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During the month of August, when all friends are gone on vacation, a feeling of loneliness can soon make its appearance. That's why the site RentaFriend chose the summer to offer its services in the United Kingdom and France. Since last July on the other side of the Channel in recent days on the canvas hex, this website offers to rent an American friend in the true sense of the word.

For a subscription of 19 euros per month, or 54 euros per year, the site provides access to a database containing the profiles and contact information of 283,000 men and women worldwide. These people, they register for free, detailing their name, age, place of residence but also hobbies and passions. The 2500 subscribers can then contact them by email or telephone to offer them to accompany them to the restaurant, cinema, for a stroll, a VIP or travel.

The company to 8 euros per hour

If no tariff is imposed, the friend offers to rent usually a base price of 8 euros per hour. The latter, for which all costs are borne by the person who contacted him, pocketed the entire sum at the end of the day. The site itself, survives financially through paid subscription for access to the base coordinates. "The site is profitable," says founder Scott Rosenbaum.

According to the American version of RentaFriend, launched in October 2009, it has been the rental of their friendship their daily livelihood. "If you charge $ 20 an hour and you work three days a week, you can make $ 1,920 a month. If you work full time at the same hourly rate, you can reap USD 3,200 a month, "promises the site. "There is no obligation to be friends with anyone.You decide which bind with a friendship, how much you charge and how long you want to work. You make all the rules! You're the boss! ".

"A new way to meet people"

This type of site is already paying friendlies in Japan, where the archipelago are at least a dozen. RentaFriend exports so the project in Europe. From what to wear uncomfortable associations fighting against loneliness. "The idea of connecting people who feel alone with others is positive because the latter do not occur. But it would be better if it was not paid. The danger in this scenario to be in a relationship distorted trade, while the need to promote human relations, "says Peter Villelongue, association, St. Vincent de Paul who fight against the phenomenon.

"I think people do not fully grasp the concept.Nearly 90% of members are not alone, or depressed. The evidence shown, "defends Scott Rosenbaum facing controversy. "The most common use is that of finding a local friend to play the guide during a trip or looking for dialogue for learning languages. People buy the company, they lease time another person for a specific purpose. Scott Rosenbaum said he also "stunned" by the debate provoked by RentaFriend since its launch in Europe: "I thought the U.S. was prudish and that other countries were more relaxed," wryly creator of the site.

Pinned on the risks of sexual abuses, Scott Rosenbaum scans again the critics: "Every profile is manually checked and we have a system of alerts that words allow us to act. Anyway, there are thousands of website offering sex on the Internet.There is no reason for an individual to try on RentaFriend.

For the rest, Scott Rosenbaum is confident. "I was approached by organizations and private funds but for now, I'm not looking for investors. However, if someone is interested in buying, I'm willing to listen to offers, "he says. Meanwhile, the young man of 30 years is an international coverage by the end of the year. "People should open their minds and see the benefits they can derive rather than judge, consider til.

The instant cash loan packs in it so great variety of advantageous features that after knowing about this no one will feel like saying no to it.

The results fell on the strength of major European banks, is to know the verdict of the markets. Since Sunday morning, the stress tests are found in the test and the final verdict remains suspended from financial operators who often weigh heavier than the official figures and insurance.

Only 7 of the 91 banks have failed this test of strength, five Spanish, one Greek and one German. Their capital needs are estimated at 3.5 billion euros. We must add three who crossed the barrier but the recapitalization seems inevitable: the Italian Monte dei Paschi, Allied Irish Banks, Irish and German PostBank.Finally, the majority of European banks, the British and French in particular-seem to have redressed the balance.

The question now is whether the test can, as desired by the European authorities to lift the remaining mortgage, reboot, and finally the pump in credit to promote growth. By Friday, the European Union had welcomed the exercise as a vote of confidence. From Washington, the Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, hailed "a major effort towards greater transparency" on the health of the banks of the Old Continent. In markets, the euro rebounded to finish just below $ 1.29 after the close of European markets. Wall Street ended higher.

Consolidating banks at fault

Yet many continue to doubt the severity of the European round or its completeness.Unlike other countries, Germany has refused on Friday to force its banks to publish the figures on a main line of their balance sheets: assets in government securities, ie their exposure to the European budget crisis. In the coming days, a first return to the trust will be the willingness to consolidate the banks at fault.

Weighing his words, the IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn described the stress tests as "the promise of a considerable strengthening of the European financial system. It remains to implement. Greece and Spain have promised for the end of the year. Germany, she announced a major restructuring. This is the interbank market which will provide the second element of discretion. The situation has eased since the beginning of the summer.But lack of confidence, many institutions do not always manage to borrow in the interbank lending market, considered one of the keys to sustainable economic recovery in Europe.

