Archive for the ‘economy’ Category

Business Tapie: Lagarde postponed the decision on

July 9, 2011 - 10:12 pm Comments Off

The Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) announced Friday it had postponed to August 4 decision to initiate or not an investigation of the role played by Christine Lagarde in the case Tapie.

"One of the members of the commission has indicated that he was later forced to recuse himself," said Gerard Palisse, president of the petitions committee of the Court. This is Laurence Fradin, magistrate at the Court of Auditors and wife of Pierre Joxe, former Socialist Minister of Defense and the Interior of François Mitterrand, as was Bernard Tapie. Judicial source, the judge cited a possible conflict of interest.

Gerard Palisse stated that "the alternate member of the Court which could have us make up for his part that he himself was unable to do so immediately without prior knowledge of the case.The Committee decided to defer consideration of this matter Thursday, August 4. "

The survey would be long

The former Minister of Economy and current executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is suspected of "abuse of authority" in the arbitration in July 2008 on the case Tapie, Credit Lyonnais on line pay day loans. The businessman, who felt cheated after the sale of Adidas in 1993 with Credit Lyonnais, had obtained 285 million euros of public funds.

In May, the Attorney General of the Supreme Court, Jean-Louis Nadal, asked the petitions committee of the RGC to investigate the matter. He specifically criticized Christine Largarde for choosing private arbitration, but also refusing to appeal against the award, while the number of specialists are encouraged.If the Court decides to initiate the investigation, it should be long and Christine Lagarde would not be considered for several years. The new leader denies IMF, meanwhile, abuse of authority in this matter and have provided "clear conscience".

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Europe is going bad but the euro remains strong

July 6, 2011 - 12:48 am Comments Off

Eighteen months after the initial concerns about the European debts, the situation on the old continent is still fragile. However, the euro remains surprisingly strong. The euro hovered around $ 1.45 since April, and rose more than 8% since the beginning of the year, and 15.5% in one year. "The first explanation that justifies the euro strengthens and weakens the dollar is in the interest rates: in Europe, they are likely to be faced by the ECB on Thursday, reaching 1.50% while those U.S. Federal Reserve and will still remain long remain between 0 and 0.25%, "says Bruno Rodier, private banker and portfolio manager at Pictet & Cie.This differential rate encourages investors to take advantage of the "carry trade", this technique to generate returns by borrowing in dollars at a rate unusually low, and place it in euros, which pays better.

"The situation should not change in the coming months because when the European Central Bank has the sole purpose of containing inflation by raising interest rates, the Fed also has the task of supporting growth and employment and maintain long-term rates low and a weak currency to do so, "said Harry Sebag, an analyst at Saxo Bank.He said the Fed will not change its monetary policy anytime soon because it looks especially the real estate market across the Atlantic, the one who caused the economic crisis and financial crisis in the summer of 2007, which is still not out business.

The dollar is kept artificially low

But even more than the strengthening of the euro, especially on the weak dollar that the experts agree. And has been a little more than a year: the Fed announcement as it injects new astronomical quantities (600 billion) dollars in the global economy. Instantly, the dollar lost its value against other currencies, and the effect lasted until now."There is also the effect 'end of world supremacy' of the dollar plays, including the report of the World Bank has recently anticipated that by 2025, that is to say tomorrow, the market currencies will be dominated also by the Chinese yuan, not only by the dollar and the euro, "notes Vincent Juvyns, strategist at ING IM cash advance no fax.

The role of the dollar as the global benchmark fading as global governance wants to reform the international monetary system. In this perspective, little by little, investors include the future landscape of the exchange market and exchange their dollars into yuan and euro. "At the same time, we must take into account the cultural dimension of geographical areas: Europe, under the influence of Germany was a culture of rent, we want to keep a strong currency.This contrasts with the current pattern of currency war, which is to artificially push down its currency to promote its own foreign trade, "said Bruno Rodier.

Europe is going less badly than the U.S.

Finally, if Europe goes wrong, it will hurt less than the United States. Bad news on the macroeconomic front here and on the other side of the Atlantic, lower the respective currencies, but the U.S. figures are still worse than the European data, the dollar fell more than the euro. So the euro / dollar rate goes up anyway. "If you took away the effect debt, the euro was trading at least $ 1.50," Harry Sebag plans.Recently, the growth forecasts for the European Union were found, while those for the United States have been degraded.

