Posts Tagged ‘financial’

Strike at Air France: the movement may harden

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

In the second of the five-day strike of cabin crew of Air France, the company promises, as before, to ensure 80% of its flights. Even if the unions, who believe that the movement is followed, announced an intensification of the mobilization against the proposed reduction in the number of cabin crew in some planes.

About 200 flights on the 1000 planned were canceled Saturday. "We have given the forecast. Saturday at midday, only 200 passengers 3,000 were in trouble, "noted the direction of the company. Air France has temporarily limited to 100 passengers the ability of its medium-haul flights from Orly to avoid having to put down passengers for lack of a sufficient number of hostesses and stewards. Result: Passengers waited. This strategy and the delays it caused affected customers were exasperated. "It's a nightmare bad credit payday loans. We have been waiting seven hours.Our flight departed. We could not board because Air France has focused on particular families. We were placed on a waiting list telling us that we might catch a plane at 12:30, chartered by another company. Shame, "railed one of them.

On the front of the long-haul Air France canceled at Paris ten flights especially to New York, Montreal, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, Douala.

Provided Air France does not rule out last-minute cancellations. Considerable uncertainty remains about the level of participation of PNC (cabin crew) in this movement, they are not obliged to prevent the company of their intentions. Moreover, unions provide them a "surge" of the movement. "All the volunteers PNC reserves are currently using," said Didier Foussat, the union FO.

Under no fax paydayloans, an applicant can apply for any amount between $100 and $1500, considering the importance of the ends.

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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G20: Paris seeks to prevent patterns of tension

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

A sequence at high risk for economic diplomacy opened on Friday in Paris with a G20 Finance Ministers, which ends in mid-afternoon today. The summit precedes the meeting of European heads of state, October 23 in Brussels, to enable Europe to get united at the top twenty richest countries in the world, at Cannes, 3 and 4 November. The road is marked. But after the race progress is uncertain. The subjects of accumulated tensions between developed countries, amid Sino-US tensions around the issue of exchange rates.

Aware of the pitfalls, Paris, who chairs the G20 seeks to avoid the reasons for tension. First objective: to show that Europe is determined to solve the crisis of its debt, which raises concerns around the world.To do this, nothing better than to show the strength of the Franco-German couple at a luncheon on Friday at the Elysee, bringing together around the president, the French finance minister and Baroin his German counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble.

"We have made good progress on the path to find how to package a comprehensive and lasting agreement," said the French way out. For Baroin, progress has been made "on the joint bank recapitalization," he may say no more.According to European sources cited by Bloomberg, the euro area is working on the assumption of a default of 50% of Greek debt and would have identified seven options to boost the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), from the processing bank the simple assurance of securities issued by the countries most vulnerable.

Individual Solutions

Paradoxically, this sacred union between France and Germany is no longer visible in the markets bad credit personal loan lenders. Yesterday, the spread between ten-year French and German was 93 basis points, to the detriment of the former. Never since the creation of the euro area, France has borrowed as much from Germany even though the absolute rates at ten years French remain historically low.In the eyes of financial markets, it shows the weakness of leeway in Paris, to boost the EFSF or possibly refinance its banks.

The other cause of tension that the French Presidency is to avoid global order. At their working dinner last night, finance ministers from the G20 should discuss ways "to ensure global growth strong, sustainable and balanced", as agreed for three years. But unlike previous summits, where everyone was asked to revive its economy, the solutions will be this time individual. "At Cannes, each country will come with two or three steps to support its economy depend on the fiscal space of each other," says Bercy. What display a facade of unity.

However, the Twenty will not avoid the reasons for tension.The heaviest between China to the United States, since the passage by Congress in Washington, a bill denouncing the undervaluation of the yuan. The newest arrived yesterday: the emerging propose strengthening of $ 350 billion financial capacity of the IMF for help, among other things, to finance Europe. A proposal that has received a plea of ​​receiving U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, for whom the IMF has "largely sufficient resources to deal with the crisis."

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The technology featured in Wall Street

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Anticipate a future opening up slightly from the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. Wall Street and should build on the previous day, still driven by hopes of a coordinated European bank recapitalization.

After weeks of dithering, European leaders have taken in hand to avoid a collapse of the banking sector, weakened by the debt crisis, which brought down the French-Belgian group Dexia. The markets were also reassured by the publication of macroeconomic indicators in the U.S. exceeded expectations: job creation in the private sector and the ISM services.