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Ensuring pension "adequate, sustainable and safe". That is the goal set by the European Commission on Wednesday, opening a public debate across Europe about pensions. One way for Brussels to contribute to debates in the member states, faced with increasing public deficits and debt.

France initiated its reform, that the legal age of retirement will be pushed back 60 years to 62 years by 2018. By 2029, the Germans to retire at age 67 instead of 65 today. Spain, whose age is currently 65, is studying a similar scenario. Finally, Great Britain, the legal age could be raised to 68 years.

These measures are widely endorsed by the European Commission, who said in a Green Paper published today on the occasion of the opening of public debate."In all Member States, an aging population weighs heavily on the existing pension plans, and financial and economic crisis has only increased that pressure," said a statement in Brussels with its consultation document.

"In Europe it is expected that the number of retirees will double by 2060 compared to the number of people who fund their pensions: the current situation is simply unsustainable. To remedy this, it is necessary to consider carefully the balance to be struck between the length of working life and in retirement, "said European Commissioner for Employment, Laszlo Andor in this release.

An average exit age increased to 70 years by 2060

Clearly, the EU executive urges EU states to a widespread decline in the age of retirement, at a time when people are living longer while birth rates are sliding. "In 2008, there were four people of working age (15-64 years) for every citizen of the European Union (EU) aged 65 years at least. By 2060, this ratio will drop to two for one ", explains the Commission. The latter considers that the average age of retirement should be raised from 65 to 70 years by 2060 to maintain pensions at their current level.

The consultation opened on Wednesday last four months, until November 15, 2010. To mobilize the citizens, the Commission established a website to collect the views of each.Based on a recent Eurobarometer survey, Brussels says that Europeans are ready to accept the measures taken by EU governments. The survey found that "73% of citizens of the European Union provide a clear decrease in their retirement or think they have to work longer or save more for their old age."

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The OECD refers to a "structural change" of historic importance. The phenomenon is not new but it has accelerated over the last decade and more as a result of the crisis. The weight of emerging economies has amplified, as evidenced by a new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the tilting of wealth. In support, the few trade data: in 2009, China became the largest trading partner of Brazil, India and South Africa. Between 1990 and 2008, world trade has multiplied almost fourfold, while the South-South trade have been more than ten. Indian car maker Tata is now the second largest investor in sub-Saharan Africa.Financially, the Developing Countries held in 2008, 4.2 trillion dollars of foreign reserves, or more than one and half times the amount held by the rich countries.

Another sign of their increasing weight between 1990 and 2000, the number of countries called emerging markets (ie whose average per capita equivalent to more than double that of OECD countries) has increased from 12 65. Several states of Eastern Europe like the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia acceded to the richest group, along with Saudi Arabia. Today, says the OECD, a simple division into two is more relevant. Château de la Muette now retains the concept of world "four speed", according to growth rates and income levels: poor, distressed, convergent and rich.Interesting phenomenon, twenty economies, mostly in Asia like India, Indonesia and Bangladesh but also in Africa, like Ethiopia or Nigeria, have made a great leap forward from the status of "poor" than "converge".

Note in this scenario, the underperformance of Latin America, where reforms have done little to advance growth. The report noted a reduction of poverty, especially in China where the rate has decreased by 60% in 1995 to 16% in 2005. The downside, if the number of poor has decreased overall from 300 million in the last decade, growth has often been accompanied by increasing inequality, which may influence the long term.

But the trend should not be reversed.In 2030, the OECD area could represent 43% of global GDP in purchasing power parity, against 60% in 2000 and 51% in 2010.

His journey to the heights will not stop. The palladium, precious metals and rare platinum family, sees her classes skyrocket since the beginning of the year. Last Wednesday, the metal rose to 551.40 dollars an ounce, its highest level since early March 2008. One that contrasts sharply with that of December 2008, when palladium was quoted at $ 161 an ounce.

The metal was then hit by the crisis in the automotive industry which represents 50% of global demand. But the latter had declined 13% on average in 2009, the decline in other markets (jewelry, dentistry or chemistry) is unrepresentative.

The automotive industry uses palladium for catalytic converters for cars. This silver is resistant to corrosion and most importantly, it has the ability to absorb hydrogen and thus reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases.A key element in a time of anti-pollution standards imposed on the sector. Palladium has also initiated a frank increase in December 2009, when the summit was held in Copenhagen …

China stirs prospects

The increase in auto sales in March in Europe and the United States thus partly explains the renewed interest in this metal. But it is good to the Chinese automotive market as all investors are now looking. China became the world's biggest car market to the U.S. last year, grew its sales by 55.8% yoy to 1.74 million units, registering a new monthly record.

