World Articles

Traffic may be disrupted on Wednesday in major cities and on highways. And the number of taxis in service in town and in stations and airports should be low. Three federations of the profession have in fact called on Wednesday for a national day of action, with operations in snails across the country.

In the Paris area, the rallies were to begin from 6 hours on the A1 at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Orly, on the A4 to Marne la Vallee and the ramp to the A15 Franconville before converging to the Field March to 10 hours.

In Toulouse, a procession of 180 taxi drivers from the west of the town and 170 from the south-east of the city went from 6:30 in the direction of downtown. Some parts of the device were paralyzed before 8 o'clock. Access to the airport were also disrupted no fax payday advance.According to the protesters, this mobilization is expected to last up to 11 hours.

Taxis want to attract the attention of government on the increased costs they incur. Their fuel bill became heavier "than 30% over one year" because of soaring raw materials. In this context, taxi drivers lament the lack of compensation for the refund of excise tax on petroleum products. VAT refund from the TIPP was abolished in 2008. They must also bear other expenses, caused by the new regulation that requires them to be equipped with a light signal in the colors more identifiable by users. Taxis also protesting against the competition of passenger cars with driver, they consider unfair.

ALSO READ:

"The low-cost taxi soon stopped

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

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

Europe envisages a 'soft' restructuring of Greece

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

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

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

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

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

Oil bounces

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

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

Telecoms weakened by the crisis of sovereign debt

Thales: +0.36% to 29.34 euros

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

France Telecom: + 0.64% to 15.63 euros

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

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

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

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

Areva: + 3.27% to 30.16 euros

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

Peugeot: -0.22% to 29.75 euros

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

Technip: 1.28% to 70.30 euros

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

Atari: + 5.63% to 3 euros

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

The Tanner: + 23.61% to 6.44 euros

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

After market, Soitec was to publish its annual results.

Whether employers or unions, the measure does not satisfy anybody! As for companies with more than 50 employees, there is consternation: the premium required will be "a further complication for companies that create jobs in France", do we denounce the MEDEF. Where there is no lack of argument: "Businesses from 50 to 500 people are those shareholders who need to grow, it is firms that are missing in France, it is companies that need capital to pay."

The president of CroissancePlus Frederick Bedin, think "good on the merits, not the property on the form" of the measure, which denotes him as a "simplistic view of the company." It would be far "more beneficial for the development of growth, the State engages in a genuine and lasting reduction of payroll taxes, which would favor an increase in net wages of employees."

Conversely, in smaller companies, where the premium will not be binding, but rather relief. CGPME even speaks of "good news" while deploring that "a small business of 51 employees distributed dividends is subject to the same constraints as a global company in the CAC 40!".

As usual, the unions showed their displeasure – with varying degrees of virulence, however. Francois Chereque, secretary general of the CFDT, called a "mistake" the principle of a mandatory premium in large firms, certain that it would "divide the employees, limiting wage increases, and constitute a" gift, a windfall "to the employers who receive relief cash advance. His counterpart at FOR, Jean-Claude Mailly, spoke of a "announcement effect", lamenting a "gas factory" even though "full of employees will have nothing.""The smartest bosses may repurchase shares to avoid n'augmentent dividends," he said on LCI.

"No obligation of result"

CGT denounced "improvisation" and "attempts electioneering" government facing a "real problem of purchasing power." She also regrets that there is "no obligation of result" of negotiations.

The CFTC has "welcomed" the Government's concern for an "equitable sharing of the wealth produced in the business," but hoped that "all companies" are concerned. As for the CFE-CGC, she has "taken note of the will" of the government, preventing it deems appropriate time the effects of this "yet another mechanism that can be used to plug the holes in the racket of sharing value added. " He concluded: "Nothing replaces the perennial wage measures".

At the opening of U.S. stock markets, the Dow Jones advance of 0.73% at 11,947 points, the Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 rise respectively from 1.09% to 1293 points and 1.29% to 2678 points. A new session is so bullish on. Already on Friday, U.S. markets had ended the week up, encouraged by a cease-fire announced while in Libya, easing social measures taken by Saudi Arabia, by King Abdullah, but also by the intervention fighting the Japanese authorities in Fukushima.

