World Articles

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%.

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.

ALSO READ:

"Eric Besson:" Nuclear power, a choice of reason "

"Nuclear power: the Parliament points out the weaknesses French

"" The nuclear power plant safety is not negotiable "

"SPECIAL: Japan devastated

From our correspondent in London

Despite a series of desperate measures taken last month to try to save the company, Southern Cross, the largest group of nursing homes in Britain, will have to end its activities. The company is in a position of near bankruptcy and will have to transfer all of the 752 homes it had to other management structures. Agreements are already being negotiated for a third of them. The listing of the group Southern Cross was suspended Monday for the London Stock Exchange.

An announcement has angered unions and associations for the protection of older people, worried about the future of 31,000 residents and 43,000 employees of the group.The bankruptcy of a private operator managed by investment funds of the City is also very bad news for the government to David Cameron, the reform of public health plans to provide a much greater role to the private sector.

Southern Cross tried last month to set up a restructuring plan which included the sale of hundreds of homes and the deferred payment of a quarter of rents for 752 homes, but these efforts have not been sufficient.

The magnitude of the crisis had forced the Prime Minister to take a stand last month. David Cameron was first started by saying that the state did not intervene in a private matter, but ended promise that he would do everything to ensure the situation of pensioners affected.A spokesman for Downing Street said Monday that no retiree "does homeless" because "there are currently about 50,000 places in the country" in nursing homes.

Reduced spending

The fate of Southern Cross also challenges the rapid privatization of the medical sector and assistance for the elderly in Britain for twenty years, a trend initiated by the Conservatives but pursued by Tony Blair. More than two thirds of homes in the country, many of which provide a public service, are now managed by private companies. The quality of their service is also criticism since private retirement residence with seven scored "poor" or "inadequate" in the inspections, said the Financial Times.

The cause of the collapse of Southern Cross is quite simple.The group had signed leases with annual increases of 2.5% guarantees but finds himself in is at odds because its major customers, municipalities and communities, reduce average spending of welfare benefits by 10% year, due to the combined effects of losses due to bad investments during the financial crisis and the massive budget reduction plan launched by the government Cameron.

This is the unfortunate consequence of a strategy set up by Blackstone, the investment fund that took control of the group in 2004. The fund wanted to increase the financial profitability of the group by selling its stock of homes, at a time when the UK property market was in a bubble.

Panic blew the oil markets on Thursday. On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in August finished at 91.02 dollars, down 4.39 dollars compared to the previous day. In London, the IntercontinentalExchange, the price of Brent North Sea with identical maturity tumbled 6.81 dollars even at 107.40 dollars to 21 hours.

In New York, the courts have even touched 89.69 dollars in session, their lowest level since Feb. 21. In London, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for August delivery fell to 105.72 dollars, its lowest level since May 6

The backlash follows the decision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA) to use its strategic reserves to bring to market 60 million barrels of oil. The idea is to compensate for the cessation of Libyan exports.According to the Agency, the events in Libya have deprived the market in late May of 132 million barrels of crude oil and "the further tightening of the oil market" resulting "risk of jeopardizing the fragile global economic recovery," says a statement.

The United States is "ready to do more if necessary"

Specifically, the 28 member countries of the IEA will release market two million barrels per day over a period of thirty days. A level which could be reviewed according to changing circumstances.

The United States will participate in this effort up to 50%, 30% for European countries and Asian countries for 20%, explained the executive director of the IEA, Nobuo Tanaka. The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed that it would draw 30 million barrels in reserves, currently at a "historically high" of 727 million barrels."The United States is prepared to do more if necessary to address this problem," the same official said on condition of anonymity, noting that an evaluation of current measures would be carried out after a month.

For his part, "France will contribute in proportion to its consumption, or 3.2 million barrels, equivalent to about 2% of French strategic stocks," said in another statement the Minister of Energy Eric Besson .

Surprise

For investors, this intervention is a real surprise. "It was mentioned last week in the markets but it was not included in the exchange, said an analyst at Saxo Bank personal loans for people with bad credit. No one expected that such action is taken now, it's very rare, "he adds.This is actually the third time in the history of the IEA, created after the 1973 oil crisis, that such action is taken. The members of the organization had already put to their stockpiles after the invasion of Kuwait and Iraq in 1990 after Hurricane Katrina that struck the United States in 2005.

