Archive for the ‘news’ Category

Areva remains sole master of its mines

March 3, 2012 - 10:00 am Comments Off

 

The 2011 results of Areva, released Thursday evening, were sealed by its activity "mines". The nuclear giant has indeed devalued its uranium mines over 1, 45 billion euros. This loss comes from the assets of the company Uramin, acquired in 2007.

Areva does not yet puts into question its interest in the mining activity. Luke Oursel, CEO of Areva, has even said on Friday that "there is no scheduled opening of the capital of the mine." This scenario was discussed for several months, and a decree issued in late 2011 had approved the hiving Areva Mines, conducted in the wake.

World number one

The persistent interest of Areva is due: it is the world's largest uranium mines, alongside the Canadian Cameco. Moreover, this branch shows a strong margin. In 2011, EBITDA was 450 million euros to 1.29 billion revenue. The margin was nearly 35%. For the whole of society, the EBITDA exceeded 1 billion euros for 8.87 billion euros in turnover, representing a margin of 12%.

The difficulties Uramin however, show that this activity is risky. To reduce these risks, does not exclude Areva to partner on specific fields, as was done with EDF on February 10 for the Imouraren mine in Niger. "We always open the possibility of associating partners, mainly utility customers, contributing to project funding and in return remove the corresponding uranium production," confirmed Luke Oursel.

The desire not to enter a minority shareholder at the central level does not prevent the group, looking for cash, to carry out arbitrage in its holdings. He signed Friday an agreement with Cameco for the sale of the participation of 27.94% stake in Areva mining project Canadian Millennium for 150 million Canadian dollars (about 112 million euros). And the sale of the stake in Eramet seems a matter of days.

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SNCF: union battle around the annual premium

February 25, 2012 - 9:12 pm Comments Off

 

"Dividend pay" or "exceptional bonus"? At the end of March, employees of the SNCF, will receive a nice bonus, the maximum amount, determined on the basis of seniority in the firm, reach 400 euros. The amount far exceeds that of 76 euros seen last year by the railroad.

Yet it gives rise to a real battle between railway union. On the one hand, the CFDT calls this premium "wage dividend" as a just retribution for "efforts" and it echoes the "record dividend" of € 221 million paid by SNCF to the State under fiscal 2011. "The CFDT and UNSA have successfully negotiated for its amount is reassessed, insists Tosolini Fabian, of the CFDT-railroaders. The rate was revised upwards through discussions with management. While we regret the randomness of its payment, we think this is good news for rail workers. "

The CGT, however, has no words strong enough to evoke what she prefers to call a "gratuity", "wage dividend" is a word "willfully misleading" and "can not exist in a public company," ensures the CGT. Above all, it is "funded by the job cuts, deteriorating living conditions and working railway, the extreme pressure on wages, the brake on career paths and declining social rights".

It is true that the CGT launched a strike notice for the day of 29 February on employment, wages and improved working conditions. The premium of 400 euros fell ill five days before the big day

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Dupont-Aignan advocates the "euro-franc"

February 15, 2012 - 9:28 pm Comments Off

 

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan pulls no punches. "EU leaders are economic criminals" who are trying to rush the Greek people in a "total chaos," he said Wednesday, during the presentation of its 37 proposals for the 2012 presidential election. Before adding that Greece is doomed to leave the eurozone such as Spain and Portugal. "The euro is dead and the cumulative recession policies can only lead to disaster."

Based on this observation, the candidate intends sovereigntist "reorient Europe on a sound footing." How? By extirpating the France of the single currency as soon as possible "to move to the euro-franc". And hopefully get it "more flexibility" to allow the French economy and to "restore the competitiveness of our businesses are no longer aligned with a German euro". And for good reason, "the problem of France is not budget, but commercial," he insists. Restore the trade balance through a devaluation of 15 to 20% of the euro-Swiss franc against the euro mark.

Nationally, "the heart of its economic program," it is the financing of public investments by the Bank of France at rates of 0%. Nearly 500 billion euros and will be monetized over five years to reduce debt burdens. "At the end of this exceptional program, there will be more 49 billion of interest charges, but 30", approximately 19 billion of additional revenue to fund "investments for the future."