On Monday, despite the military intervention in Libya, the relative stability of oil and the rather encouraging information from Japan, where the authorities seem to regain control of the plant in Fukushima, tend to support the rebound.A general rebound in markets, on both sides of the Atlantic, jusqu'enAsie, except in Tokyo, where the stock exchange was closed on Monday due to holiday.

Side of macroeconomic indicators, this week will be placed under the sign of U.S. housing, with, today, sales of existing homes, expected to 15 hours. "Sales are expected to remain weak in February, analysts said Aurel BGC. The construction sector remains a concern for the Fed. "

If durable goods orders (Thursday) "should enjoy a rebound in orders for machine tools and aviation. In contrast, consumer confidence could be affected by recent events, including the nuclear risk to Japan, which occupied a prominent place in the American media these days, "said Will we at Aurel BGC.

AT & T and AIG in focus.GM, Caterpillar and Apple penalized by Japan.

On the corporate side, the U.S. Treasury Department announced Monday it would begin this month to bring to market its portfolio of securitized mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, valued at $ 142 billion.

On Friday, the Federal Reserve has conducted a new set of stress tests on the 19 largest U.S. banks. If the results of these tests have not been disclosed, they, however, already possible to allow some of these institutions to distribute or raise their dividends.Like Wells Fargo, JPMorgan, Citigroup and this Monday (2.44% to 4.61 dollars).

the telephone company AT & T (1.03% to 26.48 dollars) will buy its German rival Deutsche Telekom's U.S. mobile phone subsidiary T-Mobile USA for about $ 39 billion (25 billion in cash). A strategic transaction that will create the first U.S. mobile operator Verizon before. Deutsche Telekom, meanwhile, will benefit to pay off debt.Part of the proceeds will also be devoted to buybacks, "said Franklin Pichard, director of Barclays stock.

AIG (American International Group: 2.32% to 35.76 U.S. dollars) expected that banks submit bids on mortgage-backed securities that it proposes to redeem the U.S. state of 15.7 billion, the Wall Street Journal, citing the insurer's CEO Robert Benmosche.

Eli Lilly (+0.44% to 34.63 dollars), faced with sales at half mast because of competition and the expiration of certain patents, will not merge with another pharmaceutical company to get through this bad patch has said Saturday its chief executive John Lechleitr.

Broadcom (0.45% to 39.85 dollars) for its part in the day announcing the purchase of specialist Israeli bullets Provigent 300 to $ 400 million, understands the financial site TheMarker. This would be the eighth acquisition of semiconductor firm in Israel, adds the site.

General Electric (2.39% to 19.71 dollars) has also defended on Friday its type reactor Mark 1, designed 40 years ago and that the Japanese central team of Fukushima. It equips five of six units of the Japanese central, where the cooling system was damaged by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami on 11 March.

Other companies could become victims of the events in Japan. General Motors (1.38% to 32.29 dollars) will close its plant Louisiane.Apple (2.04% to 337.41 dollars) fear of stockouts on its iPad 2, launched this week in France.Caterpillar could also be a victim of difficulties in its Japanese factories.

Finally, Google (1.98% to 572.19 dollars) aroused the attention Monday. For at least two reasons: in France, Google has fined 100,000 euros, accused of having "hijacked" the French personal data via wi-fi. The world's leading search engines also believes that the Chinese government is currently blocking access to Gmail, many users had complained, China, dysfunction.

"If there is no business of espionage, I would draw all the consequences." Two months after the layoff, then the dismissal of three senior officers suspected of espionage, Patrick Pelata, number two of Renault, is clearly against the wall.

Tense, he broke his silence in an exclusive interview with Le Figaro. With great gravity he puts into play its responsibilities within the constructor. One way for him to remember that bear the consequences of this case but also to protect Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and Nissan. For the past few days, the plot thickens.

