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It will be called Fantastica. The owner of Swiss-Italian MSC Cruises sign this morning at Saint-Nazaire, in the presence of Nicolas Sarkozy, the command of a cruise ship in shipbuilding group STX France (formerly Chantiers de l'Atlantique). The ship, the twelfth of its fleet, will be delivered in May 2012 for an amount of 575 million euros.

"Very stable, will ship with our other two ships, MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida, the biggest and most luxurious cruise ship ever commissioned by a European ship owner to sail the Mediterranean, Le Figaro said Gianluigi Aponte, founding president of MSC Cruises it controls 100%. It will be a VIP class, with 99 staterooms, butler service and placeholders: lounge, restaurant, pool, spa and gym. "Feature 333.3 meters and a width of 38 meters maximum, Fantastica can reach speeds of 23.7 knots.Sailing from Marseilles, he will have 1751 cabins and can accommodate 4,000 passengers. This will increase by 10% the capacity of MSC Cruises, carrying 1.4 million passengers in 2013. Count from 750 to 2000 euros per week all inclusive, with a stopover day.

A letter of intent was signed in early March for this order, which required the support of the State. For STX France is a vital site. His yards idling. To avoid the worst, the government had to mobilize the French bank (Credit Agricole CIB BNP Paribas and Natixis), who were reluctant to grant the necessary funds (our edition of February 18). "The president has made sure that the site did not stop," says Gianluigi Aponte.MSC Cruises and enjoys the support of Coface, the French agency for export credit, which guarantees funding.

Another optional command ship

The owner will pay his command five times in twelve years. It will first check today, amounting to 115 million euros. First client of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, to whom he has already spent 10 orders, MSC Cruises claims the second place cruise in France and number four worldwide. His boss was pleased to have the most modern fleet in the world: if the oldest ship date of 1981, all others were built after 2002. The owner has already made "an option" to purchase STX for the next ship, a steamer of the same scale as the Fantastica. "We continue to invest, because the cruise is well. The industry has felt only slightly crisis, says Gianluigi Aponte.The Italians and the Koreans are eager to work with us. But I'm faithful to STX for over seven years. When I get on well with a supplier, I did not change for a few million euros! "

Last year, MSC Cruises has increased by about 30% of its turnover to 1.2 billion euros. Its net profit reached 60 million euros. "With an average price of 1200 euros or so, the cruise excellent value for money," says Gianluigi Aponte. It attracts more and more. "The younger clientele: the average age is now about forty years.

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While the Asian stock markets declined sharply on Monday morning, the financial markets in Paris have also been very worried. The CAC 40 ended the session on a drop of 0.40% to 3486.33 points.

Even in Germany, where doubts Dax Frankfurt Stock Exchange ended down 0.52% len at 6009.11 points. The London Stock Exchange also closed the day on a drop of 0.21% to 5148.28 points.

The markets are cautious before the release of stress tests on European banks on Friday. The wait also dominated by the rise of publications of results in Europe and the United States.

The macroeconomic environment also remains uncertain especially overseas. Chinese Premier nonetheless sought to reassure investors on the country's economic growth."Everything goes as planned," he said Monday.

On the macroeconomic front, the deficit of the balance of current accounts in the euro area widened in May to 5.8 billion euros against 5.6 billion in April, according to figures from the European Central Bank.

On the currency markets, the euro resists and remains above the $ 1.29 mark Monday morning (0.09%).

Banking and auto bad posture

Four days before the release of stress tests, the values remain very bank surrounded. Societe Generale advance 0.56% after losing more than 5% last week, and Credit Agricole st wins 1.15%, BNP Paribas and Dexia 1.48% 1.43%.

The car values are under profit taking in the image of Peugeot -0.35%) and Renault (- 0.13%).

Despite a sharp rise in turnover (+22% to EUR 144.4 million), Eurotunnel reported a net loss of 44.8 million euros, up more than 36 million euros over the same period in 2009. Contracts awarded on the cons-performance: the action loses 2.86% to 5.8 euros and is on track to record its fourth consecutive decline. At this time, Eurotunnel has lost more than 7% in four days.

This afternoon it was the turn of Edenred, two weeks after its IPO, Guyenne et Gascogne, HF Audika Company and to disclose their turnover in the second quarter. Soitec publish its turnover in the first quarter.

GDF Suez is preparing a cash offer of 6.4 billion pounds (7.6 billion euros) on the British electricity group International Power, confirming a report in The Mail on Sunday.In previous discussions about a reconciliation between the two groups had lasted several months before a halt in January, the newspaper said. For its part, International Power shows a net increase of 9.38% to 346.50 pence in London Bours.

BMB Group, an investment company in Brunei, has denied information from the Sunday Times that she had planned to bid for Club Med 800 million euros. BMB Group, which manages funds for the family of the Sultan of Brunei, have the support of three of the four major shareholders of Club Med, according to British newspaper, citing unidentified sources close to the situation.

At the Salon of Farnborough (South London) that opens Monday until July 25, EADS should reassert its confidence in its chances of winning U.S. tanker contract for Boeing cons.The parent company of Airbus is ready to strengthen the United States for eight billion dollars.