Thus, the twists in the case of Greece, or fears of contagion from the crisis of sovereign debt of countries in the euro area peripheral to Italy or France, they have had little effect on the euro itself. "The currency market is highly sensitive to very short term. But in the coming weeks, the scenario of an outbreak of the euro area remains the least plausible of all, "says Vincent Juvyns, underlining that" challenges remain whole in the longer term. " The markets seem optimistic about the ability of European governance to agree to find solutions to problems of public finances of member countries."And Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, and Jean-Claude Trichet has always reassuring words to soothe the markets when tensions rise," added the expert.

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Retirement: the new rules quickly set

July 4, 2011 - 10:20 pm Comments Off

Once published Tuesday, the opinion of the Advisory Council pensions, the decree formalizing the transition to 41.5 years of contributions from the 1955 cohort could be taken quickly. CNAV request, to inform as soon as its nationals. The beneficiaries of the "long career" born in 1955 are, in fact, likely to retire on January 1.

The Ministry of Labour does not seem to see any objection, saying anyway have little choice: "The law is written Fillon very imperative low interest rate personal loans. Things mechanically apply, depending on life expectancy, "an official analysis.PS and unions denounced the prospect of a longer contribution period: CGT sees a decline in disguise of pensions, the CFDT talking about additional victims of the reform of 2010.

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Greece: The Cac 40 believes in good news

June 28, 2011 - 2:04 pm Comments Off

As the successor to Dominique Strauss-Kahn to head the International Monetary Fund could be announced this Tuesday – Christine Lagarde is the favorite – Greece has decided to strike until the vote of the austerity plan by the Greek Parliament should occur by Thursday. However, it seems, according to analysts that the markets are betting on good news. The euro area would have a backup in case of a negative vote.

So, in the wake of Wall Street Monday closed sharply higher, Bourse de Paris amplifies gains the previous day. The Cac 11 hours 40prend to 0.77% at 3825.83 points.

On the currency markets, the euro is stable against the dollar at 1.4279 dollar.For their part, oil prices rebounded in electronic trading in Asia Tuesday and remained under pressure, before the 48-hour strike in Greece to the appeal of unions to protest against austerity measures, analysts said . In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in August gained 36 cents to 90.97 dollars.That of Brent North Sea crude for August delivery was taking 25 cents 106.24 dollars.

Housing: housing starts and building permits up

On the macroeconomic front, the number of starts of new homes increased by 11.4,% year on year in France for the period from March to May, while the number of building permits for these homes has increased 4.3%, according to figures from the Ministry of Housing.

At 18 hours, will be published the figures for registered job seekers and offers collected by the job center in May.

In the U.S., the S & P / Case-Shiller of home prices in April (15 hours) and consumer confidence in June (16 hours) are also expected.

Carrefour jumps, Casino unscrews

Against a background of optimism about the outcome of the parliamentary debate on the budget austerity in Greece, the banking sector performs well: Crédit Agricole climbed 2.50% to 9.87 euros, Societe Generale is 1.54% to 38.25 euros, BNP Paribas rose 1.10% to 50.71 euros and Natixis gained 1.04% to 3.29 euros.

EADS: 0.09% to 22.07 euros

China could control dozens of Airbus during a visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday in Berlin, said on Monday sources familiar with the matter credit report.

Carrefour: 1.97% to 26.86 euros; Casino: -3.58% to 64 euros

The distribution group received Monday a "proposal" to create Gama Brazilian joint venture equally owned by both groups in Brazil, the latter to eventually become a shareholder of Carrefour.Casino intends to disturb their alliance, saying the project "hostile", prepared in secret, but against which "has the power to oppose."

In addition, the rating agency Fitch has downgraded the French retailer Carrefour up a notch to BBB +, along with a negative outlook, expressing concern the pace of recovery activities and French pressure from shareholders, according to a statement Tuesday.

Thales: 0.46% to 28.52 euros

According to an internal study cited by the Tribune, the electronics group shows a drastic decrease of 13% of customer satisfaction since the arrival of the new direction. Some regret the centralization of applications and other lack of attention to their concerns.

Lagardère: 2.95% to 28.57 euros

Analysts at the Swiss bank UBS raised their recommendation on the title to "buy" against "neutral" before.

Trigano: -3.36% to 22.27 euros

The specialist for caravans and motorhomes has said it expects a sales growth and results in 2011, following growth of 8.2% of its business in the third quarter, which covers the period from March to May

Teleperformance: -4.49% to 19.90 euros

The global call center cut its operating margin target in 2011 because of the recent slowdown in its business in the United States.