This exceptional measure of the IEA should have the effect of increasing the available supply in the markets. It comes after the announcement Wednesday by U.S. Agency for Energy Information, a stronger-than-expected weekly oil stocks. "The IEA seeks to defuse the situation to avoid a price rise when the summer travel season approaches," says one at Saxo Bank. This announcement also appears as a response of industrialized countries to the failure of the meeting of OPEC countries in Vienna on June 8.The latter had failed to agree on an increase in their production quotas to slow the rise in prices.

Morose context

The announcement of the IEA is also grafted to a more worrisome macroeconomic environment for the oil markets. The U.S. central bank lowered its growth forecast Wednesday for the United States, she sees now under 3% for 2011 and increased its forecast for unemployment. Thursday, the idea of ​​a slowdown of the U.S. economy was confirmed with the announcement of an unexpected rise in jobless claims last week in the leading consumer of oil. In China also, the index of HSBC measuring manufacturing activity fell in June to its lowest level in eleven months.

"Wherever you look, it appears that growth is slowing," summed up Phil Flynn of PFG Best."This bodes ill for energy demand: this suggests that the measures taken by the Chinese government to slow the economy may be working too well, especially in a slowing U.S. economy and difficulties in the euro area "he added. In this atmosphere, "if there is a rebound, it will not be exceptional. It should not exceed 100 dollars. But instead we see prices stabilize at 90-95 dollars, "warns Saxo Bank.

ALSO READ:

"Why the drop in oil is reflected at the pump hurt

Rome will soon respond to the warning of the rating agency Standard & Poor's. After that it has threatened Friday night to degrade the note from the Italian debt, the government hinted Monday that he would introduce an austerity plan 35 to 40 billion euros in June, the agency Reuters quoted a government source. If you believe the latter, the date of submission of the measure was advanced to make "a signal to markets", namely that Italy holds the cords securely in its budget.

The Berlusconi government, weakened by recent electoral setbacks, has sought to defy Standard & Poor's. The latter said Friday that, "according to [his] point of view, the current growth prospects for Italy are low, and political commitment to reforms improving productivity seems faulty."Accordingly, the agency changed its outlook on the rating of Italy from stable to negative. There is one chance in three that this warning is followed by a deterioration in the Italian note, currently located at "A +", the 5th best possible. Italy is still far notches -6-category called "speculative".

Low growth

In response, the cost of insuring against a default of the Italian debt, very sensitive thermometer of the market sentiment has surged 15 points Monday, to 176 basis points. "Italy is in the viewfinder of the rating because its growth was disappointing," says Jean-Francois Robin, strategist at Natixis. In the first quarter, the economy has virtually stalled, its gross domestic product (GDP) grew by only 0.1% against 0.8% in Greece, or +1% in France.Italian growth was the lowest in the euro area between 2001 and 2010, also said Monday the National Institute of Statistics of Italy, Istat.

So far, Italy has escaped the wrath of the markets. Its deficit was limited to 4.5% in 2010, one of the lowest in the euro area. "The Italian deficit is supplied mainly by the debt service, which reaches 119% of its GDP," said Jean-Francois Robin. "This level can not satisfy the government, it must still reduce its deficit." Rome wants to reduce the gap between revenue and expenditure to 3% of GDP in 2012 and reach equilibrium in 2014.

Standard & Poor's is the only agency to express reservations about the trajectory of Italian public finances.Her colleague Fitch said Monday morning that Rome had been better than expected its 2010 goals and the country is on track to achieve those he has set for 2011. Moody's has for its part, reiterated that it has no plans to lower the Italian touch.

The ousted leader of the Michelin and Danone takes top spot in 2011 salaries of bosses Cac 40 prepared by Les Echos. Michel Rollier has received compensation of 4.5 million euros for 2010. Frank Riboud, head of Danone, he pocketed 4.4 million euros last year and takes the second spot on the podium, followed by the CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, who won 3.9 million euros in total compensation. In total, the Cac 40 bosses have affected more than 98.3 million euros in compensation. The average CEO salaries Cac 40 amounted to 2.46 million per officer, up 24% compared to 2009.

