Archive for the ‘people’ Category

Apple, a sacred number of mobile computing

August 18, 2011 - 9:52 pm Comments Off

Apple becomes the world's largest "portable" across all categories, ie, taking into account both PCs and tablets. The Apple brand has sold 13.6 million against 9.7 million laptops for HP, relegated to second position. Apple has a performance to 10.7 million iPads that have been sold worldwide in the second quarter. 65% of this market.

In the past three months, sales of tablets exploded 400% to $ 16.4 million, while those of notebooks have eaten 2% to 48 million copies. "The growth of the market shelves beginning to be at the expense of laptops," said Richard Shim, analyst at Display Search Senio, thus justifying the merger of these two product categories in the studies.

And behind the two market leaders, the battle continues.Acer has recorded the largest decline, with sales volumes plunged by 12% in one year. The Taiwanese are heavily penalized by the failure of his tablets. However, Samsung and Dell posted the best gains, with growth of 44% and 33%.

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Weather boosts "sun insurance"

August 17, 2011 - 4:12 am Comments Off

Money does not replace the sun. Companies still have made the bet offer insurance against bad weather, which compensates tourists disappointed by the weather. The concept was born three years ago and now sold by some tour operators – Pierre & Vacances, Maeva, Marmara or campsites Sunêlia has unsurprisingly met with greater success this year, boosted by the greyness of July.

"It has exceeded 20,000 subscribers in July 31. It's more than double last year, "says one at Aon, which launched the concept. The insurer does not expect to have to make as many checks: among the 200 French destinations covered by these offers, 50 have now opened right to compensation, according to data Metnext, a subsidiary of Météo France.

In previous years, about 5% of subscribers had received a refund due to bad weather.This year, this share has already increased by 20%, excluding the month of August, which promises but under better auspices. Tourists who spent their holidays on the Atlantic coast, especially in the northern half of France, will be the first question online payday loans.

Two hours of sunshine per day

All however, are not reimbursed the same amount, or under the same conditions. It depends on the tour operator with which the offer was contracted. If insurance is included in the delivery Sunelia home, it costs 12 euros extra in Marmara, and 69 euros at Pierre & Vacances, who included it in his pack "casualty".

For example, Marmara guarantees four days of sunshine a week of seven days, or reverse 300 euros to its customers. A little less generous, Pierre & Vacances is no guarantee that three days of sun, otherwise 150 Euros will be paid to unlucky.A "sunny day" is one day with at least "two hours of hot sun and cloudless" between ten and eighteen hours.

Weather assuming a more capricious, insurers have much increase in the future their number of subscribers. The year 2011, no sun, they will have made good publicity.

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The Japanese economy sends positive signals

August 15, 2011 - 12:00 pm Comments Off

Japan is recovering slowly from the disaster of 11 March. On Monday, the government announced a slowdown of 0.3% of GDP in the second quarter. But this decline, of 1.3% annualized, less than analysts' forecasts which projected a contraction of 0.7%. It also shows a marked improvement over the 0.9% decline the previous quarter cashed.

Between April and June, exports fell sharply by 4.9% and is the main factor in the decline. During this period, deliveries of goods have been hampered by the destruction of factories and infrastructure in the devastated areas of north-east of the archipelago. Breaks in the supply chain were found in the key sectors of the automobile and electronics exports pillars.Industrial activity has also been slowed by the nuclear accident in Fukushima that led to the arrest of a significant portion of the reactor pool and therefore a fall in electricity production.

The downward trend was further accentuated by a decline of 1.9% of private real estate investment and a 0.1% decline in consumption. The trauma of the disaster, which killed more than 20,000 dead or missing, has indeed led the Japanese citizens to exercise restraint for several weeks, slowing private consumption, which is usually an engine of growth online cash advance. This slowdown was partly offset by the increase of 3% of public investment.

"We will rebuild Japan"

To observers, this leaves the second quarter, however, consider a rapid improvement in the Japanese economy."If the economy is improving as it takes shape in some respects, it is possible that growth back at the period from July to September", commented Takeshi Minami, an economist at the Institute Norinchukin whose opinion joined the Minister of Finance, Yoshihiko Noda.