BioAlliance Pharma: 2.33% to 6.15 euros

The biotechnology company said it had filed with the French Drug Agency an application for leave to Phase III clinical trial for Livatag, treatment of primary liver cancer.

CGG Veritas: 1.14% to 23.45 euros

The group signed with the oil services group Bourbon marine services to offshore oil and gas a charter contract for five years to six new vessels support and assistance to its seismic surveys.

Alstom takes 14 hours to its General Assembly on Tuesday.

China reaffirms its confidence in the euro

June 27, 2011 - 8:32 am Comments Off

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed his "confidence" in the future of the euro area and promised to continue investing in the region at the beginning of a new tour on the old continent. In the midst of the Greek debt, Wen Jiabao gave a breath of fresh air to the euro by saying that Beijing had "continued to buy treasury bills from several European countries and had not reduced its reserves in euros." In Budapest and London to Berlin today and tomorrow o ù he will attend an economic forum with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the prime minister wants to present China as a long-term partner of the European Union.

Significant support before a crucial week for Greece.In fact, while the Greek Parliament will vote on Thursday, the new austerity plan required by the EU in exchange for the release of the next tranche of 12 billion euros, the Greek deputy prime minister warned that recalcitrant MPs could block some reforms sought by donors. Theodore Pangalos believes that overall the plan should be passed but the new tax reforms and privatization of national companies should be difficult to adopt, he warned. Yet the majority of the Papandreou government is reduced, the ruling PASOK deputies out of 155 and 300 Greek opposition repeats it rejects the call for a united front.

At the same time, France came up with a new plan to allow the private sector to help Greece, reveals Le Figaro.In the night from Friday to Saturday, the French Treasury and financial institutions have agreed on a scenario that will allow private creditors to subscribe to new Greek government bonds on a voluntary basis.

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Travel sncf.com widening the gap with the teller station

June 25, 2011 - 8:40 am Comments Off

With a business volume of 300 million euros, Travel sncf.com set a record last month. "We sold 150,000 tickets a rainy day, 200,000 on a good day," said Yves Tyrode, director general of the website, a subsidiary of SNCF, which claims more than 55 million train tickets sold last year and more than 11 million unique visitors each month. "Last year, 70% of Internet users have come at least once. We are the site of all the French! "

In fact, Voyages-SNCF. com is the leading French travel agency online. In 2010, the site has achieved 2.8 billion euros in sales volumes, driven by a 18% growth over 2009.

Year after year, Travel sncf.com widening the gap with so … the counters of the station. Last year, the site has achieved 36% of sales of train tickets. A record.For the record, this percentage was 27% in 2008, the share of branches reaching 28% at the time.

"We are pro in the distribution of tickets online and we want to be in Europe, says Barbara Dalibard. Online sales change over a double-digit growth. Customers come under the counter. "

2011, promising

The CEO of SNCF Voyages recently told a group of journalists that "currently, our sales come for more than a third of the Internet, 20% of travel agencies and the rest is done at the counters of our stores and" .

2011 promises to be a promising year for Travel sncf.com. "Even trend" in 2010, according to its CEO Yves Tyrode and "explosion" of sales from mobile phones and tablets (iPad).While these new devices sales still weigh little in the overall volume of activity in Travel sncf.com, but since January the sales they have generated has increased by 100% to 20 million euros. In May, mobiles and tablets as well have accounted for 10% of the audience of the site.

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The tax on online advertising thrown into oblivion

June 24, 2011 - 6:44 am Comments Off

At least fifteen days of its entry into force, the "Google tax" does not ultimately see the day. This is the conclusion of a battle of several months, after the Senate's budget rapporteur Philippe Marini (UMP) withdrew his amendment yesterday to tax by 1 July up to 1%, advertising revenues business generated by online advertising. Adopted at the end of last year by the Senate as part of the proposed budget law for 2011, it was later removed when the collective review on first reading by the National Assembly. With the withdrawal of the amendment Marini, the restoration of this measure is therefore definitely thrown to the wayside.

Illustrating the arguments in favor of setting up the device, the centrist President of the Committee on Finance, Jean Arthuis regretted that choice. "Google does not pay taxes in countries where there is profit.Attention, so does the return to balance public finances and respect for our trajectory, "he said Tuesday. This tax, incorrectly called "Google", companies are taxed advertisers and not portals, would bring a little more than 20 million to state coffers. Several players saw this device the way to avoid tax evasion of income generated in France by Internet groups domiciled in other countries. For example, advertisers of Google domiciled in Ireland, escaped to the French tax.