"Protectionism smart"

The downside, this printing money would generate, according to him, 3% inflation per year in 2013 before declining to 2% thereafter, on the grounds that there will be no private money creation one hour payday loan. Priority will also be given to the massive investment in research and education. "Globalization is the rivalry to conquer the great innovations of tomorrow," he said. With all these measures, the applicant does not intend nothing less than to relocate a million jobs in France.

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan also advocated the establishment of a "smart protectionism" by taxing products that do not respect certain social and environmental bases, while wishing to halve the tax for companies that reinvest their profits on the ground French.

Finally, he lashed out strongly in finance, "this crazy industry ruining Europe", and called for the establishment not of speculation, thanks to the introduction of the Tobin tax should report "21 billion in full years."

"Sarkozy, Bayrou or Holland offer all programs suicidal for Europe". As for Le Pen, it "distributes purchasing power by magic." In other words, the "only true anti-system candidate," it's him. Confident, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan says also that in terms of signatures, it is "very close to the goal."

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Working time: unions say they shorted

February 14, 2012 - 2:16 pm Comments Off

 

Hocus-pocus, coup, betrayal … and Socialist Trade Unions slam in chorus the vote "on the sly," Jan. 31 in the Assembly, a provision that amends the labor law. Section 40 of the bill Warsmann simplification of the law provides that "the establishment of a distribution of hours over a period longer than the week and not more than the year under a collective agreement is not a change in the employment contract. "It aims to extend a 2008 law which allows to modulate the working time per company agreement but requires the approval of each employee. A condition that prevents any modulation in practice.

Alain Vidal, in charge of employment in the Holland team, justified his opposition to this change: "A new organization of work may be incompatible with the family and personal life of each employee." ……. .

"The employee will have no choice but to accept the blackmail against new employment zones and / or pay cut, otherwise the dismissal without recourse," says Bernard Thibault (CGT).

But above all, Jean-Claude Mailly (FO) sees a "gap" to develop competitive employment agreements, while Francois Fillon has given two months to the social partners to negotiate on this idea. "This is a first step in the government's willingness to allow the employer to lower both working time and remuneration without the explicit agreement of the employee," he feared. "It is contradictory that Parliament legislates on an element of negotiation to be open, except to reduce the usefulness of this negotiation," abounds Francois Chereque (CFDT).

Short memory

"This provision only relates to working time arrangements and not contrary to the logic of competitiveness, employment agreements, to the articulation agreement in the same working time, work organization and remuneration", they responded by Xavier Bertrand wrote. The Minister sees no "interference with the negotiation," which starts Friday.

Unions are also far from having discovered this provision on January 31. It had been passed in the same terms, at first reading, the … October 18. So, before Nicolas Sarkozy calls for competitive employment agreements. And social partners had been consulted on the text in September by the Ministry of Labour! The CGT had cried foul but the CFDT held that section would "in the right direction." As for the PS, he had voted in the late 1990s, laws in 35 hours, a provision that an agreement down-modulating working time would be required for each employee.

"No organization has raised the subject during the preparatory meetings at the Social Summit, nor subsequent discussions on competitiveness employment agreements," says Xavier Bertrand. "We had forgotten," says a trade unionist. The text should be considered on second reading in the Senate next Monday, and then finally adopted by the deputies on Feb. 29.

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"The social partners will discuss working hours

November 19, 2011 - 1:08 am Comments Off

Large deviation from the European Central Bank. Mario Draghi, warned on Friday that a central bank "may quickly lose credibility" and that "it would have a huge economic and social costs." It refers to market demand and France, reject, would be for the ECB buys massive state debt to halt the rise in interest rates in the euro zone and end to the crisis. A policy that the institution refuses to take on behalf of his economic principles.

"Our credibility implies the success of our monetary policy to anchor inflation expectations in the medium and long term (…) to sustain growth, job creation and financial stability. And we make this contribution in full independence, "insisted Mario Draghi.

Ceiling of 20 billion euros

So much so that they would even be subject to a weekly maximum of 20 billion euros, reports the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. This limit, which apparently exists since the beginning of these operations, in 2010, was set recently in this new threshold, the newspaper said.

