Archive for the ‘opinions’ Category

Airbus faces production halts

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

A first for Airbus. Unions have all agreed to call for a freeze on production via a rotating strike that must affect all Airbus sites in turn. Since Monday afternoon, employees stopped work on site in Toulouse Clement Ader who assembles Airbus A 330 and A 340. Tuesday is that of Saint-Martin-du-Touch, head of the A320, which must stop work, then tomorrow the hangar Jean-Luc Lagardere whence come the 380. This weekend, employees of consulting firms and corporate headquarters in Toulouse are expected to stop work. Meanwhile, the hall unloading Beluga cargo planes must be blocked to prevent the delivery of parts and packages pre-assembled from other European plants of Airbus.

At the heart of this sudden clenching of association, wages and employment.The Inter held insufficient a proposal from the Executive Airbus to raise, from 1.5% to 1.9% its offer to general wage increase in 2010. According to the unions, this offer is too far from the 3.5% achieved in 2009. "We advocate the preservation of purchasing power and reward the efforts made to maintain delivery targets record (498 units by 2009) this year and the challenges associated with the A380, the A350 and the A 400M. Engineering the companion, through the course, everyone is under pressure, "said Jean-Francois Knepper, delegate of FP, the majority union."Employees are however not responsible for the strategic mistakes of the managers on programs A380 and A400M," said Pierre-Henri Coat CFDT delegate Central in Nantes, also affected by blockages targeted.

Inventories buffers "

The unions also want to obtain an interest in more "generous": "At Airbus, the participation will be EUR 0 and the incentive of 557 euros, while Astrium participation will be 2700 euro and the incentive of 1000 euro , "argues Jean-Francois Knepper. Another claim, get the hiring of 700-800 people, as in Germany.

Regarding the direction, it said that his proposal is within the upper range of that offer members of the Aerospace Industries Group, Gifas (between 1.5 and 2%)."Between 2005 and 2009, wages increased by 17.9%," said a spokesman for Airbus.

Spoiled the employees of Airbus? While many employees are subject to discipline – not to mention social plans. "Few companies have a backlog of five or six years, making Airbus a comfortable market situation, 'explains Pierre-Henri Coat. On Monday, Airbus is serene wanted: "For now, the final production is not affected. We have buffer stocks which can work normally. "The showdown has begun.

Assistance from IMF will not be immediate

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has just been presented with a request for assistance from Greece. Until now, the IMF provided only technical assistance to Athens. The team of experts is hard at work in the capital of Greece. "We are ready to act quickly in response to this demand," said Dominique Strauss-Kahn Friday, IMF Managing Director. And Youssef Boutros-Ghali, chairman of the board of the institution, recalled: "Aid to Greece will take time. This can not happen from one day to another. "Especially since the Papandreou government is engaged in negotiations on a plan" covering several years. "

So far, the IMF had not been involved in developing the plan of the European Union. This is not a member of the board of the fund. The proposals could therefore engage the IMF, said it does in Washington.It is expected to "several weeks" of negotiations no teletrack payday loans. The amount of the full plan could exceed the record $ 58 billion set by Korea in 1997 with the conditions negotiated by the IMF.

The multilateral institution also assumed that the share of aid to Greece will represent one third of the package agreed by the other countries of the euro area. But this figure could possibly change after the verdict of the negotiators of the fund. The absence of a margin for adjustment by devaluation, however, seriously complicates the terms that the IMF should negotiate with the Greek authorities.This is not entirely without precedent: for example, Latvia has received 1.7 billion euros from the IMF in 2008, as part of an international package of 7.5 billion, while keeping its currency indexed euro.

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The departments affected by the crisis

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Yes, some departments are in a precarious financial situation: this is the observation made by Pierre Jamet, Director General Services of the Rhone, in its report submitted Thursday to Prime Minister. But the social and demographic constraints do not explain everything. The report studied eleven departments – eight rural and three urban – handicapped by a high proportion of elderly people, high unemployment, household income below average and low density. The Correze and Creuse, both on the left are in this case. But only the first situation is worrying. The difference? The Creuse is little debt, if the Correze. The scenario is repeated between Pas-de-Calais and a virtuous Val-d'Oise debt.Moral: the policy choices have weighed heavy.

