Posts Tagged ‘events’

Members bury the tax shield

June 12, 2011 - 9:00 am Comments Off

It unanimously that members have voted to delete one of the cornerstone of the quinquennium of Nicolas Sarkozy. On the night of Friday to Saturday at a little over two hours of the morning, the parliamentarians adopted rule repealing the tax shield, established in 2007 to limit to 50% income taxation. All of the supplementary budget will in turn be a formal vote on Tuesday afternoon.

Strongly contested by the opposition and discussed in the majority, sending checks every year to the wealthiest taxpayers had come to interfere with government. In 2010, a total of 678 million euros that the state has returned to the beneficiaries of this measure, a figure slightly higher than in 2009 (EUR 586 million). Especially, like last year, is only a small fraction of some 592,000 taxpayers subject to the ISF who earned the largest amounts recovered.If the amount of average check totaled 40,908 euros, the richest 7% received 60% of the amount paid, or 381,000 euros on average.

To the dismay of Socialist deputies, the government's plan, however, does not remove the tax shield that from 2012 on taxes paid on income in 2011. According to the deputy PS Jerome Cahuzac, the measure should thus continue to cost the public finances 550 million Euros in 2012 and 200 million in 2013.

Relief ISF

The elimination of this symbolic mandate Nicolas Sarkozy also fits into the context of a broader reform of the taxation of wealth, the members approved each measure in recent days. To parliamentarians, the Minister of Budget, Baroin, endeavored to describe the philosophy of combining text as "social justice" (the end of the tax shield) and "tax justice" (relief ISF) short term personal loan."The government is a simple reform, fair and balanced" has said repeatedly this week Baroin.

On Friday, the parliamentarians approved a reform of the solidarity tax on wealth (ISF), which raises € 800,000 to 1.3 million euros threshold of assets at which a taxpayer is taxable to the ISF. Approximately 300,000 people should therefore be exempt from this tax next year. The current rate also eased: below three million, the tax rate increased from 0.55% to 0.25% when it is lowered to 0.5% instead of 1.8 % above. Overall, 250,000 taxpayers should therefore pay less. This reform will result in a revenue decline of 1.8 billion euros.

A shortfall that is projected by the government, be offset by the elimination of the tax shield, the higher taxes on gifts and estates, and the new tax on second homes of strangers, sitting on their rental value. In total, the projected deficit for 2011 however, increases of 596 million euros, 460 million due to payments associated with the Taiwan frigates affair. Remain a little over 130 million bridge to return to the original projected deficit. Baroin promised by the end of the year new savings measures to achieve this.

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The mysteries of the bacteria killer who terrifies Europe

June 1, 2011 - 9:48 pm Comments Off

In recent days, European health authorities are engaged in a real police investigation and a race against time to trace the trail of a new epidemic. Prime suspect: a bacterium Escherichia coli, accused of causing bloody diarrhea and kidney complications. Yesterday, Europe accounted for 1 000 patients in Germany, England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria. In France, six suspects, three of which the Germans are under investigation. All had lived in Germany. Fifteen deaths are regrettable in Germany, one in Sweden.

Where is the health survey? Is this really the cucumber?

At first, the deadly bacteria was traced to imported Spanish cucumbers in Germany. But the German authorities admitted Tuesday that the latest tests showed that the vegetable was not the offending bacteria.

Only the stool of patients contain Escherichia coli enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC). The hypothesis of a contamination plant is however maintained. Tomatoes and salad greens are suspected. The question remains: the vegetables have been infected in Spain, Germany, during transport?

Next Monday, all European health ministers meet in Luxembourg for an update. Francois Grossetete MEP, said "the need to label products to determine their origin."

What is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)?

