Archive for the ‘features’ Category

The Cac 40 stretched before Bernanke speech

August 26, 2011 - 10:52 am Comments Off

Caution on the Cac 40. In the wake of the Asian stock markets and the day after a sharp drop on Wall Street, investors should not take any risks. According to market operators, the Cac 40 and may open down.

Markets are waiting with some anxiety the president's speech to the U.S. central bank, Ben Bernanke, the outlook for the U.S. economy. An hour and a half ago, the U.S. government has released its second estimate of GDP for the second quarter. The consensus growth overseas could fall by 0.2 point to 1.1% from the first estimate. On Thursday, weekly jobless claims declined.Causing a sharp decline in U.S. stock markets.

On the corporate side, the ball results Essilor continues with the program on Friday morning.

Essilor International reported first half sales of 2.06 billion euros, up 6.9%, the band announced via a press release issued in the edition of Les Echos to appear Friday instant payday loan.

Financials

The ban on short selling financial stocks on Thursday was extended to France, like Italy, Spain and Belgium, and the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) said it would review its position by late September.

Total expected to present a reorganization in the fall of scale of its operations downstream, with a planned merger of its refining and petrochemicals, according to Les Echos, citing union sources.

As for oil, prices were mixed Friday morning during electronic trading in Asia, in a sluggish market, before the highly anticipated speech of the head of the U.S. central bank (Fed). In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October gave 10 cents to 85.20 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery took 19 cents to 110.81 dollars.

Zara accused of forced labor in Brazil

August 19, 2011 - 10:40 pm Comments Off

Inditex, one of the largest apparel retailers in the world is in the middle of a scandal in Latin America. The investigation by Brazilian authorities on two of its suppliers workshops clothing brand Zara in Sao Paulo showed 48 irregularities. Sixteen illegal workers from Bolivia and Peru were forced to work at 14 hours a day, said Wednesday a spokesman for the Labour Inspectorate of the State of Sao Paulo. They were paid between 274 and 460 Brazilian reals per month (120 and 200 euros), which is below the minimum wage of 545 reais (238 euros), as required by labor law in Brazil. Among the illegal working in the workshops, there was a girl of 14.

"This is the largest operation since the launch of the eradication of precarious working conditions in Sao Paolo," said in an interview with the NGO Reporter Brasil controller Guiliana Cassiano Orlandi. "The workshops were not inspected at all conform to standards. In addition to dirt, workers, working in rooms filled with tissue, increasing the risk of fire, "said a statement from the NGOs. The survey comes as Brasilia launched a crusade against slavery in the sectors of clothing, coal and industrial sugar cane.

According to the committee of inquiry, the illegal workers in two workshops sewed blouses for spring-summer collection of the brand Zara.These were bought to the owner of the workshop for 7 Real part (about 3 euros), while the same gowns, with labels "Made in Spain" were sold at 139 reais (61 euros) in the store mark west of Sao Paulo.

Suppliers stigmatized

The Ministry of Labour of Brazil said it had already imposed 52 fines on Zara "for various irregularities." Last May the Labour Inspectorate of the same Brazilian state has already discovered in the town of Americana, 130 km from the metropolis an illegal garment factory owned by another subcontractor to Zara. The government investigation, which focused on four garment factories last spring, showed that all the clothes in these workshops were made for the Spanish brand.

According Reporter Brasil investigation pointed the finger at one of the subcontractors of Zara, the company AHA, which would thus manufactured illegally for nearly 46,000 Spanish brand clothing guaranteed approval cash loans. This company would become the largest supplier of tissue of the Brazilian subsidiary of the Spanish group between July 2010 and May of this year. "At the same time, the company has significantly reduced the number of its employees. The number of employees hired legally would have come back from 100 to almost 20, "says the report of the investigation. As for the subsidiary of Zara in Brazil, she issued the authorization to affix the labels of its brand on these products only if "they were consistent with standards," without considering the conditions of manufacture.

