Aug 12




After the storm that brought down the CAC 40 over 5%, the Paris Bourse seems unable to stay in the green Thursday. After opening up 2.96% to 3092.16 points, the CAC 40 went back down just before noon and sank below the threshold of 3000 points, already briefly reached Tuesday. Half an hour after the opening up of Wall Street, with two good indicators on employment and housing, the index slope gently went back after plunging 2.40% to 14 hours. He lowered from 0.08% to 3000.60 points to 16 hours.

In Frankfurt, the Dax is in the green at 5647 points, up 0.61%. The FTSE-100 index of London Stock Exchange plays yoyo but is also up 0.82% to 5047 points.

The concerns are far from being dissipated, particularly those relating to the slowdown in the global economy and the issue of sovereign debt on both sides of the Atlantic.Evidence of this tension, gold continues to fly record after record. The precious metal has crossed the threshold of 1800 dollars. It is this Thursday morning in 1790 dollars, after hitting a new record of 1815.50 dollars.

Oil prices also retreated in a market that once again expressed its concerns about future growth and energy demand. On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery was trading at 82.39 dollars, down 50 cents from the previous day.

Bank stocks battered

Among the values ​​of the day include banking, which have been heavily tested yesterday. The Financial Markets Authority (AMF), the stock market regulator, announced that it will monitor developments in the securities sector.Shortly before noon, BNP Paribas (-5.88% to 33.515 euros), and Credit Agricole (-1.51% to 5.981 euros) and plunged into the red after yet open on a rebound.

The title plays yoyo Societe Generale: having lost 14.74% Wednesday, it opened on a rebound of almost 9%.He dived again from 4.13% to 21.265 euros in midday before regroup after the opening of U.S. markets (-0.45% to 22.08 euros to 16 hours).

"The willingness of these attacks is to force the SG to a capital increase, which is the workhorse of some analysts and hedge funds in recent months," said an analyst based in Paris at the agency Reuters. "Their reasoning is that the group does not generate enough capital to cope with the capital ratio of over 9% in 2013." The bank, already shaken in 2008 by the Kerviel affair, only to find the investor confidence after several warnings about its results during the financial crisis.

For its part, the CEO of the bank, Frédéric Oudéa, denounced, in an interview with Le Figaro, "the series of attacks" against the French banking sector "sounds completely fantastic, I struggle with the utmost force, attacked Societe Generale, "he lamented. "We have no fear about our ability to raise capital," he added. SocGen has asked the AMF to investigate the origin of the rumors that have depressed its course Wednesday.

Alcatel-Lucent takes advantage of Cisco's results

Veolia Environnement (4.61% to 10.55 euros) and STMicroelectronics (3.39% to 4.488 euros), especially titles attacked in recent days, return to the field.

In addition, EADS (1.66% to 20.24 euros), the parent company of Airbus, said Wednesday it will not achieve its objectives in the United States in 2020 without new acquisitions.

Title Alcatel-Lucent (2.11% to 2.324 euros) rose after the release of quarterly results from Cisco Systems, above the consensus of Wall Street.

L'Oreal (2.29% to 1.73 euros) benefits from the decision by Goldman Sachs, which added its list of preferred European stocks to buy ("pan-Europe conviction buy list").

Saint-Gobain (1.11% to 31.775 euros) has announced the acquisition of Solar Gard, a subsidiary of Belgian group dedicated to Bekaert Specialty Films, as part of its strategy to accelerate its growth through acquisitions.

Maurel & Prom rose 4.22% to 12.35 euros after opening up over 8%. The oil company has reported a surge of 123% of its revenue thanks to increased revenues in Gabon and Nigeria.

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Jul 29




The proposals "Fund Deposit" and "itching powder" are rarely associated. They are even more often seen as mutually exclusive! Yet the old lady of the Rue de Lille, as we nicknamed the public financial institution, is now ready to shake up some French capitalism. It shows at least now clearly his ideas on corporate governance, an area where it operates through its investment portfolio, worth 45 billion euros. The CDC is thus "the institutional investor of reference in France, said its Deputy General Manager, Antoine Gosset-Grainville. His votes in general meetings of shareholders have a non zero … "

During the 2011 season meetings, the Fund has participated in 238 general meetings, and 6% voted against the resolutions proposed to shareholders.His motives in a bad mood generally join those of other heralds of good governance.

