Posts Tagged ‘customers’

Microsoft and Google trap accused of plagiarism

February 2, 2011 - 3:24 pm Comments Off

Google settles accounts with Microsoft in public. In a blog published on the night, the number one Internet search accuses his rival of copying the results it provides Internet site Bing. "Some results from Bing resemble more and more to an incomplete version, hackneyed from those offered by Google – a cheap imitation," says one of the engineers of the division of research on the internet, Amit Singhal.

The story takes the spy novel. It began last summer, says Google, where its engineers find that gives the same first search result on a misspelled word: "torsorophy" instead of "tarsorrhaphy (Tarsorrhaphy, an ophthalmic surgery)."Bing began offering our first search result without specifying the spelling [...] It was very strange," writes Amit Singhal.

A real trap is then assembled by teams of Google, who voluntarily associate a hundred keywords devoid of any meaning ("hiybbprqag", "delhipublicschool40 chdjob" or "juegosdeben1ogrande") with Internet pages containing any of these words. Normally, other search engines, which Bing would never have offered results for these keywords invented payday loans. But after some time, Bing began to display exactly the same as those of Google.

Observes the Microsoft Internet Explorer users

Why? Google advance an explanation.Microsoft to attract into his trap, he told twenty of his engineers laptops running Windows with Internet Explorer, and gave them the task of entering the keywords Google invented and click on the rigged results. According to Amit Singhal, the similarity of the results shows that Microsoft observes user navigation on Internet Explorer to copy Google's ranking in Bing. "We hope that this practice cease," he quips.

Taken to task publicly, Microsoft has admitted to using information obtained through Internet Explorer, with the consent of its users. What he had never hidden the rest, says Business Insider. But according to an official of Bing, Harry Shum, these data represent only a "small part" of information that takes into account in determining its ranking."We use more than 1000 different signals and features in our algorithm," said the Microsoft executive.

SNCF: the "wake strikes" law but "shocking"

January 10, 2011 - 2:04 am Comments Off

"There were mistakes, and as CEO of the station, I assume," hammered on Sunday Guillaume Pepy, coming this Sunday on the train Strasbourg case-Port-Bou. On the night of December 26 to 27, a cascade of events had caused a delay of 13 hours for 600 passengers on board. A fiasco explained in the internal investigation report by the planning of drivers, weather and strikes called "wake up". This is the notice filed for the evenings of 24 and 31 December which, under various pretexts, are in reality only one objective: to allow agents scheduled to work night party to stay home.

The chairman of SNCF has admitted that a strike of this kind, around the Christmas day in Dijon, was a factor in the incredible "galley" of passengers of the Strasbourg-Port-Bou. "These strikes are then triggered mainly by SUD-rail for many years.They are constitutional. To be legal, they are nonetheless extremely shocking. Their goal is to disrupt the public service when the French are most needed, "commented the president of SNCF, criticizing a" moral vacuum ". Refusing to designate a "scapegoat," Guillaume Pepy has ensured that there was "human error" but no "individual fault deserving punishment." He also emphasized that the vast majority of railway workers had "worked a snowy during the episode" and that some had even returned to work for themselves while they were on leave.

"Emergency Plan"

Chairman of the SNCF, Guillaume Pepy, has announced an "emergency plan" for 12 lines "sick" of the station, as the Paris-Amiens and Paris-Tours or the RER line A."On each line, we will set up a barometer of public satisfaction, which will be measured each month," he said. Asked about the cost of such a plan, Guillaume Pepy said the bill would amount to "several tens of million euros", drawn from the "benefits" of the group are wholly reinvested. Car, confirmed the pattern of the public company, the SNCF has been a recipient last year, despite "a few hundred million euros" for losses in the transport of goods. Its turnover rose by 4%. In 2009, the station had lost almost a billion.

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Fimalac wants afford Accor Casinos

January 8, 2011 - 11:32 am Comments Off

Accor, which still holds 49% stake in Lucien Barriere, the casino operator's IPO which had failed in early October, is about to sell all of this participation which he wishes to separate for several months. The acquirer would, according to information from Wansquare, the financial services group Fimalac, also parent company of Fitch Ratings.

Even if the purchase price is modest for Accor, "is clearly positive in terms of perception management," said one trader in Paris. Indeed, the record Lucien Barriere had suffered a setback three months ago, when Accor had canceled its debut on the Paris Stock Exchange the day before the expected date of listing. The shares were offered for sale at a price between EUR 16.10 and EUR 19.60.