As for the Seine-Saint-Denis, "for four months, it has a 32% increase in revenue from estate duty, with a recovery of real estate," says Pierre Jamet. Understood, this department alone has passed a 2010 budget in balance – an act widely publicized by the President PS council, Claude Bartolone – is no longer in danger. In contrast, a dozen others may fail to maintain their balanced budget during the year, due to slippage in social spending. "We must therefore establish a monitoring committee at the government level. And the State will assist in June or July to emergency departments, by advances of funds by contributions, or even "recommends Pierre Jamet. Estimated boost: maximum 100 million euros.

Cost Standards

Nothing says that the government will retain this recommendation. For now, Francois Fillon has agreed only to launch in May a consultation with the Assembly of the departments of France. Matignon prefer to retain other recommendations: curbing the proliferation of standards and highlight good practices, including the cost of administering benefits. Pierre Jamet also insists on including the need for effective monitoring computer: "A software company has crossed the files of the RSA family benefit fund with those of a department. In 67 000 110 000 records, differences have emerged "in the name, address or income … In the longer term, the report recommends improving the redistribution of wealth between departments.The latest proposal is not as uncontroversial: that the career firefighters is managed by the local government service, rather than headquarters.

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Europe draws 30 billion for Greece

Monday, April 12th, 2010

It took two peaks and a half-dozen ministerial appointments, but the sixteen countries of the euro are finally able to determine in detail the safety net for Greece. The EU scheme officially operational since Sunday, includes up to 30 billion euros in bilateral loans to an interest rate target of about 5M for a term of three years.

"Until now, the Sixteen had taken decisions in principle, we now show that there is money behind," said Jean-Claude Juncker after a video conference involving Ministers Euro zone finance. "All the tools are in place and operational immediately," said Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Athens has not yet decided to use this financial plan. But it was time to measure reliability.Greece, seriously diminished his credit, is to resume tomorrow's Calvary borrower, raising 1.2 billion of Treasury bills at six and twelve months. Repeatedly announced but never detailed the mechanism difficult to convince the markets for two months. The litmus test is committed immediately. By late May, Athens faces more than 10 billion euros maturity on a debt estimated at 300 billion. It must still find 32 billion before the end of the year. The figures broken down on Sunday in Brussels, more generous than expected, seem a priori to the scale of the challenge.

For 30 billion that could unlock the Sixteen would be added the joint contribution of the IMF. If we follow the rule laid down by 2/3-1/3 the last EU summit, Greece could therefore be based if necessary on a cushion of more than 40 billion euros in loans this year.No estimate has yet been advanced for years.

Mechanism triple expansion

With an interest of around 5% on loans for three years, the Sixteen still follow the principles laid March 25. As a last resort, Greece could be financed at a lower price than it does now on the market (more than 7%), easy payday loans. But she would not receive any subsidy-provided imperiously posed by Germany, nor any advantage over other heavily indebted countries like Portugal, Ireland, Spain or Italy. If the ETF would be implemented, "Greece would be encouraged to return quickly to the market" to finance themselves forward Jean-Claude Juncker.A hypothesis that will be realized when Athens will be able to raise money at rates lower than the European plan.

Faced with deadlines looming, the Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, had struck these days on all doors so that Europe finally joins the action to the word. To impress the financial, "we must put a loaded revolver on the table," he said Sunday at the Greek newspaper "To Vima". "The question, he added, is whether the device will persuade the markets (…) Otherwise, it could well be used …"

At the announcement of decisions taken by the Sixteen, the Greek Minister of Finance was confident.George Papaconstantinou welcomed an agreement "very important", confirming that he had not requested the activation of the mechanism: "We believe we can continue to borrow freely on the markets."

It was at Athens that he would take the initiative, confirmed Sunday the Commissioner Rehn. But the mechanism is at least triple expansion. The European Commission, the ECB and the IMF all have their say or their conditions to ask. Finally, the loans would only be released only by unanimous consent of the Sixteen, which gives a veto to Germany. George Papandreou today has a net credible.But it has not finished with the tightrope.

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Real estate: how to take advantage of bargains

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Realtors? A good indicator of the economy. Today, the stone as the economy heads out from the water, but both of them are not yet fully recovered and remain afloat in midstream. Tails, the good news, transactions leave. This year, Fnaim, the federation of estate agents, believes that the bar of 600 000 transactions could be completed. But the market remains mixed. The nine was widely supported by the success of Scellier law, which allows investors to benefit from a tax of 25% within an investment of EUR 300 000. The former, he, still suffers. Because the coin has two sides. Front side, the bad news, the former has not solved the fluidity necessary for proper functioning of the housing market.Those professionals call the secundo-time buyers, that is to say, households who sell a property to buy another, are still not massively back on the market. In many places and on many products, it is still often difficult to match the expectations of those sellers with buyers.