Gender and salaries

The first theme is that of the organization and composition of boards of directors or supervisory board (with attention to gender), the Fund is "generally favorable to separate the functions." Second area of ​​vigilance: the compensation of officers and directors. "We are opposed to the remuneration of executives for which the variable significantly exceeds the fixed portion, and the distribution of bonus shares or stock options to a very small number of people without condition or performance," said Antoine Gosset -Grainville. Third issue: the rights of shareholders no fax pay day loan.The resolutions authorizing such massive capital increase without preferential subscription rights for existing shareholders are not, for example the taste of the Fund.

With a "score" of 6% negative votes, the CDC is far from being a shareholder "activist". But the institution wants to know that she is not inactive. With her as with other large institutional investors, "there is now a very heavy dialogue ahead of meetings to identify the risk of blockage. This is a good mode of regulation, "said Antoine Gosset-Grainville.

By the end of the year, the Fund will publish its "general principles to vote" in assembly. A text that is not a straitjacket."We have deviated in 20% of cases, such as to renew the directors in office for over twelve years, but actually brings more to the company," explains the number 2 of the Fund.

This guide does not directive for special cases, like when it comes to voting for or against a strategic move. Antoine Gosset-Grainville recalls the general philosophy of the institution, "the anti-model of some investment funds that are not as long-term horizon, or good governance to rule."

For specific cases, the CDC prefers silence his choice. But he said, as reported Challenges, for example, it has been against the division of the discounter Dia Carrefour Group, at a meeting that was one of the roughest of the season.

Jul 22




The NYSE was struggling to find a clear direction at the opening Friday, the day after net gains brought by the agreement reached in Europe on debt and as the market digested a series of results: the Dow Jones lost 0, 21% but the Nasdaq gained 0.25%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gave 27.09 points to 12,697.32 points while the Nasdaq, dominated by technology, taking 6.98 points to 2841.41 points. The broader index S & P 500 fell by 0.04% (or 0.52 points) to 1343.28 points.

On Thursday, the New York Stock Exchange ended sharply higher Dow Jones gained 1.21% to 12,724.41 points, its highest closing level in over two months and the Nasdaq 0.72% to 2834.43 points .The broader index Standard & Poor's 500 rose 1.35% to 1343.80 points.

The announcement of a concrete agreement on the plan of aid to Greece, made shortly before the close of the U.S. market, has largely contributed to the surge in indices. In the U.S., investors remained optimistic despite the denial by a spokesman for the White House, press reports that a market was about to be reached with the Republican chairman of the House, John Boehner, to raise the debt ceiling. At 12 days of the deadline set by the Treasury, the Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate have found for nearly two hours the president Barack Obama to the White House. The rating agency Standard & Poor's reiterated Thursday that there was a chance that two lower sovereign rating of the United States within three months.The downgrade could occur "possibly by early August" and could be "one or more notches," says the agency.

On the foreign exchange market, the overall relaxation of the Greek fire, which had once benefited the euro last Thursday, however, did not have a lasting impact on the European currency was stable against the dollar on Friday. At mid session on European markets, the euro was worth 1.4412 dollars, against 1.4417 dollars on Thursday night. In the wake of the announcement of the plan, the euro reached a peak Thursday at 1.4443 dollar. In terms of oil, oil prices start rising, supported by a European, but also by the announcement of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA), which has no plans to release a reserve again strategic.In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" took 28 cents to 99.41 dollars, after crossing at the meeting yesterday the 100 dollars. That of Brent North Sea took 23 cents to 117.74 dollars.

