Archive for the ‘news’ Category

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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Total waive a tax benefit

July 13, 2011 - 4:24 pm Comments Off

Ten billion profit in 2010 and no corporate tax. For two years, Total aroused much criticism for failing to pay taxes despite the huge annual profits. What the leadership said that the group does not pay corporate taxes since 2008 because its activities in France are in deficit since 2008. "The BMC (worldwide profits) can be charged in France for losses incurred abroad, says chief financial officer, Patrick of Chevardière in an interview for Echoes. But insofar as we record losses in France, we do not pay corporate taxes in France. The last time the regime of worldwide profits had a positive impact on our taxes, it was in 2001! ".And Christophe de Margerie, CEO of Total, recalled: "Total paid 800 million euros in taxes in France each year, 500 million on dividends paid abroad."

"We chose to (tax benefit) give of ourselves"

Whatever the controversy will no longer be held since the group has abandoned this tax benefit. Simply because it would bring him nothing. "Rather than continue to hear all day long that the company enjoys a preferential treatment, we decided to give it up ourselves," said Chief Financial Officer of Total.Now only NRJ Media Group and use this system, which allows them to include in taxable income in France, the results of foreign subsidiaries under their control.

The boss of Total, Christophe de Margerie, hinted Monday that his group was planning to abandon this system, after questioning last week in a report by the National Assembly, pointing to the differences between the tax paid by the groups the CAC 40 and paid by the SMEs. MP Gilles Carrez, author of the report, said that more companies are large and they carry less of the corporate tax.

The decision comes as Total Christophe de Margerie was to meet Tuesday on the phone with the Minister of Economy, Baroin, having said this weekend that the oil company would pass to the recent increases in pump prices crude oil.

The Paris Bourse recovers after three sessions of decline

July 7, 2011 - 7:36 pm Comments Off

The Cac 40, which was chained on Wednesday a third round of decline after five stacked, remains under the 4000 points at the opening Thursday morning in a slightly more optimistic: it rises from 0.47% to 1980 04 points in early trade. Last night, the index lost 0.44% to 3961.34 points, weighed down by Portugal – heavily damaged by Moody's – and China, which has raised interest rates to tackle inflation concern. On Thursday, the major event is expected on the European side: Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB president, said at 13:45 if the institution has also decided to raise its rates by 0.25 point, or not. The governor has implied several times that the tightening would be given on 7 July.

Meanwhile, around 9 am on Thursday, the euro gleans 0.10% to 1.4330 dollar.Yesterday, the euro continued its slight decline against the dollar because of concern about access to the economic health of the most fragile countries in the euro area.

Greek side, German and Greek Ministers of Finance estimated that Athens has more support economic growth, if Greece wants to find a balanced budget, during a dinner in Berlin on Wednesday night. In addition to the austerity plan, ministers believe that "only with a stronger private sector and with private investment that Greece can achieve a balanced budget in the medium and long term."

The U.S. employment in the viewfinder

In France, corporate failures recorded in France in the second quarter remained stable at a high level, the company said Altares.The number of failures has declined by 0.3% over the period, with 14,397 judgments backup, reorganization or liquidation direct. During the same period of 2010, there were 14,446 procedures, Altares said.

The trade deficit of France has also widened in May, breaking a new record for the third time since the beginning of the year to 7.42 billion euros against 7.17 billion in April, data seasonally adjusted, Customs announced Thursday. Side and real estate, Fnaim hold its quarterly press conference on the market of the former, at 11.

Overseas, we will monitor the ADP employment figures in the private sector in June at 14.15, very expected. And then the weekly claims for unemployment benefits at 14:30.The weekly inventory of crude oil will be announced at 16:30.

Banks lower their commissions

Societe Generale, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Natixis. The Competition Authority has achieved that French banks were down significantly the commissions they charge on card payments and cash withdrawals at ATMs, according to a statement released Thursday by the regulator. The agreement, which ends a two-year old procedure, the institutions concerned to induce a loss estimated at 600 million euros, according to the Authority.