Regulation "required"

In a statement, the Inditex Group requires that "the supplier responsible for the unauthorized subcontracting regulates the situation immediately," accusing him of "externalizing the information" which must remain secret in the name of the contract that binds him to Zara . Inditex has also clarified that the Brazilian Ministry of Labour is doing what is necessary to legalize the situation of illegal workers. Brazil has granted visas to some of them until they receive compensation, say some government sources.

Brazilian products represent just 1% of world production of Zara. Much of clothing is provided by Spain, where the company owns its own factories, and Portugal. According to the estimation of the group, by "illegal" production represents only 0.03% segment in Brazil."Brazil is the third largest American market after the United States and Mexico," says Spanish producer, which owned 30 stores in 2010 ennviron in the country. "We plan to open more stores in Brazil in the future."

This is not the first time, the Inditex group is accused of mistreating its employees in emerging countries. Earlier this year, one hundred workers of a textile factory in Cambodia have vanished because of difficult working conditions, exposure to chemicals and stifling heat in the premises. The plant manufactured garments for major global retailers, including H & M, Marks & Spencer and Inditex. According to the International Labor Organization, at least 12.3 million people are victims of forced labor in the world.

The acquisitions bring Wall Street

August 15, 2011 - 7:32 pm Comments Off

Wall Street is on track to continue the rally that started in last weekend. After opening up 0.48% to 11,323.44 points, the Dow Jones continues to grow: to 5:20 p.m., it gains 0.90% to 11,371.80 points. The Nasdaq index gained 0.51% to 2520.82 points.

As in Asia, the U.S. markets should react positively to the announcement of a contraction much weaker than expected Japanese GDP in the second quarter. But as in Europe, they should remain cautious on the eve of an important meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the reform of the governance of the euro area. They should discuss ways to implement to prevent contagion problems of sovereign debt to the rest of the region.

But Germany has already warned investors: this meeting will lead to "nothing spectacular". "It will be a working meeting on the governance of the euro area in line with European decisions taken in late July," said the spokesman of the Ministry of Finance. The latter also confirmed the skepticism against German Eurobonds solution yet desired by many investors. "The Euro-bonds are not an option," ruled the spokesman. These ads have already resulted in demoralizing the European investors.

Morale builders stable

Until the final conclusions of the meeting, U.S. investors are learning that manufacturing activity in the New York area declined for the third consecutive month at -7.7, 3.9 points lower than July .

In real estate, the NAHB index released on Monday shows that the morale of the manufacturers was unchanged in August, close to its lowest historical levels.

Note that the currency market, the Euro rises slightly against the greenback at 1.4287 dollar. Oil markets, oil prices opened up on Monday in New York. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery was trading at 86.13 dollars, up 75 cents.Prices were down during the European trading, erasing their gains made in Asian trade in a market nervous and still haunted by persistent concerns about global growth and the debt crisis in the eurozone. A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was trading at 107.56 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London, down 47 cents from Friday's close.

Google swallows Motorola Mobility

On the corporate side, Sysco is expected to release its results on Monday.

Estee Lauder drop 9.18% to 91.58 dollars.Despite the publication of a net income group share record of $ 700.8 million, up 46.5%, the cosmetics group announced its annual results would be below Wall Street expectations.

Lowe (-0.27% to 19.37 dollars) has already reported sales below expectations in the second quarter of its fiscal year and lowered its annual targets for the second time in three months, consumers pushing their development projects until later because of sluggish growth.

Google (-0.88% to 558.94 dollars) will buy the mobile phone manufacturer Motorola Mobility (56.15% to 38.21 dollars) to $ 12.5 billion in cash.

Time Warner (-0.43% to 65.25 dollars) has reached an agreement to buy the cable operator Insight Communications to Carlyle for three billion dollars in cash.

Bank of America (3.20% to 7.42 dollars) has announced the sale of its activities in the international credit cards in Britain, Ireland or Canada.

Boeing (0.16% to 61.84 dollars) announced it had completed with Air Lease Corp. an order valued at $ 2.5 billion on 14 737-800 aircraft and five 777-300ER.

Pfizer (2.41% to 18.29 dollars) announced Monday it had won before a U.S. court case against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries of Israel, preventing the global generics to produce a copy of Viagra before 2019 .

