Archive for September, 2010

French morale improves slowly

September 29, 2010 - 5:24 pm Comments Off

The French are less pessimistic. According to the INSEE survey, consumer sentiment improved in September to -35 points. The index continued its slow recovery and has gained 4 points since June, but remains below its long-term. This new publication falls one day after a sawtooth consumption during the summer in France.

In detail, the French are more confident in the improvement of living standards in general (+2 points) on the evolution of their personal financial situation (+1 point). They are also more likely to agree that it is the right time to make major purchases (+4 points) paydayloans.

Fears of unemployment continue to dissipate. "After being kept at a very high level since October 2009, the balance of opinion has dropped 24 points in two months," recalls the INSEE, which provides that the balance of opinion remains above its average long term.

While households believe that inflation increases (+4 points), they are more likely to judge it appropriate to save (+4 points). "Households feel that their ability to save in the months ahead improved (2 points compared to July), also states INSEE.

Pharmacies called a "dead day"

September 27, 2010 - 11:40 pm Comments Off

Discontent grew visibly among pharmacists, already on strike for two guards and a half months. Tired of not seeing further their claims for their increasing financial difficulties with the government, two unions broke with the usual retention of the profession and organizing awareness campaigns.

The National Union of pharmacies in France, third union of the profession, and on Tuesday called for a "dead day". For this symbolic action, the green crosses will be extinguished and staff are invited to wear black gowns to attract the attention of patients on the "programmed death of local pharmacies," said Fred Lawrence, vice president of organization. Patients will still continue to buy their drugs.On 11 October, will be the second union of the profession, the Trade Union pharmacists, who will organize in Paris an action punch. "In ten years of existence, is the first time that our profession is launching a protest," said Gilles Bonnefond, deputy president of the USPO, lamenting that negotiations with the government "lying".

Unions have already been received by the Department of Health on September 15 but emerged satisfied from this meeting. "They are aware that the network is experiencing real difficulties, and no progress has been made on the main demands," said Frederick Lawrence, who also regrets that the next meeting is scheduled for 25 October. "The draft budget law for Social Security in 2011 will already be under consideration.Rather not move. "

A two-week closure

The financial difficulties of pharmacists raise a growing concern within the profession. Trade unions estimate that close to two pharmacies each week. Last year, "111 pharmacies were placed in safeguard proceedings, in receivership or liquidation, on a network of 22,500 pharmacies. Is small compared to other types of businesses but it's never before seen in our profession. "Confided Philippe Gaertner, president of the FSPF (majority), Le Figaro in August.

To remedy this situation, the unions want to change the system of margins decreasing, which has remained unchanged over the past decade: over the box of medicine is expensive, the higher the share granted to a pharmacist is low. However, sales volumes and prices for most cereals have fallen.However, unions do not agree on how to reform the system.

The FSPF UNPF and want to reduce the regressivity, while the USPO would rather increase the margin of cheaper drugs and put an end to large packages, which is to deliver the chronically ill a box with enough medication for three months instead of having them come back every month.This second solution would have the advantage of avoiding a waste – the boxes are never completely consumed and ensure proper monitoring of treatment by the patient, but the drawback would have to pay it more often 50 cents franchise per box.

The unions would also reach an agreement on the fee envisaged tasks other than selling drugs – monitoring of some chronic diseases, tips for "straightforward" cases do not require medical attention – as HPST law, passed in 2009 , offers this possibility.

Wall Street earnings increases

September 25, 2010 - 12:00 pm Comments Off

U.S. stock markets are in top form this Friday. The Dow Jones climbed 1.50% to 10,822 points, the Nasdaq rose 1.60% to 2364 points and the Standard & Poor's advance of 1.67% to 1144 points. On Thursday, the New York Stock Exchange finished the session down after the publication of economic statistics halftone United States. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has surrendered 76.89 points to 10,662.42 points and the Nasdaq, dominated by technology, 7.47 points to 2327.08 points. The broader index Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 0.83% (9.45 points) to 1124.83 points.

Pending sales of new homes

On the foreign exchange market, the euro continues to grow strongly in the afternoon on Friday: the single currency is worth 1.3446 dollars against 1.3312 the previous day. The euro, which was still worth $ 1.27 on September 13, this week surpassed $ 1.34 for the first time since late April.Analysts from Exane BNP Paribas have revised their estimate of the euro against the dollar at $ 1.35 over the next 12 months on average.

