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White smoke comes not yet held Monday in Brussels, where a decisive meeting of the Eurogroup on Greece. It comes from the Italian Presidency in Rome, and the headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

After a phone conversation with Angela Merkel and Prime Minister of Greece Lucas Papademos, Friday, Mario Monti issued a statement encouraging: "At the end of this conversation, which came in the details and which was conducted in a constructive spirit, three participants were confident that an agreement on Greece can be reached Monday, the Eurogroup. "

So far, mistrust prevailed. Especially since the previous Eurogroup, on Greece, was canceled Wednesday. "This time, an agreement is likely," said Jean Pisani-Ferry, director of the Bruegel think-tank in Brussels. "Otherwise it's too late, there will master more technical details …", he adds.

The challenge of this size Eurogroup is: give Greece its private creditors and the green light to launch the second bailout of Greece, estimated at 130 billion euros, to avoid a default in Greek debt falls from 14.5 billion euros on March 20.

That Greece is committed to the reforms demanded by the troika, beyond the April elections, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands had planned mid-week to split the bailout to not pay, firstly, that the sum needed to rescue private, or 30 billion euros. 

Exchange of debt

But this scenario is complicated, difficult to read for the markets, has been criticized by the IMF and European lawyers, who see it as a source of additional blocking with private creditors, asked to relinquish 70% of the value of their securities. "This option is no longer on the table," said Deputy German Finance Minister, Thomas Steffen. "We are ready to have a solid basis for a decision Monday," says the German Finance Ministry in Berlin.

The European Central Bank has brought his stone to an eventual agreement. Its chairman, Mario Draghi, submitted Thursday night, the vote of the Governors, the exchange of 50 billion euros of Greek bonds, which should allow eventually to redistribute 12 billion euros to Greece, which allocated to debt repayment countries. For its part, the IMF would be willing to contribute to the new rescue plan by a loan of 13 billion euros, reported last night the Wall Street Journal on its website.

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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 streets of Athens rose up against Angela Merkel and "diktat" German, which inflict a further course of rigor drastic to Greece. The criticism comes from all sides against the "iron chancellor" whose bitter potions would compress the growth throughout Europe. But his hand does not tremble. Sunday, hours before the vote of the Greek Parliament, Berlin has again raised the pressure to impose its will.

"The promises of Greece are no longer sufficient for us," warned Wolfgang Schäuble, Minister of Finance, pillar of the German government, in an interview with Welt am Sonntag. "It's important to say that it can be a bottomless pit. That is why the Greeks will finally have to clog the well. Then we can put something. At least people are now beginning to realize that it will not work with a bottomless pit. "Like many of his partner, Judge Berlin that the commitments of Athens are too often gone unheeded and demanded the immediate implementation of new austerity measures.

Stir in the coalition

Deemed the most pro-European member of the Government of the Rhine, Schäuble judge the rescue of Greece even more difficult than the reunification of Germany … The cost of the upgrading of the former GDR is estimated at 1,000 billion euros. Citing polls, he stressed that the Germans are largely in favor of an international aid to Greece. "We are pleased to offer our assistance, but we should not give others the impression that they have not done enough. Each state is responsible for itself, "he says. "Greece must do its homework to become competitive, it requires a new rescue plan or some other way that we do not want to take."

The German finance minister and openly discusses the assumption of an outflow of Greece in the euro area. "Everything is in the hands of the Greeks themselves. But even in that event, on which no table, they remain an integral part of Europe ", said Schäuble. The warning from the Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, is even blunter: "If Athens lays groundwork for sustainable, then Greece can count on our help. But only in this way. Only actions count. "

The Greek crisis causes a stir in the center-right coalition of Angela Merkel. Chancellor, who had raised that possibility in December 2011, now excludes any output of Greece in the euro area. According to his spokesman, there is no alternative to restoring the solvency of Greece. And an output of the eurozone countries would not be in the interest of Germany. According to German media, Merkel would have been convinced by the French president that such a scenario would expose the entire euro area markets virulent attacks. And it opposes several of his ministers on this issue.