After a blip like this has crossed the housing market, have a good idea of the price of a property is difficult. All the buyers and sellers are determined based on their expectations about future price developments. Roughly speaking, professionals assume a status quo prices. The most optimistic evoke certain properties, the most sought increases in the order of a few percent. Others believe that the balance should tilt towards a price reduction. Mathilde Lemoine, director of economic studies of HSBC France, and expects a decline in prices of the old 4% this year.For its part, the Land Bank expects "a drop in prices of 3% in the former and stability in the new." And pout Mouillart Michel, Professor of Economics at Paris X-Nanterre, "there is no risk of sudden fall of the market.

Another less quantifiable changed with the crisis and must be taken into account. In real estate, as elsewhere, households are determined to buy at the right price, to be smart consumers and investors informed. The beating of the heart are more difficult. Today, we buy more with his head than his heart. The ball is still in the camp of buyers. They have attractive credit terms. It is indeed possible for those who have the best records, to find a fixed rate loan over fifteen years to 3.5%. It will be hard to beat. "Interest rates will necessarily undergo one or more increases in 2010," said the broker CAFP.In a market recovering, prices are difficult to read. We publish in this case the numbers of notaries, those of the Credit Foncier Fnaim and according to our tour of France prices in Ile-de-France and its regions. Searched information, necessary but not sufficient. For now, the price changes between a product with and without defects, good or bad situation, are becoming wider. To help you better understand these variations, we have pushed the investigation further. With concrete examples of prices that are resistant and those who decline (page 114) and a tour of France that you can buy if you're lucky enough to have a budget of EUR 500 000 (page 142). On most goods, prices have declined from their level two years ago. But they have not collapsed.In the Ile-de-France, for example, notaries emphasize that "the decline in prices recorded between autumn 2008 and summer 2009 was about 10%. But the downward trend in prices has "interrupted". "On an annual basis, the decline in prices between late 2008 and late 2009 is more than 5.6%," they add. This year they expect a stabilization of prices. And sounding the alarm. "The resumption of construction of new housing in the private sector is essential to stabilize the market. The shortage of quality housing appropriate to the needs of Parisians is short-term risk of a return of speculation.

The network Orpi evokes a "real recovery, but fragile." A word that recurs in several experts. Mathilde Lemoine and speaks of a "housing demand remains fragile because of imbalances persist. Yet the French like stone.After the fall of shares in 2008, the erosion rate of return on financial investments, many households have even rediscovered the charms of real estate, which enjoys a level of trust greater than financial markets. If market participants, professionals and individuals, are reasonable, it could therefore grown out of this crisis.

The purchasing power of households holding back price increases

In the nine programs are, at least for this year, many to sprout and marketing is well underway (see page 148), and some programs, proponents talk about buyers sleeping room not to miss the opening the sales office. Others talk of bidding on the price of land currently for sale. We find places for runaway phenomena. Sign of fine weather sets found for Real Estate? Nobody dares to translate it well.Because we have not yet met for the recovery that is taking shape into a market stabilized and restored. "A major risk of the recovery is that sellers reflect recovery by rising prices," says Orpi. For the market to find its stride, the sellers should stop dreaming about trees that rise to heaven, and that construction professionals are able to reflect the changing purchasing power of buyers in their projects. In a recent study based on the relationship between prices and incomes, Patrick Artus (Natixis) estimates that property prices are still too high (10 to 15% in France). Today, many proponents say, if prices rise too far, the application will not be there because the acquisition of a home no longer go into the budgets of many households. This constraint incomes and high unemployment limit the potential for price recovery.Managing the crisis will be difficult for the economy as a whole and real estate. This is the challenge of coming months to policies and professionals. For individuals who have the means to, global rates, market and taxation are conducive to a real estate purchase. If they have a project, they have a vested interest in the reality.

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Vinci project would benefit the TGV Tours-Bordeaux

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

This Tuesday morning that the candidate for the mega railway project LGV Sud Europe Atlantique (SEA) to over 7 billion euros should be announced by R?seau Ferr? de France. This route will connect Tours to Bordeaux on a journey of 300 km, involving the construction of 40 overpasses and 390 bridges. Companies Bouygues, Vinci and Eiffage are on deck for this contract to allow linking Paris to Bordeaux in two hours instead of three now.

The winner will design, financing, construction and maintenance for 50 years in this concession. In return, it will be paid by revenues paid by companies using the railway line.

Work could begin in mid-2011, year of recovery for a provision in 2016.