An inside source says Le Figaro that a member of the security service stubbornly refuses to cooperate with the law to provide information.In particular, the identity of the outside investigator who recovered all the information that led to the identification of bank accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. However, according to this source, mute the employee was "the only contact with the informant outside of Renault, who has supplied all private investigation." On two occasions, management, disturbed by this attitude, it would have sent written and oral orders remained dead letters. Accordingly, the employee has been drawing up a report indicating his refusal to cooperate.

The development of Squarcini

Faced with this situation, Patrick Pelata longer does the group is a victim of manipulation guaranteed unsecured personal loan."There are two hypotheses, either Renault suffered a case of espionage, or manipulation." This double scenario was brought Monday to the attention of the Prime Minister and Eric Besson Minister of Industry. If the conclusions of the investigation lead to the removal of all doubts about the guilt of the three frames, the number two at Renault ensures that the manufacturer will repair any attention to the injustices and propose to reinstate them.An opening that seemed impossible even a few weeks ago, so that their dismissal was done with great firmness.

Faced with bronce media in recent days, the director of central intelligence inside Squarcini Bernard, conducted Thursday afternoon, an update stating that "all the comments based on sources close to the matter are completely unfounded" , regretting that "such leaks seriously hinder the progress of the investigation." International letters rogatory launched to uncover potential bank accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein will not be returned to France before next week. In the meantime, Patrick Pelata has delivered what his aides called a major "operation transparency". A confession truth to defend the honor of his company.

Audience measurement of the press takes a decisive step in France. All families Releases – magazine, daily, national and regional levels, pay and free – have decided to launch the study One. Unique study of reference, it will bring the measure of all the readings of all forms of mainstream press in France. One will replace the current studies and EMPA (magazines) and EPIQ (daily) "renewing depth audience measurement of the press. The modernity of the medium, its power, its ability to focus and diversity will finally be able to speak in such a study, "said Xavier Dordor, the CEO of AudiPresse, interprofessional research firm Press.

A budget of 4.5 million euros

One is a budget of 4.5 million euros per year.Investment in research and qualitative and quantitative tests has required an investment of nearly $ 1 million. One benefit from the largest sample in Europe: 35,000 and 15,000 interviews yearly national departmental interviews fast cash loans. The study will measure the readings of more than 200 national titles in all intervals, those of all regional dailies and weeklies those premises. In total, more than 500 brand logos release that will be incorporated into the study, which will also measure the digital readings of the press.

The completion of the study was carried out by the Ipsos institute that carries out the ground-share with TNS Sofres. The first results on the entire interview will go out in a year. Given the power of this new database, major publishers will have to run monthly results."It's a building site two years finds its culmination, is Xavier Dordor. It was attended by media owners, specialists studying agencies, among advertisers and governed, with the full involvement of the Board ".

Millions of French in nature, detached from any commitment to their operators. This is the nightmare that stirred the telecom sector, used to recruit customers on long-term contracts: at the beginning of the year, over 80% of customers to a mobile phone package were still committed to the most More than a year. But with price changes that lie ahead for the new pass the VAT hike, subscribers whose bill will evolve will have the right to request termination of their free package, even if they are still engaged.

In practice, the situation is not so bad that for Internet and mobile operators, which are not totally unprepared. They added in their contracts, some as early as mid-November, a clause warning the next price increase.Several operators contacted by Lefigaro.fr argue that these lines are enough to keep all customers who have committed or recommitted during this period. So do not expect to buy a subsidized iPhone for 149 euros with a subscription for 24 months instead of 739 EUR without subscription and can cancel your plan in the wake at no charge.

A favorable schedule

To leave some margin, the telecom operators also benefit from a clever timing effect. Theoretically, they should have prevented customers from late November, a month before the entry into force of the VAT hike on January 1, decreed by the government. But they delayed the increase in their packages a month (and up to three months for Bouygues Telecom) and have started sending mails in the last days of December."We had to work hard, more than 30,000 prices have moved," said a spokesman for SFR.