New round results

On the macroeconomic front, no major indicator is expected across the Atlantic. Investors should pay close attention to the results of the day. Starting with those of computer giant Microsoft has managed to achieve an increase of 23% of its annual net profit to 23.15 billion dollars, even though he suffered a slowdown in the IT market, felt by its flagship, Windows programs. The fourth quarter of fiscal shifted from Microsoft, completed June 30, exceeded expectations, with a 30% increase in net income to 5.87 billion billion.The turnover has meanwhile increased by 12% during the year to 69.94 billion dollars, including 17.37 billion dollars last quarter alone (8%). the title loses 1.93% to 25.87 dollars.

For its part, the U.S. manufacturer of AMD microprocessors without CEO since January, announced Thursday after the close of Wall Street have made a profit of $ 61 million in the second quarter against a loss of 43 million a year ago, to sales down 5%. The title takes off from 12.62% to 7.33 dollars.

Also note, the U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs (0.07% to 135.67 dollars) has won a legal victory against the Australian investment fund Basis Yield Alpha Fund failed (BYAF) who accused him of have made a mistake in selling him a financial risk before the financial crisis.A New York judge has in fact refused to hear the complaint, citing a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court which ruled that U.S. laws on financial products do not apply to transactions made abroad.

The U.S. maker of memory cards Sandisk recorded 1.37 billion of revenue in the second quarter of this year, including 248.4 million dollars in net profits. Numbers higher than analysts' expectations. The title earns 7.73% to 44.82 dollars.

The pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb (-0.32% to 29.46 dollars) announced Thursday that it has agreed "final" for the purchase of specialist treatments fibrosis Amira, a sum of up to 475 million. Under the agreement, BMS will acquire the entire share capital of Amira, which is not publicly traded, for $ 325 million in cash.Additional payments of up to $ 150 million could be made depending on the performance of the products currently developed by Amira.

Jul 19




The wiretapping scandal that is the empire of the waver media magnate Rupert Murdoch could seriously undermine the financial health of News Corp.. The rating agency Standard & Poor's has placed under surveillance the note of media group, currently BBB +. Investors welcomed this decision: As News Corp, which lost 4.32% yesterday even on Wall Street rebounds on Tuesday morning at the Sydney Stock Exchange, gaining 2.75% in mid-session.

Standard & Poor's is concerned about "the increased risk associated with the activities and reputation (the group) while the legal extend." The financial consequences of the scandal is already heavy for News Corp, which had to abandon his flagship project of redemption of all of the satellite channel BSkyB.And the rating agency believes that a tarnished reputation "may scare off customers or future, to lose opportunities and divert attention from the leaders." Now that reputation has been affected by "the amplification of the legal proceedings in Britain and the pressure from U.S. lawmakers for an FBI investigation," said the rating agency before turning to the resignations and the convening of several leaders for a hearing by the British Parliament on July 19.

In addition, the group management may be altered. According to Bloomberg, the Board would discuss the replacement of Rupert Murdoch as head of the group, despite the support the manager confirmed yesterday by a director, Tom Perkins.The Wall Street Journal yesterday, the CEO and founder of News Corp is considering himself to let go of the reins of his company for more than a year, giving way to Chase Carey, the current chief operating officer of group. The departure of Rupert Murdoch has also become a struggle for the collective LulzSec hackers, who hijacked last night a page of the website of Sun, directing users to a hoax article-which announced the death of the boss of News Corp.

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Jun 28




Renault is working to revive its sales in Europe in 2012. The automaker, whose image was tarnished by the case of false intelligence to launch a "flurry" of new products next year on the old continent, said La Tribune.

Starting with the renovation of smaller models. The group of diamond brand and will revamp its Twingo "with a front face far more original," says the group business daily. No time to breathe, the group will then present its model for electric car Zoe in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show prior to the market at a price of 15,000 euros from August 2012.

Then, the Clio IV will land on the market. The aim is to produce 450,000 Clio IV year, said La Tribune bad credit pay day loans. The vehicle will be produced in Bursa in Turkey but also Flins, near Paris. The new Clio will replace the previous ones.

New Dacia

On the Dacia brand, the group plans to launch a "compact van." Then the manufacturer will present models of renewed Logan and Sandero. These vehicles will be sold under the Renault brand outside Europe and Africa.