However, a new aid plan for Greece, which contribute Berlin, will be voted on by the Bundestag on 27 February. If Athens does not concede quantifiable efforts by then, a new political showdown looms on the lower house of German parliament. Because, for Germany, solidarity also commits those who promise to respect the common rules of operation.

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From our correspondent in London.

Welcome to the UK! Passengers arriving today in the country's airports may have to wait until noon to cross the border, prevent the authorities, because of a strike of public service followed by immigration officials. In an attempt to avoid chaos, the government has asked airlines to cancel or divert flights. For several days, in the form of disaster volunteers and employees of departments of the military at passport control to take over the strikers.

The strike of civil servants to the call of 30 trade unions against the pension reform is already billed as the largest since the 1970s. More than 2 million people could stop work and attend one of the 1000 events in the country. Nine out of ten schools should remain closed payday lenders.Thousands of canceled operations in the hospital for lack of nurses. Garbage will not be collected. After a day walkout in June to the call of four unions, today is the biggest challenge faced by David Cameron since he arrived in Downing Street there eighteen months.

The Prime Minister described the strike as "irresponsible." "I call, even at the last minute, the union leaders to give it up. This does not solve anything and it's going to hurt our economy, "said Cameron, whose government Tuesday announced measures to counter the worsening crisis. After months of fruitless negotiations, the unions are protesting against pension reform officials that provides increased contributions and lower pensions.

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.

It is a strange fate that women's football. Originally included in the most prestigious prizes for men and hopes, the TV rights specialists on women's football is becoming the subject of a separate market. Direct 8, the DTT channel created by the Bolloré Group and is currently being acquired by Canal +, made the nice observation. "In 2007, Yannick Bolloré has decided to change our schedule to that of a general channel, explains Thierry Cheleman, Director of Sports Direct 8. Implying sports programs. " Although too small to address the sporting rights of the men's national team, then put Direct 8 on the lower category. "At the time, the French Football Federation (FFF) launched a tender for the national championship and hopes, the director continues.This lot also included the TV rights of the Women's Team France until 2014, for which we are therefore committed to broadcast three games a year. "

Public expectations for the beautiful game

Bingo. More than blueberries (or hopes), the girls create the surprise sport in 2009 and 2010 during the qualifying matches in the Women's World Cup 2011. Helping performance, each game attracts between 300,000 and 400,000 viewers on TNT channel, reaching over 700,000 fans August 25, 2009, for the first prime-time (France / Serbia).

Rebelote in 2011. Building on this success for the Hearing, Direct 8 means in effect in 2010 with Eurosport, a subsidiary of TF1, the rights of the Women's World Cup 2011, acquired at the same time as the Men's World Cup 2010. Coproducts and codiffusés by both channels, games are a success hearings.Especially since the disappointment surrounding the men's team at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 frustrated football fans. "After the episode of Knysna, there was a latent expectation of the French for the beautiful game and a fighting team, Fabrice Lorvo analysis, a sports marketing specialist at FTPA. The public was ready to ignite their national team. The spark, it is the girls who brought them. "

To date, the semi-final France / USA Women's World Cup represents the historical record of the chain … and all channels TNT (2.43 million viewers, 17.4% audience share). Normally, the average audience of Direct 8 between 2 and 2.5% market share. Since then, the magic continues.Since the start of the qualifying matches for Euro 2013 Blue to seduce between 720,000 and 940,000 fans.

The appetite of the major broadcasters would raise prices

Given this popularity, the chain does not stop there, and is now attacking the European and national. "If a French club in 2012 reached the final of the Champions League Women, we might be candidates to UEFA to broadcast the match," said Thierry Cheleman. Last year, the epic European Lyonnaises, who had won the competition against Potsdam, had already resulted in an audience of 1.2 million viewers (4.9% market share), peaking 1.9 million. Meanwhile, the management of Direct 8 has made an offer to FFF for TV rights of the first women's division (D1) over the period 2012-2014.Insufficient supply, Eurosport and France Television has won the set in August.

