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Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Caution should dominate this last session of November in the Paris Bourse. The futures on the CAC 40 was down over 1% one hour before the opening, leaving a consider early in the day in negative territory.

Operators should not be inspired by the close-hearted Wall Street yesterday, nor one in the red, the Asian market this morning guaranteed online payday loans. They should also take time to digest the advertisements of the leading finance ministers of the euro zone, Jean-Claude Juncker, made in Tuesday night. The latter has warned that the Financial Assistance Fund (EFSF) would reach "probably not" the one trillion euros, as had been promised after the crisis summit last October.

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Monday, November 28th, 2011

Pébereau has resisted the stock market battles, crises and even big night bank. But a simple date in a calendar, and he is defeated. Thursday 1 December, the most influential banker in France or Europe, will no longer be president of BNP Paribas, the old lady he was winded in eighteen years the first French bank. At 69, the inspector of finance promotion Marcel Proust was found by time. No matter. A few days before his abdication, he remains the first line on the front of the euro. One day, debating on a television with Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. Another received at Downing Street by David Cameron, the British prime minister. There's a fire in the house and the euro Financial has an address book to make the government gives tirelessly envious of the voice. That of BNP Paribas. That of France.

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Thursday, November 24th, 2011

The concern is still apparent at the Paris Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The CAC 40 ceded 0.72% in early trade at 2850.85 points. Unable to maintain its rebound yesterday, the CAC 40 would be difficult to bounce back following the announcement of a further slowdown in the Chinese economy. Preliminary PMI Manufacturing activity in China, issued by HSBC this morning, recorded in November, its biggest drop since March 2009, to 48 against 51 in October. Below 50, this means a contraction.

The country's dependence on exports is the main cause of this fall, analysts said the bank. China is beginning to feel the impact of the economic downturn of its main European and U.S. clients. To this end, HSBC is lowering the forecast industrial production to 11% or 12% year on year in the months to come (against 13 no fax payday loans.2% in October).The growth of the second world economy is showing disturbing signs of slowing: GDP rose 9.1% in the third quarter against 10.4% in late 2010.

The news depressed Asian investors this morning. These were already suffering from the downward revision of U.S. growth in the third quarter. Wall Street had also cashed a new bearish session yesterday.

Meeting the agenda of the euro area

This accumulation of bad news in addition to the always present fear about sovereign debt problems. France and Germany announced their wish to present proposals on reforming the EU treaties. "With Angela Merkel we will soon make proposals with regard to the Treaty amendment to prevent that countries can differ in the fiscal, economic and tax," said Nicolas Sarkozy.

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PSA will remove thousands of jobs in Europe

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

While the automotive market is showing signs of slowing in Europe, and by recourse to partial unemployment as its competitor Renault, PSA Peugeot Citroen chooses the hard way. The automaker announced the establishment of an action plan of 800 million euros in cost savings for 2012. To justify this measure, the leading European regrets, under its third quarter, down 1.6% to 9.3 billion euros in sales in the automotive division, mainly because of "the intensifying price war "in France.

Referring to the weight of the wage bill in fixed costs, the group finance director Frederic Saint-Geours first held Wednesday morning "quite likely" impact "on all the numbers," which amounted to 205,400 employees .After a communication to the dropper, the European group committee has finally unveiled the effectiveness of some of these job cuts: 3,500 jobs will therefore disappear in Europe in 2012, including 2500 in structure functions (such as trade and marketing) and 1000 in production. In addition, some 2,500 jobs will be removed from the external service providers.

To this must be added the loss of 800 jobs for temporary workers in France (where the group has 100,000 employees) by the end of 2011, according to a union source quoted by AFP. In this regard, Philippe Varin, Chief Executive of the manufacturer, will hold talks soon with Eric Besson, Minister of Industry.

The unions rebelling

The unions were quick to react to this.These cuts staff have "something outrageous" Bruno Lemerle storm, CGT delegate to the committee of the European Group, deplored the "working conditions already overburdened." And adds: "The financial situation of the company is good [and] there is no reason to go to job losses."

Player Figaro BFM

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Recapitalization of banks: difficult negotiations in Brussels

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

Creditor banks in Greece will have to accept losses "substantial" in the new bailout of the country, warned Saturday that the European Ministers of Finance. Last night, the central bankers of the euro zone had "agreed to say that we had to have a substantial increase in the contribution of banks" in the form of a depreciation of their claims, said the leader of European finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker.