On the macroeconomic front, orders for durable goods fell 1.3% from July, seasonally adjusted data, said the Commerce Department said in a statement released in Washington.

This is the third decline in the indicator in four months. The drop announced by the Department is less strong than had been estimated to analysts, who expected a decline of 1.4%.

Sales of new homes in the U.S. stood at 288,000 annualized rate in August as the previous month, while economists and analysts polled by Reuters on average had forecast 290,000 annualized sales figure of 276,000 after the originally announced for July .The number of new homes for sale fell 1.4% to $ 206 business cards design.000 units, the lowest since August 1968.

Nike jumped nearly 4%

The side of values, the U.S. manufacturer of sporting Nike (+4% to 80.78 dollars) on Thursday released after the close of Wall Street net income up 9% year on year. Net income for the quarter ended Aug. 31 totaled $ 559 million, or $ 1.14 per share, while analysts were only waiting for $ 1.01. But for specialists Aurel BGC "the most important thing is that Nike ad growth of its global wholesale orders 10% to $ 7.1 billion.Replenishment of stocks and sustained sales will support the growth that is strong in all divisions of Nike. "

For its part, Apple (1.01% to 291.84 dollars) rose on Thursday a new step on the podium of the largest market capitalizations in the world, delighting the Chinese giant PetroChina's second-place company the world's most expensive . The action of the U.S. computer group took 0.41% to 299.82 dollars, hitting a new record when an analyst raised its sales forecast for the iPad. It focuses its total weight on the stock market to 266 billion, against 265 billion for PetroChina. The Apple brand was snatched up to number three in May to its arch rival Microsoft.The U.S. oil ExxonMobil with a market capitalization of $ 310 billion, is number one worldwide.

Always on the side of values, EDF and Constellation (0.56% to 32.22 dollars) go to the rescue of their joint venture. The electrician tricolor and Constellation Energy have initiated discussions to save their joint venture in the nuclear agency Bloomberg understands.

Chérèque anticipates a massive mobilization

September 23, 2010 - 9:08 pm Comments Off

For the third appointment to organize against the proposed pension reform, Francois Chereque is optimistic. This morning on RTL, the secretary general of the CFDT has predicted a movement "mass" of staff on Thursday 23 September. "There will still be very large demonstrations across France," he said. "Maybe not more than 7 September last, we'll see. But for the Ile-de-France, for example, there were more cars ordered in the departments to come to protest in Paris "that at the last day of action. Already, the Post provided a rate of 16.5% of strikers, while Total expects its side of 50% to 80% of employees mobilized.

The mobilization of September 7 was a success for the unions, who had managed to gather 1.1 million people according to the Interior Ministry, 2.5 million, according to the CFDT, which is higher than the figures of June 24

A day "decisive for the continuation of movement"

If private sector employees are likely to have more difficulty coming show for the second time this month, Francois Chereque still expects a new success. This step is especially important as the level of mobilization this Thursday will be No. 1 by the CFDT "decisive for the rest of the movement." "The government is to doubt. There are already five or six issues on which the government anticipates changes [...] We will demonstrate now that people are mobilized. And I think the government looks very seriously the number of protesters, "he said. For its part, the Elysee ensures that the new day will not affect union reform.

About the possible outcome of the movement, "we will decide on Friday morning," said Francois Chereque, even if he believes that employees call "to continue the movement, because this reform is unfair." According to information from Figaro, unions have also already scheduled two new mobilization days at the beginning of October. One would take place during the week and another during the weekend. The dates are still not yet decided.

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Nestle has launched a range of drinks health benefits

September 22, 2010 - 5:52 am Comments Off

For its biggest launch of the year, Nestle France is betting a bold diversification. The subsidiary of the world's leading agribusiness investing in the field of beverages with health benefits Nesfluid, a bottle of 250 ml 1.65 euro sold.

Made with coconut water and whey, this slightly sweet drink is available in six flavors, each intended to meet the needs and desires of a class of consumers. Vitamin D and taste chocolate for children (Reinforced), guarana, caffeine and vitamin C for young workers (Vitalise), red fruits and polyphenols that protect cells for women (Bayonne), pomegranate and the antioxidant selenium for seniors ( Protect).

Bottled in Germany in the plant Nesfrappé (a Nescafe liquid), these small colored bottles, whose promises are reminiscent of Vitaminwater (Coca-Cola), are currently aimed at France."France is an interesting market both in terms of consciousness and nutritional requirement of fun," says Astrid Labro-Boutaud, CEO Nesfluid, which hopes to convince other subsidiaries to launch the range if successful. Nestle France, which does not communicate its goals for 2011 is five years in the 100 million euros in turnover, equivalent to the energy drink market dominated by Red Bull at 70%.