Transocean (2.15% to 56.81 dollars), listed in New York, wants to buy the Norwegian group Aker Drilling, for a total of 1.1 billion Swiss francs (1 billion), according to a statement Monday.Several large shareholders, representing 65% of the capital, have agreed to the deal, said the Swiss.

The American specialist craft materials Grainger (2.12% to 138.72 dollars) on Monday announced the acquisition of the Dutch distributor of fasteners Fabory Group for $ 344 million (242 million).

Fall of the SocGen: crazy ride of a rumor

August 11, 2011 - 8:00 pm Comments Off

It all starts in late July in the French newspaper Le Monde. In a lively pen, "Philae" tells, in twelve parts, how a role play between two traders who are bored leads to rumors of a plot against Angela Merkel and the euro, all on the eve of elections French law of May 2012 ….

In this series of summer, we follow the wanderings of a young journalist from the Wall Street Journal sent to Frankfurt, headquarters of the European Central Bank and the financial hub of Germany. The names of the characters in the story are well known: Bruno Le Maire, portrays in Germanophile finance minister, Mario Draghi, Governor of the BCE, to the old speculator George Soros. On the agenda of the masters of the economy, threats to Societe Generale, next target of a takeover bid, and the Italian bank UniCredit.Their exposure to Greek debt fueling concerns.

Although it is amazed by the accuracy of the descriptions and the likelihood of situations, the informed reader understands that this is a fiction. In August 2011, Bruno Le Maire is not finance minister, but of Agriculture, and Italy's Mario Draghi has not made the head of the ECB, which is still headed by Jean-Claude Trichet.

On a rumor of a fall fiction real

It seems, however, whether this summer series that has inspired the fictional journalists Mail on Sunday, the Sunday edition of the Daily Mail for a story published Sunday catastrophic. In this paper, Simon Watkins and Dan Atkins have Societe Generale "at the brink of bankruptcy after terrible losses from its exposure to the Greek debt" and UniCredit "could collapse so similar" to the French bank.

The journalists added that "David Cameron has interrupted his vacation last night [Saturday, ed] to discuss the situation with Nicolas Sarkozy", a fact that has not been confirmed but exists also in the series of daily French.

Listed on online sites such as CNN mentioned on many forums, Twitter by many users, copied on blogs, the article from Monday, August 8 heat the rumor machine. Many elements accrediting effect the veracity of the article in the Mail on Sunday: Societe Generale is very exposed to the Greek crisis. August 3, his boss Frédéric Oudéa announced quarterly earnings down after a depreciation of 395 million euros for the shares of Greek states.

Wednesday morning the rumor that the company would be general in a situation so serious that the French government should intervene to save her is growing the market payday advance. The surprise announcement of a meeting at the Elysee Palace on the financial situation in the morning is a bombshell, and credibility to the words of the Mail on Sunday. The lack of communication officers of the Societe Generale does not help.

Meanwhile, as the stock market collapsed and with it the other financial stocks. At the heart of a black session, rumors succeed: France could lose its triple AAA, the government must save the banking system …

Only the evening that the management of Societe Generale denounces rumors and application to the financial markets opened an investigation into the launch of these sounds.But the damage is done: the bank saw its stock melted from 14.7% in one trading session.

A series of unexplained errors

Several questions remain: how an article in the Sunday edition of a tabloid, usually specializing in photographic study of cellulite British starlets, he could be taken seriously and set fire to the stock market ? How is it also possible that the two journalists of the text may have been confused, which to be inspired by what has been a fiction?

The text of Philae is, indeed, confusing realism. Hidden under the pseudonym, a journalist from the Tribune, Brussels correspondent of the daily economic, and whose employment by the evening paper did cringe at the writing of the World.A French bank would also indignant at the tone of the newspaper that gave off the soap truth, so much so that the newspaper added from 1 August 1 line warning: "Le Monde reminds its readers that situations, facts and figures reported in this fiction is imaginary and should not be taken as an expression of reality. "

There are no quotes in the article by Watkins and Atkins, which are directly drawn from the World Series, but the charges against SocGen and UniCredit, and the words of the intervention of Nicolas Sarkozy to be found in both documents. The Daily Mail has deleted Article guilty of its online site and apologized, acknowledging that the paper was based on "false information". Thursday noon, the Cac 40 fell below the symbolic threshold of 3,000 points, while Societe Generale fell by 7.26%.

