeded expectations in the second quarter.

Saint Gobain is optimistic

Saint-Gobain (-2.16% to 32.57 euros) reported a strong rebound in its first half results, while confirming its target of strong growth in operating earnings in 2010.

Capgemini (-1.29% to 35.88 euros) has announced the acquisition of the Swedish IT services Skvader Systems. No financial details were disclosed.

Air Liquide (-0.81% to 85.40 euros) has announced the acquisition of the company Lion Copolymer Geismar American Services.No financial details were disclosed.

Euler Hermes (4.94% to 61.40 euros) has reported net profit more than doubled in the second quarter from the first and said he intended to maintain profitability in a more favorable macroeconomic environment that over the past two years.

Ingenico (5.28% to 19.45 euros) on Thursday posted a net profit increased more than two in the first half thanks to increased transactions in Europe and raised its sales target.

Alten (-0.49% to 22.29 euros) has reported a slight improvement in activity in its sector in the first half. Turnover increased 2.7% to 450.9 million euros over the period.

Flo (-3.7% to 4.43 euros) said that the activity in its restaurants had not yet regained the level that was hers before the crisis, despite the reduction in VAT.The turnover of the group stood in the first half rose 7.6%.

The situation is now clarified. The U.S. company Electronic Arts, publisher of The Sims and sports games like Fifa 10, announced Friday the sale of its share of almost 15% in Ubisoft Entertainment, the leading European video games. According to Reuters, the Swiss bank UBS have been mandated to oversee the operation.

"Electronic Arts (EA) has decided to sell its stake in Ubisoft Entertainment. Our strategic priorities have changed since the initial investment, "said a spokesman for the American group in Europe, in an email sent to news agencies.

Returning to the capital of Ubisoft in 2004 through an unsolicited transaction, the Californian publisher therefore gives up its largest shareholder at the Guillemot family which owned 11.3% stake in European company in May, according to data from Thomson Reuters . Electronic Arts, meanwhile, held 14.82% stake in Ubisoft.

Electronic Arts refocuses its strategy

The American, whose sales have shrunk in late 2009, still on track to reducing costs and streamlining its business. Electronic Arts had already announced it will cut 1,500 jobs in November, and its intention to focus on fewer games. He also wants to expand its content and services online. By disengaging from Ubisoft, the group shows that this participation was more strategic for him, but merely financial.

The news did not surprise analysts sphere. Asked by Reuters, Richard Beaudoux, analyst at Natixis Securities value, said that Electronic Arts "has probably said it was an opportune time to clarify his situation.Last March, the voting rights of the American group had declined due to internal redeployment from 23.5% to 13.2%, said the analyst, for whom this "already showed that (Electronic Arts, Ed) sought to sell its " bad credit payday loans.

Situation clarified for Ubisoft

For Ubisoft, the announcement is good news, said Richard Beaudoux. The European publisher never managed to agree on strategy or on a redemption price, he said. The departure from Electronic Arts releases is the situation. Ubisoft and thus finds greater liquidity and freedom of decision in its strategy, concludes the analyst Natixis Securities.

If Electronic Arts shareholder seemed natural to Ubisoft, the disengagement of American might allow other investors to take a closer look at Ubisoft, says a trader.The Disney group or investment fund Elevation Partners are among the names of potential investors cited regularly.

"We wanted to stay independent"

"It's rather good news for us since we wanted to stay independent," a spokesman assured Ubisoft AFP. The latter did not say who would the purchaser of such shares or the amount and date of the transaction.

Ubisoft therefore creates a surprise for the second time this week. The video game publisher announced Tuesday a turnover of 160 million euros for its first quarter of 2010-2011 (April-June), up 93%. A performance well above its own expectations. Around 3:00 p.m. this Friday, Ubisoft's action, however, lost 1.32% to 6.88 euros.

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The word "low cost" is less and less taboo at PSA Peugeot Citroen. In early May, Philippe Varin, the boss of the manufacturer, said that the group "did not rule out being on the low-cost one day." He said: "If this were the case, it would not be with our two brands."

So far, the group said informally that such a vehicle was considered only for Asia. But on Wednesday, on the occasion of the presentation of business results of the first half, Jean-Marc Gales, director of Peugeot and Citroen, has taken a new step.It does not mark a low cost, the third group, is distributed in Western Europe, even if the device has not "yet been decided" for the continent.

