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At the time of the near-victory against the Gaddafi regime, France officially unveils the treasures accumulated by the Libyan dictator in France. The Elysee Palace announced on Wednesday that 7.6 billion euros of assets had been frozen since the European decision to this effect from 21 March. Initially, Paris has requested authorization from the UN to release 1.5 billion euros by the end of the week. This is to meet the emergency needs of the rebels of the National Transition, said the president.

The request of France aims to prepare the international conference on the future of Libya after the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. The question of a thaw in Libyan assets will be the focus of discussion. The financial stakes are considerable: the Gaddafi regime has accumulated through the sale of oil and gas, about $ 200 billion worldwide.Among others, the United States had announced in late February, have frozen $ 30 billion, the Bank of England 13.587 billion dollars.

The Security Council authorized the UN London Tuesday to release $ 1.6 billion in frozen Libyan assets to provide humanitarian aid to Tripoli. The UN has also agreed Thursday to release $ 1.5 billion of assets invested in U.S. banks. Germany still waits for its green light to unlock the Council about a billion of Libyan assets frozen and Canada intends to thaw $ 2 billion (1.38 billion euros). The Italian government has already promised to thaw a first tranche of 350 million euros.

The CNT eye on the jackpot for any rebuilding, put the country back in working order pay day advance."Our success will depend on the release of frozen funds" abroad, called Mahmoud Jibril, the number two of the rebels on Friday in Istanbul. "The battle of the reconstruction will be even more intense" than the war, he warned before. The transition looks perilous time and the payment of salaries of civil servants would prevent a resurgence of stabilization.

Disappearance of 25% of funds in three months

To this day, and unlike most other European countries, Paris refused to disclose that it had frozen Libyan petrodollars. However, statistics from the Bank of France, limited to transactions between banks between the two countries, indicated that at December 31, 2010, French banks harbored 8.23 ​​billion dollars (5.84 billion euros).Mysteriously, this amount has shrunk from 25% in 3 months (-2.1 billion, or $ 1.45 billion), while the wind of revolution blowing in the Arab world and earned Libya.

Impossible, from these statistics alone, to know where these billions have evaporated. It could be, as explained a French officer in April, a "reorganization perimeter" in the very opaque investment fund public Libyan LIA. Or capital flight, as was increasing international pressure on the Libyan regime, squeezed by the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions.

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At dusk, fauna connected to press at the entrance of the Centre Pompidou, invitation registered by hand. An opening? Not quite. The April 7, the Beaubourg Museum in central Paris, was privatized by Coca-Cola. The capital city hosts every week a handful of marketing events like this, but this one is unique, hence the exceptional affluence.

More than for the unlimited drinks and canapés, all are there to see Karl Lagerfeld. The artistic director of Chanel designed a collection of three bottles of Coca-Cola Light, launched with much fanfare on the terrace of Beaubourg. TVs have come from all over Europe, on the promise of a few minutes interview with the star. Magazines have published photos of the evening across the continent.A promo for gold Coca-Cola Light!

Since its appearance in a graceful Road Safety campaign in 2008, where he was wearing a fluorescent safety jacket ("It's yellow, it's ugly, it's not going with anything, but it can save your life ", he said it), Karl Lagerfeld multiplies contracts with brands. Most of the time fixed fee paid by classified top secret, sometimes a percentage of sales generated.

Steinway piano to the Yule log Lenôtre through a limited edition of the Petit Larousse, a pair of Repetto shoes and outfits for Barbie, the designer is able to affix his signature everywhere you least expect it.In recent months, he created an eyewear collection Optic 2000, played in a Volkswagen ad, directed the 2011 Pirelli calendar, shot commercials for the launch of Magnum ice in the United States and developed a mobile hairdresser Schwarzkopf. The back looks just as prolific. The U.S. department stores Macy's will distribute a collection of ready-to-wear scratched Lagerfeld, who just draw a new limited edition shoe Hogan, a variety of ST Dupont lighters and pens and Orrefors crystal glasses.