Samsung became the world leader in consumer electronics

August 8, 2011 - 3:16 pm Comments Off

Click the preview to enlarge the graphic.

Three stars, "samsung" in Korean, were on the first devices from the brand that were sold in Europe in the 1970s. It was the microwave low-end a few dozen francs apiece. This product of Appeal allowed the group to make a name and win in other markets, becoming the world leader in electronics and 19th marks in all categories.

The chaebol (Korean conglomerate), height of 6.2 billion euros in cash, has the means of its ambitions. And they are clear: to be number one everywhere. This is done on the TV market. To achieve the first place, the group has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising around the world. He did not hesitate to cut prices, which allowed him inexorably to nibble market share.He fears, however, LG, another Korean, which, by betting on a technology other than his own in the 3D threatens his leadership.

In the area of ​​mobile, Samsung is the group that made the most progress over the last 12 months, according to IDC. In the last quarter, the Korean group has moved closer to Nokia and is expected soon to become the world's leading brand for mobile phones. While in smartphones and tablet, Apple seems unbeatable.

The finest PC market

There is also high ambitions in the PC. For now, the chaebol has only 3% of the world, behind industry giants, HP, Acer and Dell guaranteed payday loans. But this hides another reality: in 2010, Samsung sold 10 million computers. That's twice in 2009.Korean plans to increase its presence in this field by making efforts in all areas, including the design, which has long been its main weakness. Earlier this year, Samsung introduced the PC's finest on the market.

In keeping with the policy of expansion that has been in place since the early 1990s, the company also addresses the appliance market, where he is currently a relatively marginal player. Now, the time of cheap microwave is over. Place in washing machine and refrigerator art.Samsung is heavily loaded with LED lighting, his mastery of electronics, a way to give a serious and consumers to benefit from the reputation it enjoys in televisions and other devices, though far removed .

The group is also one of the largest manufacturers of memory cards for computer, LCD screen TVs … and provides many of its competitors, including Philips, Toshiba or Apple. This sometimes leads to complicated situations: the American and Korean competitors in smartphones and tablets, are engaged in trials crossed. They accuse each other of patent infringement, a real shadow on the balance sheet of the Asian giant.

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Guéant: "The teaching will be paid by radar fines"

August 6, 2011 - 11:40 pm Comments Off

After the publication of figures showing a drop in road deaths in July, Claude Gueant, Interior Minister, said these positive results. But it is clear that motorists continue to use warning radars, despite the ban. However, serious accident, said he, there is always a judicial inquiry.

LE FIGARO. -Less killed in July: how do you explain these good numbers?

Claude Gueant. -A 21% decrease in July (358 against 453 killed, Ed), this means first that it is possible to make further progress! This result is related to the strong mobilization of law enforcement, especially on the occasion of the leave.

The balance of the year is pretty bad. Moreover, the French lost more than 10 million points allowed in 2010. A record. Up including speeding and alcohol-related offenses.What do you do?

I recall that in 2009 75% of French drivers have all their points and only 0.2% of drivers had their licenses invalidated the 40 million motorists. Regarding the results of 2011, waiting for the end of the year. If the trend continues in July we will once again below the threshold of 4000 deaths. With regard to speeding and drinking and driving, these twin evils remain government priorities in road safety.

Is there not been, lately, a certain cacophony around the various measures taken on the radar?

The measures of the last IRB (Interministerial Committee for Road Safety) is essential if we are to achieve the target set by the president to go below the threshold of 3,000 killed.Among the measures agreed, that relating to the removal of signs announcing speed cameras has sparked debate. We have heard comments from elected officials and, in agreement with the Prime Minister, we decided to launch a plan to install radar teaching. There was no cacophony. There has been listening and dialogue.

