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Bureau Veritas announced Tuesday the acquisition of Inspectorate, specialist inspection and testing of raw materials and subsidiary of British Inspicio. The transaction amounted to 450 million pounds (nearly 540 million euros) and should be completed in the third quarter of 2010.

Inspectorate, currently held by the investment company 3i, is also present on the testing of petroleum products and petrochemicals (59% of its turnover), metals, minerals and agricultural products.The company recorded 2009 sales of 246 million pounds (280 million euros).

In a statement, Bureau Veritas claims that the acquisition allows it to position itself as "one of the world's leading inspection and testing of raw materials," a buoyant market, "according to Chairman Frank Piedelièvre group, whose potential amounts to 5 billion euros, according to the group saving account payday loan.

Inspectorate therefore give "a new dimension to the group that doubles the size of its laboratory network (330 sites) and now offers a range of services the industry's broadest assessment of compliance."

Bureau Veritas says that the transaction will be financed through existing credit lines and newly negotiated. The group expects a turnover of around 3 billion euros in 2010.It amounted in 2009 to 2,648,000,000 euros.

The time of new measures to reduce costs will soon strike in France. The State must indeed save 100 billion euros by 2013 to reduce its deficit and meet European standards.

Claude Gueant, advisor to Nicolas Sarkozy, says the Financial Times on Monday that further savings measures are in preparation. They should be announced in the fall. It says in part: "France has pledged to reduce its deficit to 3% by 2013. We are determined to achieve this goal. "

Forecast question

For now, the government relies on its growth forecasts to find half the sum. But estimates of France are considered optimistic. The European Commission and the International Monetary Fund have both criticized the government's optimism.The economy minister, Christine Lagarde, has itself acknowledged Sunday at the Grand Jury RTL-LCI-Le Figaro, saying that the forecast 2.5% growth next year was "bold" .

Lower costs

The remaining 50 billion euros will come from the decline in public spending and tax increases. How the State plan to do it? A belief in "Les Echos", the government intends to confirm its target of 100,000 new layoffs of civil servants between 2011 and 2013, after the 100,000 already achieved in recent years. Moreover, the government plans to freeze spending between 2011 and 2013 to maintain transfers to local governments and increase only slightly the health expenditure.The state should also remove the tax loopholes to recover 5 billion euros per year and create a new tax on the wealthiest to raise 3.7 billion euros. Finally, the adjustment of tax evaders will recover, as reported by the Budget Minister Francois Baroin to France Info radio this weekend, "over 1 billion just on the folder HSBC.

The Financial Times points out that these measures should not be sufficient to reach 100 billion euros in savings by 2013. If Claude Gueant has not revealed the content of the proposed measures, economists believe that the state could proceed with a wage freeze for civil servants, their salaries account for nearly one third of public spending.

The crisis has cost France dear. No less than 6 percentage points of GDP between 2008 and 2010 and 3 points of tax revenue and social, as estimated by INSEE. "The growth restarts quite normally, but it remains the scar," said Thursday its chief executive, Jean-Philippe Cotis.

The alerts about the financial health of Spain were further strengthened Wednesday after the revelations of the Spanish newspaper El Economista. According to business daily, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund are preparing a rescue plan for Spain, providing a credit line of between 200 and 250 billion euros. The announcement of a forthcoming call for help had already returned insistently in recent days in the German press. Information that Brussels and the IMF have strongly denied Wednesday.

The announcement of a visit by IMF Managing Director, scheduled for Friday, has added to the panic. Although Dominique Strauss-Kahn said Wednesday in Paris that it was only "a working visit". To cut short the rumors, general manager told AFP he goes to all European countries."I'm in France, is there any rumors in France? I'm going to Italy. Is there any rumors in Italy? "He also downplayed the financial problems of Spain at a conference on Europe and China:" It is also said to exaggerate it a country that has great difficulty and yet the debt is 53% of GDP, which is relatively modest. "

Labour Market Reform

The Spanish head of government has also applied to reassure. Spain is a "country solvent, solid, strong and with the international credit, said Wednesday Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero before the Spanish Parliament. The Economy Minister Elena Salgado for his part denied that Brussels has put pressure on Madrid. Support for the Spanish cause is from Paris."We see no reason to be concerned for Spain, and there is no subject in the Spanish agenda of the European Council, it was said at the Elysee.

These multiple statements have not been enough to calm markets that have remained very nervous. The Spanish rate in a decade rose 10 points in the day 4.8%, approaching levels Portuguese. The yield spread between German and Spanish titles to ten years to 223 basis points on Wednesday, a record, as investors consider the Spanish debt more risky. The motion of no confidence falls ill in Madrid, which must issue this morning 3.5 billion euros of bonds to ten years.