Caution before the employment figures

Investors in Europe and the United States should however be cautious before several major macroeconomic deadlines. On Thursday, he watched the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) on interest rates.The ECB raised its key rate twice this year for fear of inflation, this time could announce a reduction to support the economy in crisis in the euro area.

Investor caution should also be strengthened by the expectation of official figures of employment for the month of September in the United States to be published Friday. Until today, investors will learn the weekly jobless claims.

Meanwhile, the foreign exchange market, the euro reached 1.3331 dollars. A barrel of crude is trading at 102.38 dollars for Brent North Sea and 79.50 dollars for U.S. crude.The ounce of gold is trading in 1644 dollars payday loan.

Investors will have their eyes on Apple and Yahoo

As for values, investors will have their eyes on the technology sector.

• Apple should be particularly observed after the announcement of the demise of the group's founder Steve Jobs.

• Yahoo is the subject of new rumors of a possible bid from U.S. computer giant Microsoft, which had tried to capture in 2008 of U.S. internet group.

• Hewlett-Packard should not make further major acquisitions in the software after the acquisition of Autonomy, according to statement from the group's new boss Meg Whitman, quoted by Reuters.

• Boeing received an order for $ 1.1 billion from Ethiopian Airlines for four Boeing 777 freighters.

• Gilead Sciences has granted a license agreement Boehringer Ingelheim for the exclusive rights to research, development and commercialization of an anti-integrase for the treatment of HIV.

• Marriott International has released the third quarter, earnings per share of $ 0.29, up 32% year on year. Turnover was 2.9 billion dollars against 2.6 billion last year. The revenue per available room key indicator in the hotel sector grew by 8.7% on a comparable basis, while prices rose by 5.3%.

Also note Peabody Energy and ArcelorMittal will extend their bid for Macarthur Coal until October 28.

The surprises of the Budget 2012

Friday, September 30th, 2011

The draft budget law for 2012 includes some measures "secondary" to note.

400 million of property disposals

The state continues to rationalize its real estate. For example, some services will leave from the Department of Budget rentals in 2012 in Paris and moved to a new building owned by the state to Ivry-sur-Seine. The result: an economy of rent of 24 million euros. Once the move made, 55% of the central administration of the Ministries of Economy and Budget work beyond the device. Justice must, too, leave the premises rented accommodation near the Place Vendome for a building purchased in a less prestigious neighborhood. The Ministry refused last year to relocate some of its troops Porte de Bagnolet and tried to impose a more stylish place, Porte de Versailles. But the MPs had set a stop."We will carefully consider the new proposals of the ministry. They have a budget of 160 million they will in no case exceed, "said Yves Deniaud, UMP deputy and president of the Real Estate Council of State.

Besides Paris, the restructuring of administrations in the region (with the merger of directions) can reduce office space. The state has released 146 504 m2 in 2010 and 46 383 m2 in 2009. In addition, 561 semi-public structures (ranging from museums to Météo-France) are now asked to have a good property management.

As in 2011, the government hopes that it will report sales of buildings 400 million in 2012. "The aim should be held this year," said Yves Deniaud.

More funds for the Senate, at least for the Elysée

The endowment will be paid to the Senate of 327 free business cards.7 million in 2011 to 333,600,000 in 2012.This 1.8% increase, after years of freezing, is related to the creation of five additional seats in the Senate. The allocation granted to the National Assembly is her stable at 534 million. This reduces the Elysee (112.3 million in 2011, 111.7 million in 2012, with travel costs down), as well as the Constitutional Council.

"Small taxes" various

Municipalities with forestry in 2012 will pay a fee of 2 euros per hectare. What to bring 5.6 million to the National Forestry Office (ONF). The visa fee regulation for foreigners pass him, from 220 euros to 340 euros.

Special pension schemes

The grant from the State for such schemes – funds RATP and SNCF in mind – will reach 6.6 billion, against 6 billion this year.This grant is intended to balance the books despite the demographic ratio (number of contributors / number of retirees) worse than in the general scheme.

Medical Insurance

Voted in the fall, but censored for reasons of form, the device liability insurance risk specialists (obstetricians at the top) is reintroduced at the time of this budget, as promised by the executive. The idea is to cover losses of more than 8 million euros via a common to all health professions. This allows pooling of contributions limited (15 to 25 euros a year according to the Government).

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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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The royal wedding is worth 10 million euros in Monaco

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock reported close to the rock. The royal couple, who has said yes last July, allowed Monaco to garner nearly 10 million. The celebrations, which took place over three days, had in fact cost 19.578 million euros (paid by the State of Monaco to the tune of 9.178 million and 10.4 million in the Palace). But the direct and indirect economic benefits are, they estimated at 29 million euros, according to the Institute of Statistics Monaco (IMSE).

