Current News Headlines

It is a blow to Angela Merkel. German Chancellor has lost Sunday night for its closest ally to win against its European partners in managing the crisis of the euro. The defeat of Nicolas Sarkozy, she has supported all the way, is also a bit his. However, his political career attests: Merkel is good at adapting to new realities. It's been several weeks since his team is preparing for a possible victory of Francois Hollande. The Socialist no longer afraid to Berlin. His first phone call on Sunday night was to be for the Chancellor.

Francois Hollande was pretty irritated the Germans during his campaign by promising not to ratify the treaty in the state of budgetary discipline. The Socialist candidate would include a component of measures to support growth, including on the funding at European level of environmental or industrial projects. Merkel replied curtly that there would be no renegotiation of the text, regarded in Berlin as the culmination of his vision of a Europe steeped in the "stability culture" Germanic. Before making a small step towards Holland stating that the EU was preparing a "growth agenda" for the top end of June

Holland, who said he wanted to be part of the Franco-German tradition by making his first trip across the Rhine, is expected in Berlin this weekend or early next week, following his inauguration. It is expected to meet informally with the Chancellor of how to amend the treaty. Merkel wants to prevent the initiatives to support growth would delay its ratification. To circumvent the risk of isolation, she has already joined the Italian Mario Monti. And it seeks to gather around their tandem a significant number of twenty-five countries signed the treaty to ratify the text without waiting for France.

Berlin wants to believe qu'Hollande will find a "pragmatic solution", according to a memorandum of discussions between the team of the socialist candidate and German diplomats, quoted by the media across the Rhine. "Holland and his team want to be part of the continuity of the Franco-German working for Europe," said the note. For several weeks, Michel Sapin, author of the economic project of Holland, and Jean-Louis Bianco try to reassure the Chancellor through contacts with his closest advisers. On both sides of the Rhine, we want defuse "hiccups" that perfect storm of the euro, would be immediately punished by the markets.

Of "painful truths"

Merkel's entourage insisted on the red lines of the Chancellor. The introduction of Eurobonds is still a taboo in Berlin. As a stimulus to growth by an extensive program of public spending. Germany believes that its model of structural reforms is the role model for Europe. And she hopes qu'Hollande be satisfied with a symbolic boost to growth. For Berlin, the Socialist candidate's campaign promises are not set in stone. And he would realize that he will announce "painful truths" to the French early in his term. Germany feared above all that the arrival in power of Holland bury any desire for reform in France. And having to wear one at arm's Europe and the single currency. Holland "judge superfluous needed economic reforms, pension and labor market, laments the Bild newspaper in an editorial. The French economy unscrews. If Holland looks away, she will continue to fall. While Germany is alone without strong partner with a big question mark next to the euro. "

Somewhat reassured by his contacts with the Dutch team, led by Berlin is one hope: that economic realities and uncompromising market pressure will convince the French Socialist turning into a Social Democratic German inspired.

ALSO READ:

"Angela Merkel is concerned about the pressure of extreme

No miracle. Greece's gross domestic product will fall by "around 5%" this year, suffering a fifth year of recession, acknowledged Tuesday the Bank of Greece. The plunge "will be less pronounced than in 2011", where GDP fell 6.9%, concedes the national bank, but 0.5 points higher than it expected in March. And it is also necessary that the restructuring measures promised by Athens to be "implemented without delay."

Unemployment, says the Bank of Greece, will exceed 12% of the workforce this year, against 17.7% last year, while inflation will be around 1.2%. And the future of the country, which aims for this year a deficit of 7% of GDP and a reduction of its debt to 145.5%, against 9.1% and 165.3% in 2011, rests entirely on the recapitalization of its banks, thanks to 50 billion euros in aid provided by its creditors. They were accused last year a record loss of 27.9 billion euros.

For Panagiotis Tampoureas, director of development pole of the ATE bank in Athens, the estimate of the central bank "is still very optimistic." In his view, the continued decline in wages and consumption can only increase at half the recession yet.

If the Governor of the Bank of Greece, George Provopoulos, underscores, once again warned his country against the risk of leaving the euro area, it must consider the uncertainties posed by parliamentary elections on May 6 Although 36 parties have submitted bids, Greece will probably have to seek a coalition government between the conservative New Democracy and PASOK socialist.

