Posts Tagged ‘online news’

Humanity depletes natural resources

May 14, 2011 - 8:56 am Comments Off

If humanity continues its momentum, it will consume in 2050 three times more raw materials than today. "Far beyond what is bearable." The warning is clear. And it does not derive from Lester Brown, president of Earth Policy Institute, which multiplies the books for decades on the depletion of the planet or the WWF or Greenpeace, but the UN.

In forty years, some 9 billion people consume 140 billion tons of minerals, hydrocarbons and biomass (wood, crops, livestock), as reported by the UNEP (United Nations Environment). Or 16 tons of natural resources swallowed each year by each person on the planet."Policymakers and the general public are still not convinced of the absolute physical limits on the amount of resources available to humanity," the authors note, a dozen experts led by an Austrian and a South African.

Doing more with less

To avoid shortages and social tensions and geopolitical they would generate, the world must "do more with less." Sustained growth requires massive investment in "technological innovation, financial and social." One difficulty lies in the considerable disparity in the exploitation of raw materials. An inhabitant of an industrialized country consumes an average 16 tons per year, four times more than Indian.

In rich countries, the differences are equally impressive.A consumer of Qatar, Australia and the United States swallows 40 tons of natural resources per year when a French, a German or an Italian uses about 15 tons. These figures do not reflect the reality only partially, note the rapporteurs of the UN. For a tonne of copper extracted in Chile will be charged to the consumer in their calculation Chilean even if it is used to manufacture a product sold in China or Europe. These methodological weaknesses therefore do not change the risk of global depletion of natural resources. Even if industrialized countries were able to halve their consumption of raw materials by 2050, not living to 8 tons, and that developing countries joined this level without exceeding the total amount to 70 billion tons, or 40% more than today.This scenario (No. 2 in the graphics) would be accompanied by a doubling of greenhouse gas emissions, a path inconsistent with the objectives of the international community in the fight against global warming.

Amid these grim prospects for the environment, the UN report uncovers some reasons not to despair. The global trend towards urbanization is paradoxically supports better use of natural resources. A densely populated area per capita is more economical building materials, energy and transportation, the experts argue.

Another reason for optimism, emerging skip some stages of development by adopting technologies directly or models that consume less raw materials, how they embraced the mobile phone have not finished building the fixed telephone network.

The largest public hospital-born private in 2015

May 4, 2011 - 3:20 pm Comments Off

Bring together public and private hospitals: it is long and complex, but it can and it can be to the benefit of patients and public finance!

This shows that attempt to Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday in the Seine-et-Marne. It will include projects in two cities: Fontainebleau, where he is, and her neighbor Melun. This second draft was presented by the Regional Health Agency (LRA) as the largest structure in future public-private hospital in France (850 beds, 85,000 square meters, about 2200 employees). It will bring on a site whose construction must take place from 2012 to 2015, three clinics in the city, merged, and its hospital. Its genesis shows how the reconstruction hospital has become indispensable in this pool of 350,000 inhabitants, as in many others.

"The rate of leakage of patients to Paris or the inner suburbs, 60 km away, reached 50%.It is difficult for families and this complicates the monitoring of patients after hospitalization, said Claude Evin, CEO of LRA Ile-de-France. In addition, surgery, continuity of care was discontinued at night, not having enough doctors in each facility and will be re-assured with the combination. "The project is not only to collect geographically existing facilities. The activity will be pooled (laundry, catering …) or shared: the public emergency, obstetrics, psychiatry or geriatrics, in private surgery.

The kind of cutting, which usually makes them howl unions to "privatize" or "the case of public service." "The medical project was approved unanimously by the representatives of each medical institution, says Andree Barreteau, director of health care provision of the LRA payday loans online.Unions in the hospital, including the CGT, not opposed. They are pragmatic and realize that without this, the reduced activity of the hospital in Melun will continue. "

176 million invested

"It's normal that there is reluctance in both directions, when people have never worked together. But working with the private sector do not sell themselves to the devil, in our case is rather fortifying "abounds Valletoux Frederick, Mayor of Fontainebleau. Background, again, high leakage rate, with a hospital centennial, the town has made the same choice (together his hospital and clinic), at a smaller scale. Objective: an opening in 2015, a project launched in 2005.