The first of the three managers sponsored by Michelin also holds the record for pay increases: salary soared 505%.This increase is directly related to the rise of the findings of Michel Rollier as not receiving a fixed salary but only secured a bonus based on the results of the giant tires.

This peculiarity makes his annual compensation very volatile from one year to another, as in the previous ranking, published in 2010 and based on total compensation patterns in 2009, the envelope of Michel Rollier displayed in downturn 303% compared to the one he had seen in 2008. He then pocketed 743,000 euros, which was then the lowest pay of executives within the Cac 40. This end up filing returns this year to the CEO of STMicroelectronics, Carlo Bozotti, with 903,000 euros.Penultimate winners of 2011, the CEO of Renault shows a total compensation of 1.2 million, unchanged from last year: Carlos Ghosn has in fact waived his variable compensation following the fiasco caused by the false case of espionage.

ALSO READ:

"Fukushima: Tepco down wages for repair

The law on the reorganization of the electricity market is now back on track. Tuesday morning, confirming the information of Figaro, Eric Besson, Minister of Energy, said the sale price of the EDF nuclear power to its competitors would rise to 40 euros per megawatt hour as of July 1 next, then 42 euro from 1 January 2012.This device, designed to boost competition in France will be considered in a fortnight by the Regulatory Commission (CRE), which must render a reasoned opinion.

Meanwhile, the government clearly adjudicated in favor of electrical lights: it was still estimated at 42 euros per MWh the full cost of nuclear power (operation, maintenance, future investments …), while its competitors, GDF Suez head, had set the bar at 35 euros, in line with the current regulated rates.

The reaction of GDF Suez has been immediate. The other French energy giant said that "this election will penalize customers who will experience increases for electricity prices." Convergence expected by 2015 between regulated tariffs and prices Arenh (restricted to nuclear power history) will increase mechanics first.The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir dread even price shock, "a rumor, according to Eric Besson, which I would like to help twist the fact."

Also in the eyes of GDF Suez, the high level of Arenh prevent the establishment of effective competition in electricity supply in France no fax payday loans. In these circumstances, the group will study the consequences of that decision and the possible ways to overcome the narrowness of the market opening in the short term induced by the choices of government. "

Another competing operator EDF, Direct Energy (which serves over 600,000 clients), however, shows less severe. Its president, Xavier Caitucoli welcomes first that law enforcement has not been postponed, as had been discussed earlier this month. "After several years the French market was locked, the start of the competition has really come.At 42 euros, it is possible for a competitive operator, although it will be difficult, "he says.

Seasonality

Xavier Caitucoli, it should also not focus too much on the price of Arenh: "The product is also very important and the fact that the volumes of energy vary according to seasonality will make it attractive." Sub- understood: in winter, when electricity prices are very high on the wholesale market, Direct Energy will be able to provide through Arenh on much more interesting.

In this issue, which collects opinions shared, all players meet at least the fact that the accident Fukushima weighed a heavy weight."Somehow, the government has anticipated that the audit of EDF plants could lead to huge additional costs of maintenance and needed to be reflected in the selling price of electricity."

Better late than never. Google announced Wednesday the launch of a button "+ 1" which will allow users to "recommend simply content directly from the page of search results." It draws directly from the button "Like" launched by Facebook a year ago. Like the latter, and the button "tweet" for Twitter launched in summer 2010, Google also hopes to have his button "+ 1" on third party sites, eventually.

This button will allow users with accounts to appear in Google search results online links that were approved by members of their entourage who are on Gmail, iGoogle, Orkut and others. It will be deployed initially on the English content.

"We expect that these annotations personalized help sites stand out by showing users which search results are relevant to them personally payday loans for self employed.Therefore, the '+ 1' will increase both the quantity and quality of traffic to sites that matter to users, "Google said on its official blog.

By distilling and a layer of human recommendation in its search engine, Google hopes to be back in the race against social networking sites like Facebook who scored points in both uses of the users that the advertising market. But his previous experiences in the Social Web – Google Wave Buzz, Orkut – have not been conclusive.