In the longer term, in 2014, new small city car produced in conjunction with Smart (Daimler) will emerge. Twingo a third version, and a smart four-seater will be produced on a single platform based in Slovenia. The year 2014 should be the revival of high-end vehicles.

Jun 26




A race against time. On Monday, the French stage will present at the National Rugby Marcoussis, before the DNACG (National Directorate of assistance and management control) financial guarantees as to the survival of the Parisian club, after the fraud case linked Facem the Canadian Foundation (Foundation for the Improvement of children in the world).

Still two million find

The figure is known, the French stage has a deficit of 6 million euros to be filled Monday. Bernard Laporte would have found new investors. But after the spectacular failure of Facem, the pool of investors formed by the Englishman Richard Pool-Jones, former player for the club, has also been reactivated, with the help of Serge Kampf, CEO of Capgemini and a great patron of rugby French, and former international Jean-Pierre Rives.The DNACG, before which the Parisian club had already presented in May, is now more demanding, it expects 12.6 million euros in guarantees, in the amount that would normally Facem injected. The round of Pool-Jones would have raised 8 million – the amount initially met – and another 2 million could be saved by reviewing the operating mode of the Parisian club. Remains yet to find 2 million euros to avoid the gauntlet of the "financial policeman" of French rugby. The question is which of the two solutions will be chosen.

A bloated workforce that will have to degrease

Ironically, the missing 2 million in the plane of Pool-Jones correspond to expenses incurred in recruiting high-end by the French stage version which had Laporte on 20 million euros pledged by the Facem but are never arrived.

A total of 19 players have committed to the Paris Club, including the Argentine Felipe Contepomi, New Zealand's Byron Kelleher and Paul Sackey English no fax cash loans. The wage bill had increased to 8 million euros. Another nod, the signature of South Africans Mostert and Van Zyl was announced just minutes before the revelation of the scam. Tuesday afternoon, already aware of the shock, the agents were in turmoil, many trying to resettle their foals outside the capital. Obvious: we'll have to degrease the mammoth. Pascal Pape and David Attoub could rebound in Lyon, recently promoted to Top 14. Bastareaud, who wishes to engage with Toulon but is retained by Bernard Laporte, will get the proper output in the coming days. Mourad Boudjellal, the president of RCT, intention, however, take advantage of the situation. "The first thing that the French stage recovers.I prefer to renegotiate with Max Guazzini and Bernard Laporte in top form in this situation. I really do not want to take advantage, "he said Friday in Var Matin.

Laporte, a return that is like a slap in the face

It would revive the French stage, it could remain who precipitated his fall. Without money from the Facem (three related to this foundation have since been placed in custody), there is nothing. Former Secretary of State for Sport has played with fire. He has left € 170,000 under the guarantees. Salagoïty Francis, former president of the Bayonne where "Bernie" was a brief passage, drives the point home in South West: "Everyone will understand that my apprehensions were based on Bernard Laporte." The only way to bounce back is that the new rescue plan is adopted.In either case, it is rumored that Serge Kampf would not want to hear about it …

May 27




For the 9th consecutive year, the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW) publishes its list of the companies in which to work in Europe. With a small change this year: the two traditional classifications of societies and more than 500 employees, has added the business called "multinational". Test required to integrate this category have been nationally ranked "business in which to work" in at least three countries.

Filed in 16 countries throughout Europe, Microsoft wins first place in the top 25 multinational companies. The U.S. computer giant is closely followed by two compatriots: the biotechnology company Amgen (Applied Molecular Genetics) and the food group Mars.

Apr 22




Without the mastery of numbers and salaries of civil servants, France can not stabilize, as it promised in Brussels on government spending until 2014. And for one simple reason: staff costs (salaries and fringe benefits) account for 31% of the state budget, excluding debt service charges and pensions.

The government is obviously aware of the issue. That is why the index point, which is the basis for calculating the remuneration of officials, will be frozen in 2012 after having been in 2011. In fact, every increase of 1% of item cost 900 million to the state. In addition, the non-replacement of staff on two retiring will continue, with the key to some 30,000 job cuts per year.Bercy hopes to reduce the state payroll, $ 82.7 billion in 2011 to 81,700,000,000 in 2013.