In addition, the U.S. investor Lone Star is in exclusive talks with BNP Paribas for the sale of German bank IKB reports the Financial Times Deutschland. Discussions with BNP Paribas are at an advanced stage, the newspaper said.The French bank has already finished the review of the IKB, but it is unclear whether BNP Paribas will buy all or just pieces IKB.

The Franco-Belgian bank Dexia has signed an exclusive contract for five years to distribute general insurance products of French insurer Axa through the windows of its Turkish subsidiary, with about 24 million, according to a statement released Thursday.

In addition, Dexia and KBC have passed stress tests which both banks have been submitted, the newspaper reported on Thursday Dutch De Tijd.

EDF and GDF Suez solder joint activities

After working together for over 60 years, the distribution of the two groups now find themselves in competition. These services are common to both energy giants could specialize in divorce and business, says Les Echos.An announcement should be made this morning, the newspaper said.

Alcatel-Lucent. The investment fund Permira is the favorite to take over the division of Alcatel-Lucent company, said on Wednesday sources close to the matter. The sources said Permira offers $ 1.3 billion (about 907 million euros).

Air France-KLM. The pilots of the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) voted in favor of the project "bases province" of Air France, intended to counter the low-cost airlines, said Wednesday a spokesman for the airline, confirming information in La Tribune.

Innate Pharma wins a big partnership

The laboratory Bristol-Myers Squibb will develop and commercialize the antibody developed by biotech IPH2102 Marseille Innate Pharma for the treatment of cancer.A first payment of $ 35 million (24 million) could be followed by other payments, based on performance. In total, the licensing agreement could yield $ 465 million (319 million) in Innate Pharma.

Casino. The retailer Almacenes Exito Colombia, a subsidiary of French retailer, said Wednesday its intention to conduct a capital increase of $ 1.4 billion in the second half to repurchase shares held by its parent company in Uruguay.

Interparfums has signed an agreement Balmain home on the creation, manufacture and distribution of fragrances, according to a joint statement the two companies said on Thursday.

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Bank stocks have saddled the Paris Bourse

June 15, 2011 - 11:36 am Comments Off

The Paris Bourse plunges on Wednesday. In early trade, the CAC 40 lost 0.43% to 3851.23 points, affected by renewed concerns about Greece and the decision by Moody's considering downgrades of three major French banks because of their exposure to Greece, which Moody's has downgraded the beginning of June.

In the viewfinder of the rating agency: BNP Paribas (-1.62% to 51.76 euros, the biggest drop CAC 40), Credit Agricole (-1.48% to 10.05 euros) and Company General (-1.43% to 39.22 euros). Moody's also points out that the review it conducts since late March on the note of the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia (-1.20% to 2.30 euros), also may be lowered, take into account its exposure to Greece.Carried away by the decline sectoral Natixis loose as 1.33% to 3.48 euros.

In the wake of Paris, the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange opened down 0.37% at 7178.05 points and the London Stock Exchange began declining from 0.24% to 5789.4 points.

Already this morning, Asian markets have sent mixed signals, some following the positive trend on Wall Street and others focusing on new measures taken by monetary tightening to counter China's runaway inflation.

Inflation has stabilized in France

Caution is all the greater a significant number of macroeconomic indicators is expected today. In France, consumer prices rose 0.1% in May from the previous month and one-year inflation has decelerated slightly to 2.0%, according to statistics released Wednesday by the INSEE.

The euro area will unveil its industrial production.United States, the day will be busy: there will be firstly the Empire state index of the activity of the New York Fed, follow the index and consumer price figures from the Fed industrial production and capacity utilization of production. Wells Fargo index of the property market is also planned, as are the weekly crude inventories.

Just oil on the forehead, it was time for caution in morning trading in Asia. A barrel of light sweet crude for July delivery lost 25 cents to 99.12 dollars while that of Brent North Sea crude for delivery rose 49 cents identical to $ 120.65. As for currencies, the euro fell slightly against the greenback at 1.4421 dollar.Finance ministers of the euro area have not reached an agreement Tuesday for a new plan for financial assistance to Greece.