Following this failure, due to a lack of investor appetite for the operation casinotier them are not popular-Accor maintained that all options were "reopened", including finding investors. However, management prefers Barrier IPO (IPO). This could suggest a new attempt in 2011.

For Accor, it is always about to emerge from such participation "nonstrategic" which enters its extensive program of asset disposals.

Accor should be applauded

For now, neither Fimalac or Accor, nor Lucien Barriere commented on that information. The press recently evoked potential buyers as CVC Capital or by a fund of Goldman Sachs payday loans with no fax.

"Lucien Barrière is valued between 500 and 700 million euros," Gilles Pelisson had estimated in early 2010, when he was still president of Accor.Retaining only 49% of Accor's participation would amount to around 300 million euros. "If the sale price is between 280 million and 300 million euros, the market should still applaud this agreement," commented one Paris trader Friday.

In the 2009/2010 financial year ended September 30, Fimalac has reported a net profit of 30 million euros (+36.4%) for a turnover of 608.9 million euros ( +8.8%).

The group recently acquired the company Vega, French leader operating rooms dedicated to entertainment, sports and events and economic events. The company has notably orchestrated the return of Michel Polnareff in 2007 and is particularly associated with the operation of the Zenith of Rouen. He also holds 40% of Gilbert Coullier Productions, the leading French organization of shows for singers and comedians speaking.

Nothing works for casinos

The casino market has suffered tremendously, both from an economic crisis that has sealed the "entertainment budget" of the French and regulations become more stringent over time.

Fillon Moscow, eleven trade agreements

December 9, 2010 - 2:56 pm Comments Off

Our correspondent in Moscow

As usual, during an official visit to Russia is a harvest of contracts that will accompany the tour, which began Wednesday in Moscow, François Fillon. Alongside his host, Vladimir Putin, with whom he will hold a joint seminar of government, the Prime Minister sponsoring the signing of eleven trade agreements. They "illustrate the changing dynamics of our economic ties, welcomed Francois Fillon, in an interview with Rossiiskaya Gazeta government daily. European charts in the "friends of Moscow," France is in second place behind Italy.

In the basket of agreements, Alstom, which should garner itself a dozen signatures, will carve out the lion's share.The French allied especially with RusHydro, leader of hydropower to increase 20% production capacity of plants situated on the Kuban River in the south west of the country. Sagem is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the meters with the Russian Energy Agency.

Capital flight

Suez will be responsible for the infrastructure of a water treatment plant, north-east of Moscow. Veb associated with the bank, financial arm of the Kremlin, the BNP will offer funding opportunities for the construction, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don (Southern), two waste treatment plants Degremont. With the conglomerate Rosoboronexport, Safran and Sagem create joint venture in the field of navigation systems for aviation and marine customers.More unusual, the public company Ouralvagonzavod (rail) should formalize its takeover of the French foundry Sambre et Meuse, a northerner PMI of 180 employees.

Like L'Oreal and Renault, the large French companies welcome the growth prospects offered by the Russian market. However, these examples do not reflect the mood – gloomy – qu'entretiennent recent months foreign investors with regard to Russia. From January to October 2010, the equivalent of 21 billion dollars of capital have left the country, according to the chairman of the Central Bank, Sergei Ignatiev, a move initiated by "non-financial organizations have increased their foreign assets."

In a recent note, Alfa Bank has questioned the ability of Russia to find the outlandish growth rates before the crisis, citing the number of disabilities, access to infrastructure costs six to eight times higher elsewhere, the aging population, low productivity growth and the persistence of high interest rates.

Great week at the Paris Bourse

November 15, 2010 - 11:40 pm Comments Off

The Paris Bourse is doing well this Monday: at the close, the CAC 40 gained 0.86% at 3864.24 points. Yet the news is rather disturbing to the front of the European sovereign debt, particularly in Ireland and Portugal.The enthusiasm on the European stock exchanges – London up 0.41% to 5,820.41 points and Frankfurt from 0.82% to 6790.17 points – not so much follow the United States, where Wall Street earns only 0.4% to 17.30 (Dow Jones), shared between a good clue about retail sales, which recorded its strongest growth in seven months and a manufacturing index from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York who fell in November.

The meeting had also not started well for the CAC 40 index in Paris was opened in the red before returning slowly to equilibrium noon and continue its progress throughout the day.