At Melun, the LRA has secured commitments of Liberals surgeons to maintain at least 60% of their activity without excess fees.Last point: if the old public-private project, which has had several incarnations, should finally see the day, it's probably also because of the shareholding is made up of relevant clinical physicians. Chains of clinics held by financial investors tend to reorganize their business between private schools they have.

The project represents an investment of Melun 176 million euros. ARS 20 million in funding, the institutions concerned defraying the rest. To balance the operation, the bet – "prudent", according to ARS – is that the leakage rate will fall by 5% with the new facility.

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Typewriters, it's over

April 28, 2011 - 1:36 am Comments Off

The order of keys on computer keyboards is now the last vestige of the era of typewriters. In India, the last factory in the world still producing the devices on which generations of typists have damaged their nails, just down the curtain.

The Daily Star has revealed that, without controls, the group Godrej & Boyce, based in Bombay, not surprisingly, decided to cease production after more than half a century of production.The fault, of course, the irresistible rise of the computer, which has reduced from 50,000 units in 1990 to only 800 in 2010, the number of units produced annually by the conglomerate of the subcontinent.

The Indian government has given the coup de grace by deciding to gradually move to IT, to the chagrin of officials who say old type faster on a machine.

To liquidate the latest machines in stock, Godrej & Boyce shakes the rope speculation. "This is the last opportunity for fans of typewriters," said the Indian press one of the leaders of the group.

Accuracy before rushing to Mumbai: Most of them are intended for texts in Arabic.

The Asian market is hesitant at the beginning of the week

April 18, 2011 - 1:12 pm Comments Off

Caution continues in Asian markets after China on Friday issued inflation figures at the highest since July 2008. The trend is more mixed, however, that Friday, some Asian stock markets start moving forward again.

This is particularly the case in Tokyo, with the Nikkei 225 rose 0.15% to 9605.55 points, despite the resurgence of the yen against the euro and the dollar and the decline of values ​​related to telecommunications after a negative Goldman Sachs, which found that the firm NTT would be difficult to assess the impact of the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 on its annual results.

Tokyo Electronic Power (TEPCO) continues to fall, losing 1.69% to 465 yen, after acknowledging that it would take six to nine months to cool down nuclear reactors.Since the earthquake and the earthquake of 11 March, the stock has lost 78% of its value.

So on Monday morning, the euro was quoted at 119.25 yen (-0.59%) and the dollar, yen 82.89 (-0.18%). Suddenly, the export values ​​recede: Sony loses 1.05% to 2435 yen, Sharp Corporation sells 0.78% to 755 yen, Renesas Electronics loose 2.99% to 712 yen and NEC dropped 1.70% to 173 yen.

Chinese banks must increase their reserves again

Chinese markets, the trend is increasing, but progress is measured. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong is 0.16% to 24,045.30 points and the CSI 300 Index gained 0.08% to Shanghai 3361.47 points.

A further increase in liquidity reserves was imposed yesterday for Chinese banks by the central bank's objective is to constrain the credit for the fight against inflation. This increase of 0.50 percentage points will apply as of Thursday.Since the beginning of the year, the Chinese central bank had already ordered three previous increases in bank reserves in China. Bank stocks rose on the stock market: Bank of China gained 0.68% to 4410 Hong Kong dollars, Bank of Communications ahead of 0.83% to 8440 Hong Kong dollars.

Oil prices recede

Elsewhere in Asia, with the exception of KRX 100 from Seoul, which fell by 0.27% to 4551.95 points, the indices move in the green. The S & P / ASX 200 in Sydney gained 0.44% to 4873.30 points. The BSE Sensex 30 Bombay climbed from 1.14% to 19,607.40 points and the FTSE Singapore Straits Times ahead of 0.29% to 3162.45 points. The Taiwan TAIEX is stable at 8716.77 points.