Chinese Partner

"If we did, and I say this in the conditional, a car really low-cost, it would necessarily under a different brand and obviously with a different distribution method, which could be" completely different and very creative, "he said, citing sales via "Internet". No matter under him from selling such vehicle in a Peugeot or Citroen dealership, and therefore to take the risk of blurring the image of two brands that are trying to go upmarket.

Asked about the possibility of building such a vehicle with a Chinese partner, Jean-Marc Gales said "one could imagine many things" with these manufacturers credit reports free.PSA, which has already formed a joint venture in the Middle Kingdom, will sign one second Friday with Changan, fulfilling a letter of intent.

Meanwhile, the group develops a medium sedan declined under the Peugeot and Citroën, which will be for the "heart of the range" of emerging countries. Production will be initially located in Spain. In the same logic, PSA works in partnership with Japan's Mitsubishi, with a small entry level car for these markets.

At the last general meeting of the group in early June, Philippe Varin had hammered this sedan designed for emerging markets was neither low-cost, or intended to Western Europe.More broadly, he appeared to reject the principle of marketing a low-cost model in Europe: "If a low-cost means low-end model, manufactured in low cost countries and for Europe to the West, while the group is not on the low-cost, had he stressed.

Given the success of Dacia, the Romanian brand Renault, which has exceeded 5% market share in France, the Lion is now considering actually in the parade.

The information, published Sunday in the Official Journal, surged as health minister, Roselyne Bachelot. The prices of three brands of cigarettes will fall by 20 cents from Monday. This Rothmans, Lucky Strike and packets of Drum rolling tobacco. The government has no way to prohibit it.

Reacting on RTL, the health minister, Roselyne Bachelot, said Sunday it would propose an increase in tobacco taxes to counter the move by the industry when considering the budget bill. The minister, who denounced a "blow to public health", said she was "absolutely shocked".

Recalling that tobacco was responsible for 60,000 deaths a year, more than half due to cancer of the airways, Roselyne Bachelot said she heard "get cigarettes at a price deterrent.""Do not our mobilization efforts on public health is undermined by the initiative of industry," commented the minister.

"A health scandal"

The public health associations have criticized the approach on their side of tobacco. According to Bertrand Dautzenberg, pulmonologist, president of the French Office for the Prevention of smoking, the decline in the price of tobacco is "a marketing offensive to attract new smokers, particularly youth and women."

"Variations on the price of tobacco, which are the only effective lever for reducing consumption, are now in the hands of industrialists," he laments."This is a health scandal since this will automatically translate into increased consumption," adds Yves Martinet, president of the National Committee against Smoking (NCTC), which campaigns for "a new tax policy."

There are currently 29% of daily smokers and occasional 5% among French people aged 18-75 years. According to the French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), the daily smoking for 28% of girls and 30% of boys and 17 years.

"And all indicators are now red," according to Professor Albert Hirsch, vice president of the National League against Cancer.The latest results from the annual survey conducted by the association without tobacco Paris, in partnership with the rector of Paris and the Fund's primary health insurance, and have recently shown a tendency to relapse to smoking among adolescents Paris, while the latter had given up smoking massively in the wake of the cancer plan.

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Perhaps fears about the monthly employment figures expected with apprehension before market are already partly integrated into the course. The Dow Jones gained in effect to 15.45, 0.36% to 9767 points, the Nasdaq advance from 0.08% to 2103 points and the S & P 500 rose 0.24% to 1030 points.

The American economy has destroyed 125,000 non-agricultural jobs in June against 110,000 planned. This is the first time since the beginning of the year that the U.S. economy is destroying jobs and the number of registered job destruction last month was the highest since October 2009.

The private sector has created 83,000 jobs, however, against 33,000 in May and 112,000 expected by the market. Despite the job losses recorded in the month, the unemployment rate of 9.5% in June, its lowest level since July 2009, against 9.7% in May Economists expected a rate of 9.8%.