The spectrum of European debts remains still very present: the latest rumor to date, Brussels could unblock some 70 billion euros to help Ireland. For its part, Portugal is considering leaving the eurozone.Finally, the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has not ruled out Sunday refers to the possibility of an extension of the duration of the loan of 110 billion euros in May granted to Greece by the European Union and the Fund IMF.

Friday, those concerns had already led the CAC 40 and the U.S. indexes downward. On Monday, Asian stock market also gave a very encouraging signal. Meanwhile, on the currency markets, the euro accentuated its losses against the dollar in late morning.Around 17:30 hours in Paris, the euro was worth 1.3596 dollars.

Turnover jumped EDF, NicOx in great shape

The Australian PGA has offered 9.6 billion euros for the acquisition of AXA Asia-Pacific, Asian branch of the French insurer Axa (+1.85% to 13.49 euros, the largest increase in ACC ) in Australia and New Zealand.

CAC 40 Off, Seb registered the largest increase of the SBF 120 (4.43% to 71.15 euros) for technical reasons. Just behind, leaped NicOx (7.52% to 2.40 euros).Bausch + Lomb partner launching a Phase 2b clinical study in the treatment of glaucoma.

Remy Cointreau (1.56% to 53 euros) has decided to sell its branch champagne, which includes brands Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck, after trying to restructure.

Casino (2.10% to 68 euros) would be prepared to put between 800 and 900 million euros on the table to buy the Carrefour opened 40 stores in Thailand, according Wansquare and Les Echos.

According to Le Figaro on Monday, Carrefour (0.93% to 37.95 euros) would encounter difficulty in the launch of Planet, its new superstore concept.The deployment, which should reinvigorate sales of the largest distributor's stores, will not start before the end of the first half of 2011 and at a pace slower than expected.

Danone (0.72% to 46.45 euros) could partially redeem the U.S. Mead Johnson Nutrition (JN), valued 12.3 billion to develop in the baby food and emerging markets. The funds for this transaction come from the sale of the water division of the group.

EDF rose 0.40%

EDF (+0.40% at 32.68 euros) reported before trading a turnover up 9.5% to 52.9 billion euros in the first nine months of the year. The group also confirmed its earnings targets for the whole of 2010.Titles climbed from 0.22% to 32.63 euros.

The 23 works councils of companies working for the Hermes Group have expressed their support for the family shareholders of Hermes (-1.16% to 149.30 euros) against the invasion of LVMH (0.65% at 116 , 85 euros) in the group's capital.

ArcelorMittal (-0.85% to 25.51 euros) would be interested in the Massey Energy coal if they decide to offer for sale, the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter.

Steria (2.10% to 19.24 euros) won a contract worth 70 million euros with British society DSTL, according to a statement released Monday by the group.

The supervisory board of Areva (-0.79% to 344.90 euros), originally scheduled for Tuesday, November 16 to approve the launch of a capital increase will be delayed until early next week, La Tribune reported Monday.

Wall Street takes another step forward

October 11, 2010 - 9:52 pm Comments Off

The Dow remains above 11,000 points in opening this Monday uptick of 0.13% at 11,021 points exactly. The Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 advancing 0.12% respectively to 1167 points and 2404 points to 0.08%. Note that this Monday, the bond market is closed across the Atlantic to the "Columbus Days, which celebrates the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

Friday, after long hesitation which direction to take Wall Street has taken a small step forward. The Dow Jones gained 0.53% to 11,006.48 points – it has surpassed 11,000 points, a first in over five months (May 3) – Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 have respectively advanced 0.61% to 1165.15 points and 2401.91 points to 0.77%.

The U.S. employment figures for September released Friday were below expectations. Still, markets surged.The bad news feeds indeed the prospect of a boost from the Fed for the faltering U.S. economy.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro against the dollar stabilizes. Around 1530, the euro was quoted at 1.3935 dollars (+0.06%). The currency market remains unmoved after the meetings this weekend between the global central bankers, who have reached no concrete decision to avoid a "war exchange, all eyes are again turned to the U.S. economy.

Raw materials side, oil prices retreated Monday market opening in New York, a barrel of benchmark lost 26 cents to 82.40 dollars, against a small rebound in the dollar.

Meanwhile the Fed Tuesday

On the macroeconomic front, the markets are very sensitive to the publication of minutes from the last Fed meeting, released tomorrow night.This report will therefore be essential to better understand the internal debates within the Fed free business cards. Other important indicators are the price indices (PPI and CPI Thursday Friday), retail sales (Friday) and the trade balance (Thursday).