Direct benefits, which include expenses related to the organization made in the Principality, were valued at 14.9 million euros.According to the Minister of State Michel Roger, "76% benefited local economic entities", ie the sectors of hotels, restaurants, service providers and equipment supply.

The indirect benefits generated by visitors and participants in various events during the wedding, have immediately helped raise 4.6 million euros (2.5 million are still went to the restaurant, 1, 5 to 0.6 million hotel and derivatives such as objects and stamps). In the long term, they need to generate about 9 million.

"Capitalize" on these benefits

For Monaco and its 35,000 inhabitants, the bet seems successful. This marriage has given a boost to a tourism industry that marked the coup in 2009.The Tourism Monaco confirmed a very good month of July: "The Principality has 75,000 monthly overnights. In July, 80% of them were occupied, "said a statement citing" great numbers that exceed the reference years were 2007 or 2008. "The Oceanographic Museum and its exhibition "Story of the Royal Wedding" shows the tourist craze sparked by the marriage of July as recorded 100,000 visitors in less than a month.

To maximize the benefits for the long term, officials are working on Monegasque a special program named "Monaco, the world capital of romance" with the goal of "capitalizing on the benefits of international royal wedding and set up a course marriage," said Bouquier Michel, the Commissioner General of Tourism.

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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.

Difficult to recover the "AAA" when it was lost

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

S & P is the second rating agency to downgrade the American note, after the Chinese – less powerful – Dagong, others – mainly the U.S. Moody's and Fitch French – for the time remaining in triple A. Now rated AA + long term debt of the United States remains in the investment category of "high quality" and joined the second and third world economies, namely China and Japan, as well as Belgium, Spain , Israel, Taiwan, or even oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

But it is possible to recover the triple A when it was lost. Canada, Australia, Denmark, and Sweden Finande did. Of course, the United States will do everything to return to their "AAA" precious. But the task will be tough, as it will maintain over the long term, strong pressure on fiscal discipline while scaffolding better understanding at the political level.

Political consensus to find absolutely

Indeed, in the case of their Canadian neighbors, the return of Triple A in 2002, had been lost – again by S & P – in 1992 on its debt denominated in foreign currency, was possible thanks to the introduction of fiscal measures severe that the subject of a strong national consensus, which seems far from possible for the United States.

Similarly, three Scandinavian countries also known for their ability to consensus politics have seen their efforts to improve public finances crowned by the return of a "triple A" lost year 1990: Denmark 2001, Finland in 2002 and Sweden in 2004.

Australia is one model may be more difficult to imitate. This country has lost in the 1986 'AAA' rating assigned to its foreign currency by S & P, to find him in 2003.During these 17 years, Canberra has demonstrated fiscal discipline inflexible, stopping in 1997 to increase the amount of its debt in dollars. Growth has surged with the transformation of the economy, modernization of the financial system, deregulation of many sectors that had lost their competitiveness and development of a powerful mining industry has benefited from China's economic takeoff.

Economy to restart

Jean-Michel Six, chief economist for Europe Standard & Poor's has expressed in the columns of Le Figaro, six months ago that the economic figures released in the United States show that the country remains fragile, particularly at the front of the employment and real estate. "In the U.S., including employment prospects are very disappointing."While yesterday (Friday), the figures – the United States have created 117,000 jobs in July – have eliminated any disaster scenario on the U.S. labor market, performance is modest. As for household consumption, "it is significantly weakened by the debt levels of Americans," added the specialist. Overall, "the year 2011 should result in a 2% growth, which is very disappointing for the U.S., where the pace of activity is generally much higher than in Europe."

According to the latest figures on U.S. growth, GDP grew by only 1.3% annual rate. Economists expected a 1.8% increase. Worse, the growth of the first three months of the year, previously estimated at 1.9%, was revised sharply downwards to 0.4%. And the largest economy in the world did she not really recovered from the 2008 crisis.Fears of a slowdown in U.S. growth, and global markets have panicked the last ten days.

Fiscal side, the U.S. accumulated a debt exceeding GDP are: since August, the debt ratio exceeds 100%, as is the case in Japan or Greece.

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The Cac 40 worried about global growth

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

After losing more than 8% over the last seven meetings, the CAC 40 is on track to record an eighth consecutive day of decline. The stock market opened down 1.16% at 3473.36 points, reaching levels not seen since August 2010.

