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%.

Danone raised its sales growth target for 2010 after the publication of its results for the first half Tuesday. The group recorded an increase in its turnover by 7% over the period (6.9% in the second quarter) to 8.364 billion euros. Danone now expects growth in sales of "at least 6%," cons "at least 5%" previously.

Current operating margin stood at 15.30% in the first half, against 16.03% over the same period in 2009. The band announced target for the whole year stable margins on a comparable basis compared to 2009. The operating profit amounted to 1.28 billion (against 1.2 in the first half of 2009).

The current net profit climbed 10.1% to 848 million euros.

Danone also aims to increase free cash flow from operations of at least 10% compared to 2009 historical data.

"A good start to the year"

Group CEO, Franck Riboud, speaking of a "good start to the year" and that Danone announces in particular will continue "to invest in developing countries, products and brands with strong potential: Child Nutrition in Asia, the Fresh Dairy division in United States, Brazil, Russia.

"At the same time, he adds, we are continuing our efforts to improve productivity, essential to cope with the volatility of our raw materials." Third key point, Franck Riboud said that "cash generation continues to grow strongly."

The standoff between Apple and Adobe is a rotating record. In the U.S. antitrust authorities are taking a close look at Apple, and are investigating whether the refusal of Flash on the iPhone, and iPod touch iPad is a barrier to competition. According to the Anglo-Saxon, the Ministry of Justice and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) study the desirability of launching a formal investigation and discuss the distribution of the proceedings.

These are a few lines slipped into the contract for the next iPhone software, which alerted the authorities of the competition. Since one month, Apple requires application developers for its mobile devices to use its own software development. This decision led to the banishment of a handful of tools unofficial iPhone development.Including the Adobe Creative Suite 5, which was designed to create Flash applications.

In an open letter published last week, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has explained the reasons which led to the prohibition of applications developed with other development interfaces. Apple, he said, wants the software for iPhone take advantage of all the functions of the smartphone. Requirements hardly tenable with Flash, which focuses on compatibility with a wide variety of devices (phones, computers, shelves, televisions), rather than optimizing for one of them.

"Obviously anticompetitive"

Adobe, meanwhile, accuses Apple of foreclosure applications on the App Store for its own benefit. "What it does is clearly anticompetitive," responded David Balto, a former head of the FTC. But the issue divided the experts.Another former head of the FTC, more nuanced, felt it necessary to show that Apple is dominant in this sector. Or prove that its new rules affect the consumer.

No stranger to antitrust proceedings against its rivals, including Microsoft, Apple has in any case rarely found in this position of defendant. But in Mobile, where he became the number one American, the positions have changed. Last year, the FTC had already interested in its policy of banning applications on the App Store. The acquisition of the mobile advertising AdMob for Google is also under investigation "push". A potential deadlock that would serve both the interests of Apple, which launched its own offering, DST.

Microsoft on Thursday posted a net profit up 35% to 4.006 billion dollars for the third quarter of fiscal offset, and a turnover of 14.5 billion dollars, which increased 6% year on year.

"Windows 7 contiune to be a tool for growth, but we also see strong growth for Bing, Xbox Live, and the emerging markets of" cloud services, "said Peter Klein, CFO of Microsoft, said in a statement issued after -Exchange on Thursday.He added: "Our record revenue in the third quarter is a continuation of our policy of strict cost".

Mircosoft expects 2010 operating expenses between $ 26.1 billion and 26.3 billion dollars.

On Wednesday, Apple and Yahoo recorded profits for 3.07 billion dollars (89.5%) and 310.19 million dollars, the first for the second quarter 2010 and second in the first quarter of 2010. As for their sales, they amounted to 13.5 billion (+48.7%) and 1.6 billion (1%).

At the NYSE, Microsoft shares closed up 0.19% to 31.39 dollars in a market up 0.09%.

The CAC 40 gained 0.49% to finish at 4053.94 points, its highest level since the beginning of the year. Frankfurt has won 0.27% and 0.62% in London.

After four days of Easter break, European markets greeted the resumption of job creation in the United States, announced last Friday as well as good numbers of activity in services and real estate published in recent days.

U.S. markets plying highs not seen since late 2008, however, regained their breath. The day before, while Wall Street took note of good statistics published during the week end, the Dow Jones closed up 0.43% and the Nasdaq had allotted 1.12%.

After this beautiful hike, investors preferred to play the card of caution before publication in the night "minutes" of the Fed.A document that transcribes the discussions that took place at the last meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Fed and many analysts imagine animated. Although directed at the opening, the Paris market has reduced its earnings in mid-session, affected by Wall Street and by new concerns about Greece which weighed on the euro.