PSA supervision

To be continued outside the banking sector:

Technip: -0.12% to 72.98 euros

The French oil engineering group won, via its subsidiary, Duco, a contract worth around 15 million euros from the British company BP Exploration Operating Development of Lan Do field offshore Vietnam business card templates.

Total: -0.22% to 38.24 euros

The tanker is confident in its ability to meet its production targets despite the political unrest in North Africa and the Middle East, said Tuesday strategy director of the French company, Jean-Jacques Mosconi.

Carrefour: -0.63% to 29.39 euros

The police court of Evry Tuesday condemned the teaching of retailing at 3.66 million in fines for non-compliance with minimum wage of about 1,200 employees in France, officials said a judicial source.

PSA Peugeot Citroën: 0.63% to 28.81 euros

A central works council will be held June 23 to discuss the strategy of the manufacturer, which maintains that the closure of its site of Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis), discussed in internal documents, is not on the agenda.

Renault: 0.99% to 37.06 euros

The manufacturer has postponed to 2014 or 2015 its plan to implement Flins (Yvelines) a plant for production of batteries for electric vehicles, originally planned for 2012, wrote Wednesday Le Figaro and La Tribune, citing the CGT and the management of Renault, which in turn explains the delay by "technical reasons".

EADS: +0.84% ​​to 21.58 euros, Air France-KLM: 0.33% to 10.67 euros

Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Pierre Lellouche, will in the coming days the CEO of Air France-KLM, said on Tuesday from his office. The company is under pressure to support Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, to the detriment of Boeing's next aircraft order.

Lagardère: -0.11% to 26.79 euros

The group announced Tuesday the appointment of Alain Lemarchand and Seamus O'Brien for the posts of deputy general managers of Lagardère Unlimited, its sports and entertainment division recently affected by a series of departures.

Rhodia: 0.24% to 31.34 euros Solvay: 0.14% to 106.80 euros

Solvay ofiiciellement Tuesday launched its takeover bid for Rhodia at a price of 31.60 euros per share. The offer should be between 15 and 20 July, according to the timetable.Solvay also offer 52.30 euros per Equator.

Areva: -0.02% to 24.35 euros

In an interview with Voices, the group's president, Anne Lauvergeon, admits that nuclear power should "rebuild confidence" after the accident at the Japanese central Fukushima, but it emphasizes the importance of the sector: "Imagine our trade deficit without nuclear power! ".

Note that BioMerieux holds its general meeting today and Faiveley Transport will publish its annual results after market close.

Donations tax-authorized every ten years

June 11, 2011 - 10:16 pm Comments Off

The deputies continued Friday to review the draft budget law amendment removing the tax shield and reducing the ISF. As expected, they voted in Article 1 of the bill abolishing the wealth tax for estates of less than EUR 1.3 million and revised the scale for the highest wealth. Now between 1.3 and 3 million of assets, the rate of TFR will be 0.25% from the first euro over 3 million, it will be 0.5%.A discount mechanism will correct the effects of threshold to prevent the wealth around these new terminals are losers compared to the previous situation.

During the final debate, which were to continue late into the night or Saturday, the members have changed two important points of the original text of the government, which will have a direct impact on taxpayers.

30,000 euros per decade

Proposed by the Rapporteur-General Budget, Gilles Carrez, the shield will reverse charge from 2011. Specifically, beneficiaries under the shield of their 2010 income will be imputed directly to their ISF, payable before September 30. Until now, the reverse charge was voluntary, and beneficiaries of the shield receiving a refund check from the treasury for several months after paying all their taxes.By forcing taxpayers to deduct that amount directly from their ISF, the government is spared thus a new controversy over the amount of refund checks that were received by a few large fortunes during the spring 2012 presidential election in full.

In addition, Members noted the reduction in ISF for each dependent child (including the majors pursuing studies), raising it to 300 euros against 150 euros previously.

