Archive for the ‘events’ Category

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

Italy paid dearly Friday the stalemate of the crisis in the eurozone borrowing rates that have soared to record levels in a debt issue, following a mini-summit between Berlin, Paris and Rome, which has disappointed the markets.

Italian bond yields to six months jumped to 6.504% against 3.535% in a similar operation on October 26 while rates at two years have soared to 7.814% against 4.628%, unheard of since the creation of the euro area. These levels are considered unsustainable over time to the peninsula awash in a huge debt representing approximately 120% of its GDP.

The Treasury, however, managed to raise as planned EUR 10 billion with a demand remains strong make quick cash.

At the head of the country for less than two weeks, Mario Monti said on Thursday during a mini-summit in Strasbourg to the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, that Italy would "do its homework "and take the objective of a balanced budget in 2013. A goal that will require the rapid adoption of new austerity measures.

Tackle pension reform

The draconian austerity plans adopted in July and September will indeed not sufficient when the latest statistics (consumption, industrial production) fuel fears of a recession into the third largest economy in the euro area.

A cash loan is a great option for those in dire need of cash, but a key factor in determining the need of a loan is understanding what you would have to do without fast cash personal loans in order to get your finances stable again.

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

A few months before the presidential election, the 35 hours are back in the debate. The UMP should provide, at its convention started on Tuesday, returning to the reduction of working time negotiated by Martine Aubry in 2000. According to the Minister for Ecology, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the majority party would provide an opportunity for partners to open branch agreements on the subject. Objective: To renegotiate the legal working time by sector. "There are industries in which the 35-hour sustained pose problems, despite the flexibility we have made, [...] areas where it is more complicated than others, where the division of labor is much less homogeneous in others, "said the minister this morning on LCI.

The method, a general law on working time does not seem to agenda.The Secretary General of the UMP, Jean-Francois Cope, has thus also opposed, on Tuesday in La Voix du Nord, "an arbitrary law" on the back 35 hours. "The issue of working time should not be a taboo [...] but do not do anything. Working time should be determined by industry or company, with the social partners. We do not work the same way in construction, food processing, nuclear power, "he said. A position consistent with the wishes of the MEDEF. The employers' association had called in January the government to "trust the social partners". "The concept of a legal term that would be the same for everyone and all the time is obsolete."

"The release of 35 hours is inevitable"

The goal, however, is clear. For the majority party, back in one way or another about 35 hours is a must.

Life insurance falls into the red

Monday, October 24th, 2011

The ax has fallen. In September, the French withdrew 11.5 billion euros in their contracts of life insurance in order to invest in alternative investments. With a collection of 9.7 billion euros, the "preferred placement of French" displays so a net outflow of 1.8 billion euros. "Financially, there is a stabilization of outstanding, grade Pierre de Villeneuve, president of the commission life of the French Federation of Insurance Companies (FFSA) and Chief Operating Officer of BNP Paribas' Cardif. The outflow is offset by the capitalization of assets. "

This net outflow nevertheless a very symbolic event for the world of insurance. This is the second time this has happened since the publication of a monthly indicator in 1997.In the panic of the fall of Lehman Brothers, the purchase of contracts had exceeded the collection in October and December 2008.

The new episode of outflow was expected, the movement of withdrawals flying for several months. Several factors explain this cold snap. "The environment encourages individuals to anxiety out of stock or bonds to promote short-term investments or stone," said Jean Berthon, president of the Federation of Independent human savers for retirement (Faider) . Hesitations about the tax life insurance at the beginning of the year have also left its mark.

Banks are active

In this context, investors do not have particularly appreciated the booklet A faxless payday advance. Despite its attractive net salary of 2.25%, in September it displays a modest collection of 1.13 billion euros.Investments flagship autumn are to be sought in bank books boosted short-term offer of 3.5% to 6%, for periods of three to twelve months. Banks, ordered to adapt very quickly to new regulatory requirements of Basel III, should not relax their efforts to build up a stock of customer deposits.

Insurers temper the consequences of withdrawal. Indeed, if an individual purchases a life insurance company invests in securities with face holding horizon is closer to the life of the contract, that is to say very often in bonds.The outflow thus results for insurance companies by sales of bonds, exposing companies in an environment of rising interest rates to a realization of unrealized losses.

