Sundial of world news

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 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.

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.

In the wake of a turbulent session on world stock markets, Asian markets are moving in the red Friday, but less dark than its U.S. counterparts, where the Dow Jones unscrewed 3.5%, and Europe, where the EuroStoxx 500 flinched almost 2%.

For example, Hong Kong, the Hang Seng yields 0.17%, to 19,545 points, in Australia, the S & P / ASX Index plaice 0.57% to 4292 points and in India, the BSO Sensex down 1.3% at 16,305 points. In China, the CSI index is even 0.15% to 2730 points.

The Nikkei skids

However, the trend is much more frank in Singapore and Japan: the Singapore Straits Times stumbles to 6:50 2.3% to 2689 points and the Nikkei 225 below 10,000 rating points to 9784 points exactly, showing a sharp fall again 2.45%.

The key index in Tokyo was not dropped below the symbolic 10,000 points since February 8, 2010.Investors are concerned that growth in Europe is too weak in the coming years and that this drives up the appreciation of Asian currencies, the yen in the crosshairs.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) announced it was maintaining its key rate at 0.1% and it injected 1,000 billion yen (8.85 billion euros) in the country's banking system, to reassure markets worried about the problems of the euro area. Thursday evening, Spain's new growth forecast apr_ès the anonce an austerity plan of 15 billion euros.The country's growth will be only 1.3% this year against a previous estimate of 1.8%.

This Friday, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has held that "the fiscal health of some European economies," posed a risk to economic recovery.

Investments in companies

As for values, the Japanese carmaker Toyota (-2.5% to 3,335 yen) will invest 50 million dollars in capital of U.S. manufacturer Tesla for joint production of electric vehicles at a plant in California.

Under the agreement signed in Palo Alto headquarters of Tesla Motors, the two partners' intend to cooperate in developing electric vehicles, spare parts, in production systems and engineering, "said a joint statement released Friday.

In China, as PetroChina was down Friday morning at the Shanghai Stock Exchange, after the oil giant had announced its intention to invest 60 billion dollars abroad in ten years. It lost 2.3% to 10.62 yuan (1.6 dollars).

The story accelerates. This Friday, the Japanese group Sharp has introduced a tiny touch screen, color, reproducing 3D videos. The big innovation is that this screen does not require glasses. A step that should be taken seriously. Unfashionable as it may eventually large screen televisions in 3D now being launched in the U.S. by Samsung and Panasonic but need to don special glasses.

However, to see the effect in relief, it is necessary to be right in front of the small screen, 30 cm apart. "We can only produce small screen in this technology. In addition, 12.7 cm diagonal. It must be well in front, otherwise the perception of 3D fade, "says Patrick Chardin, director at Sharp France. To develop its new technology, the Japanese group has improved its previous innovations.Three years ago, in Tokyo, Sharp has introduced an innovative technology which allowed three people to watch at the same time, a different program broadcast by the same TV, depending on the position of each face on the screen. Each point on the screen was broadcasting a different image depending on the viewing angle of the viewer.

According to this principle, with an image emitted for each eye, the semiconductor division of Sharp has designed its new 3D display device called an "interlaced effect. The additional cost compared to a conventional screen is not excessive.For the screen in landscape consists of a conventional LCD panel on which is placed a filter.

Nintendo

But because of its limited size for the 3D effect, "we focus on three markets: portable gaming devices, smartphones (note: mobile phones for surfing) and embedded screens, such as GPS in cars" said Patrick Chardin make quick cash.

Production should begin in September. One of the first objects that can use this technology should be the next portable game console, Nintendo 3DS, announced last week and promised for 2011. For its previous screens of the DS, sold 125 million units, Nintendo had already appealed to Sharp as a supplier.

Nintendo's next console will be presented in June in Los Angeles at E3.The Japanese group said the old games the DS can be reused on its future console. With 3DS, the group led by Satoru Iwata will take another step ahead of the Sony PSP (67 million), which was sold two times less than the DS. In addition, the CEO of Nintendo will reduce competition from the iPhone and iPod Touch which guests are on the market for portable game consoles.

Moreover, it could sell 78 million smartphones equipped with 3D screens by 2018, says DisplaySearch.For now, only one mobile is sold only in Japan by Hitachi, with a 3D effect without glasses.