Pension fraud

Will it have the means to stay the course of rigor? This is not won. The government has discovered 200,000 cases of fraud in pensions and social benefits over two years – enough to save over 800 million euros a year.

The Ministry of Labour has also identified 4,000 businesses that reported the imputed social contributions. And Greece, which combines a shortfall of 60 billion euros in unpaid taxes, is preparing to create an electronic record capable of correlating all transactions of taxpayers with the banks, credit insurance, hospitals and all public services. He could emerge from this year and significantly reduce tax evasion.

But the Greek authorities also face another reality of the crisis. In the first half of this year, calculates the European Commission, a thousand individual companies will put the key under the door every week in the country. This is the same economic base of Greece disappears. In 2010, there were indeed very small companies with 742,600 total 2.51 million employees, over 85% of total employment in the country.

ALSO READ:

"Greece: Brussels pushing down wages

"Greece: a pensioner committed suicide on the altar of austerity

"Greece: the island to the blind, a story of ordinary corruption

Nostalgic for 7 on 7, the emission of TF1 mythical 1980s and 1990s, will closely follow the two election night of 22 April and 6 May 2012 BFMTV. They gather Anne Sinclair, current director of the Huffington Post website France, and Ruth Elkrief, the editor of the news channel. Anne Sinclair was presented 7 on 7 September 1987 to June 1997. After retiring from the small screen, the show, renamed Public, was presented by Ruth Elkrief from 1998 to 2000.

This is Anne Sinclair herself who suggested to Alain Weill, CEO of NextRadioTV, the parent of BFMTV, to attend both evenings, confirms the latter. "Many of these talents will come together on two evenings BFMTV," he adds.

18 am to midnight, special editions of April 22 (first round of the presidential election) and May 6 (second round) will be led by Alain Marshall, host of "20 hours" on the news channel. It is surrounded by two great figures of the chain Olivier Mazerolle and Ruth Elkrief, faithful since the launch of BFMTV on TNT in 2005.

Anne Sinclair will discuss some of the columnists on the board including Alain Madelin, Luc Ferry, Dély Renaud, Eric Brunet, Jacques Seguela, Jean-Francois Kahn, Caroline and Christopher Fourest Jakubyszyn, the managing editor of the RMC radio, other NextRadioTV subsidiary.

Organizing publicity stunts

The partnership between the Huffington Post and BFMTV France is practically limited to the presence of Anne Sinclair. The site will broadcast the images of BFMTV well, but not participate in the device's web news channel.

Despite a plateau prestigious BFMTV no exception to the calling with "a priority to live in the campaign headquarters of various political parties and a priority to images," said Alain Weill.

The arrival of Anne Sinclair on the set of BMFTV is one of the "success stories" in which the chain is familiar. For his first presidential campaign in 2007 BFMTV, whose hearings were still confidential, was observed by organizing the debate between Ségolène Royal and François Bayrou between the two towers.

In seven years, the small chain of information has emerged in the French media landscape. Created from scratch in 2005, today it is the first in France with an audience share of 1.6% in February, according Médiamétrie. An audience twice that of its rival on DTT, i-TV, a subsidiary of Canal +, however, created in 1999.

The third news channel, LCI, TF1 subsidiary, has no occasion to interfere in the match as it is broadcast on DTT, cable and satellite.

ALSO READ:

"Public broadcasting, the big loser of the TNT

"Alain Weill, called the Buzz Media-Orange Le Figaro

"Tops and flops of political programs

Response hardens at Bouygues Telecom. Since the arrival of Free market of mobile telephony, on January 10, the operator suffers. With packages available from 0 to 19.99 euros, the newcomer had already robbed some 134,000 Bouygues Telecom customers to March 1. To limit the damage, he had already announced, on January 13, lower rates of low-cost brand B & You via two packages one at 9.99 euros and the other 19.99 euros . An "Operation Seduction" which has clearly left its customers with marble.