The ECB acts only waiting for the States to establish their own anti-crisis mechanism, the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), Mario Draghi repeated on Friday. Four weeks ago, European leaders decided to increase the powers so he could buy the debt of state. But these reforms are still not operational. "Where are we in the implementation of these decisions? questioned the President of the ECB.

Wall Street expected to rise before the EU summit

October 26, 2011 - 7:12 pm Comments Off

The trust is expected to dominate the opening of Wall Street on Wednesday. After closing in the red yesterday, the Dow Jones dropping 1.74% to 11,913.62 points, Wall Street is expected to rebound Wednesday. Future contracts are indeed higher state of around 0.50% on the main index at the opening. Once again, U.S. investors have their eyes on the Old Continent, where an EU summit must deliver in the evening a plan to end the debt crisis in the euro area. With four objectives: helping Greece to boost the capacity of the EFSF, recapitalize banks and improve governance.

This battery is able to prevent contagion of the crisis, while fears now focus on Italy.And even if the prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, seems to have succeeded in extremis to persuade its ally the Northern League to accept a pension reform demanded by its European partners in exchange for their solidarity. Thus, the Heads of State and Government of the euro area may call Wednesday the European Central Bank (ECB) to continue its purchases of bonds to support Italy and Spain, according to a draft of their summit conclusions which Germany said, however, disagree for now.

Oil prices down

In fact, German Chancellor Angela Merkel for now ensures that no scenario involving the European Central Bank (ECB) to strengthen the rescue mechanism, the European Stability is the agenda of the summit Payday advance.

On the macroeconomic front, the durable goods orders will be published early in the afternoon.Follow the new home sales in September and weekly crude oil stocks.

As for commodities, oil prices are falling: a barrel of "light sweet crude" for December delivery ceded 0.61% to 92.60 dollars. For its part, the euro appears to balance against the U.S. dollar, rising 0.08% to 1.3921 dollars.

Values ​​to follow:

• Lockheed Martin has seen its profits grow by 25% in the third quarter to $ 700 million. The group also raised its targets for 2011.

• Ford: U.S. carmaker Ford on Wednesday released a profit for the third quarter down 2% but slightly above expectations, together with a turnover up 14%. The Group posted a profit of $ 1.65 billion.Based on the number of shares and excluding exceptional items, it amounted to 46 cents a share, where analysts had forecast 45 cents.

• Boeing released on Wednesday a net profit up 31% to $ 1.1 billion for the third quarter, exceeding expectations, but it has revised down its forecast for commercial deliveries for the year.

• ConocoPhillips is required to publish at the beginning of the afternoon's results for the third quarter.

The Paris Bourse resists closure

October 25, 2011 - 5:20 am Comments Off

The hope prevailed on Monday in the Paris Bourse. After the meeting of eurozone leaders in Brussels on the CAC 40 closed up 1.55% to 3220.46 points in a modest trading volume of just over 2.5 billion euros. In its wake, London ends up 1.08% and 1.41% in Frankfurt. In New York, the indices were also well directed, the Dow gaining 0.82% and the Nasdaq more than 2% mid-term.

Regarding the debt crisis, the hope seems to come on the market. EU leaders agreed to increase the firepower of the European bailout fund (EFSF), to recapitalize banks and erase part of the Greek debt. On this point, the euro area is "relatively close" to an agreement with private creditors. European states are now seeking 50 to 60% of discount.The details of this comprehensive agreement should be announced Wednesday, after a summit. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the situation remains "very complex" but that "negotiations are progressing. A consensus is emerging, "he said.

First question, Greek banks have reacted badly to the news. Some securities industry lost more than 20% of their value on the Athens Stock Exchange. It has also closed down 4.51%.

Caution

In Paris, investors have decided to extend the rally started vendredi.Cet optimism was tempered, however, by indicators in the euro area and France who fear a recession. The publication of the PMI in October in the euro area showed an increased risk of recession. Contraction accelerated to $ 47.2, against 49.1 in September.These indicators are reminders of the fragility of the European economy and the urgent need to halt the crisis.