Too many bonuses repaid

This is not the opinion of the Court of Auditors. In a report published in the fall, the judges of the Rue Cambon noted that despite the job cuts, "payrolls increased an additional 1% annually in recent years." Worse, in 2009, staff costs were up 500 million that they were included in the original budget. In 2010, the slippage would be 532 million according to the report by Gilles Carrez, the UMP rapporteur of the budget to the Assembly on the last supplementary budget of 2010.Finally, to stabilize personnel costs, the Court therefore considers that a more bitter potion is needed, made of a gel point here until 2013 and included a strict framework of the "categorical returns, even their reduction after 2013 guaranteed approval cash loans.

It is here that things are fishing, according to the Court. Normally, the state must redistribute to officials 50% of savings from job cuts. Thus, in 2009, the 860 million of gains a "two" would generate 430 million due to the redistribution agents. "But the handover was in fact rather the order of 700 million in 2009," wrote the Court of Auditors. Some departments have been too generous, others, like the National Education should pay more overtime than expected."In 2010, the Department of Defense would have surrendered 63% savings, that 68.7% of the Economy and the Interior Ministry has spent more than it has saved," said one expert on the issue.

At Bercy, we challenged this analysis: "The Court includes in its calculations of the elements that are not" categorical return "but that emerge from our policy of individualisation of pay." It is estimated that the slippage of the payroll is due only one error in forecasting retirements. Fewer starts, it's more wages to pay and return categorical overrate. "The departures in 2010 were 12% lower than forecast. But in 2011, they are hasse, "says one at Bercy.Time will tell which of the Court of Auditors or the Government, is right …

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Apr 5




"This is another step," said Chris Viehbacher, CEO of Sanofi-Aventis Business on BFM on Monday morning. A month and a half after formalized the acquisition of U.S. biotech Genzyme, the pharmaceutical company announced on Monday morning having met 84.6% stake in its target (number of shares), after the close of the offer on April 1.

For late or indecisive, Sanofi-Aventis has announced the reopening for four days after the offer of 74 dollars per share, beginning this Monday, April 4 and April 7, 2011 Termier at midnight, Paris time. With this announcement, Sanofi-Aventis loop thus one of the most difficult acquisitions in its history. More than eight months of stock market battle will have been necessary to convince the board of directors of Genzyme.

End of an eight-month battle Market

More than the interest of the reconciliation, Henri Termeer, Genzyme's CEO questioned the price offered by the French, hoping to raise up the auction. A successful challenge, the champion tricolor pharmacy having finally sold, raising its offer from 69 to 74 dollars per share, together with a certificate of conditional value (TRC).It could reach 14 dollars per share based on sales performance of Cerezyme and Fabrazyme, two major products of Genzyme, which has experienced serious production problems, but especially those of Lemtrada, developed an anticancer drug against multiple sclerosis, and could become a future blockbuster (drug of over one billion euros in annual sales) Same day payday loans.

So it's a big step forward for Sanofi-Aventis, which has just spent over $ 20.1 billion to afford the latest nuggets still independent of biotechnology. And this redemption, the laboratory with one stone two birds, reinforcing both in biotech, where despite efforts in recent years, he remained behind. In addition, Sanofi-Aventis is increasing in rare diseases, where it was virtually absent.

Preserve the culture of Genzyme

"This operation is Sanofi-Aventis the world leader in biotechnology, alongside our leadership position in vaccines, has also said Chris Viehbacher Business on BFM this morning. For if the French had been dethroned in 2010 by GlaxoSmithKline in the sector, it still aims to double its sales of vaccines for the period 2008-2014, to bring them to more than 5.7 billion euros.

In the meantime, the acquisition strategy very offensive Viehbacher crisis should be put in parenthesis, the leader now want to concentrate on the restructuring of research and development. A crucial step in integration, when we know that the corporate culture of biotechnology in particular is one of the key success factors.The rush too hastily would then lose to Sanofi-Aventis which is the productivity of research teams of its target.