"The life insurance companies have tools to deal with exceptional events: the capitalization reserve, the reserve for surplus and unrealized gains …" insists Pierre de Villeneuve. As for the outflow, or it should not affect investment returns, or the results of companies. This is a good opportunity to show the flexibility of life insurance to meet the needs of some investors. "

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Good third quarter for Danone, carried by the child nutrition

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Danone does not disappoint analysts. The group released on Tuesday a turnover in the third quarter, excluding the impact of changes in exchange rates and consolidation scope, up 5.9% to 4.80 billion euros, in line with market forecasts . As reported, the increase was 10.5%. "The effects of exchange reflected the unfavorable impact of changes in certain currencies, including the U.S. dollar, the peso, and the Russian ruble. The change in scope of consolidation mainly due to the integration of the Russian company Unimilk, "the company said in a statement.

All industries show an increase in sales: fresh dairy products (+3.5%) in water (7.9%) through medical nutrition (9.8%). But it is the child nutrition that takes up the results (10.5%).For the latter pole, "the strong growth in value of 5% reflects both the favorable mix of growth, and also increases in the prices since the beginning of the year in most markets" , the group said.

For the first nine months of the year, the group recorded an increase of its turnover by 7.7% on a comparable basis to 14.5 billion euros. All of which leads to the Group CEO, Franck Riboud, that "Danone is doing well: Asia, Latin America and the Africa-Middle East continue to grow strongly. We work to strengthen our leading position in Russia and the United States and our performance in Western Europe remains strong. "

Confident in the long term

Equally optimistic, the Chief Financial Officer Pierre-Andre Terisse said during a conference call that the dynamics of the fourth quarter should be "fairly close" to that of the third.He therefore reiterated its 2011 objectives, namely an increase in sales on a comparable 6% to 8% and an increase in its operating margin by about 0.2 percentage points, still like. This growth will come from all its activities, but particularly integration synergies of Unimilk, said that Danone still expects to grow its free cash flow consistent with the goal of two billion euros for 2012.

"This is the construction of our engines of growth that continues to make me confident: confident for 2011, we will deliver as expected a strong and profitable growth, despite the sharp rise in commodity prices since the beginning of year; also confident for 2012, "enthuses Franck Riboud.

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France is still looking for the keys to competitiveness

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

What should imagine to make French industry more competitive and allow it to regain market share in the euro area? This is the question almost as old as the foreign trade report of the Economic, Social and Environmental Committee (EESC) tries to answer.Indeed, despite its strengths, the delay of France grows: the trade deficit to increase from 51 billion euros in 2010 to over 70 billion this year.

To stop the bleeding, Isabelle de Kerviler, rapporteur of the opinion that is presented this morning at the EESC proposes to facilitate the development of medium-sized companies in particular by improving the financial environment.

"We must strengthen the role of OSEO, we want to launch a loan specifically for the industrial sector and the creation of a special savings account," says the reporter who did not want to quantify the amounts or the levels of these measures especially to SMEs.

Other proposed runway: corporate taxation."It should modulate the rate of corporation tax, the report said, by shifting the tax burden of work on the consumption of natural resources or pollution or swaps."

"Create" Grenelle of competitiveness "

Compared to Germany, envied model that continues to get ahead of our country, the EESC notes that the French labor costs are not even an advantage.The moderation of costs across the Rhine and the progression (in the EU average) of this side are trimmed away.

Nevertheless, France still has a bright points in its favor: the dynamic demographic, geographic location, quality workforce, the quality of public services contrasts with an educational level that s' weakens.

To implement practical solutions, Isabelle de Kerviler wants to organize a "Grenelle of competitiveness." But is that enough to compete with Germany?

The Fed is embarking on a "Twist"

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

The Fed has launched "Operation Twist" on Wednesday. Following a two-day extraordinary meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (FOMC), the U.S. central bank announced its intention to sell by the end of June 2012 for $ 400 billion of treasury bills maturity of three years or less, to buy an equivalent amount of maturity from six to 30 years.

This mechanism, which takes its name from the famous dance that was all the rage in the 1960s, had just been used for the last time in 1961. Its objective is to reduce interest rates in the long run to give a boost to business investment and the demand for housing loans, which use these rates as reference.

The Fed, however, chose not to touch interest rates that determine the short-term rates. They remain between 0% and 0.25%.And they will remain at historically low levels until mid-2013, said a statement.