All this, without tarnishing his own image nor nor that of its major employers, Chanel and Fendi, which could hold your nose when they saw him commit themselves with consumer brands and, worse, the smaller competitors.

Review of each project

The success of this tightrope follower of the great discrepancy is due to "system" Lagerfeld.All through the partnership (SNC) Karl Lagerfeld, owned by investment fund Apax Partners. This relates in particular to social "research and development of any product bearing the trade name of Karl Lagerfeld."

"Karl has such an aura that many brands want to associate with him, says Christian Stahl, Partner at Apax Partners payday loans direct lenders. It is able to spend the most exclusive luxury brands for cheap. "But as talk of selling p Karl Lagerfeld as a common license to groups and advertising agencies who would do what they want. Karl Lagerfeld is Pierre Cardin.

"We receive every week a number of proposals around the world," said Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of the company. All are reviewed by a committee of five people around Karl Lagerfeld."Only 40% of the proposals are accepted, ensures Sophie Delanglade, director of the studio, which, among other things, denied a proposed umbrella. The project must be sufficiently creative, inspiring the team and match what fun Karl. "

For collections of ready-to-wear and accessories projects co-signed by Karl Lagerfeld and a registered partner, the designer engages the same team as its own line, to be released next spring on the Internet. "It is essential that projects are complementary and not competitors," said Pier Paolo Righi.

Far from any delegate to the studio, Karl Lagerfeld, workaholic and perfectionist, is personally involved in each project. Her photo shoots are always performed with the same assistants, and with models that selects itself. To begin with, often by his male muse Baptiste Giacobini.His clients can afford a reference to the universe … For Chanel campaign Dom Perignon, Karl Lagerfeld has ensured that a few years ago shooting, shooting sessions were held in his mansion at the time … "With furniture specially down from the attic," recalls an officer of the brand. Same organization for shooting the 2011 Pirelli calendar, made in his photo studio staff, with jewelry and cabinets designed for shooting …

Communication millimeter

Karl Lagerfeld's team takes great care to communication operations around partnerships. The step is essential for brands: even more than the turnover by product designer Lagerfeld, the launch campaign is allowing them to benefit from their association with the stylist. But the personal image of Karl Lagerfeld, demanding and a perfectionist, is at stakeOnly around him is entitled to control this crucial phase, press kits to the organization of events, always assigned to the same agency. For the evening Coca-Cola, it recruited the young models, revamped to Karl Lagerferd wearing a white wig with ponytail. Lagerfeld's house, the business contributes to the maintenance of the myth, and vice versa.

To attract customers, Fnac recycles old-fashioned recipes car dealerships. In recent days, the distributor of cultural products offers customers to resume high-tech products which they no longer use. Based on an Argus home, teaches against exchange vouchers valid in its 80 French stores.

This is a test, revealed by the challenges.fr site on which the subsidiary of PPR declined to give details. The service "Fnac Reprise" offers to purchase TVs, shelves, computers, phones, camcorders, music players and game consoles … But not books, CDs and DVDs, it is however possible to afford with the right of purchase.

The "cultural agitator," the owner would like to sell in order to afford sportswear brands, is trying by all means to correct its turnover, eroding month after month.His last idea could be successful, provided, however, offer an acquisition price attractive enough …

American financier Guy Wyser-Pratte does not disarm in the folder Lagardère. Almost eighteen months after the general meeting of 27 April 2010 during which the two resolutions he had proposed were rejected at 76% and 78%, Guy Wyser-Pratte against attack. Wednesday, August 3, he sent a letter to the Financial Markets Authority (AMF), in which he contested the vote count at the meeting of shareholders of the group.

The American activist took some time to gather evidence to support its contention. Today, it provides the AMF documents showing that the ten funds managed by AllianceBernstein (a subsidiary of AXA Group), a leading shareholder group Lagardere with 10% of the shares, would have voted for he had presented two resolutions.