The concern of the market relates to both the country's financial situation and the capacity of economic recovery.The government on Wednesday passed a labor reform, considered essential for revitalizing the job but remains highly contested by the unions.

In a report released Wednesday, the Bank of Spain insists on the need to implement "as quickly as possible" of economic adjustment measures to increase the competitiveness of the economy Hispanic counter the drop in employment and deterioration public finances. But the Spanish savings banks, the Achilles heel of the banking sector, require 11 billion euros to the state for further restructuring.

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The warning on the accounts Krief Group launched by the auditors of the company may be only the first phase of legal setbacks Louis Petiet. Official Bulletin, the alert procedure "very advanced", according to "Echoes" is a prevention of business difficulties. Petiet Louis, through its group Bernard Krief Consulting (BKC)-since renamed Krief Group-has multiplied over the past three years the buyout on the brink of liquidation. And since early 2010, he faced great difficulties.

This is the case of Heuliez, which he eventually sold the shares to an investor, Charles Mirchi. The automaker, which Petit Louis has never made the 16 million euro capital promised to bar the commercial court, awaiting a new buyer.Other companies are being liquidated, as the chain of stores in Soho gadgets, or industrial Isotherma, Havre.

In Alsace, the former two problems DMC: DMC SA (ex-DMC thread) on one side and the other DMC fabric. Two companies taken over by Louis Petiet. The liquidators DMC SA before the Tribunal de Commerce de Paris. Louis Petiet has still not made the 8 million euros promised in the takeover of the company. Authorised agents would like the company is recapitalized by the current minority shareholders who would become the majority. Such an operation would be catastrophic for BKC to lose control of one of its only really profitable companies.'Stocks of DMC SA alone represent a real source of income for two years, "a close case.

In addition, an unsuccessful candidate for the redemption of DMC, the French manufacturer of textiles SA Blanchard, also before the court. It calls for the cancellation of the recovery plan by BKC and wishes to represent his own recovery plan. The court decided to consolidate the two cases and the next hearing will be held September 8 No faxing payday loans.

Broken Promises

Second case, the DMC Fabric, whose activities have been grouped with a sign of furniture, Authentica, within SAIC Velcorex. Louis Petiet hoped "synergies". Today, the liquidator "examines the responsibilities of Louis Petiet, including how he managed DMC Fabric and Authentica," said a source close to the record."Cash Authentica (advances paid by customers) would, a priori, was used to cover losses Velcorex SAIC," said the legal representative, which states that "it did nothing illegal, since it is the same company. However, this does nothing to the rules commonly applied by a transferee company in difficulty, meant to work on his recovery.

"After regaining Authentica, Louis Petiet did nothing for the company, not even changed the vehicle registration cards," said the liquidator. Louis Petiet highlights purchases of raw materials it was made for Authentica.What is relatively little in terms of commitments.

The alert procedure

The Commercial Code provides that the auditors (ACC)-expected to certify the company's accounts, can alert the president of a company if they find "facts likely to affect the continuous operation. The president has fifteen days to respond. Otherwise, or if the reply does not guarantee the continuity of the operation, the ACC is deliberating the board of directors (or supervisory) on the facts found. If the resulting provisions are not met or that the company's survival is threatened, the ACC establishes a special report. The Commercial Court may be entered. This can lead to legal redress.

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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

While Wall Street has ended sharply higher on Thursday evening, and the Asian stock markets move in the green, the Paris Bourse, which also took over Thursday evening colors, the trend should be confirmed on Friday morning, but surely more timidly.

The CAC 40, ending up over 2% yesterday, managed to climb beyond 3,500 points. Sign of the return of investors, the volumes are recovering. About 4.5 billion changed hands on the great values of the Paris stock exchange Thursday.

In Europe, the announcement by Jean Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank revised upwards its growth forecast for 2010 to 1% against 0.8% previously, has reassured investors.

Jean-Claude Trichet also reiterated its confidence in the euro, a currency "very credible".On the foreign exchange market, the euro, good barometer of market confidence returning the land to more than $ 1.21. On Friday morning, about 7:15, the euro does not move too much, and gold trading at around 1217 dollars per ounce.

Statistics follow

In France this morning, inflation will be unveiled by INSEE for the month of May, at the same time as the balance of payments in April (Bank of France).

In the eurozone, this balance will be issued for the entire quarter at 11:00.