The Partouche group will make a capital increase of approximately 100 million euros to reduce its debt and improve financial liquidity of the group of casinos. The subscription price is set at two euros per share while the subscription period will run from July 20 to August 2.

ADP announced that its passenger traffic rose 2.3% in June over one year. In the first six months of the year, traffic appears down 2.1%.

National Australia Bank (NAB) on Monday agreed with its Asian subsidiary Axa and Axa Asia Pacific (AAP) to extend until Aug. 31 offer of 11.5 billion dollars on NAB PAA.

All local authorities are not equally affected by economic difficulties: this is the finding of the last report of the Observatory of local finance. The communes and intercommunal are spared the game as the departments and regions, they have no right to have an operating budget deficit. In 2009, they have done better: the excess of income over expenditure increased by 8.5%. It must be said that the mayors have taken advantage of early mandate to raise taxes. One way to form a mattress care.

The general and regional councils also have used the gun tax. But it was not enough, especially for departments. For the latter, the surplus between income and expenditure has shrunk by 17.8% in 2009. For social spending soared 5.3%.The crisis has pushed the bill of RSA and the aging of the population that of personal autonomy allowance (APA). The elected county expect a similar drift in 2010, "For some departments, the budget balance is very fragile," concludes the report.

Reduced investment

However, in 2011, the constraints will become even stronger. The funds that the departments, but also municipalities and regions, receiving state, which represent nearly 30% of their income, will no longer increase. This was decided by the government. Moreover, the reform of business tax will reshuffle the cards in local taxation. The communes and intercommunal retain a large basket of tax which they may determine the rate.The departments themselves, will not play on the property tax and regions on the gray card No fax cash advances. A situation that worries the county and regional elected and pushes them to invest less.

In 2010, capital spending will drop the first 2.2% and 3.4% of the latter, according to the report. Spared, the mayors expect an increase of 4.5%. "But eventually, the municipalities will be affected because they receive subsidies from the regions and departments," warns Philip Lawrence, in right-wing President of the Finance Committee of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF).

What are the solutions? The local financial professionals, such as UMP or Marc Gilles Carrez Laffineur propose to increase the redistribution between rich and poor communities.Another avenue: better management of intercommunal. For staff costs have mostly slipped to this level (they will grow 8% in 2010). The groups of municipalities have produced savings but duplicates! The government, he promised a reform of the APA to relieve the departments and the establishment of ad hoc aid. "But for now, we are expectant. If nothing happens, we will introduce a bill that will force the state to finally make up our social spending, "said Claudy Lebreton, President PS Assembly departments of France. Meanwhile, between votes and budgets insincere appeal to the courts, the climate remains tense between elected officials and county government.

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Wednesday, the South East has joined the rest of France, which started one week earlier in the summer sales period 2010 – Corsica follow July 14. Everywhere these days have started "on the top speed, as evidenced by Claude Boulle, Chairman of the Union of the great trade center. For the first four days, the department stores had seen increases of 10-17% in Paris and elsewhere by 6% over the same period last year.

Bonuses for traders and bankers in Europe, accused of encouraging rampant speculation during the crisis, will be capped for the first time from next year, following the final adoption of a text with meaning Wednesday.

Two years after the outbreak of the financial crisis of 2008-2009, part of the United States with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the European Parliament in Strasbourg approved the text, which was the subject of a June 30 Agreement between the elected and the states of the EU.

In 2011, the bonus must not be disproportionate to the fixed salary and cash bonuses will be capped at 30% of the total premium, or 20% on premiums particularly important.

End outlandish bonuses

Much of the bonus will be paid immediately and will not be after a period of at least three years to allow the employer to recover some cases where investment does not function as expected.

Finally, at least 50% of a total bonus will be paid as contingent capital, which can be recalled in case of banking difficulties, so that taxpayers do not end up in the front line when a bank gets into difficulties.

In the case of banks that receive public subsidies, the text also provides that "no variable compensation should be paid the officers of the institution unless it is justified."

"Europe gets the rules of coaching salaries of bankers and traders with the most aggressive in the world," said a French Green MEP, Canfin Pascal, who negotiated the text free credit reports. "By limiting the proportion of variable pay in total compensation, this text will finally put an end to extravagant bonuses synonymous with extravagant risks," he added.

A text to the liking of the banking sector

"Two years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, these tough new rules on bonuses will transform the culture of bonuses and incentives to end the excessive risk-taking", claimed that his side the Socialist Arlene McCarthy, parliamentary rapporteur on file at the agreement in principle on June 30

The text is however not to the liking of the banking sector."We believe that the agreement goes too far, because at the international level, there are already some principles" in the form of recommendations that were made including the Financial Stability Board (FSB), had informed the AFP secretary general of the European Banking Federation, Guido Ravoet after the tentative agreement. "We believe that this is not the public authorities to make amounts, percentages," he added, saying that this responsibility should be left to banks.

"If the international level, it does not follow Europe, European banks have a competitive disadvantage," says Guido Ravoet, who believes that "financial centers like New York, Singapore and Hong Kong will benefit."