Raw materials and surging oil

On most major world stock markets, the values related to raw materials and light winds were driving the increase. The latest U.S. statistics have dramatically raised prices. The barrel is trading around 86 dollars in New York, on the summits of 18 months!

In Paris the title of the mining company ArcelorMittal has spent virtually all sitting at the head of the CAC 40 with a gain of nearly 4%, followed closely by oil services Technip and Vallourec disputed second on the podium.On the deferred settlement (SRD), Eramet jumped more than 7%. The title was borne by a positive note, analysts at Exane BNP Paribas, which have raised their price target to 260 euros against 175 previously.

The NYSE opened up Monday, preparing to end the quarter and a week shortened because of Easter. At the opening, the Dow Jones gained 0.39% and the Nasdaq 0.54%. The Standard & Poor's 500 up 0.51% (5.99 points) to 1172.58 points.

The U.S. markets have ended on a stable note Friday. The Dow Jones gained 0.08% to 10850, 36 and the Nasdaq 100 0.18% to 1952.63. The values of consumer durables and clothing and basic materials have gained ground.Conversely, those software and services and facilities and health services have been abused.

For U.S. investors await today in early afternoon revenues and expenditures of households for the month of February.

But the main highlight of the week on the macroeconomic level is expected Friday with the release of monthly statistics of unemployment in the United States. The U.S. markets will be closed as usual April 2 for the Friday that precedes Easter. Investors can therefore respond to the employment figures as the following week. They should focus their attention until the "Leading indicators of employment 'perception of the labor market by households, with the Conference Board survey from Tuesday, then the number of ADP private practice Wednesday.According to the makers of "Aurel BGC, the consensus of economists expect a sharp rebound in job creation." But, "this movement is partly technical, related to the reintegration of people who temporarily lost their jobs because of weather conditions in February …" add the specialists Aurel BGC.

Other key indicators of the week will be Tuesday house prices and an estimate of consumer confidence, Wednesday the index of activity in the Chicago area and the numbers of orders in February no teletrack payday loan.Thursday last week's meeting, the market will focus on the ISM index of manufacturing activity and construction spending in March.

On the currency markets, the euro continued to recover against the greenback after the announcement last Thursday of an agreement between the countries of the eurozone to help Greece with the participation of the IMF. The euro was trading above $ 1.34 in the morning.

The values listed, Chinese, Geely signed Sunday an agreement with Ford on the acquisition of Volvo cars. The sale had been expected for several weeks, the Geely group wishing to build a Volvo plant in Beijing for its domestic market. Ford said the transaction was $ 1.8 billion and would be finalized during the third quarter.By selling Volvo, bought 6.45 billion dollars in 1999, and Ford sells the latest brand of upscale pole he had wanted to be and which also included Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover.

According to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Verizon Communications, the second mobile operator in the United States, is in talks to merge with Vodafone.

Companies are also starting to communicate on the cost of health reform. AT & T announced a provision of 1 billion, Caterpillar announced a 100 million dollars and Deere & Co, an extraordinary expense of 150 million. The impact of this legislation on corporate performance is difficult to estimate the short term. The new law eliminates many tax deductions that companies used to reduce health costs for retirees.

For sure, the case of reminders stuck with Toyota. The Japanese manufacturer, which is already subject to a sixty complaints from consumers in the United States must now respond to accusations of a U.S. attorney. Tony Rackauckas, Attorney of Orange County, south of Los Angeles has filed suit against Toyota on Friday night.

Toyota was aware

"We affirm the court on behalf of residents of Orange County, that Toyota has knowingly sold cars and trucks with defects responsible for sudden and uncontrollable acceleration of certain vehicles," he said. For the record, Toyota has recalled nearly nine million vehicles worldwide, including six million in the United States because of problems of uncontrolled acceleration and to a lesser extent, defective brakes.

The Prius, the hybrid model, which was the pride of Toyota, has been implicated.A case that forced the group's CEO, Akio Toyoda, to begin a round of apologies, first in the United States and then China. "I fear that the pace at which we developed could be too fast," he admitted before the Commission to monitor and reform the U.S. Congress last February 24.

On behalf of the "consumer protection"

For Tony Rackauckas, the California attorney, the meteoric rise of giant Nagoya is not the underlying problem. He said the acceleration defects affect "hundreds of thousands of vehicles sold in California in recent years." In addition, "Toyota knew these defects but intentionally concealed California consumers."Affirming that his complaint was "first brought to Toyota in the name of protecting consumers' Tony Rackauckas calls for a fine of $ 2,500 for" each violation of the law on unfair trade practices. "

For its part, Toyota has responded quickly. In a terse statement, the manufacturer provides "not having received the complaint" and therefore "not be able to comment on pending litigation." Despite these twists cascade, a survey published Friday by the marketing firm Corporate Research International (CRI) should reassure Toyota.