"To each his hydranutrition"

An ambitious mission for Nestle, more expected on the innovations of its gourmet chocolate dessert Nestle, Maggi soups and purees Kub Rosie. Initiated by Eugenio Minvielle, the former boss of Nestlé France, the project was encouraged by his successor, Martial Rolland. "It's one more product that reconciles pleasure and well-being," he says Le Figaro."Our approach is not medical, we went to consumer needs," says Astrid Labro-Boutaud. However, if the campaign television advertisement Nesfluid, due out Oct. 2, highlights the fruit content and appearance of "pleasure" of the drink, the slogan is resolutely focused on health: "To each his hydranutrition. "To avoid having to file the administrative record for its communication, Nestle has been careful to use ingredients in the virtues already validated by the European authorities, with the exception of polyphenols.

Bottles Nesfluid not take place in the fresh but will be available alongside Tropicana juices and Joker, juice and other cranberry-based cocktails coconut water. "There is still a major player in this niche with a R & D comparable to that of Nestle," says Astrid Labro-Boutaud.In addition to retail, Nesfluid will soon be distributed in bakeries, cinemas, gyms and spas.

For Nesfluid, Nestlé France has created a new division, distinct from Nestlé Waters (Contrex, Vittel, San Pellegrino), who had two managers have been poached. "Nestlé Waters is focusing on mineral waters," does one justify Nestlé France.

The bonus-malus automobile, a fiscal abyss

September 21, 2010 - 2:24 am Comments Off

It became an example of a tax measure uncontrolled can destroy the efforts made elsewhere to reduce the deficit. The culprit? The bonus-malus automobile. With this device, introduced in 2008, a motorist who buys a low-emission car receives a premium. Conversely, one who acquires a vehicle emitting much CO2 pays a penalty.

Originally, the government thought that the penalty would be revenue as high as the costs incurred by the bonus. In short, the system would be neutral for the state coffers. It did not happen. The bonus-malus has cost 214 million euros in fiscal 2008 and 525 million in 2009 and again 500 million this year. Explanation: The bonus-malus prompted the French to change their behavior and buy non-polluting cars.Thus, according to a decree ahead examined Monday finance committee in the Assembly, the State will pay in 2010 to 710 million bonus, instead of the 340 million originally planned. As revenues will reach 200 million penalty, although the gap will be 500 million.

End of the scrappage

500 million euros, is more than what must report the movement of the plane 10% on tax loopholes ($ 440 million). With a plane that has taken hours of meetings for which the government has risked upsetting investors or users Scellier niches overseas … "This raises the question of real control of our public finances" says Jerome Cahuzac, the socialist president of the Finance Committee of the Assembly. "The government has been overwhelmed by the arrangements put in place" says the centrist MP Charles de Courson.

While the executive has planned to strengthen the system year after year. The process began in 2010. And in 2011, the thresholds for claiming the bonus will be lowered to 5 grams. Just as those triggering the penalty. "But car manufacturers will adapt. Result, the bonus-malus remain in deficit for the state. And with no guarantee that small non-polluting cars, but only by French brands are produced in France! "Gilles Carrez storm, the UMP rapporteur of the Finance Committee of the Assembly. MP supports a much more drastic tightening of the system. But this is not the agenda of the government.

In contrast, the scrappage, replacing the French offered their cars more than ten years by a non-polluting vehicle, will disappear at year end.But the cost of the premium has also slipped (514 million in 2009 instead of the 220 million forecast, 367 million in 2010 instead of 240 million planned).

At the Department of Ecology, it refutes this accounting analysis. "More activity for the French manufacturers, it is more VAT and corporation tax. And as the cars are cleaner, our oil imports have been relaxed. Do take into account the cost of the bonus-malus face is absurd, "says one in the entourage of Jean-Louis Borloo.

The builders are on the same line, since both devices have supported the French market in 2009 and the first part of 2010. The bonus has also fundamentally changed the nature of the fleet of the country, the least polluter in the world according to the Department of Ecology.Between 2008 and 2009, the C0 2 emissions from new cars sold are thus increased from 140 grams to 133 grams of CO2 per kilometer. In the first six months of the year, sales in France of cars emitting less than 125 grams of C0 2 – eligible for bonuses – amounted to 55.1% of the total, against 42.6% over the same period in 2008. At the same time, the share of cars hit the minus (more than 156 grams of CO 2) fell to 7.4%, against 14.1% in the first half of 2008. Large 4 × 4 legacy have been particularly affected.