"Platinum is used in catalytic systems for diesel engines while palladium team mainly gasoline cars.Yet it is these that equip the Chinese fleet, "said Arnaud du Plessis, head of the center ring and co-manager of the Fund International Fructifonds Now Natixis Asset Management. The prospects are interesting while the country's auto sector is undergoing renewal. The equipment rate is 8 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, against 502 or 745 in Japan to the United States. There should be more cars in China than the United States in 2020! .

The country, considered one of the worst polluter on the planet, is also expected to increasingly move towards cleaner technologies. "These are the industry perspectives that make the market upwards," says the analyst.

Speculation

Another element of explanation of rising prices is the financial interest that is now the Palladium for speculators.Last January, three index funds based on platinum and palladium have been introduced in Switzerland and the U.S. fast cash. These ETFs (exchange traded funds) allow investors to bet on palladium and platinum without the hassle of bullion.

"These ETFs are attractive in this small market. We have already seen with the gold. For the first time in 2009, the new demand for ETFs has surpassed that of jewelry. In other words, the financial demand has exceeded industrial demand. This could also happen with palladium, "says Arnaud du Plessis. "The precious metals are generally an asset class in its own right, whereas before, this small market was more restricted to industrial.Now, it helps to diversify the portfolio because these metals are not highly correlated with the rest of the market.

The Russian market queen

Investors also expect the risk of reduced supply. The production of palladium is in fact highly concentrated: Russia and South Africa alone is home to 90% of recoverable reserves. Russia has secured a strategic stockpile in the years 70-80 which allowed him to play on the market. Norilsk Nickel, the first world producer of nickel and palladium, has also often been accused of restricting its exports for political purposes. In 2000, for example, it has put on the market 161.7 tons while demand was estimated at 261.3 tons. Today, the size of these stocks is a closely guarded secret by the Russian government, but experts believe it would be very low.

The fear of a weakening of the offer comes as problems faced by South African producers. The weakness of the country's electricity network is anticipating trouble to keep active mines, very energy intensive. In early April, prices surged after the announcement by the British mining group Lonmin, a restructuring plan employee departures in 5500 its mines in South Africa.

Attracted by the potential of palladium, the most marginal American players are emerging. "With rising prices, mining, the extraction is more expensive to go back into production," said Arnaud du Plessis. For the latter, the palladium market should still be stabilizing: "It is close to the top of 2008 with close to one ounce of $ 600. From this threshold, it will be more careful, "he says.Natixis analyst warned: "Market fundamentals still remain bullish, at least as long as no alternative method of palladium for catalytic converters will be discovered. In this case, the impact will be extremely negative. "

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Lefigaro.fr / Jdf.com: Why banks they have strongly criticized the recommendations made in the framework of rules prodentielles Basel III?

Delzant Ellen: The Basel Committee has submitted to banks on December 31 last, ten recommendations for strengthening the system of banking supervision and harmonize accounting and prudential standards.

The new regulation called "Basel III" offers a better credit side, with the strengthening of equity and weighted by their market activities, securitization or counterparty risk. And the other, a much higher level of liquidity that banks can refinance markets. According to recent studies, these new standards would impose on banks to raise, by 2012, approximately 450 billion euros in capital to 1.500 billion debt.

What seems impossible in the eyes of banks, explaining that such rules would threaten the financing of the economy. The recommendations of Basel III were subjected to these banks, who are currently studying more accurately the impact of such measures. They make their copy on April 16 next.

The aim would be to implement a new regulation in 2012, the time that the economy really recovering from the crisis.

What exactly is the tax on banks which Berlin and Paris agreed on Wednesday?

At Summit Pittsburgh, which took place in September 2009, the G20 countries have shown their determination to rethink the regulation of the financial system, particularly for states to prevent digging into the coffers filled by taxpayers to save banks the bankruptcy crisis.

In Europe, there are already many discussions on this aspect of bank failures. And in Germany, recently adopted a tax credit that would put money into a rescue fund to be used in case of difficulty of the banking system. Such a tax would yield between 1 and 1.3 billion euros per year. What remains poor compared to the hundreds of billions of dollars injected by the German state banks. But pre-election period in Germany is already a good way to reassure taxpayers, who are also voters no fax cash loans.

Such a tax is not she justified since it was introduced in all countries?