Market disappointment

In addition to this twist, and in order to support the mortgage market, the Fed will also buy real estate securities without increasing the size of its portfolio. For this, it will continue to reinvest the securities-backed real estate it owns as they fall due. But the FOMC said, instead of buying Treasury bonds as it did previously, she will buy securities backed by mortgage-agency mortgage refinancing para as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

This double operation shows that the Federal Reserve, the economy remains very depressed."The latest economic indicators suggest a continued weak conditions in the labor market and unemployment remains high, the Fed said. There are significant downside risks weighing on economic prospects, including strains in global financial markets. " These findings are similar to those of the IMF, which announced Tuesday it had seen very sharp fall in its growth forecast for the U.S., in theory at a level insufficient to expect a decline in the unemployment rate, which remains very high, to 9.1%.

On Wall Street, where the launch of Operation Twist was widely anticipated, the operators retain the discretion not optimistic the U.S. economy. Shortly after the news release of the Fed, the Dow Jones, which evolved in equilibrium has shifted into the red.It closed down sharply from 2.49% to 11,124.84 points.

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The Paris Bourse again weighed down by Greece

Monday, September 19th, 2011

The Greek crisis can not stop producing its adverse effects on the markets. Having completed an eventful week in the red Friday, the CAC 40 retreated 2.37% to 2969.30 points in mid-session on Monday, passing well below 3000 points.

Even gloomy atmosphere on other European financial centers: the Frankfurt Dax falling 3.02%, the Madrid Stock Exchange of 2.24%, the FTSE-100 in London fell by 2.08% to 5,295.75 and Milan 2.34%.

Concerns about the hypothesis of a failure of Greece again weigh on investor sentiment, like those of Asian stock markets on Monday. Friday and Saturday together in Wroclaw, Poland, EU finance ministers have decided to postpone their decision in October on a loan of 8 billion euros in Athens, pending the outcome of a "troika", under 18 hours, on the progress of promised reforms.

In addition, they have made little progress on the second aid plan for Greece, nearly 160 billion euros including the private sector, pledged in principle last July 21. Greece should show its good will, while his government is accused of delay in implementing measures to reduce the deficit. This Sunday, Athens has announced in the wake of new economies to reassure its European partners.

It must be said that in Europe, solidarity with Greece began to annoy the majority of people. Evidenced by this poll Ifop for Sunday Ouest France, which states that 68% of the French disapprove of the increase in French contribution to the rescue of Athens.And while "divisions" have emerged among governments and the European Central Bank, as noted by Timothy Geithner, U.S. Treasury Secretary, on the sidelines of the meeting of European finance ministers that he was invited .

To fill a deficit in the U.S. To this must be added the concerns about the U.S. economy, which pose a risk to global growth. Markets await including many of the plan for the use of 447 billion dollars of Barack Obama. The U.S. president, anxious to see his program pushed by Congress, has called this weekend to support the Republicans, to avoid "dead end".He also warned the Americans Saturday that they would provide "pull their weight" to reduce the country's budget deficit, while the United States must find 1.2 trillion dollars in savings by the end of the year. Thus, Barack Obama will propose to Congress Monday a tax on the income of taxpayers earning over a million dollars a year.

Analysts and investors are also awaiting a meeting of the Federal Reserve on Tuesday and Wednesday on interest rates in the United States. The feeling now is that the U.S. central bank will launch a new version of "Operation Twist" program to exert downward pressure on interest rates over time.Such a prospect would be a tasteful for scholarships, especially as the Fed pledged to keep rates low until mid-2013 at least.

Macroeconomic side, in Britain, the Financial Times this fall could be a gap of 13 Internet Payday loans.8 billion euros in public finances, or 25% more than expected. Such an amount would extend the austerity policies adopted in Britain.

In the U.S., the NAHB housing index will be released in 16 hours.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro accentuated his decline against the dollar on Monday. The euro bought 1.3653 dollars against 1.3797 dollars on Friday night. He fell last week below the threshold of $ 1.36 for the first time since February. Oil prices are also in the red. Around 12:30 in Paris, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery traded at 111.75 dollars in London, giving 47 cents from Friday's close.In electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" (WTI) for October delivery gave up $ 1.19 to 86.77 dollars.

Values ​​to follow

• Banking and cyclic to the death

Mid-session all CAC 40 stocks are in the red. Societe Generale (-4.85% to 18.04 euros) and BNP Paribas (-2.62% to 27.45 euros) are again in turmoil. Doubts about their strength threatens the economy by depressing household and pushing companies to delay their hiring and investment, analysts and professionals.French banks have agreed to exchange more than 90% of Greek bonds they currently hold in the second aid package to Greece decided in late July, said Friday the Minister of Economy, Baroin.

Cyclical stocks, the more dependent the economy, declined also to the image of ArcelorMittal (-5.24% to 12.66 euros) which records the heaviest fall of the CAC 40.