For his part, Prime Minister Naoto Kan took advantage of the sixty-sixth anniversary of the surrender of Japan to promise an improvement in the economy. "Our country has emerged from the ruins of war through the efforts of every citizen and overcame many difficulties to date. With these experiences, we will rebuild with determination and force the devastated areas and Japan. "

These remarks have convinced the Asian markets on Monday morning.At the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nikkei has closed the day on a sharp increase from 1.37% to 9086.41 points.

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"The pressure goes up a notch on Europe"

August 7, 2011 - 12:28 pm Comments Off

In the night from Friday to Saturday, S & P downgraded the rating of the United States, from "AAA" to "AA +". This historic announcement, which comes as the markets have closed a black week, plunged the financial world into the unknown. Munis Hassim, professor at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, explains why such degradation threatens the U.S. economy, the first world power, and identifies the situation to that of Japan in the 1990s.

Is the degradation of the notes of the United States plunges us into a new crisis?

The fact that the United States lose their triple-A means that they have a slightly higher probability of defaulting. But by switching to "AA +", this probability is very low. Moreover, experts and analysts do not believe at all a failure to pay the largest economy in the world. So there is no reason to panic.However, the multiple consequences which such degradation can they prove to be very disturbing.

For example?

The fact that S & P has dared to sacrifice the American note puts enormous pressure on other countries rated AAA, particularly in Europe as the UK or even France. This announcement will fuel fears of a contagion of degradation of notes, when the markets seemed to panic this week. In Italy and Spain (already degraded) in particular, tensions are rising, although they seem to be the new target markets. Moreover, the impact on the banks direct. They will have to review their capital allocation taking into account the appearance of more risky U.S. bonds they hold, as they impose the new international regulations, to strengthen the solvency of banks (Basel III).The recent bank stress tests, whose results were given there only three weeks, have already lost all credibility because they did not include either a restructuring of the Greek debt, or a deterioration note the United States.

Why such a lowering of note can threaten the global economy?

When the debt rating of long-term decline in the U.S., this means that more may not be refunded if the creditor is. However, the markets, the risk is remunerated by interest rates: if I am less sure of being repaid, so I request a higher rate. Thus, losing the "AAA", the U.S. interest rates at 5 years, 10, 20, 30, will mechanically increase.And if rates rise, it's a downward spiral of investment and consumption that will engage, which produces more unemployment, less tax revenue and public expenditure. This government deficits widen further, and sovereign debt. But during the past two weeks very turbulent markets, the U.S. long rates remained very low. There have never been so low, a sign of investor confidence.

There is still a little time, no one imagined the United States lose their AAA. How did they get there?

The problem the U.S. is that they have more flexibility, or a monetary point of view, or budget.On the one hand, monetary policy can not be more accommodating, having pumped billions and billions of dollars of liquidity into the markets and set the interest rate floor (they are between 0% and 0.5 %) to restore the U.S. economy weighed down by the subprime crisis that has capitulated Lehman Brothers, three years ago. On the other, public spending has been poorly controlled, while the U.S. tax burden is already high. Difficult in these conditions for fiscal consolidation.

It is like in Japan twenty years ago …

Exactly, you are right in the Japanese-style scenario. The United States could enter a situation of liquidity trap in which Japan was mired in the 1990s, but never really escape. Rates were zero and sluggish growth, while prices fell, leaving Japan trapped.United States, the U.S. central bank, the Fed is now more capable of supporting the U.S. economy, which has not really recovered from the crisis, according to the latest statistics. Growth for 2011 looks less than expected, despite the monetary support giant that has been deployed. It remains to be seen whether this will result in deflation (lower prices) or if inflation will return. The best case scenario would be the second, to prevent the United States is experiencing a "lost decade" in Japan.

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The EU investigation into a cartel in the luxury watches

August 5, 2011 - 9:44 pm Comments Off

After considering the price of flour in supermarkets and those of certain financial products, the European Commission is vigilant in fine watchmaking. The competition regulator on Friday launched an investigation into the agreements and dominant positions among manufacturers of luxury watches, trying to see if they have agreed to refuse to supply spare parts to independent repairers.