Therefore, on Monday, Bouygues Telecom bounces back. According to Le Monde, it will offer price reductions on its range Eden, his main family of packages. A reduction that will go up to 40% for unlimited plans. "We have simplified our offer and have made more generous in offering our customers three unlimited voice plans from 39.90 euros per month with a terminal at competitive prices," said Frederic Ruciak, director of the consumer market, the daily. The package "Eden Classic" 2 hours of communication, it will be shaved by 10%. Bouygues Telecom has tempered, however, the "Free Indeed" by telling AFP that the price drop was a "rate adjustment from quarantine completed each year flexcheck cash advance."

Havoc on the stock market

The price war launched by Free has done well havoc on the mobile market. In fact, Bouygues Telecom expects a decline of 10% of its turnover in 2012 to 5.14 billion euros. In total, the group offers Niel have attracted over 1.5 million customers, estimated in early March of Stéphane Richard, CEO of France Telecom. Orange said 400,000 of its customers had left for Free Mobile. SFR, meanwhile, had lost 1% of its customers, or 200,000 people, in late February. Markets, investors are nervous. Vivendi, France Telecom and Bouygues suffer attacks of Iliad, the parent company of Free.

Result, Bouygues Telecom will certainly not be the only review it. Orange, who had drawn the first by announcing on 11 January prices down Sosh of his crimes, is expected to unveil a new fee schedule on April 6, with reductions on its range Origami, according to Le Monde.

ALSO READ:

"Where Free Mobile has recruited 1.5 million customers

"The war of mobile havoc on the stock market

"Bouygues Telecom will reduce costs

Entrepreneurs can now expect to spend less time on paperwork they must complete to satisfy the administration. The National Assembly finally passed the bill Wednesday on the easing of administrative procedures despite the guerrilla led by the left. Socialist deputies and senators have decided to seize the Constitutional Council on this legislation. François Rebsamen, President of the Socialist Group of the Senate, said the referral should be made Friday.

"Francois Hollande has displayed duplicity and said on TF1 to a contractor who asked that it was essential to reduce the administrative burden on enterprises when, at the same time, François Hollande, the Socialist member of the Assembly national, and Jean-Marc Ayrault defended a motion to dismiss on the simplification of the text. Simplification is neither right nor left. It is pragmatic and expected by economic agents, "said Frederic Lefebvre Thursday, Secretary of State for SMEs, with more of the 145 measures that will be implemented in the presence of Jean-Luc Warsmann (UMP), President of the Law Committee of the National Assembly and author of the bill payday loans.

New areas

The measures apply to both the conditions of entitlement to holiday pay as procurement of low value, the secured cabinet containing all the digital business information required by the government that the 240 million ballot wages published each year. The latter, with up to 30 lines, will be simplified in several steps. The items on the Social Security taxes and social contributions will be easier to understand from the 1st January 2013. Those on unemployment contributions, pension contributions and additional pension will be from 1 January 2015.

The device of the rescript in office, which allows a company to ask its opinion to the administration, will be improved. It will be extended to new areas such as rules for calculating payroll. The administration will respond within a specified time.

Most companies only file with the court an annual report containing information that can benefit their competitors. To monitor the implementation of 145 measures, Frédéric Lefebvre install the March 19 Committee of the reduction of paperwork consisting of officials and entrepreneurs.

Qatar Airways, the first customer for the A350 XWB, the new long-haul Airbus will have to be patient. EADS, the parent of European manufacturer, announced on Friday on the occasion of the publication of the results of nine months, the factory of the competitor of Boeing Dreamliner will be the first half of 2014 rather than late 2013. The assembly of the first aircraft factory in Toulouse, will begin in the first quarter of next year and not at the end of this year. This delay will cost 200 million euros at EADS, which has set aside that amount in its accounts.

These announcements reflect "what we know today," said Hans Peter Ring, Chief Financial Officer of EADS. The band plays caution. He prefers to deliver defect-free devices instead of doing everything to meet its production schedule. The European giant draws lessons from the excesses of the A380.The announcement of the delays of the A380 in June 2006 caused a collapse of the action and the most serious crisis in the history of the company.

This decision revealed seventy-two hours before the opening of the Dubai Air Show was predictable. In June, during the Paris Air Show, Airbus announced a year and a half behind two of the three versions of the A350 XWB. Management had set the stage by explaining the weeks preceding the calendar was tense for "a very risky program."