HUS is a severe complication, sometimes fatal, infections of the digestive bacteria Escherichia coli enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) types of E. coli that produce Shiga toxin. After 3-7 days of incubation, these infections are revealed by diarrhea, which may be bloody.Nine out of ten patients recover within ten days. HUS occurs in 10% of cases, linked to the spread of the toxin. It is characterized by acute renal failure, anemia and thrombocytopenia (low platelets). This complication is fatal in 3-5% of cases, a patient care on two renal sequelae. One hundred cases are reported each year in France, mainly in children under 15 years.

How to transmit these infections?

Cattle that are healthy carriers, are the main natural reservoir. Transmission to humans is most often through ingestion of undercooked beef (hamburgers, for example) or products containing raw milk. Water and other foods like vegetables contaminated by feces, can also be a source of infection. A direct human transmission is possible.Many serotypes of EHEC are identified, the most common is O157: H7.

What previous epidemics?

The first two outbreaks due to these producers shigatoxin coli were reported in 1982 in the United States. In total, about fifty people were infected with E. coli O157: H7 via hamburgers. In 1996, Scotland, over 500 people who were victims of the same serotype, also by eating beef. The largest epidemic was recorded in Japan in 1996. More than 9400 cases and 12 deaths had been identified, contaminated radish sprouts. In 2000, Canada, 2000 cases of infection were identified among the 4600 inhabitants of the town of Walkerton.In this area of ​​intensive farming of cattle, the infection was transmitted by drinking water.

What precautions should I take?

In general, these bacteria are destroyed by heat, "two minutes at 70 degrees or 100 degrees a minute," says Professor Patrick Berche, microbiologist (Necker Hospital, Paris). Currently, there is, in his view, no reason not to eat raw vegetables. "The only precaution is to wash your hands before and after preparing raw vegetables, and wash vegetables and fruit, possibly with hot water," he insists.

What is special about the current epidemic?

The first is the serotype in question, O104. "It's fantastic, I have not had a case several years ago, said Professor Edouard Bingen (Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris), whose laboratory is associated with the National Reference Center for E.coli-Shigella. This serotype O104 has been the source of an epidemic in the United States in 1994. "It's odd to have a highly virulent strain and immediately resistant to powerful antibiotics such as cephalosporins," adds Dr Berche. Moreover, the current epidemic affects mostly women, while the hemolytic uremic syndrome usually involves children. A difference that, according to Professor Bingen, may be related to the origin of infection: the hamburger more often, raw vegetables in this case.

A French developed the mobile wallet Google

May 27, 2011 - 6:36 pm Comments Off

Ingenico is a giant step into the world of contactless payments. The world's leading payment solutions announced on Friday its participation in the Google Wallet, presented yesterday by the Internet giant. This mobile application allows mobile users to pay at once, by housing credit card information in their phone or powering a prepaid card, but also enjoy special offers from merchants, and validate cards fidelity.

"Our common payment solution will transform the traditional payment terminals to an outlet into a true point of care and thereby improve the purchasing for consumers," says Philippe Lazare, Ingenico's CEO in a statement."This new solution will allow consumers not only pay with the electronic purse but Google also benefit from a range of value-added services," he adds.

For Google, this partnership makes sense. With an installed base of more than 15 million handsets worldwide, Ingenico has a large strike force. The French group will therefore support its customers' in the implementation of the electronic wallet based on its new generation of terminals Telium secure. "

At the Paris Bourse, investors welcomed the news. Around 9:30, the track takes off from Ingenico 5.39% to 32.25 euros on a market up 1.28%. He signed the largest increase in the SBF 120.

Ensuring security

In addition, Ingenico, Google has partnered with Mastercard, the bank Citigroup and First Data encryption specialist.The application they offer is only for smartphone Android, including Nexus S designed by Google, equipped with an NFC chip, which transmits the data bank without contact. To finalize their purchases, customers will get their phone while in the merchant's payment terminal. Security level, the application will be locked by a code and the system will be disconnected whenever the screen is off. In case of loss, a call should be enough to disable all the payment function.