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Feb 11




Paris Has it been too sure of his strength? There is just one more year, the possibility of relocation was seen as a joke by the City Council. At the point of not meeting the requirements of the French Tennis Federation, eager to expand the site of Roland Garros in order to accommodate the public, partners and media in better conditions, and to demand a fee from astronomical 2016 (the current lease expires in 2015). "There is a Roland Garros. There is no other. It will be more if it leaves Roland Garros Paris. The love story between Roland Garros and tennis is necessarily the Porte d'Auteuil, on the current site (…) I'm really a city tour to the suburbs but frankly what belongs to Paris is Paris.Roland Garros as the Eiffel Tower is part of Paris, has just recently told Jean Vuillermoz, Deputy Mayor of Paris, in charge of sport in a whiff of superiority. Faced with this situation, the TFF has decided to react by putting Paris in competition.

A hotly contested competition
A bluff? Initially judged as such, the call for entries is taken very seriously. Three suburban sites are then selected to host Roland Garros: Versailles, Marne-la-Vallée and Gonesse. The quality of records that are pushing the proposed FFT to seriously consider a move. "Attitudes have indeed changed," admitted the director Roland Garros Gilbert Ysern, whom we asked last November.Under pressure, the Mayor of Paris reacts through Bertrand Delanoe, who tabled a "vow on the development of the Tournament of Roland Garros in Paris" fulfilling all the wishes of the original Federation. Extending the area of 60% (5 hectares), covering the Central, the construction of a new 5,000-seat stadium, a new concession for a period of 99 years and a charge down the figure indexed business.

An eminently strategic
By choosing to stay in Paris, the FFT would be the choice of conservatism. A choice of heart more than reason? So says Hervé Dupont, executive director of the Plaine de France, holder of record of Gonesse."Either the Federation made the strategic choice to remain in Paris for convenience, for fear of change, because it costs him a little cheaper … Either it moves and in this case we believe we have the best project." Leaving the historic site Auteuil would especially at Roland Garros to catch up and even take the lead, on the other Grand Slam tournaments (Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian Open) in terms of area (over 30 hectares). Pragmatic, Guy Forget is rather favorable to offshoring.

An opinion that disagrees obviously not John Vuillermoz: "Is that what is important is the space, the number of acres? Does the importance of this tournament is not elsewhere? The goal is to get better. There will be an opening to a new space, a new short 5,000 seats. A lawn will replace the short No. 1, which is not beautiful.This will allow spectators to picnic before a large screen that will broadcast all the matches. This is what will stay at Roland Garros in its box, while remaining accessible to the greatest number. This is not just about square meters. "

Dissension
Unlike Gonesse and Marne-la-Vallee, where the political will to welcome Roland Garros is unanimous, the case of Paris, like that of Versailles, is facing some dissension. "We are a democracy, everyone can express themselves. You say there is no opposition would not be true.Now, democracy is majority and in this context, the Paris council has spoken: 12 councilors voted against and 141 voted for! After the Greens, who voted against the Olympic Games in Paris, which are against the top-level sport in Paris and that the residents of the Porte d'Auteuil want to stay together and not to involve the mass is their problem … But the great mass of the Parisians is favorable. All the polls show, "says Jean Vuillermoz, reminding us that Paris can count on support from the weight, partners and sponsors.

Sponsor support historical
BNP Paribas, whose brand is associated with at Roland Garros for 37 years, is actually very clear about this: "We support the continuation of the tournament in the capital. We believe that much of the prestige is that it is in central Paris.Whatever the qualities of offshoring projects, they would not have the same influence. "Same story from Alain Afflelou:" Roland Garros is a prestigious tournament that counts a lot in terms of public relations device. Currently, it is easy to reach, it will be more complicated than 35 km … "Favorite, File Paris nonetheless threatened. Not sure he collects 66% of votes of the 195 voters of the Federation for its victory on Sunday. He could well find themselves with ballot Versailles (the most dangerous rival?). The two finalists then the tie would be within three months, an absolute majority, at a new General Assembly …

The Paris plan:

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