How quickly are they teaching radars to be installed?

To date, 80 radars are installed in 47 teaching departments. 200 more will be installed by the end of September 2011. The new market will eventually install 4,000 cameras teaching.They will be installed in hazardous areas, which may or may not include fixed cameras, but also mobile controls.

What is the cost of these facilities and the withdrawal of the previous panel?

The cost of installing a radar teaching will depend on the installation conditions, but the average cost is estimated at € 10,000. Be financed by the proceeds of fines. The unit cost of removing a panel from its destruction by the standards in force (with reprocessing of materials) and the restoration of the original site but is difficult to assess the overall cost could reach 4 fast cash.5 million euros.

The warning radars will become a driving aid.What this will change for their users?

On 28 July, I signed with Afftac (French association of providers and users of technology-driving) a memorandum of understanding to transform the warning in wizard driver assistance. These technology tools will indicate dangerous areas and points of specific hazards, such as the presence of a school.

Is it possible to effectively fight against those who still use alarms, implemented in a mobile phone?

The agreement signed provides for the end of such applications, but I am well aware that some will always use technology to possibly circumvent the rule. I want to remember that every serious accident resulting in a judicial inquiry at which the investigation will test the use-or not-of this type of material.Possession of prohibited materials or application involves the responsibility of each and may result in sanctions.

Industrial PV: State attack victims

The nightmare continues for motorists who, having sold their car, receive the PV from the new owner. While the Interior Ministry promised to remedy the situation related to the new system of vehicle registration, they are still likely to see their accounts seized. This is what the National Association denounced the defense of victims of injustice. Thursday, 74 of its members have given their record in the hands of a lawyer to attack the state. And require 1 million in damages. "It has all the evidence the administration, but to no avail.Moreover prefectures overwhelmed accumulate delays of several months to process cases, "lamented the president of the association, Daniel Merlet. "I sold my car a year ago, and I still received a ticket," he said. Another has received several hundred dollars, and yet another saw its PV canceled but immediately reissued in his name.

Last April, the Interior Ministry had made changes to the administration takes into account the declaration of assignment of the seller. Far and to update its files, it was waiting for the formalities of acquisition. If they were not made, the former owner of the vehicle was therefore responsible. Nevertheless, the anomalies continue."It deals with situations case by case," they say Place Beauvau.

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The Cac 40 hit its lowest level in years

July 31, 2011 - 1:28 am Comments Off

The CAC 40 is headed for a fifth straight session of steep decline. At the close, the index fell further by 1.07% to 3672.77 points. A decline – the fifth in a row – but much more moderate than what was found during the session. The CAC is in fact fallen to a record low since the beginning of the year while the issue of U.S. debt continues to plague investors, while European issues remain a concern.

But about 17 hours, Barack spoke and pressed to agree to raise the debt ceiling of the United States. A speech that reassured Wall Street, and thus the European markets, which is still bleak.Especially since the U.S. side, a series of bad economic data has dampened investors (growth, activity in Michigan, and moral Americans).

Finally, the week, the CAC 40 index lost 4.25%.

In London, the FTSE-100 index of the main values ​​lost 0.99% on Friday at 5815.19 points. The DAX index in Frankfurt ended her down 0.44% at 7158.77 points against 7190.06 points on Thursday.

The financial sector at half-mast

Adding to the nervousness of the markets, the rating agency Moody's is considering lowering the rating of Spain. As a result, the financial sector shows further losses on the stock market: Crédit Agricole loose 2.36% to 8.61 euros, Societe Generale drops 2.44% to 34.73 euros, Axa was down 2.56% to 13.11 euros, and BNP Paribas was down 2% to 45.46 euros.

Another sign of investor confidence that spreads, bond yields fragile countries in the euro area increased further, imposing astronomical cost of funds. Spain has seen its rates to ten years to rebound above the 6%. And on the foreign exchange market, the euro was immediately dropped below $ 1.43 in the morning before to recover. Around 17:30, the European currency was worth 1.4392 dollars against 1.4324 dollars on Thursday night (0.45%).