With geotagging, merchants partners will alert consumers bargain of the moment. These can be transferred with one click on their phone to benefit at the time of payment. Google will receive a commission on sales, as is already done community sites Facebook and Groupon.In contrast, the Internet giant would levy any commission on the payment themselves.

Google Wallet, currently in testing, should be accessible to mobile users in New York and San Francisco this summer, before an extension to the entire U.S., then Europe and Asia.

Welcome to the "era of Mo Lo

While the experiences of contactless payment multiply without achieving truly convincing, Google hopes to attract consumers and merchants to the technology. "This is a problem of the egg and the chicken. We plan to present convincing arguments that people are getting into, "said Osama Bedier, head of payments at the Internet giant. "We believe that 2011 and beyond will be the era of Mo Lo: Local trade with the Mobile Internet," says Stephanie Tilenius con side, Google sponsors activities related to trade.Google estimates that in 2014, less than half the mobile phones will be equipped with chips to transfer data without contact.

With this application, the Internet giant will gain valuable information on the consumption patterns of mobile users. Like the merchants who benefit from a powerful marketing. But fears about breaches of privacy might just be the main obstacle to the development of this technology.

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Spain: protesters maintain pressure

May 22, 2011 - 4:00 pm Comments Off

The economic austerity, mass unemployment and the impending local elections have, since last Sunday, the emergence of a broad popular movement among the youth of Spain this week. Los indignados ", ie Indignant, as they call themselves, occupied since last Sunday instead Madrid Puerta del Sol.

Now "illegal", the electoral truce in effect banned the demonstrations, but determined to hear their ras-le-bol of the crisis and unemployment, hundreds of youths were mobilized Saturday in the camp alternative to the Puerta del Sol in Madrid .Shouting "we are now illegal," an immense crowd welcomed Friday at midnight on the start of the truce, after, at the stroke of the clock, symbolically launched a "silent scream" of scotch tape on the mouth, arms raised to heaven.

"Apolitical" and "citizen"

Saturday morning, a thousand protesters still occupying the "village" of tents and plastic sheeting instead of blue madrilène.L agency Efe, based on counting a specialist company, puts the figure of 19,000 protesters Friday night to the Puerta del Sol and surrounding streets, crowded. Other media put the number at 25,000 to 60,000 in Madrid and throughout Spain. The movement has indeed spread throughout Spain under the slogan "Toma la plaza" (Takes place). It is present in 57 cities.The youth movement, building on its growing popularity, plays on the ambiguity of the law and the embarrassment of the government, repeating that he is "apolitical," "citizen" and that the days of Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to the pursuit of "reflection" collective. "We act in full respect of the truce election meetings will be held but no action will be decided," Lopez said Saturday, a spokesman.

"We do not want to overthrow the politicians, just to restore the level of concern of the street, told El Pais Gandara, a spokesman of the movement. "We are not anarchists, nor opponents of the system. We are just normal people "who want a form of participatory democracy.

This spontaneous mobilization, also called the May 15 Movement, was organized as the Arab revolt, via online social networks Twitter and Facebook and on the principle of "right to be indignant." Wednesday, El Pais had counted 10,000 participants in Madrid. The watchwords: the stranglehold of the major parties on Spanish politics, social injustice and the "corrupt politicians". In the background, an unemployment rate of 21.19%, the highest in the euro area, which affects almost half the age of 25.

Police Discrete

"I have great respect for those who demonstrate, they do so peacefully, and I understand that this is due to the economic crisis, in their desire to find a job," said on Friday the first Outgoing Minister Zapatero socialist on the radio Cadena Ser.

The police presence, despite a ban on protests, remained quiet throughout the evening, limited to a few police cars parked around the square. The government, embarrassed by this spontaneous movement occurred a week of regional and local elections on Sunday ahead disastrous for the Socialists, had said on Friday to show "understanding."The Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, had suggested that police action could be avoided provided that no overflow takes place.