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The gold rush of mobile applications

September 18, 2010 - 8:40 pm Comments Off

"There is an application for that." The famous slogan of the App Store, the platform download applications from Apple, pretty much sums up the market. Of the approximately 400,000 micro-available software on different platform download, have found flashlights, GPS, games, newspapers and even a creator of ring tones or a repellent.

While 6.5 billion of applications have already been uploaded to the only Apple App Store, the market is just beginning. "It just begins to know that there's gold in there," said Drew Ianni, chairman of the conference which was held AppNation this week in San Francisco."We discovered the gold two years ago with Apple, and now is the rush!" He adds.

Huge potential for new users

The application concept is not new since the first day "organizers" Palm Pilot in the late 90s. But the use of dedicated software had remained confidential. In 2008, with the opening of the App Store from Apple, that their download has exploded.

And the potential for new users is still énorme.D according to a study by the Pew Research Center, 39% of American adults have applications on their mobile phones, but only 24% use. "In France, the growth potential is even more important," says Renaud Ménérat, president of the advertising agency UserADgents. Only 18% of the population owns a smartphone, so more than 80% of people simply do not have access to the market application. "In the U.S., a Nielsen study predicts that by 2011 the majority of phone owners will have smartphones.L increasing penetration of smart terminals in the population will enable application developers to reach many more increasingly important to users.

New areas to explore

The thousands of software already available do not prevent innovative opportunities to accompany a hearing more and more mobile. "In the professional field, applications are still weak, says Renaud Ménérat. Yet the issues related to mobility management are many, management of vehicle fleets of companies to access resources remotely.

Another possible development: geolocation coupled with social networking applications that respond to three questions: Who am I? Where am I? And with that I want to share this information?

Finally, augmented reality, which can be superimposed on our environment virtual elements in real time through a series of video sensors (see an example video here), has not really caught on in applications for smartphones.

An advertising market to create online payday loans.

10% of digital hearing from smartphones, but only 1% of advertising on the Internet through these terminals. For Renaud Ménérat, this report will logically change. "On the Internet, advertising is stagnant, while on the mobile, there is growth in two or three digits," he relates.

Advertising helps to monetize the hearing of applications.Apple, for example, earns a percentage on sales of micro-computer software from the App Store. But in 75% of cases, the "application" is free, and Apple does not win anything. "Hence the idea of staging an advertising offer based on the sale of advertising space within free applications," said President userADgents.

We now understand the interest of manufacturers of smartphones for advertising agencies. By late 2009, Google, which makes the operating system Android, was offered the platform for mobile advertising AdMob. A few days later, Apple acquired since renamed Quattro Wireless IAD.

In full swing, the application market has only just started.A few months ago, Getjar, which wants the second platform sales sector, predicted on his blog that it would represent $ 17.5 billion (13.4 billion euros) by 2012.

The most profitable applications

The most profitable applications are not necessarily the most downloaded. This is where the price multiplied by the number of downloads is the highest. The applications related to the road cut the lion's share. This selection is based on data from the App Store France between 13 and 17 September.

1. Radar detectors

These applications combine geolocation and sharing community. The first sees a radar warns users that follow the same route. The most profitable in France are Icoyote (1.59 euro) and Avertinoo (4.99 EUR)

Two.GPS

GPS is cost-effective implementation of choice since it fully exploits the idea of mobility and includes two useful tools, phone and GPS. Mappy GPS (4.99 euros), TomTom (from 49-79 euros depending on geographical area) or Navigon Mobile Navigator (89.99 euros) are those most relevant to their developer and platform download that hosts.

3. Games

Run time is surely one of the main uses of the smartphone. The entertainment applications are consistently among the most profitable even if they are less expensive than radar detection applications or GPS. Leading the way it is Monkey Island 2 (0.79 euro) replica of a 90s video game, then Virtualcity (2.39 euros) when it comes to developing a virtual city, whys and finally (0, 79 euro), a set of questions and answers.

Dunkirk: Total to court

September 17, 2010 - 12:40 pm Comments Off

New episode in the standoff that opposes Total employees to its site of Dunkirk. This Friday begins the court hearing Grande Instance de Nanterre, seized by the oil giant that refuses to resume the refinery on the site.