Storm quarterly results

Analysts are also turning their attention to business this week, with the rest of the season for the third quarter results, which kick off was given last Thursday, as always, the aluminum giant Alcoa. Among the results the program of the week, include those of tomorrow CSX, Intel, Wednesday, JPMorgan Chase, Thursday, AMD, Google, and Friday, GE and Mattel.Among tech stocks, industrial and banking, these publications provide a first pitch on the season results in different sectors.

Note also the U.S. Internet group Google (+, 093% to U.S. $ 541.354) announced this weekend that he was testing a car that drives itself. The stated aim is to make driving safer and more economical.

Always on the side of values, Bank of America (+0.08% to 13.19 dollars) has suspended foreclosures across U.S. states because of the scandal on the automation of procedures and use foreclosures of non-compliant documents. The Senate Banking Committee will hold hearings on November 16 of these seizures.

Microsoft (+, 012% to 24.60 dollars) should also unveil new versions of its Windows smartphones Phone 7.These phones, which will initially be valid only on AT & T are supposed to counter Apple (+0.49% to 295.51 dollars) and its iPhone and Google Android and its system.

Canadian and Singaporean funds could unite in making a better offer than $ 39 billion proposed by BHP Billiton (-0.23% to 81.37 dollars) for the redemption of potash producer, Potash (+0, 74% to 146.88 dollars).

Blocked ports: truck against the risk of shortages

October 3, 2010 - 3:40 pm Comments Off

While the tanks of petrol stations have run dry Corsican, the government allowed Sunday circulation of trucks. This is to prevent the blockage of the oil terminal port of Marseilles leads to fuel shortages. "No shortage is feared for the moment" on the continent, it was attempted to reassure the Department of Ecology. "The order is simply a precautionary measure to prevent possible supply voltages.

According to the decree of the Ministries of Interior and Ecology and Transportation, allowing trucks to drive should help "alleviate, if appropriate preventive, inadequate supply of gas stations, warehouses or storage of hydrocarbons and industrial sites, which may result "of the strike affecting the Lavera oil terminals and Fos-sur-Mer.

Shortage of Corsican

In Corsica, the situation is much more critical.The main towns on the island of Beauty are now short of diesel, used by most drivers. To bypass the blocking port of Marseille, a boat was chartered by oil companies to supply via Corsica Sardinia, Italian Island nearby. He should be back Wednesday.

In the meantime, the traffic jam outside the gates closed the port of Marseilles. Under the direction of the port, "3 chemical tankers, gas 9, 11 and 13 crude oil tankers refined, 2 barges" are stranded. The Fos-Lavera oil pipeline supplying six of the twelve French refineries. In the past, "the logistical situation is a bit more tense than usual," admits one to the Department of Ecology and Transportation.

Period of one to two weeks

The hexagon has still not yet reached a critical threshold, according to authorities and oil companies."No difficulty in procurement of refined products is currently expected, because even the refiners that are no longer serviced have a stockpile of crude they can turn," the ministry said.

However, if the strike continues, refineries powered by Marseille arrive short of reserves and "likely to stop producing completely within one to two weeks," according to Jean-Louis Schilansky, president of the Union French oil industry. The CGT said that the movement was renewed for 48 hours next week.

Lafarge: margins fall

July 30, 2010 - 8:12 pm Comments Off

Lafarge, the group specializes in building materials, has announced a decrease of 3% of its turnover for the first half of 2010. At constant exchange rates and constant perimeter, the decrease amounted to 4%. The operating income showed a decline of 5% to 1.072 billion euros (-9% at constant scope and exchange rates).

Net income from Lafarge withdrew its side of 29% to EUR 233 million. The current operating margin shows finally a decrease of 30 basis points to 13.9%.

In the second quarter alone, sales rose 2% to 4.436 billion euros but, at constant perimeter and constant exchange rates, sales rose 2%. The operating income increased 5% to 836 million euros. It is stable at constant exchange rates and constant perimeter.

At the Paris stock exchange, these ads are unwelcome.The title Lafarge has one of the largest decreases in ACC 40: 3.89% yield at 41.80 euros at the close No fax payday advance.

New measures to reduce debt

Bruno Lafont CEO of Lafarge, said in a statement that "the pace of economic recovery remains uncertain and highly variable from one country to another," led the group to adjust its market forecast for the year 2010. Lafarge table so now on a variation of the demand for cement between -1 and +3% on the year compared to 2009 (against 0% to 5% expected in late March).