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The rent control: a false good idea

April 7, 2011 - 5:00 am Comments Off

Just unveiled the proposal to regulate the PS rents raised an outcry among real estate professionals. First, some believe that rental inflation is not a national problem. "Today, with the exception of the Paris area and some very large cities, rents are down. This is the case, for example, in Clermont-Ferrand, Saint-Etienne and Nantes, slides Jean Perrin, president of the UNPI (National Union of Property Owners) 4500 which brings together property managers and realtors.

"For investors who benefit from Scellier, rents are already capped, argues Guy Nafilyan, CEO of Kaufman & Broad France. In Paris, the square meter is rented more than 21 euros or 35 euros against 34 on the open market. "

As to specificity Paris, Jean Perrin was surprised that the Socialists do not know all the aspects."Each year, the state issued a decree blocking the rents in Paris, says he. But it is not respected. The tenants are so happy to find a home, none complains to justice. "

Above all, most real estate experts believe that rent control will not serve the interests of tenants in the medium term. "The danger is to lead to a shortage of rental properties with the key to a new higher price, said Laurent Vimont, general manager of the network of estate agents Century 21. Should this measure be implemented, those who buy an apartment for rent prefer to sell it online payday loans. As for potential investors who are reluctant, they would turn away from real estate. "

A bad precedent

In fact, many are convinced that this proposal is a false good idea."If the rent freeze was the right solution, we have established long time," said Bernard Cadeau, president of the network of estate agents Orpi. "The 1948 law that blocked the rents did not stop their surge," said Francis Bertière, CEO of Bouygues Immobilier. Others are not convinced that such a policy would be a plus for the national economy.

"If the state was embarking on such an adventure, it would be to restore purchasing power to the French, argues Serge Ivars, President of the USA (Union of Real Estate). However, lowering the rating of the tenants, it would lead to taking money to owners who are often small savers. "

In fact, to avoid an escalation of rents, it would be better to thoroughly review the policy of building."As France has not quite built for forty years, there is a housing deficit estimated at 1.2 million, explains Bernard Cadeau. For the reverse, it would build 500,000 houses per year. However, it does not exceed 300,000, which exacerbates the hole. "And to reverse the trend, it will take more than a miracle solution.

Ireland wants to renegotiate the plan with the EU and IMF

February 28, 2011 - 8:32 am Comments Off

The Irish vote is also a warning to Europe. By giving more than 36% of the votes of the opposition Fine Gael in parliamentary elections on Friday, voters clearly endorsed the government that had negotiated the bailout with the EU and the IMF. The ruling party had won just over 17% of the votes. The future prime minister, Enda Kenny, has already announced he intends to immediately renegotiate the terms "punitive" of the device. For Europeans, the case falls ill while looming in March, a marathon of negotiations critical to the future of the euro area.

"We will act on it next week," promised Enda Kenny, who considers "bad for Ireland and for Europe" the bailout of 85 billion euros signed in late November. The future prime minister wants to broach the subject on Friday in Helsinki at a meeting of conservative leaders of the EU.With two requests: to lower the rates "punitive" loan, fixed at 5.8% and involving banks, making them bear a larger share of losses.

European side, the rhetoric still print campaign promises was greeted with caution. "The Commission will continue to support Ireland" in the implementation of its austerity program, "which is essential" to the country's economy, said Sunday the spokesman on economic issues, Amadeu Altafaj. Before the elections, Brussels had suggested that there might be a little leeway for adjustments after 2011.A lower interest rate can not be excluded, but Dublin will probably make concessions on its corporate tax rate, seen as fiscal dumping elsewhere in Europe.

Fears for the other weak links

The Irish case puts the euro area in front of his responsibilities on the eve of a series of summits that bring together Heads of State and Government (11 and 24 March) and Finance Ministers (14 and probably 21 March) low fee payday loans. It is to decide on remedies for the debt crisis, first by raising the ceiling of the Rescue Fund (FESF) to assist countries in serious financial difficulties, and partly by tightening governance . Germany has much to impose his views on fiscal discipline.But his range of proposals, unveiled a month ago, was recently welcomed by its partners.