According to diplomatic sources, the ministers agreed to effectively negotiate with the banks at a discount of "at least 50%" against a target of 21% decided on July 21 with the banking sector. They thus de facto endorsed the conclusions of an expert report which was presented by the troika of donor funds in Greece (EU, ECB and IMF).The paper believes that a discount of 50 or 60% hope to stabilize Greece without having to increase in the amount of gigantic international loans that have already been promised.

A "discount" is the term used in relation to the financial depreciation of the value of loans taken by creditors in this case private banks and investment funds that hold government debt. A discount of 50% borne by the private sector, the second program of financial support pledged July 21 to Greece, however, should be slightly revised upwards with government loans (Europe and IMF) to 114 billion euros, against 109 billion euros.To maintain the envelope of 109 billion euros unchanged, it would bring the discount to 60%, according to calculations by experts.

• Banks recapitalized to the tune of 100 billion euros

In any event, the second bailout in late July, just after the first amounting to 110 billion euros agreed in spring 2010, will have to be redesigned. "It's pretty clear that we need a substantial discount on Greek debt," also said Saturday the Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg on his arrival in Brussels for a meeting with colleagues from across the EU."We will now work on a new plan Greek, there is an effort of European countries [to, ed] and will also require an effort of the private sector," said his Belgian counterpart Didier Reynders.

The question is whether the banks that have so far dragged its feet to give the pot, will accept a negotiated settlement does not pass through a default of Greece said "messy" serious consequences. "It's a negotiation s'entame," said Didier Reynders. These discussions, held in Brussels with representatives of the Institute of International Finance (IIF), the banking lobby, "still, there is no agreement yet," said a source told AFP familiar with the matter.

In return for the effort required on the Greek claims, it is intended to recapitalize European banks to the tune of nearly 100 billion euros. The subject was Saturday in the agenda of the ministerial meeting.According to sources cited by Reuters, an agreement in principle was reached by European finance ministers on the recapitalization faxless pay day loans. European diplomats interviewed by AFP were less categorical in the late afternoon. "There is no agreement on the recapitalization, it gets stuck a little." According to one of these diplomatic sources, "Spain insists on having a comprehensive, not only on the recapitalization of banks but also on strengthening the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF). " On the other hand, "the ministers are trying to agree on the minimum capital."

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has proposed that banks reach a level of capital of 9% by mid-2012.A diplomat acknowledged that some countries in the viewfinder of the markets, like Italy, Spain or Portugal, feared that the recapitalization will further undermine public finances.

• The Fund will not support a bank

Moreover, the French proposal to grant a banking license to the Fund support the euro area (EFSF) so he can refinance with the European Central Bank "is no longer on the table," said Minister Dutch Finance Jan Kees de Jager. Only two options are being discussed to increase the firepower of the device, he told reporters Saturday. These two tracks on the agenda now that the mechanism acts as a partial insurance of the public debt of countries in difficulty or higher participation of the IMF to the device, according to a German government source.But there is "significant differences between countries" on the issue, said Jan Kees de Jager.

How to leverage the capacity of the EFSF was the main sticking point between Berlin and Paris at the approach of the EU summit. France, worried about its budget deficit and are "triple AAA" prefer tap into the existing European funds, starting with the ECB. Germany, also sensitive to the separation of powers as inflation risks, refuses anything resembling a crisis by printing money in Europe. France was not only to advocate the involvement of the ECB, arguing that this system worked very well in the United States or Great Britain.She was supported by Spain, Italy or Belgium.

The European Relief Fund currently has a lending capacity of 440 billion euros, part of which is already committed for Ireland and Portugal. This envelope is considered insufficient to prevent contagion of the debt crisis in countries as large as Italy and Spain, increasingly in the firing line of credit rating agencies. European countries negotiate so hard for weeks on the best way, via a "leverage" to multiply by up to five response capacity of the Fund's financial debt of fragile countries.

(With agencies)

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The long wandering unemployed California

Monday, September 26th, 2011

For three years she is unemployed, Sheila Magsby short job center job center in the wheel of his battered car in the hope of becoming thinner, to find a job. The point where it is, after thirty-six months of fruitless searches and applications without response, the forties would be satisfied with a minimum wage, although it has twenty years experience as secretary to the prosecutor in Los Angeles. Over the past year, Sheila no longer receives any unemployment benefits. It is therefore no income. "Luckily I live with my father. How else am I get out? "She asks.