It is the flip side: the structuring of the market for women's football TV rights could eventually crowd out smaller players. "For the TV rights are the subject of a market requires that the images are produced and disseminated. Two years ago, it was not the case for women's football. Direct 8 that produces the games itself, has allowed the emergence of women's football on television in the clear, "Fabrice Lorvo analysis. On average, the chain said spend between 40,000 and 50,000 euros per game. The emergence of such a market whets the appetites and proposals for new broadcasters.

For the giants of the sport are Eurosport and Canal + could well participate in the cost inflation of rights, if performance women are superior to those of men.Inflation that is already seeing Thierry Cheleman, even if they are about 100 times lower than those of men. From this point of view, the acquisition by the pay channel Direct 8 could be an asset, "even if it is too early to draw clear ambitions to Canal + for Direct 8 on women's football," he concludes .

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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.

From our correspondent in Beijing

It became the big hot topic on the Chinese Internet to the desktop as local leaders. The distress of Chinese SMEs in need of cash is in China proportions "hysterical", according to press reports in Hong Kong. To the point that the government has announced a package of measures to help them and calm the unrest.

The crisis of Chinese SMEs is symbolized by the incredible epidemic of bankruptcies in the city of Wenzhou, in the heart of the exporting province of Zhejiang. The Chinese press said Thursday that since the beginning of the year, more than 200 patrons had fled or hid after their coffers have dried up. Others have committed suicide. Some 20% of the 360,000 SMEs in the region have already had to close shop for lack of money.And the situation will get worse in January, when the Chinese New Year, traditionally the time when patrons enjoy a vacation to disappear without paying their employees. According to the New China News Agency, SMEs create around 80% of jobs in the country.

The State Council (Chinese government) has subsequently announced Tuesday a series of measures, financial and tax to help small and medium enterprises. The first is to facilitate access to credit. To do so, against the current of their policy, the authorities will allow the minimum reserve ratios "comparatively low" for local banks lending to SMEs, while this ratio was usually around 21% for large banks. Moreover, these small businesses can more easily borrow by issuing bonds. The other part is to exempt SMEs from a battery of taxes and charges.Banks are also prohibited from charging their services at prices "unreasonable."

"Informal Credit"

Wenzhou has become a symbol for it is the Chinese capital of the "informal credit". Private reserves by banks, which prefer to grant loans to large corporations, small businesses are strangled. They have no recourse but to turn to private security companies that have developed lending. The rates are incredibly high, ranging from 20% to over 100% … Some analysts believe that the share of informal loans may exceed 25% of total credit in the country. Credit Suisse has estimated that black market credit of 456 billion euros, with an increase of 50% per year.

Chief economist at the Development Research Centre of the State Council, Zhang Wenkui believes that the latest measures only bring temporary relief.And nothing will change until the banking sector do not be reformed, by offering different services to different types of customers. He has a vivid picture to describe the current situation: "It's like an irrigation system with water that would go to large trees and ignore all the shrubs." The problem is that in the short Beijing term can not open the floodgates too, failing to challenge its efforts to the credit crunch.

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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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The French fans of smartphones! According to research firm IDC, sales of smart phones are expected to reach 4 billion euros at the end of 2011, an increase of 33%. This represents the sale of approximately 12 million terminal. "This increase meets the mobility needs of consumers," decrypts Kirk Campbell, IDC's boss. A need that was not lost on retailers. All signs, or almost, now have their mobile applications.

In the wake of its competitors Auchan and Carrefour, the Casino Group has launched its application "mCasino" in October 2010.According to Stéphane Bout, director of information systems group, the mobile phone has become an essential marketing tool for the retail sector.

Lefigaro.fr: How the rise of smartphones he changed consumer behavior?

Stéphane Tip: Even with the Internet, the nature of the relationship between the customer and the brand has been transformed. This relationship is a continuation and leaves the perimeter of the store. This is especially true today with smartphones. Consumers are connected, exchanged opinions on products, inform in real time. The application mCasino, which works with the iPhone and Android, which is also available on the iPad tablet, was developed to make their lives easier, but also to ensure continuity of services that we offer.This launch is a logical extension of our innovation strategy that relies on the use of all electronic media: Internet, kiosks in stores, scannettes and of course mobile phones.

Stéphane Bout, director of information systems of Groupe Casino. Credit: DR.