The second set of changes to the law on donations of money. On the proposal of the Government, members agreed to authorize the renewal every ten years of the exemption from transfer taxes on gifts less than 30,000 euros.Since the law Tepa the summer of 2007, it is possible to donate money to his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or failure of issue to his nephews and nieces, without incurring tax (ie, without paying gift tax). And that, provided the donation does not exceed 31 865 euros and that certain rules are respected age. It's sort of a particular form of donation.

The government amendment relaxes the system. Thus, in case of gift to a child, the parent must have less than 80 years, and not, as now, less than 65 years. This threshold of 80 years is also one that is already applied to gifts to grandchildren or great-grandchildren. In addition, the amendment authorizes such gifts of money tax-free every ten years, whereas previously this could only be done once.The cost of this measure is estimated by the government between 20 and 30 million euros from 2017. It is in effect from that date that the first donors who benefited from this measure in 2007 will give back to their descendants. Good news however for holders of life insurance. Gilles Carrez's proposal to raise 20 to 25% taxation of life insurance in case of death, to the heritage of over 903 000 euros, was rejected.

The solemn vote of the Act is expected Tuesday.

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Leclerc at war with major brands

June 8, 2011 - 3:04 pm Comments Off

The standoff between Lactalis and Leclerc continues. The retail giant refuses to pass on higher rates charged by the number one dairy. Result: Lactalis not book any more of its brands to stores Leclerc. The first cheese world requires a tariff increase of 11% to pass higher milk prices upstream, or the revisions granted by the distributor are nearly 4%.

Michel-Edouard Leclerc judge price increases requested by Lactalis "excessive," what Lactalis contends that the attitude of Leclerc is "unacceptable." The dialogue between the two groups seems a dead end. Especially as the CEO of Leclerc says the lack of Lactalis products ranging from milk to mozzarella Lactel Galbani, through brands of cheese and butter President, Bridel, Ruby or Company, does not affect the right walking group.The first sign of distribution in France also argues that Lactalis continues to provide a mark of distributors for nearly 250 million euros in business volume, says Les Echos.

The conflict with L'Oreal ended

But Lactalis is not alone in its struggle against the sign, the milk producers themselves have shown this Tuesday at the Paris headquarters of the distribution group to the call of the National Federation of Milk Producers (NPFL) high risk personal loans. In his blog, Eric de La Chesnais, note that the NPFL, the milk industry FNSEA, the main French farmers 'union, "has made contact with the various brands' distribution to explain" the importance of taking into account Higher prices for raw materials. " Producers have obtained, in principle, a meeting with the distributor. A date remains to be determined.

And for the same reasons, some products Ricard no longer appear in store shelves Leclerc, reports Les Echos. After a previous crisis in 2009, Leclerc refuses to pass the rate increases required by the group of wines and spirits. Only one-liter bottle of Ricard continues to be delivered because Ricard obtained for the product to appeal, an increase of 3% of the price.

Earlier this year, L'Oreal was also in conflict with the sign but an agreement was reached.

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Wall Street expected to decline

June 4, 2011 - 11:36 am Comments Off

On Wall Street, futures contracts on the index set are on the downside, the Dow Jones future lost 0.25% and the S & P 500 future bending of 0.33%. The opening of the session should be marked by a decline after the wrong numbers of job creation in the private sector in the U.S. in May, published yesterday by the firm ADP. These statistics had already weighed on the Dow Jones yesterday, which had thus ended down 0.34% to 12,248.55 points.

Among the statistics to follow this Friday, the unemployment rate in the United States in May is forecast at 8.9%, a slight drop of 0.10 point compared to the previous month. Moreover, employment in agriculture in May should show a marked decline from its April level.Economists expect about 125,000 to 150,000 jobs reported last month, against 244,000 in April.

The Fed does not intend to undertake new measures to boost the economy, according to Richard Fisher, one of its members. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal this morning, the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve believes that "the Fed has done its job" and that if necessary additional stimulus measures, "they must come from elsewhere" .

The U.S. Treasury will sell the 6% that still holds in Chrysler to Fiat. The Italian will thus hold a majority stake in U.S. manufacturer. And the state will pocket U.S. $ 560 million.