Highly vulnerable to swings in investor sentiment, banking stocks have evolved sawtooth. Societe Generale has finally closed up 4.11% to 19.75 euros, Credit Agricole gained 2.77% to 4.97 euros and BNP Paribas climbed 0.69% to 32 euros.

Renault, which goes like rival PSA Peugeot Citroen, use measures of short to deal with a slowdown in demand, has closed up 2.83% to 28.30 euros. Air France-KLM has won his side 2.20% to 5.75 euros, while the new management group has given priority to "react to the emergence of new competitors, especially low-cost airlines," said the boss of the group, Jean-Cyril Spinetta.Icade, despite the publication of a revenue increase of 11% in the first nine months of 2011, ended down 1.08% to 64.30 euros.

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Wall Street should remain febrile

October 21, 2011 - 10:40 pm Comments Off

The future of Standard Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 predict a small increase in opening of U.S. stock markets on Friday. Thursday already, the New York Stock Exchange ended without direction.

U.S. investors, like their counterparts in Europe and Asia, should be particularly attentive to the development of the debt crisis in the eurozone. They should avoid taking risks when to begin a crucial summit on the debt crisis this weekend. Paris and Berlin have announced that Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel would speak well Saturday in Brussels to prepare an "ambitious and comprehensive response" to the crisis. Concrete measures will be considered Sunday to be adopted during a second peak "no later than Wednesday."

Discussions will focus on how to increase the capacity of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), but also on the rescue of Greece.Meanwhile, in Greece, the anti-austerity continues. A new law has been de rigueur in the Greek Parliament voted Thursday.

Summit high risk in Europe

For many observers, however, profound differences remain between France and Germany. "There is no joint proposal" European at the moment, has acknowledged Thursday the German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble. For his part, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso called on Europeans to "compromise" to reach decisions "resolved" and "immediate."

Another failure might further undermine investor confidence in the ability of Europeans to fight effectively against the debt crisis.They would now have a highly sensitive situation at the G20 to be held in early November.

Pressure rating agencies

Rating agencies are increasing the pressure on the euro area. After Moody's, S & P raised doubts about the AAA rating of the long-term debt of France. The agency suggests a probable degradation of notes France, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Portugal according to economic conditions no fax pay day loan.

On the macroeconomic front there is no any major indicator on the agenda of U.S. investors on Monday.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro retreated slightly to 1.3741 dollars against 1.3772 dollars on Thursday night. Oil prices were, themselves, up in the wake of the announcement of the disappearance of the former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.The barrel of "light sweet crude" for December delivery gained 71 cents to 86.78 dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange while in London, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for December delivery was appreciating eight cents to 109.84 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).

Earnings up for Microsoft

The side of values, after the close, Microsoft released the first quarter, revenues of $ 17.4 billion, up 7% year on year. Net income reached 5.74 billion, up 6%, while earnings per share rose 10% to $ 0.68.

Sandisk has reported a turnover in the third quarter of $ 1.4 billion, up 15% year on year.Earnings per share were $ 0.96 against $ 1.34 last year.

Altera has recorded sales of 522.5 million dollars in the third quarter, down 1% year on year and down 2% from the previous quarter.

Capital One Financial has released the third quarter net income of $ 813 million against 803 million last year and 911 million in the second quarter.

Chubb Corp in the third quarter earnings per share of $ 1.04 against $ 1.8 last year.For the full year, the U.S. insurer expects operating earnings per share of 5.1 to 5.2 against the dollar from 5.55 to 5.85 dollars in a previous estimate.

Note also, from Monday, October 24, the company Groupon, which specializes in online distribution of discount coupons for shopping in local markets, should do its IPO on the basis of a valuation from October to December billion. However, it is far from the capitalization of 15 to 20 billion, of which Andrew Mason, founder of the company was still dreaming in June.

Good accounts of the Socialist primary

October 10, 2011 - 2:40 pm Comments Off

The influx of voters on the Socialist primary this Sunday will reduce the cost of the operation. In fact, a minimum contribution of one euro was requested to the voters to fund the organization of the election. Thus, in addition to a successful democratic movement of the two and a half million participants in the election allows the party to reduce the bill of 2.5 million euros at least. In an interview with L'Express. Fr, Régis Juanico, the treasurer of the PS, acknowledged recently that "often, voters give more," the gifts of up to 150 euros.