On other European financial centers, the Footsie-100 from the London Stock Exchange 1.50% to 5632.57 loose points, the DAX 30 Frankfurt Stock Exchange lost 1.66% to 6684.24 points, the FTSE MIB the Milan Stock Exchange drops 2.43% to 16,852.90 points, the Ibex 35 of the Madrid Stock Exchange gives 0.90% to 9032 points, the PSI 20 of the Lisbon Stock Exchange was down 0.86% to 6569, 24 points.

Juncker meets with Italian Minister of Finance

The European sovereign debt and U.S. continue to weigh heavily on the trend. Yield spreads between bonds to ten years Spanish and Italian over German bonds widen.They stood at 402 basis points respectively (13 bps) and 386 basis points (12 bps). Italy and Spain are again under pressure from the markets fear a contagion of debt. Their governments are mobilizing to stem the panic even if Brussels has ruled out any discussion of a bailout for those countries. The Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti talks in Luxembourg on Wednesday with the leader of the euro zone, Jean-Claude Juncker.

China increasingly perplexed vis-à-vis the dollar

Investors also remain worried about the strength of U.S. growth. And, although the Senate has ratified Tuesday the plan to raise the debt ceiling. Insufficient agreement by Moody's which could lower the rating of the country.The closing down sharply on Wall Street Tuesday night also confirms the markets in their choice to continue to withdraw.

China, for its part welcomed the adoption of very hard this plan. Beijing said it would continue to limit its dependence on the dollar, whereas the U.S. has failed to defuse "the bomb of debt." The rating agency Dagong China in the wake downgraded American. Wednesday morning, Asian stock markets, with the exception of Shanghai, changing all down sharply.

Eurozone: activity in services slows further

On the macroeconomic front, the growth of activity in the services sector continued to slow in July to register their slowest pace since March 2010. The PMI index reached 54.2 against 56.1 in June.

The same goes for the euro area and for Germany: the composite index stood at 52.5 against 56.3 respectively in June and 51.1 against 53.3 in June.

For the euro area, growth in manufacturing in July (10:00) and numbers of retail in June (11:00) are also scheduled.

In the U.S., investors will also pay attention to employment figures in the private sector in July (2:15 p.m.), the industrial orders in June (16 hours), the ISM services in the month July (16 hours) and weekly inventory of crude oil (16.30).

Bic flies, Societe Generale sinks

Air France-KLM: -2.40% to 7.64 euros

The airline plans to delays or cancellations of flights, from Paris, following a strike by technicians responsible for maintenance of its aircraft.

Total: -1.15% to 36.37 euros

The oil company and its CEO Christophe de Margerie were returned to correctional late July for "active corruption" in the investigation into the UN program "Oil against food" in Saddam Hussein's Iraq from 1996 to 2003 officials said a judicial source.

Danone: -0.54% to 49.24 euros

The dairy group has unveiled a proposed acquisition of 250 million euros in nutrition in India to expand into the Indian markets for infant nutrition and medical purposes.

Societe Generale: -5.41% to 30.74 euros

The bank chaired by Frédéric Oudéa posted net income down 31% to 747 million because of writedowns on loans Greek past.Greece forced Societe Generale has given up its goal of net profit of 6 billion euros in 2012.

Crédit Agricole: -2.38% to 7.80 euros

The bank said it had sold its commercial finance Eurofactor in Britain to GE Capital.

Suez Environnement: -0.48% to 12.52 euros

The group specializes in water management and waste released on Wednesday a net profit down 43% to 221 million euros in the first half. Suez Environnement, however, reaffirmed its financial targets for 2011-2013.

Bic: 3.89% to 63.89 euros

Bic raised its growth target for the division of pens, lighters and disposable razors, to "greater than 5%" against up to 5%.Instead, the group anticipates a decline of about 10% growth for its advertising and promotional products division against 5% previously.

Hermes: -1.77% to 239.30 euros

The Association for the Defence of Minority Shareholders (Adam) wonders why the saddle spends as much to buy back its own shares, whose price has reached a new record this week, said Tuesday its president Colette Neuville.

Renault: -2.01% to 34.65 euros, Peugeot: -4.02% to 23.3 euros

American manufacturers have announced their sales figures on Tuesday night. Chrysler reported a 20% increase in sales of new cars in the U.S. in July, while Ford saw its own increase by 9%.

Accor: -1.53% to 28.38 euros

Accor announced the signing of the sale of catering group Lenôtre Sodexo following the favorable opinion of the works councils of both groups.

After-hours trading, Vilmorin and Cegedim must publish their annual turnover for the first and second quarters respectively.