Sheila lives in Los Angeles, but that it is today came Torrance consult the job offers. "I might have better luck here," she sighed half-heartedly.At about twenty miles west of downtown, Torrance is home to the headquarters of U.S. automakers Toyota and Honda, companies that only hire certainly not now, but around which created an economy of small merchants , restaurants, etc..

Degreasing the chain

Eighth global economy, California stands today especially the second worst unemployment rate in the country (12.1%) after the Nevada (13.4%). Only the San Francisco area, the heart of high-tech industries and the Internet is more or less spared thanks to companies like Twitter and Facebook continue to recruit qualified personnel. The rest of the state bogged down. Building on education, the downsizing continues as roads and school performance deteriorated.In the center, in the San Joaquin Valley, the unemployment rate reached 40% in some towns. To the south, near the Mexican border, it rises to 26% in the Greater El Centro.

Alarmed by stagnant growth, stock market rout and a nagging housing crisis, employers in California have eliminated 8,400 jobs in August (after having created 98,500 since the beginning of the year). 3600 of them were eliminated in the public sector. The teacher Cindy Cheritan is one of the many victims of these cuts. She found herself obliged to accept a job as a nurse throughout the summer, paid $ 50 per day, because the City of Downey, where she works, can no longer afford to offer the remedial courses that summer allow teachers to make ends meet during their two months of unpaid leave."I've mostly replacements, says Cindy, because it is currently impossible to get tenure."

Three hundred applicants for every job

Cindy's case is emblematic. She returned several times the path to college for a career change. Having obtained a real estate license at the beginning of the real estate crisis of 1997, she was forced to abandon this activity almost immediately. "At the time, there was a shortage of teachers. So I opted for this profession. "Struck by bad luck, she became a teacher at age 45, after five years of study, just when education authorities began to fire teachers. Cindy is now for the group 16.3% of Californians living below the poverty line.At 50, she returned also live with her parents.

"We see a lot of engineers, says Christina Haggins, the job center of Redondo Beach as the aerospace industry, a strong presence here, has eliminated thousands of jobs. Recently we even had a judge have been unemployed for several months. We tried to help him, but he still has not found anything. "

According to the California Labor Department, about 300 candidates apply for each job. As was recently the case in a holistic care center for pets. "They were looking for a receptionist. We were 250 to introduce ourselves, "said Julie, unemployed for two years.

California and have any interest in adopting the employment plan recently presented by Barack Obama.The $ 3.9 billion allocated to infrastructure renewal of the state could create 51,500 jobs, 37,000 teachers could find the way to school. Finally, about 710,000 SMEs would receive tax cuts and social security. "We absolutely must get out of the economic hole we have fallen," calls the director of the Institute for Research and Development of the use of UCLA, Chris Tilly. "People need to get back on their spending and businesses to hire."

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Mutual: the debate over the tax goes up a tone

Monday, September 26th, 2011

The tax increase mutual health has not finished making waves. The plan of the government plans to increase from 3.5% to 7% tax on contracts and supportive health officials said, 95% of the market for complementary health, has been much debated since it was finally adopted by parliament on 8 September.

Last response date, two UMP announced Friday their intention to table an amendment to Bill Financing Social Security (PLFSS) reserves to tax "excessive" for certain health insurance schemes. Their goal: to prevent a sharp rise in contract prices by encouraging individuals to use their mutual financial reserves rather than pass on the increase in the tax on membership fees.

Sébastien Huyghe, MP North, and Valérie Rosso-Debord, Meurthe-et-Moselle, advocated to establish "what could amount to a wealth tax" on the margins of solvency of each other located far beyond the legal limit. "The law requires unions to hold minimum reserves called legal reserves or solvency margins, which now account for 17% of the amount of annual dues. When this level is set aside, it is said that the solvency of the mutual is 100%, "they recall. In their amendments, MEPs are the players that has a line "located beyond 300%", a rate considered sufficient to ensure their development or deal with contingencies.

According Valérie Rosso-Debord, the reserves of each other is "five to six times beyond the level required."These organizations "a way of managing heritage, which is not in the interest of their contributors," lamented the member quoted by Reuters. For his part, Labour Minister, Xavier Bertrand, argued that no insurance company or mutual was in financial difficulties and were "not required to fully pass this increase" on their customers .