While in the U.S., sales details in May, which will be published at 14.30, will be as usual well attended, and the second estimate of the confidence index from the University of Michigan for the month May, at 15:55.Five minutes later, it is the stocks and sales of companies in April will be known.

Club Med lots of red heads for China

Club Mediterranean in the first half of its 2009/2010 financial year ended in April with net income of 3 million euros, against 22 million loss a year earlier, in a European tourist market "sluggish" and despite the impact Icelandic cloud, "he said Friday in a statement. In addition, the group discusses with a Chinese group ready to open its capital, according to management.

EDF CEO Henri Proglio will meet this Friday, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller to discuss the pipeline project Southstream. Alexei Miller said one option would be for EDF to take a 10% stake in Southstream.

Moreover, the computer giant HP has partnered with a subsidiary of EDF to provide businesses with "Pod", aka Performance Optimized Datacenter, installed computer labs in containers.

Lagardere Lagardere announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the final disposal of the television 17 to Bolloré Virgin Media.

The manufacturer Renault has confirmed the reports of Figaro on the appointment of Dominique Thormann the position of Financial Director Replacment Thierry Moulonguet.

Peugeot Thursday, hail crippled the manufacturer's plant in Sochaux. The group has not yet quantified the shortfall.6000 employees are laid off.

With STMicroelectronics Soitec could could hold the attention after the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has estimated that worldwide sales of semiconductors will grow by 28.4% to 290.5 billion dollars in 2010 thanks to strong demand from emerging countries.

Banking Profession, held in the IIR, said that the regulation being developed in Basel will have a massive impact on growth, particularly in the euro area.

Societe Generale Kerviel At trial, the atmosphere is electric. The ex-trader annoys the President and General Counsel of the Company to show nervous.

Pharmaceutical companies across Europe, governments are spending on health to reduce their deficit. France is no exception. The government fell in April the rate of return of 200 drugs.He also announced a few days ago to further declines in commodity prices, in order to save 100 million euros by December.

The U.S. stock market continues its recovery. Contrary to the meeting on Tuesday where they were fenced in a disorganized, Wednesday's session saw the U.S. markets move all in green. At mid-session, the Dow Jones gained 0.96% at 10,040 points, the Nasdaq advance of 1.32% to 2199 points and the S & P 500 rose 1.06% to 1073 points. Tuesday already, after long hesitation which direction to take, the NYSE has done piecemeal. The Dow Jones gained 1.26%, but the Nasdaq has yielded 0.16%.

USA: growth "robust" in 2010 and 2011

On the foreign exchange market, the euro relapsing slightly in the morning against the greenback, hit by new fears over a deepening crisis in Europe.The European currency was worth 1.1942 dollars, against 1.1967 dollars the previous day.

Unsurprisingly, Ben Bernanke has confirmed the speech he gave Monday saying that the economic recovery appeared to be "solid" in the United States.

Heavy oil stocks decline

U.S. inventories of crude oil dropped more than expected last week, said Wednesday the U.S. Agency for Energy Information (EIA). Crude inventories fell 1.8 million barrels to 361.4 million. Economists on average had expected a decline of 900,000 barrels.

Today on Wall Street investors expect the Beige Book Federal Reserve, a report on economic conditions in the United States.Analysts said the report should confirm an increase in economic activity, but no sign of inflation, reinforcing the idea that the Fed is in no hurry to raise interest rates immediately.

After the disappointment of last Friday on the job figures, investors should pay particular attention to weekly figures for unemployment benefits to be published tomorrow payday loan.Among the major events of the week macroeconomic Friday, the market will face a survey about the mood of consumers.

On the side of values, the fast food giant McDonald's (+0.18% to 68.50 dollars) and the diverse group 3M U.S. (0.56% to 75.34 U.S. dollars) has warned that the collapse of the euro against the dollar would have a negative impact on their results.

Texas Instruments announced that its earnings and its turnover in the second quarter would be in the top end of its previous estimates.

The first U.S. carmaker, General Motors (GM) announced Tuesday the recall of 1.5 million vehicles worldwide, the vast majority in the U.S., for Fire Risk washer.

The U.S. giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) (-0.17% to 45.80 U.S. dollars) has launched a new series of printers capable of drawing paper from a mobile phone or other multi-function devices connected to the Internet.

Also note, the U.S. stock Constable, the SEC announced yesterday after the close that he could approve this week the creation of circuit breakers on trading platforms to avoid the repetition of "crash blitz last month on Wall Street, reported Tuesday the Wall Street Journal. For their part, the elected U.S. Congress to negotiate a version of the reform of financial regulation common to both chambers said Tuesday that those talks could be completed by the June 26 Bank stocks may react to this set of measures.