For investigation

A resolution was to appoint him to the Supervisory Board of Lagardère.Resolution B was to amend the prerogatives of-stock by requesting that the general partners do not vote more consistently before the sponsors. Guy Wyser-Pratte also produces documents from two firms specializing in proxy voting investors (ISS and Broadridge). They would have gathered the voices of various U.S. institutional investors in favor of two resolutions A and B. Finally, he instructed the firm McKenzie to a total of U.S. investors vote in favor.

"In total, we can demonstrate that counting only the votes of shareholders represented by American myself, AllianceBernstein, Broadbridge and ISS, my application to the supervisory board received 44% of the vote of the quorum present at the meeting. In addition, it is likely that other European shareholders have also voted in my favor.I therefore request the AMF to conduct an investigation to understand the origin of the discrepancy between the results of the AG and the counting done by us, "said Guy Wyser-Pratte. In 2010, the AMF had already audited BNP Paribas, which had been in charge of counting votes at the annual meeting of shareholders.

Returning to the issue today, Guy Wyser-Pratte hopes remobilize American and European shareholders for the next general meeting of 2012.

In March 2010, Guy Wyser-Pratte had burst into the capital of Lagardère by buying up 0.53% of the shares. He then publicly criticized the governance of the group protesting against the existence of a partnership limited by shares and had criticized the lack of strategy of management.The tone was mounted and Philippe Camus, a member of the sponsorship of the Lagardère group, the AMF had seized a few days before the general meeting, marveling at the distortion between saber rattling by Guy Wyser-Pratte and the reality of the impact of the two draft resolutions.

Strategy of focusing

Arnaud Lagardère had benefited from the rostrum of the General Assembly to address the critical Guy Wyser-Pratte. Some time after the general meeting, it had sold substantially all of its shares, pocketing a nice way to gain. Today, he is left only about 100,000 titles.

The tension had fallen, but after this episode heated, the Lagardère Group has implemented a strategy of refocusing on its core businesses – publishing, distribution, media and sport – and the country where he holds a position leadership.Suddenly, the group undertook to sell all of its minority, especially in Canal + France, the Amaury group and the group Marie-Claire. For now, these sales have stalled. However, Lagardère Active has led to the charge of selling most of its international press center to the American group Hearst, to 654 million euros. This represents a hundred titles in a dozen countries.

The figures were eagerly awaited by the markets. While the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that day that household spending had declined in June for the first time since September 2009, Chrysler, General Motors (GM) and Ford reveal a jump in sales in July.

The prize for the largest increase returns to Chrysler, which recorded an increase in sales of new cars by 20% last month. Chrysler, owned up to 53.5% by Fiat, said it sold 112,026 units, particularly the Jeep. "In a still very difficult, we make our best sales performance in over three years, welcomes Reid Bigland, head of U.S. sales."I think this figure is the ultimate illustration of the progress we have made to our products in terms of economy of oil, quality and design."

Behind Chrysler, Ford announced a 9% increase in sales of new cars on American soil in July to 180,865 units. "We are pleased to see a stronger pace of car sales, with a continued demand from consumers for our fuel efficient cars, our trucks and trucks," said Ken Czubay, head of U.S. sales USA.

The number one market, General Motors, he, reported a 7 saving account payday loan.6% increase in sales last month to 214,915 new cars sold against 199,692 a year ago. Up to the manufacturer to strong sales of Chevrolet, one of its brands, and the resilience of its new models.

The recovery remains fragile

Despite these results, analysts remain skeptical. These sales figures are in line with expectations and manufacturers are affected by cons-productive effects of higher prices to consumers still reluctant to spend.

The consensus then averaged over U.S. car market at an annualized rate of 11.8 million cars in July. A level below the rate of more than 13 million that prevailed earlier this year. Confident, GM, him, reiterated its forecast of a U.S. auto market between 13 and 13.5 million units. But his optimism is not enough to convince investors on Wall Street. GM shares lost 3.71% to 27.03 dollars a barrel in a market down by 2.19%. Following the same movement, as Ford unscrewed from 4.13% to 11.84 dollars.