The figures, preliminary unemployment weekly published Thursday, however, very disappointed. "For three months, enrollment weekly unemployment are the yo-yo around a trend average of 462,000, economists are of Oddo Securities. The dismissal of the enumerators of the population, down sharply in June (see Chart 3 above), could affect these results, but, anyway, the job recovery seems decidedly weak. "

Europe and China in the minds

If the relatively low funding requests from European banks with the ECB reassured yesterday, the threat of a downgrading of the rate of Spain by Moody's, the clouds that accumulate on the growing global concern, however, more than never the United States.Several indicators, unemployment and housing U.S., in fact, yesterday, had a marked fall in European markets, while Wall Street has finally, paradoxically, proved to be more combative resistance payday loan lenders. The weakening of the greenback against the euro is perhaps helped. The late publication of monthly sales of car manufacturers, sharp rise, too.The sixth meeting of decline has been less severe than expected, the Dow ended down 0.42% to 9732 points and the Nasdaq fell 0.37% to 2101 points.

While the downward revision of growth prospects of China Conference Board had, following a calculation error, contributing to a decline in the markets earlier this week, China could reassure the contrary on Friday: it comes into effect to announce the revision of the growth of its gross domestic product from 2009 to 9.1% against a previous estimate of 8.7%.

Google buys ITA

As for values, Jeffrey Immelt, the head of U.S. conglomerate General Electric, has accused China to show hostility towards foreign companies, said Friday the Financial Times (FT), pushing the group to say that his comments had been distorted.The share lost 0.14% to 14.10 dollars.

The engine rechercheGoogle (-0.47% to 437.43 dollars) has announced the acquisition of ITA, a company specializing in information on air transport.

The publisher of games for iPhone Tapulous announced Thursday that he was bought by media giant Disney (+0.32% to 31.59 dollars) to become "leader in mobile entertainment." The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Sanofi-Aventis (-2.24% to 29.70 dollars) on Friday refused to comment on information from Bloomberg that the French pharmaceutical group preparing to acquire a U.S. company a value of at least 20 billion dollars. Allergan (6.88% to 62.10 dollars) and Biogen (6.70% to 49.86 dollars) are cited as potential targets

Monday, Le Monde has turned a page of his story in a calm atmosphere. Once is not custom. Upon completion of the supervisory boards of the World, offers the trio Pierre Berge, Xavier Niel and Matthew Pigasse ("BNP") received 11 votes. The other nine votes abstained. Employee representatives had 9 votes, and Louis Schweitzer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, which made the difference in making its voice and that entrusted to him by Claude Perdriel, boss Le Nouvel Observateur and unsuccessful candidate for the resumption of the World.Louis Schweitzer has done everything to ensure that The World is lost in a new crisis between the employees and field representatives (Lagardère and Prisa, La Stampa, Pierre Lescure, Jean-Louis Beffa …).

Over the weekend, in the daily columns, he emphasized the seriousness of the financial situation and warned: "I hope there will be convergence." At the end of the supervisory board, Gilles Van Kote The president of the Society of Editors (RS) welcomed "the gesture of a great lord of Claude Perdriel, which withdrew its offer and voted for its competitors. On Monday morning, Claude Perdriel and Orange announced they were withdrawing their offer, drawing the lesson of the plebiscite of employees of the World for the trio "BNP".Into effect on Friday, the different societies of staff (Le Monde, Le Monde Interactif, Telerama, Courrier International, employees, managers …) have spoken overwhelmingly (between 80 and 91%% for the Society of Editors of World) for the trio Pierre Berge, Xavier Niel and Matthew Pigasse. After the vote, will open exclusive talks with the trio BNP. Beforehand, prospective buyers are, as they had committed 10 million euro move before July 5 to cross to Le Monde's financial deadlines July 10 and have enough money to take all summer ."Then, in late July or early September a new supervisory board will endorse the negotiations and the deal should be finalized in late September or early October," said Gilles Van Kote.

Negotiations with Lagardère and Prisa

In total, Pierre Berge, Xavier Niel and Matthew Pigasse provide 110 million euros. Therefore, they will control 64.65% of capital. For the first time in the history of the world, workers will abandon the majority stake and control group. The trio "BNP" had taken the measure of the importance of this decision. That is why he insisted on preserving the editorial independence of publications group. Better, it should make a gesture in their favor.Pierre Berge has promised to create a foundation with 10 million euros destined to gradually increase the share of employees to 33%.