This slight shift requires operators to handle the difference between the price paid by customers and they must refund taxes to the State in January. But he also benefits. December is indeed the month of the year when recruitment is strongest, thanks to Christmas shopping. However, customers who have subscribed or subscribed again in recent weeks have agreed to plans that will increase as the others, but can not be terminated. "Operators do not want to tarnish their image a little by announcing a price increase in this period," Edward J. Barreiro, director of studies at the UFC-Que Choisir.

To limit cancellations, traders have also used other maps.Unlike Telstra, Vodafone has chosen to only increase its prices on a third of its old rates, which represents for him a load of 50 million euros but blocks the possibility of termination for a majority of its subscriber base . The customer service is also currently showing a very generous incentive for subscribers to re-engage in two years, with significant discounts. The site reports on his side Numerama testimonials from customers of Orange who have difficulty in terminating their line while transferring their number to a competitor.

The risk of a windfall

Unlike the scenario envisaged by the Government, the telecoms sector did not engaged in a price war that would have been financially disastrous and would have encouraged him to change operator.In ADSL, all subscriptions will increase, including to Free, who preferred to break his pattern of "triple play" to 29.99 euros per month rather than taking only the VAT hike. In mobile, the most popular package for Orange and SFR, those on smartphones, will be impacted. Those of Bouygues Telecom to follow.

Ultimately, consumer groups fear that eventually the VAT hike turns into windfall, to get further increases. The prices of packages that should not be affected by the VAT hike (those not including television) will soon be weighed down for no apparent reason. Numericable and took advantage of this favorable period to tell its customers an increase in its rates an average of 3 euros, unrelated to VAT."Everyone wants to increase its rates, particularly to finance the optical fiber, a spokesman justified.

"The government must make sure that this measure does not allow slippage of prices or additional puncture on consumers unjustified", responded in a statement Wednesday the UFC-Que Choisir, who wants "a point on the deals that can legitimately be subject to a price increase. " In a letter, the Minister of the Digital Economy, Eric Besson, has asked for a few hours later providers of internet access information on how they intend to pass on the VAT hike their rates.

"Putting the power company …" The direction of the station now grows a term formerly claimed by a management offensive as Valeo at the time chaired the Christmas Goutard automotive supplier.

Wednesday, during its monthly board of directors, the "power" of the railway company was primarily an opportunity to recall the debt at 7.2 billion euros in 2009 and close to 10 billion in 2010 leaves little leeway in its leaders.

For employee representatives, plans to reduce costs envisaged will weaken the company and increase quality of service degraded.A unanimous position of the various unions that have signed on Tuesday a statement they regret a "financial strategy" unacceptable in their eyes "a national public service."

Yet the 2011 budget to the station is in line with previous years. The business plan submitted in July 2010 foresees a reduction in costs of 4 billion euros by 2015, including 500 million euros for the single year 2011.Now the company will face this year to 3.2 billion euros of investments including 2.6 billion on capital in particular to take delivery of its Ile Bombardier and Alstom's TGV Duplex ordered in 2006 and 2007.

1850 posts in less

To stop the progression of its debt, the company should reduce the negative situation of its cash available – 70 million euros in 2011 against – 500 million in 2010. The turnover of the SNCF in 2011 should rise 33.6 billion euros against 30 billion in 2010.

On the employment front, as Guillaume Pepy had mentioned early December, 6350 departures are planned for 2011 while 4500 recruits will be held in parallel, which is equivalent to removing 1,850 positions.Earlier this month, the president of the SNCF said that while overall enrollment shrank in the parent company (employing 155 000 persons), it was thanks to productivity efforts. There is "zero redundancy 'and' zero early retirement" in his words.

A round table on employment must meet in January the company management and unions. It must in particular address the downsizing affecting the freight industry: it has lost 30% of its workforce in four years.

Freebox Revolution continues to make waves. But in the culture industry, this time. Concerned, the refusal of the operator to perform now the tax on private copying, which the "boxes" are normally subject. "Free to pay. Otherwise it will end in court, threatened on Wednesday morning in Les Echos, the director of the Civil Society of Phonographic Producers (SCPP), Marc Guez.