Household consumption is rising again

On the macroeconomic front, the cost of French household consumption of manufactured goods in June rose 1.2% in May after falling 0.3%.The producer prices in the industry have generally stabilized in June on the French market (-0.1%) following a significant drop in May (-0.5%).

Veolia Environnement, the largest decline Cac 40

The markets also react to the new burst of business publications.

Veolia Environnement: -9.50% to 15.80 euros

Veolia Environnement has warned that 2011 would not achieve its objective of growth in net profit due to provisions and write-downs that will pass in its half-year to 800 million euros no faxing 1 hour payday loans.

Michelin: -34.18% to 58.66 euros

Michelin has raised its annual target volumes after a first half marked by an increase in profits and sales. The automotive supplier is now an increase in volumes "of about 8%" against at least 6.5% previously.The net half of the group grew from 33% to 667 million euros and sales of 21% to 10.1 billion.

Saint-Gobain: + 2.15% to 40.40 euros

The group confirmed its operational growth goals for 2011, after a surge in net profit in the first half (53.3% to 768 million euros) due to higher volumes and selling prices.Management has indicated to always be an IPO Verallia, its subsidiary in bottles and glass jars, after the postponement of this operation in June.

Total: -1.52% to 37.78 euros

Oil giant Total said on Friday net profit down 12% in the second quarter to 2.7 billion euros, due to weak refining margins in Europe and the cessation of production in Libya.

EDF: -2% to 26.46 euros

EDF issued a net half-year up 54% to 2.6 billion euros, thanks to its increased nuclear generation in France, and announced target for the period 2011-2015 an average annual growth of 5 10% of its net income.

PPR: – 0.65% to 129 euros

Net income for the PPR increased from 16.1% to 450 million euros in the first half, above analysts' expectations, driven by sales of luxury goods (22.6%) while the distribution, which he wants to separate, were down 2%.

EADS: -0.41% to 24.2 euros

Europe's EADS confirmed its outlook for full year 2011, despite the decline of 41% of its net profit in the first half, to 109 million euros, hit by accounting for revaluations related to changes in interest rates exchange.

CGG Veritas: -3.17% to 23.54 euros

CGG Veritas, which suffered last year the moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico after the explosion of a well operated by BP <BP.L>, posted a second quarter loss of $ 38 million (27 million), including $ 17 million of non recurring refinancing costs, against a profit of $ 8 million.

Schneider Electric: -1.51% to 101.15 euros

Schneider Electric now expects an operating margin for 2011 of 15% in the low end of its initial expectations, said CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire, in an interview with Les Echos on Friday.

Nuclear power is likely to grow

July 26, 2011 - 4:32 pm Comments Off

Nuclear power still has a bright future ahead. Yukiya Amano, head of the Agency for International Energy Agency (IAEA), is convinced. This is also in Japan, Fukushima, the scene of the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl, he recalled. "It is certain that the number of nuclear reactors will continue to rise, although the pace will not be as fast as before," he said.

After the catastrophe of Fukushima, Germany and several European countries, including Italy, Austria, Belgium or Switzerland, opened a debate on whether to continue or not to develop nuclear power, some of them have even set dates for the cessation of construction of new plants. But across the world, the challenge of nuclear power is not dominant.According Yukiya Amano in fact, "many others think they need nuclear power reactors, including the fight against the emission of greenhouse gases and global warming." Remarks which echo those of the French Minister of Economy, Eric Besson, who said in late May that "our world can not do without nuclear energy in the XXI century". And list: "Barack Obama has reaffirmed that there will be no suspension of nuclear power in the United States. China and India are launching major programs to meet their energy needs. And Europe, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria are continuing their efforts. "

Banking on security

If the development of this energy must continue, it will not happen without conditions, however, said Yukiya Amano."It is important above all to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities," he insists.