• EADS (-0.29% to 22.03 euros)

Qatar is interested in buying Daimler a 7.5% stake in EADS, according to the Sunday edition of Der Spiegel.

• Technip (-3.02% to 66.21 euros)

The group said it had been awarded by a contract Petobras provision of basic engineering and detailed design for a new fertilizer complex to be located in Uberaba, in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

• Sanofi (-1.68% to 47.68 euros)

The pharmaceutical giant said Monday it has obtained from the American justice the right to maintain exclusivity until August 2012 U.S. sales of Eloxatin, a drug against colorectal cancers.

• Natixis (-1% to 2.36 euros) and Safran (-3.69% to 25.32 euros)

The bank released the CAC 40, replaced by the industrial and technology group, previously listed on the SBF 120.

• STMicroelectronics (-4.92% to 4.73 euros)

The group has financial capacity to make acquisitions in microprocessors or motion sensors if the opportunity arises, says the CEO of a Wall Street Journal interview published Monday.

• ABC Arbitrage (-1.98% to 6.45 euros)

The company specializes in exploiting price differences between similar financial instruments, recorded a net profit of 16 million euros over the first six months of the year against 15.3 million euros in the first half of 2010.

The Paris Bourse becomes nervous

Friday, September 16th, 2011

After a third round of chained up on Thursday, the CAC 40 is hesitant. In this Friday called "the four witches' mature futures in the U.S., which always increases volatility.

After opening up 1.21%, the benchmark index of the Paris Bourse is pressed into the red in the morning before showing a slight increase of 0.54% to 3062.14 points. Sign that markets are not completely reassured by the decision of the central bankers of the richest countries to mobilize to prevent the drying up of banks' liquidity in dollars. "There is no particular news. The market is perhaps a little profit after rising in recent days, "says Dov Adjedj, vendor shares at Aurel BGC.

In turn, other European financial centers are currently in the green: the Footsie-100 from the London Stock Exchange rose 0.84% ​​to 5382.27 points, the Dax in Frankfurt in 5570 to 1.14% , 82 points, but the Madrid Ibex-35 yields 0.17% at 8323.7 points while the FTSE Milan Mib rose 0.82% to 14,763.22 points.

Thursday night, the European Central Bank (ECB), the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Japan reopened their facilities dollar loans to European institutions to three months, at their request . The decision was hailed by leading international institutions including the IMF, through its President Christine Lagarde: "This is a clear indication from the two largest euro area members of a economic point of view that Future of Greece is truly in the euro area.This appears to be strongly rooted in them both, "she said Thursday, referring to the Franco-German tandem. The same applies to the ECB: "We're all very closely 'united in one purpose'," said Thursday Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the ECB.

A meeting of finance ministers in Poland

Still, brokers are concerned that this improvement was not part of the time. "The coordinated central bank takes the market on Friday," noted Toshiyuki Kanayama, broker at Monex, quoted by Dow Jones Newswires. But this does not solve the problem of the euro area should have a temporary effect. "And for him to echo, the Austrian Minister of Finance, Maria Fekter, has not ruled on Friday that a failure of Greece is a better alternative to a bailout too expensive."We should consider this alternative," she started.

Suddenly, all eyes have turned to Wroclaw in Poland, where there is a meeting of EU finance ministers on Greece. It should last two days and overcome the remaining obstacles to the implementation of the second aid plan in Athens decided July 21 to avoid a bankruptcy of the country. Note that Timothy Geithneir, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, will attend the round table. Two press conferences are scheduled this Friday at 24:00 and 17:30.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro bought 1.3798 dollars, down 0.61%. Similarly, oil prices down slightly popped, a barrel of "light sweet crude" earned 5 cents to 89.33 dollars."This liquidity will likely prevent the recession to hit the euro area, supporting crude oil prices," said Victoire Shum, an analyst at Purvin and Gertz in Singapore.

On the macroeconomic front, the euro area recorded an external trade surplus 4.3 billion euros in July against 4.7 billion a year earlier, according to first estimates released Friday by the EU statistics office Eurostat .

In France, business start-ups in France rebounded in August after two months of decline. A total of 41,697 companies were created last month, according to Insee, a figure up 7.5% from July, which was the worst month for a year and a half.

In Germany, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today that German GDP growth would be "closer to 3% than 2.5%" this year.This statement comes as concerns about the impact of cooling of the global economy on the German economy, heavily dependent on exports, are more vivid.

United States, the net capital flows and the index of consumer confidence from the University of Michigan will be published early in the afternoon.