Disappointments for other organizations, who hoped, through this measure, access to new resources to finance the creation free business cards. This is the case of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers (SACD), which campaigns since 2007 for the introduction of this tax, hoping of course to be part of the beneficiaries.

Taxation envisaged at European level

Relief on the contrary side of the digital players, for which such tax could hinder the development of a growing industry. The recent National Council of Digital (CNN) had indeed heard his opposition to the project. For its part, the Association of Community Internet Services (ASIC) in a statement welcomed the choice of the Senate "to preserve the French digital economy," avoiding "the potentially heavy burden on the shoulders of the few French companies, penalizing especially small and very small. "A relayed spoke about Senator Catherine Morin-Desailly, who denounced a tax against-productive: "It would be paid by advertisers, not by the large international groups, Google, Facebook, which were located in countries with attractive tax" has She stated Tuesday.

Remains that the taxation of Internet giants is not totally abandoned. Budget Minister Baroin invoked for the possibility to reflect on actions at EU level. "The government has pledged to establish conditions for a European standard for a tax on a broad base, without waiting for the G20," he developed Tuesday. An argument inadmissible under Jean Arthuis, for whom total absence of tax harmonization in Europe would only bury the project.

Drought: the vine does not suffer

June 16, 2011 - 10:36 pm Comments Off

Spring 2011 is the warmest spring (+2.6 ° C) since the beginning of the twentieth century, surpassing 2007 (+2.1 ° C) and 2003 (+1.8 ° C). The lack of rainfall between March and May 2011 (deficit of 55%) is also the largest before 1976 (46%) and 1997 (40%).

Result: the vine is ahead. Flowering, key moment, arrived three weeks early. According to the adage, the harvest takes place one hundred days later, the Beaujolais expects to harvest around 15 August, the Bordeaux and Burgundy in late August.

First question: the heat and drought are they harmful to the vine? In principle, no. The vine is a perennial plant with long roots, sometimes over 10 m, which are immune to the vagaries of weather: it is only the first foot of land that are dry.Only the vines suffer not worked and amended with very shallow roots.

We therefore takes a great vintage? Is going a bit far, because spring is not only the result. Moreover, in recent vintages hot, 2007 has not left a great memory, because the summer was wet and ruined the great hopes of the Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy, among others. Everywhere, 2007 are to drink, and only Sauternes and some great Rhone wines, especially side Chateauneuf-du-Pape, save the reputation of the vintage.

As for the 2003 vintage, with its very short growing season, it remains a curiosity, because with the hot clouds an average but the wines are of low acidity. At birth, the great Bordeaux had raised the enthusiasm of a few tasters, especially overseas, and prices had skyrocketed.But today, the big bottles are rare, first quantitatively, because the harvest was reduced, and they do not shine by their qualities. Those who blindly follow the sirens Bordeaux were fooled. It goes back to 1893 or to 1811 for a hot high quality, but primarily because the weather was dry.

Lower yield

Drought, it should not be confused with heat, produces other effects personal loans for bad credit. The concentration is generally at the rendezvous, but with diminishing returns. The year 1976, which is included in the collective unconscious with his "drought tax" does not figure in the pantheon of great vintages, came too late because the rain has swelled the grapes. In contrast, small droughts have resulted in some recent vintages, like 2005 and 2009.But not too much should not, because it can harden the wines, as in 2010.

For now, the drought of 2011 is not worrying at all, and the vine does not suffer. All the more she has spread the bloom in some places, which is still not a good sign for the quality of the vintage. If it lasts for another month or two, the vine will slow its growth and lead to smaller bays, resulting in a lower yield.

However, "until there is no rain, no need to treat, philosopher producer. The vines are planted on soils with good moisture capacity, which saves them. "Because, contrary to conventional wisdom, it is not enough sun and heat to make great wines, and even wine while short, seeing as Australian producers, who had been seduced by the warm valleys they are forced to abandon due to lack of water.Even with irrigation, there are no great wines in the deserts.

In the New World, the science of irrigation, source of many theses and a large number of studies, has made tremendous progress, but not enough to work miracles. Good wine, let alone the great wines, the result of a complex alchemy between the sun, temperature and water from the sky just as we must, with consummate skill and suspense.