In Japan, nearly 36 of the 54 reactors that account Archipelago are currently halted because of the destruction caused by natural disasters or because they have not been reactivated after a routine maintenance, as a precaution. Favor a gradual reduction of nuclear, Prime Minister Naoto Kan has imposed tests of resistance to natural disasters and other risks before any recovery paydayloans. "I think it is wise that the country satisfies the safety of its nuclear plants after the accident at Fukushima Daiichi," acknowledged Yukiya Amano.

In Fukushima, "the prospects are good"

The head of the IAEA, wearing protective clothing against radiation, had also made Monday at the site of Fukushima for the first time since March 11, the day the plant was heavily damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. "Looking at the site, work is progressing in a very regular basis," he was glad. "So many people work with passion that I feel that the prospects are good," he added.

The Japanese authorities said last week be on track to regain control of the plant heavily damaged. However, they warned that full remediation of the site would take more than a decade. The operator of the plant rugged, Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), already expects to achieve cool the reactors and fuel to keep the temperature below 100 degrees Celsius by January."I told the Prime Minister that the IAEA can help Japan because we have the knowledge and experience required for decontamination and management of nuclear fuel melted or worn out," said the head of the agency.

Last June, the IAEA has criticized Japan's reaction after the accident, especially not for having implemented the agreement to give assistance provided by the agency in case of nuclear accident. It provides for cooperation between States and the IAEA to organize aid, safety and communication as appropriate.

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Caravelle lost its CEO in an aircraft accident

July 19, 2011 - 12:40 pm Comments Off

The announcement was confirmed Monday afternoon by the company itself. The CEO of Caravelle, Pierre-André Martel, died Sunday evening with his daughter 20 years following the crash of a light aircraft near Lyon. Aged 57, Pierre-André Martel was known to have founded in 1995 Caravelle, the group specializes in the recovery and rehabilitation of companies, it still ran. Polytechnique, the man was also recently ranked by Fortune magazine Challenges 134th in France, with a wealth estimated at 350 million euros. He held still, with his family, 95% stake in his company.Caravelle, which announced the end of 2010, over 400 million euros in consolidated shareholders' equity and cash more than 200 million, operates in various sectors ranging from heavy equipment (Benalu, Marrel, EDBRO, Lamberet) to the self-medication (Cooper) through transport (Ducros Express, Girard).

"The provisions of Martel in this event are implemented and ensure the continuation of the group Caravelle," assured the company in a statement. When contacted, the company has not yet given details on the identity of the future (e) governing the group employs about 5000 employees worldwide, and manages 375 million euros in net business bad credit payday advance.

The board has not yet expressed

One obvious thing for the moment the most pressing issues: the future leader (or the acting team), will manage the back of the motor carrier Mory. Partially placed in receivership, it had attracted the interest of Caravelle, which confirmed the strategic importance of the resumption of mail Mory, "in order to bring its subsidiary Ducros Express." Candidates for the recovery should occur before July 31, but the direction of Caravelle had already filed early in July a written offer. Unlikely, however, that the tragic death of Sunday calling into question the strategic choice.

Meanwhile, the Board of Directors of Caravelle did not logically expressed on the scenarios considered in the coming weeks leading figure on the future of the group.The question of the succession of Pierre-André Martel remains in effect for the moment difficult to address, just hours after the formalization of that disappearance. Especially companies that, like the family, the imprint of a founding CEO of the group will need time to adapt substantial teams.

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The exorbitant cost of cyber attacks

July 2, 2011 - 8:08 am Comments Off

The numbers are staggering. In Germany, the financial damage caused by cyber crime amounted to 61.5 million euros in 2010, according to figures released Thursday by the criminal police and the Federation of high tech Bitkom. This is equivalent to an increase of 66% over the previous year. As the United States, the FBI estimated the cost of crime to some digital $ 560 million in 2009. A world-wide, according to McAfee, cyber crime would have generated some 1000 billion in 2008, about 1.64% of world GDP for that year. Remains that, without minimizing the scale of the scourge, these figures are perplexing.