Yes. But he must first of each country working at national level.Last Wednesday, while Christine Lagarde was alongside his German counterpart Wolfgang Sch?uble, France went in the direction of a tax credit. But it would fuel the state budget.

Whatever the allocation of such a tax, these are national decisions that will prevail, but will add a European, and even to globalize this process predominates, partly to avoid distortions of competition.

Already, the Franco-German cooperation is a strong sign of the desire to bring the case to the European level.A global control is obviously essential and the principle of transforming debt of banks capital seems consistent with the desire to take arms against a possible new crisis and save the taxpayers of the world's financial woes.

History:

• Basel I: In 1988, central bankers from the G-10 countries have issued recommendations to "ensure the stability of the international banking system by setting a minimum limit to the amount of bank capital.It showed the famous "Cooke ratio, established in 1992, which required that capital in relation to all lending commitments do not exceed 8%.

• Basel II: In 2006, the New Basel Accord, has established standards constitute a prudential perspective to improve understanding of banking risks, mainly credit risk or counterparty and capital requirements.

• Basel III: The governor of the Bank of the Netherlands, Nout Wellinck, chairman of the Basel Committee, announced December 31, 2009 "a profound change" prudential rules. The application of new standards will not happen until the world economy will not be permanently out of the crisis.Experts believe that Basel III should not occur before 2010 and 2011.

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Green, still green, still green. Having gained 0.63% Tuesday, the CAC 40 should continue its momentum, supported by good performance of the Dow Jones and the release of Japan's trade surplus up sharply. The future index CAC 40 is up at 8:05 from 0.18% to 3962 points.

On the macroeconomic front, the news will be especially marked in France by publishing the figures of registered job seekers and offers collected by center job in February, tonight at 18 hours.

As for values, we will particularly Alstom. After-hours trade Tuesday, the group said in a statement to its employees, it will sell its stake of 16.66% in the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) in the South Korean group STX, already holds 50.01% stake.

EADS: The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said Tuesday that the World Trade Organization (WTO) rejected 70% of U.S. requests in litigation that is opposed to its American rival Boeing over aid granted by EU cash advance payday loan .

Havas announced the doubling of its dividend for 2009 to 0.08 euro per share and said it had set up a program to repurchase shares up to 40 million shares, representing 9.3% of its capital.

Ipsen: Mayroy, the largest shareholder of the company, reduced its stake to 68.3% capital and 81.5% of the voting rights of the pharmaceutical company.

Meetic announced Tuesday a return to profitability in 2009 and confirmed target an EBITDA margin between 20 and 25% in 2010.

Boizel Chanoine Champagne has published results in 2009 affected by overall market back but stressed that the fiscal 2010 starting up on a better basis than last year.

Sequana published on Wednesday, pre-market results for its fourth quarter and therefore its accounts for the year 2009.

Athens finally got the good report from Brussels. The European Commission ruled Wednesday that the savings plan acceptable Greek. "The Commission shares the ambitious deficit reduction that the Greek government has set, and the fiscal and structural reforms announced in the stability program," she said in a statement.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, had presented new budget measures, including freezing the salaries of all officials at the last moment on Tuesday evening. The Commission appreciated the welcoming approach.

The approval of Brussels is not a blank check Payday Loan for Bad Credit .The Commission "calls on Greece to explain the tax measures announced and the timetable for their implementation in the coming weeks" and ", more detailed measures to be implemented in 2011 and 2012.

Athens will be placed under surveillance and will be an infringement procedure for lack of reliability of its statistics.

After the announcement of the Commission, the Greek bond yields back down to 6.516% against 6.742% on Wednesday morning around 8:30.

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Following an article in financial daily Les Echos, published on Monday, announcing the forthcoming elimination of certain routes deficit (axes Paris-Arras, Lille, Strasbourg, Nantes and Strasbourg), the Secretary of State for Transport, Dominique Bussereau said on RTL on Tuesday, ensuring that no TGV line would be removed. "The SNCF is a public company, it belongs to all French", said Dominique Bussereau. The state is 100% majority, and naturally she has goals of profitability, competition. Still it has a public service missions, missions planning.

A spokesman for the SNCF had indicated on Monday: "There is no specific plan for the removal of sailings," but a "matching supply with demand." A communication that does not convince Dominique Bussereau."I found the denial of the station a little soft, so I say things clearly," said Secretary of State.

No conflict with William P?py

Dominique Bussereau has refuted the idea that the future increase in tolls, to finance the renovation of the rail network and that the SNCF, could jeopardize the TGV model. "I said that if the state increases in tolls is that the first line paid by taxpayers are also used by foreign trains," he said. "It is that everyone pays, and that the French taxpayer does not subsidize one day railways German or Italian.