The band announced further steps to reduce its debt amounting to 15.16 billion euros (down 1% during the first half).Thus, it will "limit its investments in 2011 to 1 billion euros" and sets "a new goal of structural cost reductions of more than 200 million euros."

Pensions: the Government is preparing the battle

July 23, 2010 - 8:16 am Comments Off

Place the masons and painters! Members of the Committee on Social Affairs of the National Assembly completed late Thursday afternoon, discussing the draft law on pensions, with a few hours ahead of schedule. Members will now leave the Palais Bourbon completely delivered to artisans who have already begun the usual summer work. Return scheduled Tuesday, Sept. 7, even on Monday night at 6 for a special session will begin by examining the same text, but this time in the Chamber.

"It is in times of transition, summarized perhaps one at the Elysee. The real battle will take place from September. "The for Sarkozy are well aware that this first parliamentary stage was a formality. Not surprisingly, the debates have been looped smoothly."The Socialists have just wanted to make a coup by breaking the lock-in twitter discussions with their phone," is a counselor. What the left willingly admits. For now, she preferred surf the weakening of Labour Minister Caught in the case Bettencourt. Godsend for the Socialists, who are careful not to request his resignation.

Paradoxically, the majority seemed more worried by the progress of the case and its component Bettencourt Woerth that by the turn of the debate on pensions. "The left is going clubbing Woerth in September. He held up? "Wonders already a minister. The Elysee hopes that the summer break will reduce the pressure. Nicolas Sarkozy and François Fillon reiterated that Eric Woerth defend indeed the text on Sept. 7. In other words, he will not be driven to resign by then."It is quiet because we know there is nothing in the record," says the Prime Minister.

"Everything will be decided in September. We are ready for battle. But it also depends on the mobilization in the streets, "says one seat in the PS. Clearly, the left hopes to build on part of the public. Even if the opponents and proponents of reform are divided into two shares more or less equal faxless cash advance.

Unions united

Unions, too, prepare to maturity. For September 7 will also be a new day of strikes and protests against the reform that SF has, once again, on Thursday asked the "withdrawal". In reality, most organizations do not believe and do not even dream to win concessions on key points, beginning with the postponement of the age to 62 years.However, they have not conceded the changes on other aspects of the text during the parliamentary debate.

They rely for that on the "pressure" of the street. Will they exceed the threshold of two million demonstrators, after 1.9 million announced on the evening of the last day of action – successful – last June 24? Not easy to mobilize massively, just days after school starts. Therefore plants have continued their campaign all summer, touring the beaches to the CFDT distributed a booklet "educational" on reform and its "alternative" possible, the CGT.

The unions will have an advantage: their unity restored. Having refused to sign for months, FOR has joined its competitors, and the CFE-CGC has done the same.It is the only organization to accept the decline of legal age, but she believes that the conditions there pose – including a strong financial closure of the reform – are not met.

Faced with this united front, the government has chosen to keep the ballast drop. He has done at this stage, no specific proposals on issues which he is willing to develop: difficulty, and long careers polypensionnés.

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The GE boss blames China and Obama

July 2, 2010 - 11:40 am Comments Off

The boss of General Electric has no language in his pocket! On the occasion of a dinner in Rome, Jeffrey Immelt said that China would "the real concern," reads the columns in the Financial Times. He said the meeting today, the middle kingdom "the worst working conditions in 25 years." The leader has disavowed the policy of the Chinese government he accuses of becoming increasingly hostile to multinational companies.

Thus, the officer warned that General Electric (GE) is looking for growth opportunities outside of China, so as not to be "colonized by Chinese investors," says the boss. Despite the importance of the market, Jeffrey Immelt said that GE "is now turning to other countries rich in raw materials." The Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Indonesia are in the viewfinder.The officer has been loud and clear the feelings of many companies operating in China. The European Chamber of Commerce has in fact recently reported an uproar among foreign groups in place of the emerging economic power saving account payday loan.

In addition, Jeffrey Immelt has made some unkind towards the Obama administration he blames the poisonous climate in the United States. It is also concerned that regulatory changes desired by the White House have a negative impact on the fragile recovery in the United States. And according to the officer, the U.S. business community would not appreciate the President of the United States, and vice versa.

Not the opinions of the group

But the group tries to reduce the scope of the declarations of his boss.The U.S. giant said that the leader was speaking at a private dinner and that the statements reported are not exactly those of Jeffrey Immelt. GE Jeffrey Immelt said in particular that was not directly involved Barack Obama. In addition, the group says that the speech did not reflect the opinions of the group.