Values ​​to follow

Banking

After the decision by central banks to help European banks, the banks were moving in a disorganized mid-session: Societe Generale (2.40% to 18.77 euros), Credit Agricole (-0.05% to 5 , 52 euros) and BNP Paribas (-1.61% to 30.01 euros)

Air France-KLM (1.39% to 6.14 euros) and EADS (-0.88 to 22.06 euros)

The manufacturer will control 50 devices equally between European manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, for a total of $ 11.3 billion (8.1 billion euros) to ensure the renewal of its fleet, say Les Echos to be published Friday.

Hermes (-7.10% to 249.25 euros)

Resumption of trading on Friday for the title of the luxury group, which was suspended the day pending the decision of the Court of Appeal in Paris on speculation about the fate of its capital due to a possible takeover bid by LVMH.

Areva (-1.62% to 20.66 euros)

The group has suspended two months for the production of two French factories processing of uranium due to the decline in demand for nuclear power plants in Japan after the disaster in Fukushima, officials said Thursday from the French nuclear group.

EDF (3.34% to 21.33 euros)

Group and Electrical Delmi A2A and its majority shareholder, who jointly control Edison, announced the extension of their shareholder agreement until October 31 at number two in the Italian electricity.

To a higher VAT for luxury hotels?

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Wednesday, the Finance Committee has removed one of the measures of the austerity plan of government: the increase in VAT from 5.5% to 19.6% in the theme parks. Problem: this increase was to bring 90 million euros annually to the state. Gilles Carrez, the UMP rapporteur of the Budget to the Assembly, has devised a solution to compensate this loss. It proposes to increase from 5.5% to 19.6% VAT for five-star hotels and palaces.

Gilles Carrez also wants to restore rebates on real estate gains for second homes and rental investment flexcheck cash advance. The reduction would be 5% per year after five years in prison, resulting in a total exemption after 25 years. In its austerity plan, the government abolished the previous reductions (10% per year after five years). MP seeks action to offset the cost that would be generated by the new allowance of 5%.

All these measures are only proposals. They can not see the day that if affirmative vote of deputies and senators at the meeting.

Expected to increase conservative Wall Street this afternoon

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

Shortly before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange, the index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 advanced 0.91%, respectively, to 1215.80 points and 2246.25 points to 0.86%, leaving hope for a beginning of the session up. The Dow Jones was expected to share up 0.79% at 11,583 points.

U.S. investors, it seems, was reassured, once last night, by the tone of "minutes" of the last monetary policy committee of the Fed. This report has indeed confirmed that the U.S. central bank did not rule to use new tools of monetary easing to support growth ever more threatened. A perspective that also prompted the European markets to rebound on Wednesday morning, when he had closed the previous day on a mixed note.Also in the interests of peace, the United States, President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that the U.S. economy had a "heart attack" she was recovering at a slow pace as he prepares to unveil a new stimulus package.

Meanwhile, the volume still low despite the likely return of holidays for most investors, however, reflect a cautious market that continues. The current rebound, often excessive, thus remain fragile, the sudden relapse is, at every moment possible. And the meeting this Wednesday is evident, in this regard, not without risks.

The employment figures highly anticipated

Indeed, investors should react in particular the results of the ADP survey of employment in the private sector for the month of August, to be unveiled at 2:15 p.m. before, so the opening of Wall Street.The Chicago PMI index of industrial activity for the month of August, from 3:45 p.m., will also be closely monitored. Orders to industry for the month of July (1600) and the weekly oil inventories (16:30) conclude the list of publications of macroeconomic days.

On the corporate side, the American phone AT & T (1.23% on Tuesday in closing) pledged Wednesday to repatriate to the United States currently filled 5,000 jobs in its call centers overseas, where the green light to the acquisition challenged T-Mobile, the U.S. subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom.These employees will be "well paid", assured the group in a statement, recalling that he was the only major U.S. telecom operators to accept unions in its stores.

Bank of America (-3.21%) is preparing to further reduce its scope of activity in the mortgage, by stopping the sale of mortgage loans through independent agents, said Wednesday the Wall Street Journal, citing people close the file.

Hewlett-Packard (-0.26%) will temporarily restart production of its TouchPad Tablet, whose sales soared since the U.S. computer giant announced mid-August that he would cease to manufacture. HP announced on August 18 a sudden change in its strategy, through the cessation of production of its new tablet and its smartphones using the operating system of Palm webOS.HP also plans to separate its activities from production computers to refocus on software.