In September 2009, Total had decided the temporary closure of the refinery, which employs 367 employees and subcontractors. Then, on March 8, the tanker had finally announced the final closure to overcapacity.

Turnaround in late June: Total is sentenced by the Court of Appeal of Douai for failure to inform the staff representatives. The tanker should reopen the site and resume refinery operations under penalty of a fine of 100,000 euros per day.

Operations degassing

But after more than nine months off, the site can not immediately resume production.The band launches and activities that degassing mid-July, in fact, may equally well lead to the resumption of production at the site conversion payday loan lenders. At the same time, the tanker takes steps before the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Nanterre and decides to make an appeal to the Court of Appeal of Douai.

Determined not to restart the refinery at Dunkirk, Total trying to save time, angering employees who suspend operations for a degassing semaine.Ils however fail to pay the total daily fine of 100,000 euros for not have to start refining oil.

Total assigned Nanterre Friday the CGT, the central works of refining sector and the works of Flanders. The decision of the High Court is expected to be soon fixed on the future of the site after a year of uncertainty.

The Nikkei soaring, Tokyo has acted on the yen

September 15, 2010 - 3:52 pm Comments Off

The Nikkei 225 of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 2.3% to 9516.60 points on Wednesday at the close on Wednesday, thanks to the unilateral intervention of Japanese authorities on the foreign exchange market, as expected, to limit soaring yen. This is the first time in six years that the Japanese authorities take such a decision.

Money Nippon beats record after record in recent days and has yet reached this morning to its highest level in fifteen years, less than 83 yen per dollar. At the time of the announcement, the Nikkei was briefly posted an increase of nearly 280 points (3%), approximately 9578.5 points, and to decline slightly.

The principals welcome the action of the Japanese authorities who decided Wednesday morning to sell mass-yen and buy dollars on the foreign exchange market to halt the rise of the yen.After the action of government, supported by the Central Bank of Japan (BoJ), the dollar rose sharply to 84.95 yen at 3:48 GMT before easing to around 84.85 yen.

Green Trend

Elsewhere in Asia, the trend is green, but in a moidnre. For example, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong gleaning 0.05% to 21,706 points. In Sydney, the S & P / ASX gaining 0.8% to 4663.6 points. In Mumbai, the BSE is 0.92% to 19,524.98 points. And in Singapore, the Straits Times up 0.46% to 3062.78 points.

In China, foreign direct investment rose 18.06% during the first eight months of 2010 compared to the same period of 2009, said Wednesday the Chinese government. Foreign firms invested a total of 65.96 billion dollars in China over the period January to August.The increase in August, however, represents a deceleration, the increase being 20.7% for seven months early months of the year.

The mining stocks sought

The values related to raw materials are frontrunners while gold reached a historic high. In Australia, the mining sector benefits greatly with, for example, Newcrest Mining, which is 5.47%. In Japan, Sumitomo Metal up 1.1%. In Hong Kong, Zijin Mining advanced 1.7% and Zhaojin Mining, 3.6%.

Continental: "Nothing beats a good negotiation '

September 14, 2010 - 3:48 am Comments Off

Lefigaro.fr – Do you see the referendum held in more business?

Bernard Vivier – This form of consultation is generalized past ten years in France, and brought to my senses a weakening of union power. Elsewhere in Europe, where unions are stronger, the referendum is little used. It takes the place of representative democracy embodied in the unions, to the detriment of the interests of employees. When the unions are sufficiently representative, there is no reason that unions can not negotiate with management, even a difficult agreement. This was for instance the case Clairoix, when the CFTC and CGC have negotiated the transition to 40 hours at Continental.In my opinion, is lack of representativeness of trade unions that generates the temptation of the referendum.

Why neither the union nor the management do you have interest to use it?

Neither unions nor dislike directions call a referendum because they do not know what may come out. The outcome of a conflict is suspended at the mood of employees at time t low interest rate personal loans. In general, principals still prefer to negotiate with partners experienced in this exercise. The referendum also presents an additional risk to the company, which has little recourse if the response is negative, as it has for example been the case with EDF. In case of failure of negotiation, management finds its freedom, negotiations can be resumed later.The referendum on the contrary, binding management to the question it asked itself.

The referendum does disadvantage the employees?

It certainly gives the appearance of a functioning democracy, but employees tend to lose in terms of quality of negotiation. The answer, yes or no, is indeed basic, and terribly reductive. The negotiation can bring nuances to make concessions on a point, to get better on another … Nothing beats a good negotiation. Neither strike nor the referendum do not replace.

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