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The luxury is doing well. PPR and the results exceeded expectations after the first half. Over the period, net earnings excluding items of luxury group and distribution rose 24% to 466 million euros against 440 million euros expected on average by analysts. Current operating income has increased it from 14.5% to € 749 million while gross margin was 10.4%, an improvement of 0.7 points.

As for income, they have soared from 7.3% to 7.2 billion euros, a figure in line with analysts' expectations. The activity of the house owner of Gucci, Puma, Redcats and Fnac was supported by the luxury division posted organic growth of 23.2% and 24.4% in the second quarter alone, where analysts had forecast an increase of 19%.In contrast, the distribution center, to be sold by the group, saw its sales fall by 1.4% semi-annual (in like), hit by poor performance of FNAC (-3.2%) to facing an extremely difficult environment in France, while Redcats, the specialist distance sales fared better, with revenues up 0.8%). For its part, the sporting goods company Puma has seen its sales increase by 9.4%.

Based on these results, the group says "confident" to get the second half of "sustained growth in sales and financial performance over 2010."

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.

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SFR launched Tuesday its new line of mobile phone plans. With two major innovations. On the one hand, the possibility of a subscription without changing phone. In return, the package price would drop, drop up to 35% or 45%. An operation by which shock SFR is preparing for the arrival of Free, who has promised to halve the bill of a mobile home.

It is also a break with current trends in the mobile consumer, where the majority of subscribers are systematically changing phone – even if they still works – as soon as they leave for a new package of 12 or 24 months. Environmentally unfriendly habit while recycling is cumbersome to organize and costly for operators heavily subsidize the purchase of the phone.

The operators seem determined to break this vicious circle."Until now, subscribers have paid for urban subscribers of fields, those who do not change their mobile paid for those who changed all the time. Today, someone who does not change his mobile will pay less, "said Frank Cadoret, managing director of consumer and professional SFR La Chaîne Techno. Numericable and La Poste, which both come to embark in Mobile, made the telephone subsidy packages without the spearhead of its strategy to offer aggressive pricing packages paperless payday loans.

Bill Lefebvre

One way to take the lead for several months while the regulator (Arcep) wants to clarify the grant of the mobile.And it is also an objective of the Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs, Frédéric Lefebvre, who introduced his bill on consumer protection, on 1 June

The question remains whether consumers will be seduced, while, in turn, device manufacturers continue to offer ever more innovative models, adding 4G, 3D, contactless payment technology and other discovery.

Another new SFR must formalize its agreement with the online music site Spotify announced in Le Figaro (our editions of May 14). Like with Deezer Orange, SFR will offer several packages including mobile phones with unlimited Spotify. One way to consider another major change current practice: the decline of the voice and the booming exchanges of data, whether text messages, emails, web, video or music files.

The International Monetary Fund said on Friday it would open Monday until June 10 nominations for the position of CEO, and he stared for "objective" to appoint his number one "by 30 June."

The Institution of Washington said that its board of directors, meeting in the day, had agreed "a period of applications which starts May 23, 2011 and will close June 10, 2011. "The objective of the board of directors select the director general consensus with the aim of completing the selection process by June 30, 2011," said Fund. Another objective is that this election "takes place in an open, merit-based and transparent," he added. IMF looks for a successor to French Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned Thursday and is being prosecuted for sex crimes in New York.The Fund's detailed plan to follow the procedure that its board of directors composed of representatives from 24 countries and country groups.

Applications must be submitted either by such representatives or by the IMF governors (the finance minister or the head of the central bank in different countries). If there are three or less, they will be revealed at the close on June 10 If there are more than three, they will be kept confidential to determine time preference "by consensus", except by a vote, a shortlist of three candidates in the best position. The two or three candidates who remain will be heard by the Board in Washington. This body will then seek a "consensus" to determine the new head of the institution, "although the board may select the Director General by a majority of votes."

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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