The private copying levy is a system of financing income (182 million euros in 2009) are paid to the areas of music and audiovisual sectors, hit by downloading pirate. It was first applied to blank CDs, and was extended to a wide variety of products which can be copied legal works, such as iPods, USB sticks, and recently the shelves. The "box" operators, equipped with a hard drive, did not escape.Including previous Freebox.

With its impressive 250 GB hard drive, the newest member of the Free should have been taxed at 35 euros, more than 10% of the cost of its production cost, estimated at 300 euros. But according to the operator, the Freebox Revolution is not a "box" like the others. Its hard drive is a standalone file server, a NAS. However, such material is exempt from tax, when certified to "work together with at least three operating systems (see pdf).

"We respect the texts"

This exception was introduced in October, was intended to tax only the NAS models purchased by individuals, simpler, saving professionals low fee cash advance. But Free has had time to adapt to these new rules. According to the operator, the Freebox works well with at least three operating systems, and should not be taxed."We continue of course to respect the statutes governing private copying," says Maxime Lombardini at Les Echos, CEO of Iliad, the parent of Free.

For Free, the economy would be $ 17.5 million for 500,000 Freebox Revolution. Its competitors, who have not integrated file server in their "box", can not imitate him. They had to use cunning. To limit the size of the tax, SFR voluntarily restrained the hard drive of his new Neufbox Evolution. Of the 200 GB theoretically available, only 40 GB are available by default. If they want more storage capacity, customers must pay 15 euros in increments of 80 GB

The preferential treatment of the Freebox Revolution could not however have a limited time. The basis of the fee for private copying is regularly adjusted to match the new practices.Meanwhile, Free has cultivated his image as a troublemaker of the Internet. As he did in refusing to send the first warning messages Hadopi, while also stating at the time that he respected the law.

This is the new darling of the markets. The yuan tore the world. After launching, during last summer, a program to allow Chinese companies to export and import yuan, Beijing has also allowed foreign banks to invest in its bond market in late 2009 showed a poor record: only $ 527 million of trade were denominated in local currency at the end of six months.

But since the appeal of the yuan, which remains under the tight control the government, has skyrocketed. In the first half, the volume of Chinese foreign trade conducted in that currency reached $ 10.3 billion. Every day, 400 million yuan traded in the 4000 billion dollars of daily transactions recorded in the world.In 2015, trade in that currency could reach 3000 billion per year, according to the China Construction Bank.

"It's a major change in the landscape of international finance," predicts Norman Chan, head of the Central Bank of Hong Kong. McDonald's and Caterpillar were the first foreign non-financial firms to issue yuan-denominated bonds, according to Standard Chartered marking "the beginning of a new source of funding for international groups that want to raise capital for their operations in China."

Pay for raw materials

Wednesday morning, the yuan will be for the first time in its history, exchangeable on the foreign exchange market in Moscow. A just reward because the ruble had been in the Chinese market in late November. The operation is not innocent.China, seeking raw materials around the world, will be able to pay its own currency at the same time it provide Russia with goods and services invoiced in yuan. Beijing and look forward to repeat the experience in Africa, Latin America and in all countries rich in oil and gas.

Progressively internationalizing its currency, the Chinese boost trade with countries that interest them most and try to attract investors to their bond market. According to some analysts, between 20% and 30% of their imports (130.4 billion in November) could be made in yuan in the coming years.

But Russian President Dmitry Medvedev no mistake, this is also a way to "balance the weight of the dollar and euro.The second largest economy behind the United States is "not yet in place on the foreign exchange market," a court of Hong Kong banker. She wants to influence the reform of the monetary system that is prepared in the G20 and must leave, according to the president, Nicolas Sarkozy, a role "prominent but not exclusive" to the greenback.

Meanwhile, the yuan's limited convertibility allows Beijing to test the waters of its neighbors without challenging its control of economic development.

ALSO READ:

"Beijing tightens credit wisely