With other shareholders, Lagardère and Prisa, also diluted, dialogue should engage. Following the recapitalization, Lagardere will have only 5.86% of capital, and Prisa 5.1%. Lagardère cons grin and heart. In the vote, he refrained. "This is a position consistent with what we've always said. We did not oppose the rescue of the World while taking care to safeguard our interests, "responded Khiroun Ramzy, the group's spokesman. However, Lagardere clearly leaning in favor of the trio Perdriel, Prisa, Orange, with whom he had begun negotiations for the acquisition of its stake in the holding company and Le Monde Interactif. In total, he was to receive nearly 40 million euros. The trio "BNP", everything remains to be done."The investors must now specify their intentions. Everything depends on the proposals they will make us, "adds the group. However, the trio "BNP" remained unclear. If he says he must "return to the activity in the digital world", it does not specify the amount he is prepared to pay to redeem the 34% of Lagardère in Le Monde Interactif.

The other loser is the media giant Prisa Spanish. The group led by Juan Luis Cebrian came late in the battle alongside Claude Perdriel and Orange. He has to defend its interests in the holding head. But his stance in favor of an issue of the daily morning have undermined his bid.

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Found 100 billion euros in three years. This is the government's objective to reduce the deficit from 8% to 3% in 2013, reiterated Prime Minister François Fillon on Saturday, which gave details of the proposed measures. "We have pledged by 2013 to reduce our deficit from 8% to 3% and all our efforts will focus on this priority. It means basically that should reduce the deficit of 100 billion by 2013, "he said during a meeting with new members of the UMP Salle Gaveau.

The $ 100 billion, "we (them) to find the half in spending cuts and half in revenue increases," said the head of government.The 50 billion euros in spending cuts will be made up of "45 billion by reducing public expenditure, 5 billion on reducing tax loopholes."

On the revenue side, the 50 billion do not result from increased taxes and levies, "said Francois Fillon. He bets on "35 billion upgrading after the crisis, loss of revenue cyclical. (…) As and when growth returns, revenues are growing once again, "he said. And the remaining 15 billion? They "will correspond to the end of the steps we have taken to boost the economy and have obviously not meant to last beyond this period of recovery," he added.

In May, Francois Fillon had already announced a freeze in spending value of the state but had not detailed the targets.These details are involved a little less than a week after Berlin has adopted a plan rigorously evaluated at 80 billion euros. France is under pressure from financial markets and rating agencies, who urged him to detail the measures to be taken to reduce debt.

"New sources of funding"

The Prime Minister also addressed the issue of pensions. While the government prepares to release his reform plan, Francois Fillon reiterated its intention to extend the duration of activity and pushing the "symbol" of the statutory retirement age to 60 years.

It will also seek new financing, he added. "Justice will lead us to seek new sources of financing because the effort must be shared by all," he said.Nevertheless, the government has temporarily waived taxing incomes over 11,000 euros per month, according to information from Figaro.

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"Maintaining the AAA rating is an objective" tense ", according Baroin

Rating agencies have a great influence on economic policy Bercy. Baroin, the budget minister, has himself acknowledged Sunday. And what about Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch of the situation in France? Will they be inclined to leave him in the coming months, the privilege of his "Triple A, the highest mark possible, attributed to a very small country?

It depends, just, future government decisions. France has suffered less from the crisis than other countries in the euro area, greet agencies. The state has dampened with crisis recovery plan and welfare. The price: a high public deficit (7.5%), which must now reduce the risk of blowing up the already high public debt.

"Such imbalances require a recovery result of public finances, especially on the expenditure side, argue analysts from Standard & Poor's said in its latest report on France from July 2009. They said the debt should represent 90% of gross domestic product in 2011, against 78% today.

The government has already announced a freeze on public finances in late May, while spending on social security should continue to increase, says essentially Moody's in his March report, "which should result in an increase of 1% per year expenditure total. An objective "not particularly ambitious," says the agency, but nevertheless "should be difficult to take, given the unsuccessful efforts to control spending in the past."

"High levels of taxation"

Rating agencies do not seem to bear the greatest confidence in France, this country has two weaknesses, "the high level of taxation, which makes it difficult for future increases in taxes [to reduce the deficit, Ed] and expenditure rigidity, "is always Moody's. A suspicion reinforced by the presidential election of 2012, which could cause "potential expenditure," said Standard & Poor's.

The Fitch welcomes, however, "the intensification of social dialogue on public finance as an important step towards reversing the broad deficit" in a commentary published on May 28 She also applauded "the change in attitude of the government that understood the importance and urgency of fiscal adjustment."

Time is running out there? In the short term, "triple A in France is not in danger," wrote Moody's, often the last of three agencies to scale down its rating. Still, the separation between the country of degradation of the note is reduced "relentlessly," she says. At the rate of excavation of the debt.