Many experts give little credence to these studies because most of them emanate from computer security specialists. For the record, other than McAfee is the world number two antivirus software.In addition, "less than 10% of companies report having experienced cyber attacks," said Jean-Paul Pinte, senior lecturer in strategic intelligence at the Catholic University of Lille. According to the specialist risk management and cyber terrorists of enterprises affected societies fear the bad publicity due to media coverage of cyber attacks.

Jean-Paul Pinte, "we know nothing of the legacy and financial losses suffered indirectly." He added: "If an attack is to relieve a company of sensitive information, loss of data will generate multiple costs, such as loss of competitiveness, or the upgrading of security."

"Hard to get a comprehensive view"

Director of the National Security Information Systems (Anssi), Patrick Pailloux abounds in this direction."When a site is the victim of an attack, he takes as an example, it is first blocked, causing a shortfall. Then we must add additional costs to set up a hotline strengthened. "And on the practices of industrial espionage initiated via the Internet," How can we measure in terms of losses that a competitor could steal ?, "asks the director of Anssi. Clearly, "it is difficult to get a comprehensive view of the problem," says he.

Despite these criticisms, these figures are held up to each event on Cybercrime. However dated, the estimated one trillion dollars of McAfee is authoritative. Last May, it appeared even in the "reminder" of the fourth Parliamentary Forum on Information Society in Geneva, on the initiative, among others, the United Nations.Trompe-l'oeil, the text quoted a source stamped Europol, the pharmacy police intergovernmental European Union, which actually refers to the numbers … the software publisher.

If governments do not hesitate to chopping these impressive figures, it is often necessary to legitimize, but costly reinforcement of their agencies against digital piracy. Or clear, make the pill easier to swallow from taxpayers. In January, the UK has estimated that cyber attacks cost him a whopping 27 billion pounds per year (32.2 billion euros) in a government study.An amount (by far) greater than the harm claimed by the United States … A few days before making public figure, London has announced the release of 650 million pounds over four years to "strengthen its cyber security "…

International cooperation in the war-horse

Without waving the national figures, France is no exception, as evidenced by the announcement of piracy Bercy in March. Patrick Pailloux it was for the state to "lead by example" to encourage companies to report piracy they wipe. The Director of Anssi said that 150 computers were then infiltrated by hackers to steal documents for the French presidency of the G20. "We were able to counter the threat," he goes on, noting that thirty experts have been mobilized for two months to "clean up" more than 130,000 positions in the Department.A communication that is timely, since Anssi plans to double its workforce (360 employees) by 2013.

Such methods may be distasteful, but experts and politicians agree: there is no time to waste on the face of digital crime. "For a long time in France, we thought that hacking and computer intrusions were not really dangerous, says Jean-Paul Pinte. But now we know that it's become a real business, and that the threat can come from anywhere: a simple USB key, hard drives or even photocopiers, which, connected to the Internet can become the target of hackers ".

Therefore, international cooperation, which requires significant resources, is "a priority," insists Patrick Pailloux. And for good reason: "90% of attacks are international," says the director of Anssi.In the columns of The Tribune, Laurent Wauquiez, Minister for European Affairs, recently recalled that a hacker "can be installed in Latvia, while in France to intervene through a Canadian site." He even considers urgent that Europe adopts "a kind of cyber-FBI-backed Europol" to stem the digital crime. And one last statistic to shoot, ensuring that "a user of thirty lost money in Europe over the last year" due to a hacker.

Businesses, prey selection

Having surveyed 45 U.S. companies in 2010, the Ponemon Institute found that on average, the financial damage caused by hackers and data theft was $ 3.8 million.Like that of McAfee, this figure is to be taken lightly, as though Ponemon shows his independence, his study was commissioned by ArcSight, a specialist in digital security. However, it appears that large groups are increasingly being targeted by hackers. Since the beginning of the year, the list of companies or institutions that have suffered cyberattacks has continued to grow. Sony has suffered more than ten attacks since mid-April, leading to theft of confidential data of more than 1 million customer accounts. Recently, Sega has had the same misfortune: the editor of the series of Sonic hedgehog found in mid-June have been stolen names, email addresses, birth dates and passwords of almost 1.3 million customers on its servers.Google or Citigroup also suffered cyber attacks.

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