Short-term domestic concerns will not prevent operators to remain vigilant regarding the conditions for aid to Greece as part of a new plan, unveiled in principle this afternoon personal business card.

Wal-Mart, Walgreen's and VeriFone to follow

As for values ​​to be followed, one eye will be kept open on Wal-Mart, which holds its annual investor day.

The good results published yesterday by VeriFone Systems should provide a nice progression of the title. The figures exceeded the consensus.

Walgreen announced today, before opening on Wall Street, the level of its sales in May: they rose 7% to 6.08 billion, up 5.6% on a comparable basis.Remember that the title had been boosted on Wednesday by a recommendation by UBS improved, which initiated coverage on the purchase of the title, with a price target of $ 51.

Chevron announced late yesterday that four people died in the explosion of one of its refineries in Pembroke. A fifth victim was hospitalized in serious condition.

relaxation on raw materials

As for raw materials, the pressure falls. In this sector, investors await OPEC meeting next Wednesday, which could lead to a decision by the organization to increase its oil production. Despite the many demands and frequent recently, OPEC had refused to put the issue of increased production in its agenda, and has been for four years.The markets will also tend ear to New York, where the French agriculture minister, Bruno Le Maire, must comment on speculation in commodities, at 18 pm (Paris time).

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Cereals: Russia lifts its ban in July

May 28, 2011 - 11:20 pm Comments Off

Lifting the Russian embargo on grain exports was widely expected by markets. "We will lift the ban on July 1, has announced on Saturday the prime minister, Vladimir Putin. The latter was originally scheduled to expire in late December 2010 but was extended amid fears of another poor harvest.

Earlier this year, the Russian Minister of Agriculture, Elena Skrynnik, and the first Russian deputy prime minister, Viktor Zubkov, had even cast doubt in the minds of investors by suggesting that the ban could be extended until 'at the end of September or early October. "Our main task is to perform efficiently and timely spring planting on 50 million hectares of cereals including at least 30 million hectares, which will give us a harvest of 85 million tons of grain, "explained Elena Skrynnik.The announcement of the lifting of the embargo implies therefore that these objectives will be achieved.

Soulagment waited on wheat prices

That embargo was imposed by the Russian government because of drought and an unprecedented heat wave during summer 2010, which caused a fall crop Russian approximately 60 million tonnes against 95 million tons originally planned. The embargo was intended to ensure supplies to domestic markets. "We must prevent inflation in domestic prices and also save the Russian stock" which might be destroyed in case of lack of food due to excessively high domestic prices for cereals, Vladimir Putin had said during the announcement of measurement.

But the inflation in wheat prices has taken place internationally since Russia is the third largest exporter of wheat.In August 2010, a ton more than the 230 euros on the Paris markets, while a bushel (25 kg) was trading at over $ 7.80, a level not seen since the food crisis of August 2008.

Since then, the tension on the wheat markets has not subsided. Higher prices even accelerated since May, a tonne is worth about 260 euros on the Paris markets and is worth 8.1975 dollars per bushel on U.S. markets. In one year, prices have soared from 96.76% to 77.77% in Paris and Chicago. The meteorological context remains very complicated. The United States, world's largest exporter, are facing a very wet spring in central and northern Iraq that delay planting. The very dry conditions in Europe, especially France, would result in lower production than expected, while in China, a drought affecting the historic center of the country.The return of the Russian market should alleviate investors.

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The Paris Bourse ends in green

May 19, 2011 - 5:16 am Comments Off

The Paris Bourse has hoisted the green flag on Wednesday, spurred by bargain hunting and foresight of a debt rescheduling Greek. At the close, the CAC 40 advances 0.92% at 3978 points. On Tuesday, the Paris stock exchange had closed sharply down by 1.21%. Only on the last four sessions, the Cac 40 lost nearly 3%.

Other major European stock markets followed the same trend: the Footsie-100 from the London Stock Exchange gained 1.07% to 5923.49 points and the DAX 30 Frankfurt Stock Exchange rose 0.65% to 7303.53 points .