This bodes ill for the magnitude of the final result, even though the euro area sees risks reappear after a brief lull. Between record high oil prices and market concerns, Portugal was in the front line. The fear of another recession pushed its lending rates to astronomical levels (7.579% Friday, a record since the country's entry into the euro area). Investors are already convinced that Lisbon will shortly call on European rescue mechanism – such as Ireland and Greece before him.A perspective that revives fears for the other weak links in the eurozone, Spain in mind.

On Wednesday, the Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, will be received by Angela Merkel in Berlin to discuss the support fund – and how countries' having problems with their sovereign debt, such as Portugal "could best use of the devices financial assistance.

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The raw materials go up another notch

February 21, 2011 - 9:32 am Comments Off

After the fall of the regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, tensions rise in Bahrain, Algeria and other OPEC member countries, especially Libya, the brink of "civil war" as a son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in power for 42 years, which would have left the country to seek refuge in Brazil or Venezuela, according to Al Arabiya.

On oil markets, the reaction is, as always, immediately on Monday morning. In Asian trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for March delivery gained 1.13 dollars to 87.33 dollars. As for Brent North Sea crude for April delivery, it took $ 1.02 to 103.54 dollars, a threshold of novueau strong techinque. "The main factor (this flight) is the disturbed situation in the Middle East," said Victor Shum, an analyst in Singapore, saying.He said that "Libya is a member of OPEC and although its oil production is modest at the global level, the country is near the main suppliers of black gold of the planet."

Renewed uncertainty requires the price of gold, a safe haven par excellence, also increased and currently process close to $ 1400, exactly at 1395.10 euros (+1.8%), and its highest Historical. Even tedance on silver prices, which hit a record last thirty years.

FinallyThe food prices are approaching the "level of alert," warned the World Bank on the sidelines of the meeting of G20 finance ministers in Paris, which revealed that between June and December, rising food prices has dropped 44 million people worldwide below the extreme poverty.

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Tekka does not convince investors

February 14, 2011 - 11:36 pm Comments Off

The first steps of Tekka on financial markets are definitely not easy. On 8 February, ten days after being officially launched its IPO process, management of dental implants specialist announced a fundraising well below 15-17250000 euros it initially wanted up, with only 11.25 million euros collected.

Set at 10.85 euros, the price per share was well below the price range announced in late January, from 13.15 to 15.15 euros. And for the first day of trading on Monday, far from unanimous among investors, the stock has collapsed. At noon, it fell by over 6.5% to 10.14 euros. A better, however, after some 11% of any decline in early trading.Despite an introductory price lower than expected, investors were therefore considered too high, the recovery group (43.25 million).

International growth slowed

After the operation, the company Rhône-Alpes has failed by almost 4 million goal down. A partial success forcing to "consider the establishment of a new timetable for international expansion, opening new branches being made more progressive," according to a statement.

For now, management does not give more details on the timing of this new calendar, but the international growth could take a year or two more than the three planned exercises.This uncertainty about the pace of development and thus on the horizon to arrive at the balance of society, is not likely to reassure the markets, in an already unfavorable to the confidence of the operators. Initially, Tekka wanted to open by 2013 six new branches abroad (United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Canada, Egypt, Switzerland), in addition to the existing five (Spain, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, Morocco).

Financial markets still closed

This performance is disappointing but reflects the state of financial markets, especially little bit open and fond of corporate records had still not reached equilibrium. This is the case of Tekka. The company operates in a market enjoying strong growth, supported by favorable demographic trends, but had to invest heavily to develop its product lines and subsidiaries abroad.Result: If sales posted an average annual growth rate of 55% since 2001, annual losses in 2009/2010 totaled nearly 2 million (year ended 31 March), against 3.5 million a year earlier . Analysts said the group should not achieve its first profit until fiscal year 2012/2013.