Customers, however faithful

Indeed, it appears that the group's U.S. customers remain loyal to him. "Only 6.5% of Toyota's current customers surveyed said they no longer buy Toyota because of reminders," concludes the study, conducted among 1640 people between February 19 and March 2.Same observation in Japan, where Toyota cartonne forever. The brand saw its sales increase in Japan in February from 47.9% a year to 146,145 vehicles, according to the Japan Auto Dealers (Jada).

The French game publisher Ubisoft video Wednesday revised downward its financial targets for its fiscal year 2009/2010 lagged, partly because of disappointing sales of some games and the postponement of several launches.

The number three European industry now expects sales for the third quarter of 495 million euros against 540 expected before, and 860 million euros for the full year, against 1.04 billion expected before.

Furthermore, the group, who expected a positive result of at least 70 million euros over the year, now provides a loss of about 50 million. Its business casual "(games for the family) loses a year to the next almost 160 million euros, a drop of almost 50%."Despite successes like Assassin's Creed 2, which is expected to reach 9 million units through March, or Just Dance, our very successful Christmas on the Wii, Ubisoft has not met its financial goals," says CEO Yves Guillemot , quoted in a statement.

Ubisoft announced it will refocus on its core franchises and games consoles Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It promises to last two outings a catalog of "very substantial", which should enable it, on the period 2010-2011, "to gain market share and improve (its) profitability."

Ubisoft lost over 9% in one week

The market, worried about developments in the industry have fully incorporated this announcement. At the Paris Bourse, the stock has indeed closed down 1.95% to 10.07 euros in a market almost stable (+0.02%). In five days, the stock has lost 9.12%.Its competitor, Electronic Arts, anticipated loss from 1.94 to $ 2.24 per share (cons – 1.2A $ 2.05 per share on the previous forecast) in its fiscal quarter ending March 30, for a turnover between $ 3.6 billion rather than $ 3.9 billion for its fiscal year.

Ubisoft is also penalized by the decision of the firm Sterne Agee analyst lowered his rating to "neutral" cons "buy" before. For the moment, "there is no reason to confirm a recommendation to buy, analysts say. The analyst firm also shown Aurel disappointed by sales of "Avatar: The Game", "well below" their expectations.They recommend to "sell" in their notes.

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Around 12 h 20, the CAC 40 rose 0.7% to 3770 points. The confidence seems to come on the market. Traders were cautious in the morning while Bank of America has trouble repaying the $ 45 billion loan from the state without affecting the level of its own funds and that rumors of a massive increase of capital around the title .

Values follow

Michelin (+1.2%) recorded a turnover down 10.9% in the third quarter to 3.75 billion euros, due to declining world markets tires.The decrease in sales amounted to 12.5% in the first nine months to 10.9 billion euros.

Dassault Systemes (7.29%) recorded the largest increase in the DTH after announcing it bought IBM's sales and customer support related business applications lifecycle of products, for 600 million dollars.

Societe Generale (-1.15%) denied information published in Le Monde, which referred to a proposed alliance between the bank and Credit Agricole (-0.64%). Moreover, the bank will abandon its green activities in retail banking in Uruguay for "strategic reasons" to focus on Europe and the Mediterranean.

Publicis (+1.36%) reported a sales decline for the third consecutive quarter, by 5.3% to 1.047 billion euros.The group emphasizes that "The fourth quarter should be better on the third, the market for Publicis.

Alstom gained 0.75%. His arm Alstom Transport will remove 500 jobs in the United States on an assembly of equipment. Title Alstom rises of 1.23%.

Plastic Omnium (-1.63%) announced a consolidated turnover of 1.742 billion euros over the first nine months of 2009, down 16.4%.

Faiveley Transport (-9.21%) displays the second quarter of 2009/2010 a turnover of 198.5 million euros. The first half of the year, the group's activity amounted to 414.6 million euros, an increase of 8%. Faiveley lost 0.86%.

The turnover of NextRadioTV (0%) stood at 82.1 million euros at September 30, 2009, down 3%.

The turnover of Manitou (-2.89%) fell from 47% in the third 2009 at 146.7 million euros."The business continues to decline (especially due to agricultural market disruption) but slower than earlier this year," the group said.