In late September, Thomas Enders, CEO of Airbus, told the BBC: "We always start date for the final assembly of the first aircraft in late 2011. But there is no magic date. We learned a lesson simple enough for the A 380: it is useless to push sections of the aircraft on the assembly line if they are not ready. "

As to give grist to G20 ministers meet farm late Friday morning in Cannes, the FAO food price index released yesterday registered a sharp decline after months of increases. It stood at 216 points in October, its lowest level in 11 months. "Prices nevertheless remained generally higher than last year and remain very volatile," says to FAO, the UN Food and Agriculture.

The fight against price volatility in agricultural commodities is precisely the heart of the priorities that the ministers of agriculture have taken in June in Paris during the holding of a special agricultural G20. These will draw Friday a first assessment of this work."The challenge for leaders is to find ways to constrain the natural volatility of the courses without mask or minimize the aggravating factors which tend to look the part of financial markets," said Didier Rousseau, expert industry the agri-food consulting firm Weave Same day payday loans. Volatility can be explained according to the expert by "the increase in global food demand, the emergence of biofuels or the occurrence of weather-related disasters."

The five commitments that will be discussed and reviewed at the G20 agricultural Cannes

• Establishing information system on agricultural markets (AMIS). Hosted by the FAO global database that aims to improve transparency and information on agricultural markets of four major crops for food security (wheat, rice, corn, soy).

After resisting the morning, the Paris index has increased its losses Tuesday mid-day, finishing down 1.43% to 3174.29 points. Parisian investors have expressed a wait-and very excited at the eve of an EU summit in crisis considered major. Sign of a strong wait-and trading volumes did not exceed 2.6 billion euros. Some profit taking after two sessions of strong gains also came influencing the trend. Less marked decline elsewhere in Europe, where the German Dax has limited its losses to 0.14% at 6045 points and the FTSE in London 0.41% to 5525.54 points.

Immersed for weeks in a deep pessimism, investors had played the crisis Friday and Monday. However, the ability of European leaders to respond definitively to the debt crisis is still struggling to convince.A phenomenon that confirm the disagreements between countries in the euro area on the measures to adopt, and just wiping out the gains Monday. If the preparatory meeting of finance ministers of 27 (Ecofin) has been canceled, the leaders of the euro area, however, continue to negotiate before the meeting tomorrow Wednesday of Heads of State and Government (first of 27 and 17 of the the euro area).

At the heart of the discussions: the recapitalization of banks, the amount of the discount of the Greek debt, and strengthening the European bailout fund (EFSF). According to one diplomatic source, the representatives of the banks would like to limit the discount to 40% volunteered to stabilize the Greek debt, against 50 to 60% required by the euro area.Moreover, concerns about the Italian situation is escalated, as Silvio Berlusconi may have trouble getting the promised reforms the last weekend to reduce the debt of his country payday advance. The Prime Minister pledged to push trans to 67 years of age retirement.

Diving morale of U.S. households

In this context, mixed economic data revealed the Atlantic have increased pessimism. Stabilization of U.S. house prices in August, according to the Case Shiller index, and the unexpected plunge in the morale of U.S. households in October, have reinforced doubts about the health of the world's largest economy.

By sector, banks are logically the most attacked, BNP Paribas, lost 3.75% to 30.80, Societe Generale fell back to 3.80%, to 19 euros. Axa was down 1.76% to 10.90 euros.François Fillon, French Prime Minister confirmed that the banks of the Hexagon should recapitalize to the tune of "ten billion euros."

In contrast, cyclical stocks including oil services, were well oriented, supported by oil prices that reached a high for about three months. Maurel & Prom has awarded 2.86% to 14.90 euros and CGG Veritas was up 1.21% to 16.73 euros.

Also against the current, and two days before unveiling its sales for the third quarter, the title of Plastic Omnium has continued to rise (3.35%, to 20.76 euros) having already jumped more than 10% two sessions. Finally, on the eve of the announcement of its quarterly revenue, PPR has taken the lead in the CAC 40 with a gain of 3.84% to 111 euros.