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Observed by the whole world, the trial Rio Tinto, which opens Monday in Shanghai, is the culmination of nearly a year of trade tensions between China and the mining giant Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto. This will also be a political test for Beijing, which has promised transparency.

Four employees of Rio Tinto appear from Monday for "corruption" and "theft of trade secrets": the Australian Stern Hu, head of the Shanghai office of Rio Tinto, and three of his Chinese collaborators. Upon their arrest in July 2009 in Shanghai, they were accused of stealing state secrets, that is to say, highly sensitive information on China's position at the negotiating table on ore prices iron.

Since the beginning of the Rio Tinto trade negotiations and lawsuits strangely coincide.The arrest of Hu Stern and his staff intervened when the negotiations on the price of iron ore were being ruined and one month after the rejection by shareholders of Rio Tinto to increase the participation of the giant China's Chinalco aluminum in the group's capital.

Partnerships in Africa

Earlier this year, announcing the end of the investigation fell when the price negotiations for the year 2010-2011 debuted without China. Like every year, the big mining groups that dominate the global market – Rio Tinto, both Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton and Brazil's Vale – agree with their key buyers – Japan, China, Europe – a price for the year beginning April 1, fast cash advance .But the mining groups have decided this time to discuss first with their Japanese buyers.

Last year, Chinese steelmakers were on a very firm position. No agreement had been reached. Steelmakers had ended up paying the market price, 80% over prices negotiated. This year, the talks heated still ahead. Miners might seek to secure increases of 50% to 90%, according to sources. Higher difficult to accept for the Chinese steelmakers.

But Rio Tinto hopes to continue its business in a country that became the main destination of its exports last year, with 24.3% of sales. The Anglo-Australian multiplies friendly gestures. A new head for China and was appointed last month. The choice of Ian Bauert is not trivial.This sinophile and sinophone was created in mid 1980 the first office of Rio Tinto Republic. For his part, Tom Albanese, CEO of the group, arrived in Beijing Sunday to attend an economic forum.

Last week, his company signed a partnership with the giant Chinese aluminum, Chinalco, for an investment in a mine in Guinea. According to the Australian press, discussions are also underway for projects in Mongolia and Australia.

"The results of Haulotte Group in 2009 were logically impacted by the decline of almost 75% in world market volume of the car compared to 2008, according to a statement. Indeed, accounts of the number one European lift platforms people have gone into the red in 2009, posting a net loss of 55.7 million euros at the end of the financial year, against a net profit 31.9 million euros at end 2008.

The current year promises nothing good, "in the absence of any tangible sign of market recovery early this year. The group led by Pierre Saubot decided to focus its attention on reducing the need for working capital and to control its fixed costs.The focus on commercial areas "more potential" will also be intensified.

Maintaining market share

Last year, net debt was reduced by more than 15 million euros thanks "to the sharp drop in volumes produced" instant payday loan . The group's cash at December 31, 2009 amounted to nearly 66 million euros.

Major European and American renters have hardly invested in 2009, but Haulotte Group has maintained its market share in Europe while growing in Asia and America.

Haulotte Group will pay no dividend for 2009.

According to preliminary information provided by the sector for 2010, the year is still difficult, even "if the worst is now behind us.""The rental companies remain cautious about their investments and should carry out spot purchases and replacements to the fleet in view of utilization still low and rental rates under pressure," Gilbert Dupont analysis.

"It should stand on a cow so we can better see!" At the Salon of Agriculture, a crowd of onlookers quickly formed over the course of Nicolas Sarkozy, despite an early arrival more than expected Saturday morning. Instead of starting the tour at 9:30 am as originally indicated, Nicolas Sarkozy has surprised almost all journalists arriving one hour ahead.

Young contestants of agricultural schools, farmers horses, cattle, sheep and also butchers and florists … the president has sacrificed tradition and spent two hours in the aisles at the meeting of agricultural sector in deep trouble . After the walkabout, he announced new measures to help during a roundtable discussion with farmers.

"It must protect us against disasters"

Among the notable events of the morning, Nicolas Sarkozy held talks with Jean-Paul Rault, sheep farmer in the Vendee who lost almost all of his flock during the storm Xynthia. "I told him he should protect us against future catastrophes, because once again, I will, but not both," says the farmer of Walnut St. Radegund. Only were rescued sheep that was brought to Paris for the Salon.