The giant Google is launching in the search for flights online. The California company announced the acquisition of ITA, which specializes in software for information on air transport, for 700 million dollars.

Founded in 1996 and based in Boston, ITA has developed expertise "hailed as a catalyst for change in the travel industry online" the joint statement payday advance. "The technology opens up exciting possibilities for creating new ways for users to easily'll find more information on flights ilgne," said Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

Trading – financial transactions – markets do not know the crisis. According to the Financial Times, U.S. banks would have benefited every day to make huge profits in the first quarter. The paper is based on a document with the SEC, the U.S. financial policeman to prove that Goldman Sachs would have earned at least $ 25 million during the 63 days of the first quarter and would have even 35 times, made profits of 100 million dollars. But Goldman Sachs is not the only investment bank cited. JP Morgan's side have conceded through its $ 118 million transactions per day, an average of 5 million dollars a hour.

The performance is particularly noteworthy that the period January-February-March is a time when the markets were nervous and suffering from high volatility.The leaders of Goldman Sachs attributes this success to "a robust risk management.

$ 78.8 billion in sales

These market operations long way to explaining the excellent quarterly results of the two banks. JP Morgan reported net income up 57% year on year to 3.3 billion dollars. For its part, Goldman Sachs announced earnings doubled in the first quarter to 3.3 billion dollars as well.

More broadly, the 14 largest investment banks have announced a total of 78.8 billion dollars in revenue over the first three months of the year. Either their best showing in three years.

Analysts estimate that these figures may give ammunition to advocates of a tax on bank profits and the wider policy to require banking institutions to strengthen their equity.The information falls worse for Goldman Sachs who is the subject of a complaint by the SEC accused him of having misled investors by selling them derivatives-backed U.S. mortgage risk.

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Norsk Hydro announced Sunday evening the acquisition of assets in the aluminum Brazilian Vale. In a statement, the Norwegian group, which the state holds a majority stake, said that the transaction amount is $ 4.9 billion, equivalent to 3.7 billion euros. The acquisition of these assets, all located in Brazil, is expected to close in the fourth quarter this year.

In exchange, Vale will receive 22% stake in Norsk Hydro, becoming the second largest shareholder in the company after the Norwegian state, and a cash payment of $ 1.1 billion.

To fund this mega operation, the Norwegian group will launch a capital increase of 10 billion kroner (1.75 billion dollars). The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2010. On this occasion, by the Norwegian state will be reduced from 43.8% to 34.5%.

Too dependent on others until

The acquisition by Norsk Hydro is the largest acquisition made by a Norwegian company out of its bases No fax pay day loan. This operation ensures the supply of bauxite Norsk Hydro hundred years.

The main assets are redeemed in Vale's share of 51% in the aluminum smelter Albras, its 57% in the Alunorte alumina refinery jointly owned with Norsk Hydro – who now control 91% -, and 60% in Paragominas bauxite mine. Alunorte is the largest alumina refinery in the world, and Paragominas is the third largest bauxite mine, ore of aluminum base of the planet.

"We were so far dependent on others for the purchase of raw materials the most important [for the group, Ed], bauxite and alumina."This agreement will (…) Norsk Hydro group present on the entire chain with strong positions in the production of bauxite, alumina production, the production of aluminum and its transformation, welcomed Terje Vareberg, president of the board of directors, at a press conference.

Greece, Portugal and Spain. Southern Europe continues to frighten the markets. The Spanish saw its debt rating one notch worse, with a negative outlook.

Between degradation rate and retention Note

During a joint press conference yesterday, Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, director of the International Monetary Fund, have called on Germany to take an expeditious decision on aid Greece. Both men say they are confident. German Chancellor Angela Merkel seems he heard the message, since it has declared its intention to activate "as quickly as possible" aid plan.

Fortunately, a decision from the United States has been somewhat reassure financial markets. The Fed has indeed confirmed keep interest rates low for a "prolonged period".And this, despite a rapid recovery of the economy.

In this context, it will be interesting to see how values are changing bank, after they have been two sessions in the red. Above Credit Agricole said Wednesday night that its exposure to sovereign risk in Greece amounted to 850 million euros.

Quarterly Results: Sanofi-Aventis, and Technip for ArcelorMittal

Among the values that have posted Wednesday, PPR has returned to growth in the first quarter after five consecutive quarters of downturn, and said Tuesday anticipate a further acceleration in sales during the year.

The day of Thursday will be rich in quarterly publications: ArcelorMittal, France Telecom, Suez Environment, Sanofi-Aventis, Pernod-Ricard, Vivendi, AXA, Bouygues, Areva or Michelin publish.

Renault has announced that the equity between the group, its Japanese partner Nissan and Germany's Daimler had been made Wednesday. The three groups have formalized their alliance in early April for three to share technologies and reduce costs.

The U.S. unemployment statistics in the heart of the day

On the macroeconomic front, the day will, however, less responsible.On the program, the weekly claims for unemployment benefit, which will be published at approximately 14.30 U.S., unemployment for the month of April in Germany and in April business confidence in the euro area.

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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. 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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