Secretary of State for Transport has also denied being in conflict with the president of SNCF Guillaume Pepy, hostile to the higher tolls. "Guillaume Pepy is an excellent president of SNCF, he said.Just when we increase the tolls, two-thirds to leave the station since RFF (Reseau Ferre de France) gives money to the station for which manages and maintains the infrastructure. It's give and take. "

Wall Street should open in a tone slightly negative on Friday. However, publication of results in the fourth quarter of giant Intel on Thursday night after-hours trading was better than expected. But the JP Morgan Chase established the doubt. The day before the U.S. markets have closed up slightly, despite the disappointing statistics across the Atlantic. The sectors of health and technology have supported the trend.

Earlier Friday morning, Asian stock markets closed broadly in the green. Tokyo The Nikkei ended the session up 0.68% at 10,982.10 points. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong, however, ended down 0.3% to 21,654.16 points as investors still worried about a possible tightening of Chinese monetary policy.

The Dow Jones, S & P 500 and Nasdaq retrograde by 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.16%.Shortly before they were further back but the index of industrial activity in the New York area has accelerated sharply in January, according to the Empire State index released Monday, to 15.9 points, much higher than the waiting analysts.

The President's speech yesterday, Obama did not surprise the markets. As announced by the spokesperson of the White House, a proposed tax of fifty largest banks will be presented to Congress in the coming weeks. According to the Financial Times, the U.S. Treasury would press other countries to also adopt a tax on banks.

New wave of statistical significance

Even today, the news on the economic front should shake the markets.The consumer prices in the United States rose by 0.1% in December, bringing inflation over the whole of 2009 to 2.7%, according to figures released Friday by the Labor Department. In the short term, the inflation risk sembre low.

Industrial production in the United States rose in December by 0.6%, as expected by analysts, according to official figures published Friday, but this increase was primarily allowed by having an unusually cold boosted the energy sector.

Intel and JP Morgan Chase surprised

Intel (-1.27% to 21.21 U.S. dollars) Thursday confirmed the resumption of its activities, with net income nearly tenfold in the fourth quarter of 2009, which allowed him to limit to 17% decline in annual net profit, to 4.369 billion dollars. This exceeds the expectations formulated earlier by analysts.Conversely, Microsoft (0.71% to 31.18 dollars), IBM (+0.28% to 132.68 dollars) and Cisco (+0.16% to 24.99 dollars).

Boosted by a return to growth in the fourth quarter, PC sales grew by 5.2% in 2009, according to a study by analyst firm Gartner published yesterday. Acer dethroned Dell (-2.38% to 14.35 U.S. dollars) in second place worldwide.

This Friday, JP Morgan Chase (-1.70% to 43.93 dollars) has announced having doubled its net profit in 2009 to 11.7 billion dollars. Per share, net income reached 74 cents per share in the fourth quarter, against 62 held by analysts. In the fourth quarter alone, the bank has increased by more than four net profit to 3.3 billion dollars. The bank's CEO, Jamie Dimon, welcomed the news that the bank in late 2009 enjoyed a "very strong capital ratios Tier 1 of 11.1%.But the cost of risk (failure to pay on credit) remains "high". The bank especially in its accounts last quarter to 7.3 billion dollars in reserves to cover these risks.Morgan Stanley lost 2.60% to 30.39 dollars, Goldman Sachs 1.25% to 166.42 dollars, and Bank of America 1.96% to 16.49 dollars.

Citigroup (-1.71% to 3.46 dollars) would be decided by the Financial Times, to cap the bonus at $ 100,000.

Market research firm NPD has revealed sales of video game consoles in the United States for year-end 2009 total, the three major manufacturers have passed 40 million consoles in 2009, including 20 million for the Wii Nintendo, 10 million for the Xbox 360 and 10 million for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) by Sony, thanks to an aggressive policy of lower prices.

In addition, Verizon Communications (-1.19% to 30.85 dollars) will host a conference on its wireless subsidiary, which is partly owned by Vodafone (-1.78% to 22.10 dollars).

Oil retreats, dollar strengthens

Side materials, oil slipped below the 79 dollars a barrel and connects its fifth session lower after the report of the International Atomic Energy: global consumption of oil should rebound by 1.7% in 2010 fully supported by demand from emerging countries and Asia, after falling 1.5% in 2009.

The dollar is strengthening against the euro, which is penalized by the situation in Greece after the publication of inflation. One euro is worth 1.4395 dollars.