"No secret reserves"

These arguments will probably jump Caniard Etienne, the president of the National Federation of French Mutual, which represents 600 health insurance schemes. He said the tax increases will be reflected automatically on membership fees, mutuals have already seen their margins decline in recent years. In this context, it amounts to 3.5% increase "mechanical" contribution for 2012. "It is no secret reserves" into the coffers of these organizations, he assures.A view shared by Gerard Andreck, Chairman of mutual insurance companies (Gema), a trade association. "Maybe there are a number of which are in mutual capacity to absorb this increase, but not the general market," he said after the vote by the parliament of the text .

Yet, according to Le Parisien, the market would not be so tense. Based on the balance sheets and income sector, the paper shows that mutual health organizations are seated on a "gold mine hidden" gigantic. MGEN (Mutual of Education) would be the best endowed. In 2009, its reserves "excessive" reached 1 billion euros, representing a solvency margin of 667%, well above the standards. With reserves of 262 million euros, Malakoff Médéric benefit from a solvency margin of 779%.These financial reserves "would easily (these mutual, Ed) to support the additional tax under the government without making their customers suffer," the paper concludes.

According to a study released Wednesday by UFC-Que Choisir, the French spent 25.4 billion euros in additional contributions to health in 2010, an increase of 16.6% in five years, two times higher than the increase income. And raising taxes will bring to the state 100 million euros in 2011 and $ 1.1 billion in 2012, according to government calculations.

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U.S. bonds are resistant to the loss of triple A

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Contrary to expectations, yields on government bonds to ten years U.S., the famous "T-Bonds," have not suffered the loss by the United States of their "triple A", which gave investors the best repayment guarantees available. Since the deterioration of the financial rating of Uncle Sat, August 6, the rating agency Standard & Poor's, the rate of return on government bonds ten years has even relaxed. It went from 2.58% the day before the announcement to 2.19% yesterday in New York.

"Common sense would that loss of the triple A, synonymous with degradation of the repayment capacity of borrowers, resulting in a tension on the rate of pay required by lenders, said Jean-Louis Mourier, economist at Aurel BGC. But the United States are in a particular position.In a world facing many economic uncertainties, bonds issued by the U.S. state are still considered a less risky than most other investments. "

Experts call this the "fly to quality", that is to say the postponement of international investors on asset quality at the expense of investment risk. "On the merits, there is no big difference between a AAA and AA +, said Philippe d'Arvisenet, chief economist of BNP Paribas. Everyone knows that the U.S. is heavily indebted, but nobody doubts their ability to repay their debts. However, there are concerns about the viability of the euro area, especially on signs of a slowdown in the global economy.These weigh on the shares, since one can fear a deterioration of business results. "

The shares were most affected

Since August 6, the Dow Jones, which includes the thirty largest U.S. companies, has in fact lost more than 3%, bringing in its wake all the global indices including the CAC 40 index, down 7.6% on the same period. Jean-Marie Mercadal, director of management at OFI AM, states that "analysts are still waiting for an increase of 14% of the profits of U.S. companies in 2012, but this estimate could be up to a 5% drop in a recession" . That's exactly what operators fear most.

In this context, the loans issued by the United States appears more secure.The U.S. bond market is mainly the most liquid and deepest in the world, ensuring that investors can sell their shares at any time, even in case of crisis. An advantage not available to France, which would it heavily penalized in the event of deterioration in its financial rating.

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Tour operators rely on "all-inclusive"

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Buffets and unlimited sports, entertainment for adults, kids club for children … A holiday in the card, no surprises. Everything is organized and paid for before reaching the full support from the airport.

In times of crisis more than ever, all inclusive, hallmark of Club Med, like and secure. Most tour operators would be more or less inspired to develop offers "house" all inclusive stays in hotels with different price points.

"The" all inclusive "is part of the DNA of Club Med. It is the heart of our product, said Anne Yannic, executive director of markets France, Belgium and Switzerland at Club Med. In a difficult economic environment, it is a reassuring promise. The formula has developed significantly since the financial crisis of 2008.All tour operators now offer all-inclusive club package. But the positioning high-end all-inclusive Club Med is unique. No one offers such a quality of service, except perhaps a few luxury hotels, but offer user-friendly that is also a hallmark of the Club. "

According to Patrice Caradec, CEO of Transat France (Look Voyages), the number of hotels clubs offered for French customers from 200 to 400 in five years. "Ten years ago, when ten French went in with a beach holiday tour operator, five opted for a formula club hotel, all inclusive, he says. Today is September Eventually, we will not sell more than that! "

Look Voyages already carries 75% of its sales in its 34 clubs Lookéa. These clubs are independent hotels from 150 to 200 rooms.Look Voyages ensures the filling of 80%, by signing contracts with their owners at least three years. Its own teams (10 to 20 people per club) make the animation.