Europe envisages a 'soft' restructuring of Greece

The option of a debt rescheduling Greek owned gaining ground in Europe. If Greece is making efforts, "we will see if it is possible to have a smooth restructuring of the Greek debt, said Tuesday the leader of the finance ministers of the eurozone, Jean-Claude Juncker.For Jurgen Stark, a member of the Board of Directors of the European Central Bank, a Greek debt restructuring would be a "recipe for disaster." Greece should "accelerate structural reforms" in particular to reduce the public sector, said his side on Wednesday the head of the IMF mission in Greece, Poul Thomsen.

In an interview with figaro.fr last September, the director of the Institute of High Finance, Philippe Dessertine, had said that if Greek debt rescheduling, "banks could again face a liquidity crisis . Therefore, they could no longer fund the financial markets.New tensions are therefore likely to appear on bank stocks. "

For now, investors seeking to reassure banks and bounce: Natixis gaining 0.93% to 3.80 euros, BNP Paribas takes 1.08% to 53.40 euros and Societe Generale advance of 0.41% to 41.92 euros.

On the macroeconomic front, the number of start-ups in April fell 18.3% to 42,984 compared to March, according to figures from INSEE.

United States, markets await the release of Fed minutes to 20 hours.

Oil bounces

On the foreign exchange market, the euro has stabilized at 1.4256 dollars at the close of trading in Europe, against 1.4234 dollars late Tuesday.

For their part, oil prices rose. On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery traded at 98.05 dollars, up $ 1.14 compared to the previous day.U.S. inventories of crude oil fell against all odds last week, said Wednesday the U.S. Agency for Energy Information (EIA). Crude inventories were down 15,000 barrels to 370.31 million. Economists on average had expected an increase of one million barrels. Gasoline inventories rose much less than expected, rising by 119,000 barrels to 205.94 million, against an estimate of an increase of 800,000.Total is 1.05% to 40.76 euros.

Telecoms weakened by the crisis of sovereign debt

Thales: +0.36% to 29.34 euros

On the occasion of the general meeting of the group, Lee CEO of Thales, Luc Vigneron, showed caution Wednesday to its shareholders as to the outcome of the discussions of asset exchanges in the defense with Saffron, who recently taken over a year after being interrupted for lack of agreement on their terms.

France Telecom: + 0.64% to 15.63 euros

France Telecom expects further consolidation operations or cooperation in selected markets in telecoms, driven by growing investment needs, "said Director of the French group's mobile activities.

In addition, Moody's has estimated that Telecom are very sensitive to macroeconomic conditions and notes some operators in European countries hit by the debt crisis (Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland) could be affected. Bouygues advance of 0.37% to 32.56 euros, Vivendi (SFR) is gaining 0.44% to 19.19 euros and Iliad (Free) is 1.54% to 86.97 euros

Unibail-Rodamco: 1.92% to 151.05 euros, the biggest increase CAC 40

Unibail-Rodamco has announced that the Chamber of Commerce of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had ruled on the purchase price of 660,562 Rodamco Europe NV shares still held by minority shareholders. It has priced shares in Rodamco Europe 87.66 euros per share.Unibail-Rodamco will own 100% of Rodamco Europe following the decision.

Areva: + 3.27% to 30.16 euros

Areva and the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) announced the successful takeover offer simplified investment certificates (IC) cons of Areva shares. This will help convert the entire ordinary share capital. The listing of CI will be suspended from May 24

Peugeot: -0.22% to 29.75 euros

PSA Peugeot-Citroen on Wednesday the foundation stone laying of its third factory in China, according to La Tribune. Like the other two located in Wuhan, central China, the new plant should be able to start in 2013.Initially the plant will produce 150,000 vehicles and 300,000 from 2015.

Technip: 1.28% to 70.30 euros

Technip won a contract from BASF under the Partnership and engineering services for projects of chemistry and petrochemistry.