"The Commission informed the parties concerned and the competition authorities of the Member States of the opening of the proceedings in this case," said the European Commission in a statement.

The investigation follows a complaint filed in 2004 by the European Confederation of Associations of watch repairers (CEAHR) for alleged violation of competition rules of the European Union.Multi-brand repairers had indeed used to make many of the repairs of luxury watches. But from 2002, according to CEAHR, manufacturers of luxury watches began to refuse to supply spare parts to multi-brand repairers who were not part of their repair networks. The CEAHR therefore seeks the condemnation of the practice, saying it could force independent repairers to put the key under the door.

The European competition regulator rejected its complaint in 2008 for lack of Community interest. Then the decision was overturned by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in December 2010. This does not prevent the European Commission to be cautious about this.She stresses that the opening of an investigation does not mean it already has evidence about the existence of an offense. And yet, no manufacturer of luxury watches is specifically under investigation.

Beware of counterfeit notes of 20 and 50 euros

July 19, 2011 - 3:40 pm Comments Off

In the first six months of the year, the European Central Bank, through the 17 national central banks in the euro area, has withdrawn from circulation approximately 296,000 counterfeit euro banknotes. A figure down 18.8%. As usual, these are the breaks of 20 and 50 euros that have been copied the most, with respectively 43 and 36% of counterfeit notes detected. Thus, the probability of having one day turn a fake is minimal, since currently, 15 billion euro banknotes circulating in the world with 13 billion in the hands of 330 million Europeans.

How to recognize a counterfeit bill? "First is the button: the ticket must be firm and crack when it is bent, and some inscriptions in relief is palpable. Then you look at it: we mark the traditional watermark, the black security, we detect signs of security by transparency, etc..And then tilts: the band or disc holographic silver toggles the face value and the € symbol, "said Francis Coustin, communications director of the Bank of France, stating that there are eight recognizable security features of immediately, then another series of signs visible with ultraviolet light, which traders often have, and finally other signs that only the European Central Bank and national central banks can detect. In all, there are 63! (See the interactive presentation of the security features of the ECB)

The ECB shall ensure consistently maintain its technological edge on the counterfeiters, who face risks thirty years' imprisonment and 450,000 euros fine. The Bank of France, also a civil party, does not claim a symbolic euro in damages.Within the Eurosystem, work is underway to develop a second series of euro banknotes, the theme will look like the current (see box).

A ticket is damaged, torn, not calcined is not lost

Think again if you think the ticket you just go to the machine, or your child has torn, is worthless. While it may legitimately be refused by your merchant, but the Bank of France, she will be able to replace them. In extreme cases – ticket sales, burned, burned, mutilated, wet, soft, bonded, etc.. – It is always possible to be "paid" but for a fee of 20%.

Francis Coustin the occasion of the exhibition Euro: the exhibition at the Cité des Sciences and Industry at La Villette (Paris XX) until September 4 – which comes in a fun way about the history of the euro, its manufacture, the security features of tickets, etc..- Chronicles the misadventures of people who burned their tickets, ensuring that parts of the Vatican, Monaco or San Marino (Italy) should be retained as they are rare … and therefore valuable, but warns, however, that collecting tickets francs (date of exchange limit, February 17, 2012) does not promise any profit, "they will be worth nothing then strictly."

Euro: the exhibition, organized for the first time in France, the European Central Bank and the Bank of France, has already attracted over 100,000 visitors in recent months in Europe, from Barcelona to Tallinn via Rome or Berlin.

Cotton in the mass circulation

• How does one manufacture a ticket?

To make the paper is bleached cotton fibers (only one note is made of cotton) in a water bath at high pressure and high temperature.The resulting pulp is then passed through a paper machine. To obtain the special paper, called Paper Trust, own bank notes, are incorporated in the paper some security features such as watermarks and security thread.

• Where do we manufacture the tickets?

In Europe, paper is supplied banknote paper to the fourteen high-security printers who print the euro banknotes in the European Union. In France, since 1915, tickets are no longer manufactured at Bercy, in Seine-et-Marne, but Chamalières (print) Auvergne – nothing to do with Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, who became finance minister from 1962 to 1966 -, and Vic-le-Comte (stationery). A year earlier, the Paris site was briefly occupied by the Germans, hence the decision to relocate the "safe" to an area less exposed.