Higher margins for tour operators

"With the Internet, which causes them to spend more and more tour operator, the formula is the most relevant, offering the best quality / price ratio, ensures Laurent Laforest, director of marketing for Look Voyages online cash advance. Club Med, which was once the preserve of the product club (animations, user-friendly, sports, child care), was copied by tour operators and hoteliers themselves. But the concept of club is not regulated, you can find everything and anything.The challenge is how to make its mark as a guarantee. "

This summer, for example, Thomas Cook France sells 72 hotels clubs (27 clubs Eldorador, the brand more upscale, 15 Villages Thomas Cook, 20 Aquatour clubs for customers in northern France, 10 Jumbo clubs, positioned entry ). "In deciding to go on the high end, Club Med has left a very important market segment. We have a lot of customers who come to us because Club Med has become too expensive for them, says Denis Wathier, Chairman of Thomas Cook France. The goal is a hundred clubs in two years. With the emergence of the Internet, tour operators must have something unique to offer. "

Another advantage is that the profitability of the formula."From the moment you sell a concept where you put the value added (animations, buffets, a specific decoration …) you can afford to sell the service more expensive, with higher margins," Wathier says Denis.

According to Laurent Laforest, clubs attract mainly couples (70% of customers) and families with children. "In a travel market in crisis, it is the segment that is resistant to the best tailor-made high-end", says he. "The demand increases and supply the following at the expense of traditional hotels, which are easily found on the Internet without going through tour operators," said Denis Wathier.

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Wall Street should remain on guard

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

The session promises to be volatile on Wall Street on Wednesday, a day after closing in the red. In just over two hours of opening, the futures contract on the Dow is at equilibrium (0.02% at 11,389 points), as did the S & P 500 (0.03% to 1192 points). One on the Nasdaq was down 0.20% to 2195 points.

The markets seem to be torn between the desire to focus on quarterly results released last night or expected, and the wrong signals sent by the European and Asian markets. They are disappointed with the proposals of President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The two leaders, who gathered to discuss the governance of the euro area, have not provided a response to the concerns of investors about the debt crisis in the euro area.Of course, a battery of measures was announced: economic government of the euro area, "golden rule" budget, tax on financial transactions, fiscal convergence. But Germany and France have ruled out a strengthening of the European emergency fund (EFSF) and the creation of Eurobonds, measures eagerly awaited by the markets.

"The concerns of investors are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon and could increase the pressure against the European leaders' strategists warn of Crédit Agricole CIB. "We are concerned that investors not only in the short term this framework must also be approved by all other countries and which offers no short-term response to the problems that worry the markets," added the manager of Barclays scholarship.

Oil up

In this context, operators will try to focus on indicators of the day.Before the opening, the Labor Department will release the index of producer prices. Weekly oil inventories will follow. Investors expect a decline in reserves, which pushed the futures contract on a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in September rose 1.19% to 87.68 dollars.

Note the side of the currency, the attempt to rebound in the euro against the dollar. After being battered in the Asian trade, the single European currency recovers. Around 11:30 in Paris, the euro bought 1.4450 dollars against 1.4406 dollars late Tuesday.

The values ​​of the day

News companies are also responsible for:

The Dell IT group has published Tuesday profit up 63% in the second quarter to $ 890 million, or earnings per share of 54 cents higher than expected. But the group has revised its annual sales targets downward.

Analog Devices reported last night for its third fiscal quarter, net earnings rose to 219.9 million dollars. But the group has disappointed analysts by saying that he expected an exaggerated caution of customers in a context of growing global economic uncertainty.

Abercrombie must report before the market opens its second quarter results. Ls forecasts indicate a profit of 29 cents per share and a turnover of 916.8 million dollars.

Deere also has pre-market release the results of its third fiscal quarter. The benefit should be 1.66% per share, according to economists.

Staples will announce its second quarter results, as Hot Topic, Limited Brands and Petsmart.

The banking sector battered yesterday after the European project for the taxation of financial transactions, will also be monitored.

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