Atari: + 5.63% to 3 euros

Atari has announced its decision to sell Cryptic Studios, the development studio acquired videogames there is barely two and half years.

The Tanner: + 23.61% to 6.44 euros

Qatar Luxury Group has repurchased nearly 53% of the leather goods Tanner to 6.51 euros per share and will file a tender offer to purchase the rest at the same price in the days to come, said Tuesday the two entities.

After market, Soitec was to publish its annual results.

Number two in the IMF serves as the DSK

May 15, 2011 - 11:36 pm Comments Off

The alleged sexual assault case that led to the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn is also a blow to the institution he heads the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Sunday night, the institution announced that, as required by procedures, number two, John Lipsky, will assume the duties of general manager for the duration of the absence of DSK. The board of directors of the fund must hold a special meeting Sunday evening, "informally," says the institution. So John Lipsy who will chair the meeting.The IMF can initiate disciplinary proceedings against the Director General in case of "serious breaches" of the code of conduct for officials of the institution.

"This case is bound to tarnish the image of the institution, which, however, by the voice of its director general had managed during and through the crisis, to find a proper place in the regulation of globalization and stand at the heart international monetary system, "said Hassim Mounis, professor at Sciences Politiques in Paris.

"Dominique Strauss-Kahn is a Managing Director of IMF that will be remembered most," says the economist. "It will mark the spirits because he has temporarily disrupted the guidance of the IMF's role by requiring the state to support the economy, which is in total contradiction with the previous liberal policy of the institution," said it.DSK is known to have handled the economic crisis and financial crisis by bringing a Keynesian response … measured, however: in the emblematic case of Greece, the IMF forced the government to drastically reduce public spending and operate a process of privatization.

The IMF is "operational," Greece continues its reforms

Greece precisely, it ensures that the events that challenge the IMF does not change the government program to revive the economy. "The government is pursuing the reforms required by the Fund," said George Petalotis Sunday, his spokesman. DSK would have had to go in Berlin on Sunday and meet Angela Merkel to discuss a possible new aid to Greece, which had gained support in spring 2010 of 110 billion euros, 30 billion from the IMF.This meeting was to take place on the eve of a meeting of the Eurogroup, the Monday night and Tuesday in Brussels, with the main discussions at the agenda of the financial problems that resurface Greece for several days and that plague the markets. It is the deputy general manager of operations, Nemat Shafik, who will attend the Eurogroup meeting.

The IMF meanwhile assured that it remains "fully functional and operational." The Washington-based institution to ensure and maintain its role in the issue of European sovereign debt. "It seems impossible that the case could impact the DSK button timing and responsablités IMF, the stakes are too great," says an economist based in Paris.There was a pre-DSK IMF, there may be an after-DSK.

Who might succeed him at the IMF?

Since Bretton Woods in 1944, which devoted a share of the world between Europe and America, the custom was established to appoint a European to head the IMF and an American to head the Bank World. But in recent years, global economic governance has, too, internationalized: emerging countries like China and Brazil now have a bigger role, like the G7 became the G8 and G20.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who became the tenth Executive Director of the IMF on 1 November 2007, has himself advocated the continuation of the reform of the institution, and wanted a person from an emerging country for the succeeding fall 2012 . But the events that shook the Fund could also shake up the program.If DSK had to leave the branch, a new early election should take place. The voices, weighted by the amount of quotas, have been reallocated on March 3 after a major reform of the representation of the 187 IMF member countries. The reform has enabled the transfer of 6% of the votes of over-represented countries to benefit from emerging countries. Nevertheless, the IMF is likely to adopt a tougher stance vis-à-vis Europe under the leadership of a new management team.

"DSK is a former economics professor and renowned former Minister of Economy and Finance. He has a real economic role at the operational level to the IMF. In France, too, has played its role, "insists Mounis Hassim, comparing his skills to those of Raymond Barre.Under Jospin, DSK, then Minister of Economy (1997-1999), had participated in the launch of the euro.

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"A disaster for the IMF

How Strauss-Kahn irritates the Greeks

The IMF considers the debt of Greece "sustainable"