Voter participation could offset the overall cost of the operation, however, revised upwards. The latest estimates by the Socialist Party reported a budget of 3.5 million euros, against 1.5 million originally planned.In an interview with Journal du Dimanche, the spokesman of the High Authority of the primary, the lawyer Jean-Pierre Mignard estimated that this cost is related primarily to "the need to recover a significant number of voters who were in the wrong format. "

Moreover, strengthening the means of control is more weighed on the invoice. In particular, the PS did not foresee the rental digital pens to prevent fraud. The cost would reach 300,000 euros guaranteed pay day loans. Similarly, the recruitment of many bailiffs should have a significant cost, recognized Jean-Pierre Mignard.

Elected officials and activists in support of the campaign budget

In addition, the campaign paid envelope to each candidate was revised upwards just before the campaign. Thus, each participant had € 50,000 instead of 30,000.A total re-evaluated to finance new travel and meetings and printing of new leaflets.

But the two favorites polls, Francois Hollande who collected 39% of the vote to Martine Aubry (31%) did not hesitate to seek their support, politicians and activists, to finance their campaigns. In the end, the campaign of François Hollande should cost 250,000 euros to 200,000 euros against Martine Aubry. The deputy director of the campaign Arnaud Montebourg, John Palacin, recently reported that the campaign Arnaud Montebourg cost nearly 100,000 euros, funded in part by the militants.

Only the winner of the primary campaigns will have their accounts credited to the budget allocated to the presidential campaign.

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Wall Street continues to accelerate

October 7, 2011 - 8:48 am Comments Off

Wall Street earnings increases, on Thursday. After opening slightly higher, U.S. financial markets now earn more than 1%: the Dow is 1.16% to 11,066.34 points, the Nasdaq rose 1.44% to 2496.01 points and the S & P 500 gaining 1.36% to 1159.59 points.

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

Caution before the employment figures

Investors in Europe and the United States should however be cautious before several major macroeconomic deadlines.On Thursday, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday to maintain its 1.50% interest rate, reference the cost of credit in the euro zone, despite the sharp deterioration in the economic and financial crisis.

Investor caution should also be strengthened by the expectation of official figures of employment for the month of September in the United States to be published Friday. Meanwhile, new jobless claims are slightly lift the United States during the last week of September, according to figures released Thursday by the Washington Department of Labor.The Ministry has identified the deposit of 401,000 applications for unemployment benefits in the country from September 25 to October 1, adjusted for seasonal variations, or 1.5% over the previous week, which is consistent with the estimate of analysts.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro reached 1 bad credit pay day loans.3331 dollars. A barrel of crude is trading at 102.38 dollars for Brent North Sea and 79.50 dollars for U.S. crude.The ounce of gold is trading in 1644 dollars.

Investors will have their eyes on Apple and Yahoo

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

• Apple (-0.39% to 376.77 dollars) will remain particularly observed after the announcement of the demise of the group's founder Steve Jobs.

• Yahoo (-4.60% to 15.19 dollars) is the subject of new rumors of a possible bid from U.S. computer giant Microsoft, which had already in 2008 attempted to seize the group's internet America.

• Hewlett-Packard (0.41% to 23.96 dollars) should not make further major acquisitions in the software after the acquisition of Autonomy, according to statement from the group's new boss Meg Whitman cited by Reuters.

• Boeing (0.25% to 60.11 dollars) has received an order for one.$ 1 billion from Ethiopian Airlines for four Boeing 777 freighters.

• Gilead Sciences (-0.03% to 39.14 dollars) has obtained a license agreement Boehringer Ingelheim for the exclusive rights to research, development and commercialization of an anti-integrase for the treatment of HIV.

• Marriott International (2.02% to 28.75 dollars) issued for the third quarter, earnings per share of $ 0.29, up 32% year on year. Turnover was 2.9 billion dollars against 2.6 billion last year. The revenue per available room key indicator in the hotel sector grew by 8.7% on a comparable basis, while prices rose by 5.3%.