The U.S. stock market, resumed a little height on Wednesday. The Dow Jones gained 0.16% and the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.56%.

On Tuesday, world stock markets were down, investors preferring to play the card of caution after the euphoria on Monday to adopt a rescue plan record eurozone.

In New York, Wall Street, after a volatile session, ended without a clear direction. The Dow Jones lost 0.34% but the Nasdaq has gleaned 0.03%.

In Asia, after the euphoria of Monday, markets showed frank declines, dropping 1.14% Tokyo, Shanghai, registering its lowest level in a year and Hong Kong is also in decline.

The euro erased its rebound

If the map of European aid, worth up to 750 billion euros, reassures markets in the short term, many questions remain, particularly on longer-term impact of these measures.Sign of the nervousness and doubts of investors on the foreign exchange market, the single currency, a barometer of the crisis in the eurozone, is moving in the morning to around 1.265 dollars, erasing Monday's rebound that had propelled briefly above the bar $ 1.30. Uncertainty room also has propelled gold to above. The ounce of precious metal has reached 1235 dollars in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning.

Growth in the euro zone came out at +0.2%, in line with expectations of economists. In contrast, French growth was limited to 0.1% against 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Economists were expecting 0.3%.

In the United States trade deficit continued to widen in March to its highest level since December 2008, according to figures released Friday by the Commerce Department in Washington.It rose 2.5% from February, to $ 40.4 billion (when adjusted for seasonal variations), the ministry said.

Investors will also monitor around 16:30 the traditional weekly crude oil inventories.

Oil prices hovered around equilibrium Wednesday at the opening of trade in New York. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery traded at 76.13 dollars, down 24 cents from the previous day.

Values follow

On the side of values, the U.S. company General Motors (GM) plans to get back into the auto financing, either by buying out his former division of loans, the former Ally renamed GMAC Financial, is launching a new company, understands the Wall Street Journal.GM sold its controlling stake in its former finance division in 2006, which represents a disadvantage compared to competitors who have a home finance division, the newspaper said.

The American group of media and entertainment Walt Disney Company on Tuesday said net income up 55% for the second quarter of fiscal year to offset $ 953 million, thanks to the success of the film "Alice in Wonderland."

Also noteworthy is the video game publisher Electronic Arts has announced a profit of $ 30 million, or 9 cents per share, against a loss of 13 cents last year.

Satisfaction and prudent. Patrice Durand, CFO, Thales has engaged in a balancing act by commenting on early trends of fiscal 2010. "We had an encouraging first quarter," says he. Markets remain difficult, the consolidated turnover increased by 8% (+5% at constant scope), while new orders booked increased 5% to 2.4 billion euros thanks to force of defense and security industry. In late March, the backlog exceeded 25 billion euros, or nearly two years of activity.

Annual objectives confirmed

However, the group finance director of defense and high technology remains cautious. "Our business is marked by a degree of seasonality. It would be premature to draw conclusions from this first quarter for the full year, "he warned.However, the group confirmed its annual goals: a stable income and an operating margin of 3% to 4%. It aims to build on its new organization – set up in late 2009 – and the first fruits of its "efficiency plan", called Basis Pro, which should reduce the cost of "poor quality" is ie the financial excesses of complex programs. In this regard, Patrice Durand said that "the landscape remains the same" for risk contracts (eg, development of avionics for the Airbus A400M military), because "you can not change radically a program in a few months, "but he adds" we are working hard in conjunction with Airbus.

Resumption of Aviation "uncertain"

The group led by Luc Vigneron remains cautious for the resumption of commercial aviation remained "uncertain" and the group will not benefit from the boost provided by the orders of the French army under the recovery plan. Unlike the budgetary pressure is at its height on the states of the euro area whose deficits have exploded over the past two years and who convert in a pinch. However, defense accounts for 60% in the activity of Thales. The challenge for the group will be to find new sources of growth outside Europe. In 2010 and in years to come.

Also on conviction to a fine of 630 million euros in total (including 15 million in interest) of France in the case of the sale of Lafayette-class frigates to Taiwan, Thales, whose share of the fine represents 27.463% of the contract or its part, has decided to "implement all available remedies" and will soon file an action for annulment before the Court of Appeal of Paris. "As an interim measure, the company will pass on its accounts of the first half of 2010 an additional provision of 35 million euros.

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