ALSO READ:

"The French sites include Facebook

Even Eric Besson went there for his comment: "The industrial morale improved in March (…), reaching its highest level since late 2007, welcomed on Thursday the Minister of Industry, who "production prospects point to a growth above the long-term average." He rarely says Bercy indicators as technical as those on the industrial morale.

But figures published by INSEE actually quite surprising: despite the crisis of the euro, the earthquake in Japan and soaring oil prices consecutive revolutions in Arab countries, the French industrial morale was set at 109 points this month, 3 percentage points higher than February. A trend confirmed by the publication, in the wake of the PMI purchasing managers, stood at 56.6 points, up significantly, too, compared to February.

After a blip in the third quarter of 2010, both of these indicators are returned to levels close to their highs. Levels consistent, according to analyst firm Markit, which produces the PMI, "with growth of 0.7% in the first quarter, or more, possibly around 0.9%. "The French economy seems to have ended the first quarter on a not particularly fast," said Chris Williamson, economist at Markit.In detail, new orders sent to the industrial and service companies are growing at their fastest pace since September 2000.

"Positive Outlook"

France is no exception: "The global industrial production continues to grow and in January it exceeded by nearly 4% above its early 2008 high point observed, within the Group of Industrial Federations (GFI) and WCC Rexecode in their memorandum of industrial economic spring cash advance now. If production is still lagging behind its pre-crisis levels in Europe, especially France, but the gap is expected to reverse in the coming months.

"The investment industry could rebound 14% in 2011," predicts WCC Rexecode.Especially as the financial capacity of companies have improved overall, as evidenced by the low percentage (11%) of industrial enterprises face today acknowledging cash flow problems. They were 25% in this case at the height of the crisis. Overall, "the intensity of the recovery in France is comparable to that of American industry, but less strong than in Germany," says Peter Gattaz, president of GFI, who said "this positive outlook should be accompanied a stabilization of industrial employment. " In fact, with 3.56 million employees identified by WCC Rexecode late 2010, the industrial workforce grew 0.2% last year.

An encouraging sign, although since its highs in late 2000 (4.4 million jobs) sector has been hit hard.All these signs bode well when the GFI will launch on April 4, his first week of the industry to develop this sector with French, and especially young people.

If the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions have little impact on financial markets, one that shakes Libya far more impact. Tensions in the country, which is one of the largest exporters of oil directly affects the price of gold and black strong impact on European stock exchanges (Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, etc..) Asian (the Nikkei has lost nearly 1.8% this morning) and American (the index futures point to sharply lower opening on Wall Street this afternoon).

On the foreign exchange market, concern is also affected. Investors, for whom uncertainty is the worst phobias, put their appetite for risk and protect themselves in the closet. How? By placing their ball in the values called "refuge", such as gold, the dollar or the Swiss franc.In contrast, the euro, it is shunned.

Thus the European currency slipped below $ 1.36 on Tuesday morning, facing a greenback sought. Around 11 am, the euro is trading exactly at 1.3574 dollars, down 0.8%. Strong increase in the foreign exchange market.

According to technical analysis – that is to say, the analysis using only graphics – a bullish retracement could take place if "we manage to hold above this level." Conversely, the break of 1.3540 support to "push the pair to return to the area 1.3430 / 1.3460 dollars," warns XTB.

Outbreak of fever dollar

"Operators now appear in the mainstream during the political uncertainty prevailing in Libya", note analysts from Saxo Bank.The dollar is the first to benefit.

"Then just yesterday the greenback remained stable on its main counterparties, currencies against the U.S. dollar depreciate all": in addition to the euro has risen from about 1.37 to less than 1.36 dolar, the Sterling is currently trading at 1.6140 dollars after fluctuating in a range between 1.6220 and 16240 dollar yesterday during the day. The trend is the same for the Australian dollar loses more than about 80 pips (or 0.0080) against the U.S. dollar during the Asian session: it is trading at 1.0015 dollars against 1.0094 dollars late yesterday evening.

The loonie (Canadian dollar pair / USD) has fluctuated sharply in passing last night of 0.9864 to 0.9821 Canadian dollar before regaining ground this morning at 0.9860.In addition, this pair should know today strong fluctuations during the publication of the retail automotive sector off 0.7% expected in December.