ALSO READ:

"CRISIS SPECIAL: fear of debt

The story is she about to repeat itself? As in 2008, when Belgium, France and Luxembourg had given government guarantees the bank Dexia shareholder governments pledge to support the Franco-Belgian bank which could be dismantled. "The Belgian and French States will meet present as in 2008," assured the French minister of Finance, Baroin, on the sidelines of a meeting with his EU counterparts in Luxembourg. Luc Frieden, Luxembourg's finance minister, also said that his country would play an active role in restructuring the bank.

Governments will particularly seek to support the activity of deposits in Belgium "by a guarantee of the deposits."Concerning the activity of loans to local authorities, which represents about 80 billion euros of assets, Baroin ensures that "whatever happens, we set up a quick and effective solution that will ensure a lack of drop charge this important activity. "

A cash injection, similar to that of 2008 which had led to bail out the bank to the tune of 6.4 billion euros is it to the agenda? No response yet from the French minister who is content to repeat that "States will meet present as in 2008." A source close to the talks for his part, told Reuters that recapitalization was not provided.

The creation of a "bad bank" proposed

Most talkative, the Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders confirmed discussions around the creation of a "bad bank" structure that will isolate the non-performing assets and portfolios of the bank. "There was much talk of a bad bank, a few possibilities," he said business card. "We need to look at how to change this group. We must remove all the dangerous parts of the bank, this is where the state guarantees come into play then we can give guarantees to customers, both depositors or solicitors of credit. "

Intended as reassuring, Didier Reynders recalls that "there is no reason to be of major concern about this group if we continue to accelerate the disposal of assets.Both France and Belgium are ready to provide a guarantee for Dexia's funding, regardless of the form it takes. "

Replica

Earlier in the morning, France and Belgium had already declared their support for the bank. "As part of the restructuring of Dexia, the Belgian and French, in conjunction with central banks will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of depositors and creditors. To that end, agree to bring their guaranteed funds raised by Dexia, "explained a joint finance ministers of two countries. Baroin said that the crisis in Franco-Belgian bank "is a replica of the Great Depression of 2008."

At the Paris Bourse, these guarantees seem to be a little effect.Dexia shares had lost up to 38% in the morning, cut its losses and was down from 16.46% to 1.086 euros on a market down 2.84% to 13.30. But caution is when a special meeting of the Belgian government is expected Tuesday evening "to take stock."

ALSO READ:

"Local communities will have their bank

"Dexia does not curtail its affiliates

"Why we must save the banks

"SPECIAL CRISIS: banks in turmoil

The risk of contagion from a crisis of debt grow even further. After Greece, Ireland, Portugal and most recently the United States is now the turn of Italy to see their credit ratings damaged by Standard & Poor's. The rating agency lowered a notch credit ratings long and short term attributed to the third European economy A/A-1 against A + / A-1 + before. S & P also maintains a negative outlook on the evolution of economic activity in Italy. In other words, it does not degrade once the debt rating of the country.

The degradation of S & P is all the more unexpected it had been no warning from the agency, in contrast to Moody's.The latter had announced Friday that it would complete in October, with a month lag, the examination of the Italian credit note for a possible cut, citing a difficult economic environment.

Standard & Poor's, the downgrade of the debt is directly related to the low economic growth and a fragile political situation. In fact, the ruling coalition of Silvio Berlusconi has only a slim majority. Thus, the rating agency believes that the differences in the Parliament will continue to restrict government's ability to respond decisively to a macroeconomic environment inside and outside tricky.In addition, many escapades of prime minister Silvio Berlusconi also helps to weaken the ruling coalition.

The difficulties of the incumbent government to impose measures were illustrated by the recent childbirth painful austerity plan. This program changed multiple times is not convincing and suggests that S & P "will undoubtedly contribute little to boost economic performance of Italy, especially in a context of tighter financial conditions and because of the program fiscal retrenchment of government. " Facing a debt of 1900 billion euros, equivalent to 120% of annual GDP, the Berlusconi government has pushed through last week by parliament an austerity plan providing for 59.8 billion euros in savings with the aim bring the budget back to balance in 2013.

ALSO READ:

"Tour of Europe's austerity plans

"In the back kitchen of rating agencies

"The austerity plan discussed against the background of Italian strike

"Italy: the risk of default is