Vinci, the darling

Vinci is anticipated to win this huge contract.According Latribune.fr Monday evening Vinci would have won the tender.

For Natixis Securities analysts, the business model of manufacturer-dealer and know-how are relevant for this type of project cash advance payday loan. In addition, its financial situation is excellent.

"If the group Vinci was nominated for LGV SEA, the title should react positively. This contract represents nearly 30% of its backlog, "said the broker.

Such an announcement could also benefit other manufacturers, the market showing that these large projects as expected will actually materialize.In fact, keep in mind that the candidates approached other railway projects will be announced in the coming months, including LGV Bretagne (4 billion estimated), which will link to Paris in 1h30 Rennes and Brest in 3 hours and N?mes-Montpellier (1.2 billion).

According to Natixis, "it seems unlikely that a candidate wins more of these three railway projects.

Funding unpublished

In terms of funding, the project should receive the government guarantee and the savings of the CDC.

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Greek official: he wins, he loses

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Greek officials have contributed to widening deficits in the country, they will also largely improve public finances. And this, not until later that week. The Socialist government of George Papandreou has decided to tackle the bloated public sector to reduce the expenses of the Greek state.

The total number of Greek officials remain uncertain. The Ministry of Finance counts "approximately" 522,000 in the central administration, a figure which must be added 180,000 employees of local authorities and public enterprises, according to a spokesman. Some economists expect rather from 800,000 to 850,000 jobs, or about 35% of total employment, as argued by Jens Bastian of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).

To achieve such a payroll, state and local governments have hired a vengeance. "In 2009, 12,000 people left in retirement and more than 29,000 were hired. In short, the entrants were almost two and a half times more numerous than the outgoing, "says Jens Bastian.

Clientelism

The trend is not new. "Until the current government, public service filled the role of an employment agency," said the economist. "The policies have also sought to use their electoral base as public servants."

According to Greek daily Kathimerini, the political patronage has been launched in the 80s by the Socialist Party (Pasok) and the then Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou, who is none other than the father of George, currently head of Government savings account payday advance ."He wanted to give the excluded, which formed the core of its electorate, the means to live as middle class," says newspaper center-right. It was also "buy social peace" at any cost, continuing Kathimerini, while Greece emerged from the dictatorship of the Colonels.

The economy "coasting"

The Pasok is not solely to blame. "From 2004 to 2009, New Democracy (right) has made the situation worse by doing nothing to cut costs and increase government revenues, leaving the economy from free-wheeling," Kathimerini analysis.

The government of George Papandreou, under the combined pressure of the market and Brussels, has no alternative today to tighten the belt. He promised not to replace a retiring over the next five years. The thirteenth and fourteenth month salaries of civil servants will be reduced by 30% and 60%.The measures, announced in January and March, are retroactive and apply from 1 January. They will be more difficult to accept that they occur after 30 years of accommodative policies.

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Soon a collective bonus for staff

Monday, February 8th, 2010

This is the latest fashion at Bercy: invoke the former communist ministers of the Public! After recalling qu'Anicet Le Pors was established in 1984 the possibility of dismissing a government official denied a position, the enclosure Eric Woerth said that Thorez had included the idea of "collective performance bonuses in the general status of civil service in 1946, which are both unions.

The idea is tantamount. The government will send in the coming days with officials from unions the final version of its draft "collective bonus, negotiated for several months. A framework agreement will be declined by the department and implemented in public functions and territorial hospital.It provides for the payment of a premium service that is most evidence of "effort" or "collective performance.

On what criteria? At each terminal to determine its unions, but they will involve improving service to users, cost control, improvement of working conditions (decline in the number of accidents …) or environmental (savings water, energy …).

Outside agents whose "incompetence" has been pinned and will be deprived of premium, all agents of service – or contract holders, bottom or top of the scale – will receive the same amount. But no question that all services receive a government allowance each year. Only those who have reached goals or made significant progress will be rewarded."The idea is to create emulation, no dusting," says a close associate of Minister of Budget and Public Administration, ?ric Woerth.

"The degree to functional access"

The government had already launched in late 2008 the prime function and results ", she rewards individual merit. It applies to much of the category A agents (managers) and is being extended to categories B.

"We are opposed to this project, because all that will be consistent with payroll, those premiums will therefore replace collectively increasing fears Jean-Marc Canon (CGT). We are also suspicious of the criteria. Where such mechanisms already exist, we saw they were in doubt: the number of PV in the police, for example, payday loans guaranteed no fax

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