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Baroin Pécresse and Idrac vying to succeed Lagarde

June 15, 2011 - 4:56 am Comments Off

Brasilia, Beijing, New Delhi, Cairo … Christine Lagarde has just completed the first part of his world tour to tout his candidacy for the general direction of the International Monetary Fund. Here she is back in Europe. She is in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday will be the Elysee for the Council of Ministers. For his part, Nicolas Sarkozy consults to choose one who could succeed to the Minister of Economy. Multiplying during the weekend of Pentecost, phone calls to his closest. "Nicolas Sarkozy is favorable to a minimum redesign. Its priorities, it is women and centrists. He feels he can not promote that of men, "says one of them.Another relative agrees: "Even if the president is anxious to raise a generation" Sarko ", its priority is to weaken the operation Borloo."

Another Chirac?

Three candidates stand thus Bercy: Baroin, Valerie Pecresse and former Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Anne-Marie Idrac, whose name has been blown by the President Edouard Balladur. If you believe the president of the UMP group in the Assembly Christian Jacob, the appointment of Baroin would be "more natural". "Francis knows the house and it would be hard at work immediately," says his friend. Which adds: "Remember that the successor will be named Christine Lagarde for a relatively short time."

But Baroin name "would raise another Chirac," sighs an elected UMP. Baroin has used the weekend to demonstrate its utility by Nicolas Sarkozy.The "adopted son" of Jacques Chirac would have intervened with the entourage of the former President of the Republic that he inflected his words on his vote in favor of Francis Holland in 2012. Is he aware of the frustration has been caused to the Elysee, Chirac's exit? He dreads the knock-on effects that this might have on the next redesign? "Sarkozy thinks he was badly rewarded by Chirac. He thinks of the consequences of the attitude of Chirac, "said a close.

"Sarkozy is like Chirac"

Should be appointed Minister of Economy, the carrier would lose Baroin parolat government installment payday loans. Sarkozy has thought of Bruno Mayor to replace him. A nice consolation prize for the former chief of staff to Dominique de Villepin who would succeed him as Christine Lagarde but the president wants to stay in agriculture. "Sarkozy is like Chirac.He does not move people when they give satisfaction to their job, "analyzes a former minister. More recently, he cited the name of the Minister for Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet for door-parolat.

Nicolas Sarkozy would then play the "woman card" by ricochet. Unless he chooses to replace Lagarde by a woman. In this case, the Minister of Higher Education and Research Valérie Pécresse, Chirac also, who would hold the rope. More centrist than the Anne-Marie Idrac, on which the President recently expressed some reservations. Pécresse has several other advantages: the autonomy of universities is being hailed as the most emblematic of the reforms five years, his training and his career at HEC Ministerial Research have honed economic issues, his mastery of English , Japanese and Russian.

Viewed from the Elysee, his appointment at Bercy present another advantage: that of "liberating" a ministry full for the centrists. "John Leonetti or Marc-Philippe Daubresse Pécresse could succeed, but I think the president has a preference for Daubresse," said a relative. The name of Lawrence Hénart, secretary general of the Radical Party and close to Jean-Louis Borloo, also returns. Indeed, some suggest that poaching of this very close Borloo would be more "useful" than to honor a debt vis-à-vis Leonetti. "Leonetti said a member, is a faithful while qu'Hénart would be a prize of war."

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Bacteria: EU proposes 150 million farmers

June 8, 2011 - 2:40 pm Comments Off

The European Union (EU) comes to the rescue of its farmers. The Agriculture Ministers of the EU meeting in Luxembourg this afternoon, should decide to unfreeze 150 million euros in aid proposed by Brussels on Tuesday morning. This is to cope with the losses suffered by the fruit and vegetables after the psychosis to EHEC bacteria has killed 23 people in Europe.

"We will propose a $ 150 million" financial aid to cover losses of farmers, whose products are shunned by consumers, concerned as salads, tomatoes, cucumbers and others may be carrying the potentially deadly bacterium , told the press the Agriculture Commissioner, Ciolos. The exact amount of aid will however be adjusted estimates by country."We will take the period from late May, marking the beginning of the crisis at the end of June" to calculate the amount of compensation, "said the European official.

Already, the 150 million mentioned seem insufficient, as the amount of losses made by European farmers. The only Spaniards consider that the bill because of the boycott of their products by European consumers has cost them 200 million euros. In France, the bill, according to professionals, is approaching 5 million.

Berlin slammed

Germany on the other hand was roundly criticized for his handling of the crisis by European Commissioner for Health in the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg on Tuesday. She had made allegations, soon withdrawn, cons of cucumber Spanish after the demonstration of the first cases of contamination."It is critical that national authorities are not lining up to give alerts unproven, because it creates problems and psychosis," warned John Dalli. "It is important to trigger alerts when certain scientific data," he said.

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