• How many tickets are made in France?

In 2010, 2.45 billion tickets were delivered by the Manufacturing billest which 1738 billion euro, central banks outside the euro zone commander in France tickets. Every day, these are some 6.7 million tickets that are born in Auvergne.

• Where do the tickets then?

Once made, the tickets are sent to branches of the Banque de France equipped with crates. Then carriers (Brinks, etc.). Come back to supply banks, which themselves carry out their distributors, or retail, which brews each day astronomical amounts of cash, and merchants.

• How long does a ticket?

Tickets and circulate from hand to hand, and come back regularly and the Bank of France, which sorts all tickets at once, to put back into circulation as tickets safe and in good condition. To do this, sorting machines at high speed are used to check in a split second the authenticity of tickets. Notes unfit for circulation are destroyed and replaced.Finally, an average, the average life span of a 5 euro note is fourteen months and that of a ticket 50 euros for three and a half years.

• Some rules to know:

– A merchant has the right to deny him a ticket that looks suspicious, a merchant can refuse to cash more than 50 pieces in a single payment, a merchant has the right to refuse a big ticket for a small purchase: the customer must to the extra-A trader does not have the right to refuse display notes 100, 200 and 500 euros denying a legal tender banknotes is punishable under the Penal Code-If I a ticket printer or scanner, I am off-the-law.

The design of banknotes and coins

• Tickets continennent all a European monument and a bridge. But if some drawings look fiercely at a known site, none really exists.In December 1996 that ended the contest European models of the euro banknotes, which was won by Robert Kalina, designer of the National Bank of Austria. Gaphisme inspired by the architectural styles of seven periods in the history of European culture: the classic notes of € 5, the novel for those 10 euros, Gothic for 20euros, the Renaissance for 50 euros Baroque and Rococo for 100 euros, glass and steel to 200 euros, and the architecture of the twentieth century for 500 euros.

• As for parts, the idea was that they have a common European side (battery) and the national side (face). A European competition was then held to select the number of common sides. The winner was Luc Luycx, graphic designer at the Royal Belgian Mint. And in the end, the 17 countries of the euro area are some 136 different pieces move.The choice of the national side has done differently in each country. In Italy, the themes were selected by viewers of the Italian channel RAI. In monarchies, the effigies of kings were most often represented.

"Join the game" Rally France Euro 2011 for children aged 9 to 12 on www.euro.ecb.eu

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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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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.

José Socrates refuses to let go

June 4, 2011 - 7:12 pm Comments Off

This is a schoolboy joke, but we hear it everywhere in Lisbon. If the sky is gray if the coffee machine is broken or if one falls down, "A culpa é do Socrates!" Socrates is to blame! Portuguese Prime Minister of course embodies the grim prospects that beset his administration. José Socrates is one who, after pledging never to lower them, eventually seek outside help. The Portuguese are well aware of: against the 78 billion loaned by the troika (IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank) will require consent of hard sacrifices.

Came to power in 2005, Socialist, 53, divorced and father of two children, probably his last book political battle, the most difficult of all. Tomorrow's elections will determine its future.

The "wild beast" as he describes himself, refuses to admit defeat.Last March, soon after announcing his resignation as Prime Minister Socrates was reelected as head of the Socialist Party (PS, center left) by a final score: 93.3%. And there's another week, opinion polls placed the PS elbow to elbow with the Social Democratic Party (PSD, center right). Today, the latest opinion polls give a lead of 6 points to the DSP. "But the fact that he can still compete with the opposition is surprising analysis Teresa de Sousa, a columnist for the newspaper Publico. This is still the premier of the crisis! "She said the strength of Socrates explained by his personal qualities:" He has great charisma, a good speaker who uses simple words and direct "says she. The flip side is "low fidelity" ideological, considers Teresa de Sousa.Socrates is supposed to represent the right wing of the PS, the current more moderate training already very centrist. But throughout the campaign, this positioning does not stop him to shake the specter of anti-social right, which will liberalize at all-if she came to Sao Bento, the official residence of Prime Minister.