"The president said he would not let us down, it would help us rebuild. And he would see us in Vendee, "says Jean-Paul Rault. The farmer said he was heartened by the presidential speech? "I have no a priori," he replies."We have seen figures for the help, we'll see what it will serve."

Video – flying over the farm of John Paul Rault after the passage of Xynthia:

More politics, the meat industry has questioned the head of state … about Greece. "He seemed surprised and not really know, but I asked him to be very vigilant on the Greek question: is our first export customer with 70,000 tonnes," explains Denis Sibille, president of Interbev, the inter-beef, mutton and horse. "The number of failures is very high and we refrain now to export, where a shortfall."

"Less talkative than President Chirac"

The exchange was more lively with the representative of the Federation Nationale Bovine (section FNSEA).Jean-Paul Fleury asked Nicolas Sarkozy less listen to his Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, and arbitrate more often for his "excellent minister of Agriculture, Bruno Lemaire. "The arbitrage is my job, I do those I do," replied the president.

As tradition dictates, the President has offered a basket of food to stand craftsmen butchers. A prime rib and leg of lamb. "Just as with Chirac, I am sure that the meat was consumed, as with Nicolas Sarkozy, I'm not really sure," said Jean Claude Obriot however, the vocational school of the Butcher."And then he is less talkative than President Chirac," remembers the butcher who hosts the Salon chairs for ten years.

Just curious still, Nicolas Sarkozy was investigated to know what wood was made of sticks Youth Farm School of Laurent Sainte Marie in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques. In Hazelwood, they replied. A medium hard wood, semi-flexible, especially light. Ideal for tapping the side of the animals and move them forward.

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According to a source familiar with the matter, the operator SFR, a subsidiary deVivendi, is poised to become the exclusive distributor in France of Google smartphone, Nexus One, launched Tuesday in the United States. For the record, SFR had already obtained the exclusive G1 or HTC Dream, the first mobile phone using Android, the operating system from Google.

According to press reports, the U.S. giant has decided to choose one operator per country to relay its new jewel, now distributed directly by Google on its online store.

The Nexus One is now sold for 529 dollars without contract and $ 179 with a contract T-Mobile in the United States.In Europe, the smartphone should be offered to around 370 euros without contract and at least 200 euros in the case of a package of 24 less.

According to the weekly Le Point, Vodafone could sell the "Superphone" Google before the end of the first quarter at a price below 200 euros for a unit purchased with a monthly package available to less than 50 euros, and engaging for two years.

Google has already signed a partnership with Britain's Vodaphone for the marketing of the "Google phone" in Europe, and with Verizon in the U.S.. Confirmation of the exclusivity of SFR in France for distribution could be made "in the coming days," says the source close to the matter.

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Christmas may be a small taste of social conflict to European officials. The EU countries have decided to increase by only 1.85% next year, instead of the 3.7% originally planned. Amputation justified by the economic crisis, but returns to divide by two indexing legally provided for in contracts. And that, therefore, more than likely be retoqu?e by the European Court of Justice.

The payslip of some 45 000 employees and contractors in Europe is automatically in effect revalued each year, according to a complex formula incorporating the wage of public service in eight Member States and the cost of living in Brussels.The calculation ended this year with an increase of 3.7% … which caused a surge in countries obliged to freeze or even reduce the salaries of their own officials.

As the Twenty-Seven have they endorsed this Wednesday, after weeks of procrastination, a halving of the annual adjustment. This sudden attack of virtue going very badly in Brussels – even if they, with their comfortable salaries, have trouble finding a sympathetic ear: the grid of monthly payments of civil servants will in effect from 2 600 euros gross, for a beginner bottom of the scale, 18 000, for a general manager at the end of career …

A strike in mid-January

The unions argue that if indexing payroll is divided by two, the samples increase as expected, reduces to only 2.3% higher net wages.Above all, they denounce the illegality of the decision, while the agreement on wage adjustments until near 2012. Several officials of the Parliament considered that a revision of the calculation could be considered later, but by 2012, the rules must be respected.

The case is far from over, because the unions are eager to assert their rights. The conflict could escalate if the Commission officials put their threat into execution and a strike vote in mid-January. Their colleagues in Parliament could decide to disrupt the hearings of the future European Commissioners, also planned in January.

But the most effective lever will probably come from the Commission itself, which is preparing to attack the EU countries before the European Court of Justice in early January.With a realistic chance of success: in 1972, the judges had given him reason in a similar situation.