New thunderclap in the daily press. After the economic daily La Tribune and Le Monde in late May in the coming days, it was the turn of the Parisien and Aujourd'hui en France to seek a partner. Yesterday, the Amaury group acknowledged having asked the bank Rothschild and Co. to conduct a strategic review to examine all options to bring to the whole compound of general daily Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, their printing, their distribution system (SDVP) and the governed. This announcement confirms the information revealed in the morning by the Lettre de L'Expansion. Le Parisien is facing a difficult situation and the need to invest heavily in growth drivers such as new media and online paris.With the help of the bank board, the group chaired by Marie-Odile Amaury consider all possible forms of partnerships, the simple pooling of resources to the partnership business, or capital. "Many policy options are under scrutiny. Special care is applied to research alliance in the new media or creating new products. A partial backing of Paris is part of the perimeter of the study but no decision taken yet, "states the group in a brief statement issued yesterday evening. Internally, the wording is "in shock … Little has filtered communication internally and few would actually believe even if the tension was palpable from the start in the fall of the chief editor," says one reporter.

The statement said however: "The family wants to keep Amaury majority control of his group to continue its investment policy and ensure its development as it has for a long time." All these activities would, as the group is profitable and coupled both titles – Le Parisien and Aujourd'hui in France – had in 2009 paid circulation of 488,553 copies France, down 4.7% (OJD).

Implemented in 2011

Another certainty, this strategic study does not include activities with sports daily L'Équipe and ASO, the organizer of sporting events like the Tour de France. The time that the strategic review being conducted and that strategic options are discussed, no concrete implementation should take place before 2011.

For several weeks, rumors spoke of a possible sale of the entire group Amaury.The refusal, in February, from the group to take the presidency of the Cooperative Parisian dailies in Presstalis had raised some questions. Groups such as Lagardère and Bolloré had then been cited as potential buyers. The Lagardère group is familiar with the file because already owns 25% stake in Amory, against 75% to the family Amaury. Last week, Arnaud Lagardere had also reiterated its interest in the family group, saying "buyer of all or part (…) if the family does not want it, we will respect and then go forth." Problem, its interest mainly concerns the sports industry (ASO), as he himself pointed out at the launch of its new sports center, Lagardère Unlimited. Arnaud Lagardere has any future lunch with Marie-Odile Amaury.

In 2010, the power was going to be more lenient than in 2009. Last year at this time, the clouds were gathering over EDF, raising fears a dreaded scenario: power cuts. Not only Meteo-France was involved in the incumbent a "signal hot", ie a risk of drought, but especially nuclear fleet suffered from a long strike. In addition, there were maintenance delayed massive enough to cause a moment to stop one third of the 58 reactors. At the time, Prime Minister Francois Fillon, had also publicly worried about the situation.

The state park remains a major project

This time, the concern is not the same. Fifteen units are presently closed, a current threshold at this time.EDF enjoy summer to restore the park in preparation for the winter, much more greedy for power. By comparison, in January, peak consumption are regularly found around 90,000 megawatt hours (MWh), while in August, we do not exceed an average of 55,000 MWh.

"There is no risk of power failure for the portfolio company's customers," says Philip Torrioni Director optimization upstream-downstream and trading, while recalling that EDF has the "stacking of multiple means of production ': in addition to nuclear, hydro, fossil-fired (fuel oil and coal) or purchase obligations (cogeneration, wind …).

Note that EDF considers the situation of hydraulics "generally satisfactory", the streams and filling reservoirs for dams being at favorable levels."On this last point, we are even slightly in surplus," says Patrick Tourasse, in charge of coordination of water at EDF.

As for the effects of the strike last year, they are now digested, said Philippe Druelle, the delegate operational nuclear generation. This does not preclude occasional conflicts: Friday, the Inter Power Plant Flamanville announced the resumption of work after five days of strike any of its services after signing an agreement on creation of ten posts.

However, even if EDF is reassuring for the coming summer, the state park remains a major project for the company. In case the rate of availability of its stations, which dropped to 78% last year, far from that of other major utilities such as GDF Suez nuclear operator in Belgium. In the medium term, Henri Proglio, the chairman of EDF, is the bar of 85%.A major objective of financial terms because in terms of availability, each point less cost around 200 million euros to the company.

To remedy the situation the company began to invest heavily to replace large components of its plants. It also plans to optimize a number of operating procedures. With the desire to obtain tangible results from this year.

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