Tensions with the press and justice

"It's a fighting personality, not an intellectual," says José Adelino Maltez, a political scientist at the Technical University of Lisbon payday loans. And to appeal to the French philosopher Jacques Maritain: "Socrates is leading a leftist government with a right temperament." A follower of political marketing, in short, which modernized the Portuguese public life, for better or for worse. Rui Costa Pinto, who wrote an unauthorized biography of the Prime Minister (José Socrates Homen o, o lider), speaks of "a bipolar character.""It is both a deceiver and an authoritarian," he says. This journalist is one of those who have suffered the pressures of the head of government, which maintains an ambivalent relationship with the press.

"We got along well, we familiarly," recalls the biographer. Until the day Costa Pinto puts his finger on a possible bribery case. Socrates then goes into a rage. "I lost my job twice because of him," says the author, who just won a lawsuit against the protagonist of his biography. The "wild beast" is a blood. The justice professionals are in open conflict with Socrates. "The attempts of manipulation against the courts have reached unacceptable levels," has accused the head of the union attorneys, Joao Palma.The name of Socrates is released in several cases, but until now the Prime Minister went through the drops, lack of evidence.

In six years of government, Socrates has accumulated enemies. If he departs from the Republic of gold, it could lose its last allies. As for Portuguese, they will eventually unravel fact from fiction: to identify what is "a culpa do Socrates' … and assume that their structural problems remain unsolved.

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The Paris Bourse remains frozen under the 4000 points

June 3, 2011 - 12:08 am Comments Off

The CAC 40 moved into negative territory on Thursday. After starting the day on a drop of 0.86% to 3930.59 points, the benchmark index in Paris was widened its losses in the morning. About 12 hours, it was down 0.96% at 3926, 85 points under the technical threshold of 4000 points which had escaped to investors Wednesday.

The movement is otherwise identical to other European markets. The Dax index featuring the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, which opened down 0.85% at 7155.86 points, losing 0.96% at the same time points to 7148.25. The FTSE-100 index of London Stock Exchange, which started on a decline of 1.06% to 5965.02 points, its share reduced its losses to -0.76% at 5883.67 points.

The mood has changed beyond recognition from the beginning of the week.Greece seemed to approach Wednesday in an agreement with Europe and the IMF for further financial assistance, which could avoid insolvency. But the announcement a few hours later by a new Moody's downgrade of the Greek debt was added to the fears already heavy burden on Athens. Judging probable restructuring of the country's sovereign debt, Moody's downgraded three notches the rating of the country, pushing further into the speculative grade.

For its part, Spain has managed to raise 3.953 billion euros of bonds 3 and 4 years on the market but, despite strong demand, the rates reflected on the rise.

In this context, risk-taking are not numerous. The activity is minimal anyway since France, Ascension Thursday is a holiday.Upcoming Events, however, some indicators should capture the attention of investors present electronic check payday advance. They are mainly American with productivity quarterly, weekly jobless claims and industrial controls.

Note that the currency market, the euro remains strong against the greenback at 1.4475 dollar. Oil prices, they were down in electronic trading in Asia. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for July delivery yielded 21 cents to 100.08 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for delivery same lost 8 cents to 114.45 dollars.

Values ​​to follow

As for values, no news.Stay tuned, however:

The banking sector

High risk debt Greek, French banks react poorly to the degradation of the country note by Moody's: Societe Generale (-0.12% to 40.47 euros), Credit Agricole (-0.47% to 10.48 euros), BNP Paribas (-0.93% to 53.30 euros) decline. Only Natixis (+0.22% to 3.64 euro) is in green.

AXA (-1.83% to 14.78 euros) also declined.The day before the title had been the star of the CAC 40 gained 1.45%, boosted yesterday by the announcement of its new strategic plan and the sale of its Canadian subsidiary.

TF1: -1.28% to 12.38 euros

The group said Wednesday it had received offers "constructive" of several Internet service providers to distribute its pay-TV from 2012.

Trading in Gecimed remain suspended until the opening of the buyout offer followed by a withdrawal bond, its parent company Gecina (-0.59% to 99.41 euros). This opening will be later than June 8, after payment of dividend.