Nevertheless, bourisèrement, the course should êtrer less volatile than small biotech companies with recent entry on Alternext (Carmat, Neovacs …). Like the "med-techs" Tekka has already approved and marketed products, which limits the impact of a possible failure on a product under development.

Also note that the listing venue chosen by the company does not promote its visibility, which inevitably limits the interest of investors.Certainly, trading on Alternext enables small and medium enterprises to acclimate smoothly with the requirements of the Exchange, but it offers them less well known, an element that is sometimes detrimental to the stock performance potential. One more factor that explains the poor performance of the track this morning.

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Oil: the situation of the Suez Canal worries

January 31, 2011 - 10:52 pm Comments Off

The situation becomes more blurred in Egypt and a barrel of oil rises. On the only day on Friday, the price of a barrel of light sweet crude for March delivery gained 4.32% to 89.34 dollars in New York as they leapt from 2% in London, pushing Brent a hair of $ 100 (99.74 dollars). A threshold has been crossed over from 1 October 2008.

On Monday, the rise continues. In morning trading in Asia, the "light sweet crude gained 37 cents to 89.71 dollars and that of Brent North Sea has appreciated by 18 cents to 99.60 dollars.

The Suez Canal in the heart of the concerns

This rise of prices, after several sessions swales, reflects the fear of the markets to see the routing of oil through the Suez Canal impacted by the events.Since the early disruption, port operations are slow and some employees can no longer reach their workplace. In addition, ships can no longer find in the port of Suez capable of military escorts to protect them while crossing the Gulf of Aden, whose waters are crisscrossed by hackers.

"No ship has been delayed for two days but no responsibility for immigration and customs has come to give permissions for security teams to shipments, said a coordinator of a freight company Suez. Crew changes have also been disrupted and some supplies, like food and water, are no longer transported to the port, "he added.

Nervousness

The situation is even more problematic that about one million barrels per day pass through the Suez Canal.In 2009, the latest data available, more than 34,000 vessels passed through the canal, including nearly 2,700 tankers carrying approximately 29 million tons of crude free online credit report. "There is some nervousness about supply and this could affect Europe more than the U.S.," said Tom Bentz of BNP Paribas.

Now, ships calling at ports in neighboring countries like Turkey or the UAE for their supplies. "If the shipping lanes closed, it will be a detour of 6,000 miles (almost 10,000 kilometers) in order to ensure deliveries," warns Rich Ilczyszyn, Lind-Waldock.

Also concerned about the situation, OPEC said that a "shortage" of oil is possible. The secretary general of the organization, Abdullah El-Badri said, however, that OPEC stands ready to increase production if necessary.

"A blip"

Some observers, however, take the situation into perspective. "Investors are speculating on the situation of the channel but it has very little chance of getting stuck in the light of financial challenges it poses to Egypt," said Djillali Hacid, technical analyst at XTB France. Remarks confirmed by the Egyptian official media said on Monday that the Suez Canal works "full capacity".

"For now, the impact of Egypt on the course is not so huge. This is just an excuse for investors to speed up that takes place from August but stumbled on the psychological threshold of 100 dollars, "adds the analyst XTB.

Evolution of a barrel of Brent since February 2010. Source: XTB France

The Chinese bank ICBC part in the conquest of Europe

January 18, 2011 - 3:44 pm Comments Off

The symbol will say anything to anybody, or almost. Yet Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is the world's largest bank by market capitalization. But so far the banking giant, his stationed – gigantic – domestic market, had little visibility on the international level. It is precisely this that is changing. Having shown its ambitions in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, the organization announced Monday the opening in the coming days, five new branches in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Milan and Madrid. What a double presence in Europe was limited to the United Kingdom, Germany, Luxembourg and Russia. Coordinated from Luxembourg, the European network is now comparable with that of his fellow Bank of China.