Oil prices were trending lower Monday in electronic trading in Asia on profit taking after last week's gains, dealers said.In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for May delivery yielded 70 cents to 108.96 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for June delivery retreated 42 cents to 123.03 dollars.

Wall Street ends in green despite the plunge of Google

April 16, 2011 - 8:40 pm Comments Off

Encouraging indicators supported the U.S. stock indices and overshadowed the disappointing results posted by Google and Bank of America.

According to government statistics, the underlying inflation remained contained in March, while the monthly survey from the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters has shown that consumer morale rose more than expected in April.

"I am surprised that the market will continue as well, after Google and Bank of America," said Randall Warren Warren Financial Services, "but the world is happy with the figures for consumer prices."

The Dow Jones gained 0.46%, 56.68 points to 12,341.83, the S & P 500, very popular with fund managers, took 5.16 points, 0.39%, to 1319.68 . As for the Nasdaq, it was up 0.16%, 4.43 points at 2764.65.

For the week, the Dow fell 0.3%, the S & P 500 and Nasdaq 0.6%.

The announcement of results from Google, after-hours trading Thursday, has frightened investors due to a sharp increase in spending group in the first quarter. The jump in sales over the same period could not allay their fears and the stock closed on a fall of 8.23% to 530.70 dollars.

However Bank of America, which released before the opening, shows a decrease of 2.26% to 12.81 dollars.

Consumer prices, wages and industrial production …

The macroeconomic agenda was charged Friday: while being held in Washington, the second G20 meeting, where finance ministers debate the raw materials and global economic disorder, indicators released Friday were more reassuring, particularly with respect for inflation, current concern for markets.The consumer prices in the United States have maintained their strong growth in March, but according to the forecast of analysts. Excluding food and energy, inflation is called base stood at 0.1% in March compared to the previous month. The index of consumer prices grew 2.7% year on year. "Inflation remains moderate in the U.S.," commented Kimberly Dubord, from Briefing.com.

On the currency side, the dollar went back against the euro, the single currency bending under the weight of persistent speculation about a restructuring of the Greek debt. About 11:00 am in Paris, the euro bought 1.4448 dollars against 1.4488 dollars on Thursday night.Monday and Wednesday, the European single currency reached 1.4520 dollars, its highest since Jan. 14, 2010.

The financial sector heckled

As for values, the financial sector was the most penalized this week after an accumulation of bad news on Wednesday, the publication of JPMorgan Chase was a disappointment, especially, said Christian Parisot at Aurel BGC, because of "low increase the distribution of credit in the quarter and the poor performance of retail banking scandal affected by foreclosures. "

Other disturbing news has accumulated: the cost of foreclosures looks up sharply. GoldmanSachs downgraded the sector of U.S. banks. And, according to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. authorities are investigating the manipulation by the big banks during the crisis.Meanwhile, a Senate report has already questioned the functioning of the financial system in 2008. "From 2006-2007, Goldman Sachs has sold some CDOs to investors in Europe and Asia because those instruments could not find takers in the U.S. market," analysts summarize Aurel BGC.

Bank of America and Mattel to menu

It is in this tense environment that Bank of America filed this Friday its first quarter results. The largest U.S. bank by assets, posted a profit of $ 1.7 billion for the first quarter, down 39% over a year and below expectations, continuing to suffer from the mortgage and legal fees high.

Mattel also sacrificed in the exercise.The U.S. toy maker Mattel saw its net profit by 33% melting in the first quarter to 16.6 million, due to higher administrative costs and overhead, but the result is in line with market expectations. The stock gained 4.12% to 26.80 dollars.

Prudence expected at the Paris Bourse

April 11, 2011 - 10:44 pm Comments Off

The Paris markets should not take any chances Monday. In Paris as elsewhere, investors will try to make a first point on the Japanese situation, one month to the day after the disaster that has ravaged the north-east. Reassuring news fell on the nuclear situation: According to government spokesman Yukio Edano, "the risk that the situation at the nuclear power is deteriorating and it leads to a new major radiation leak was significantly reduced. " In Asia this morning, markets have however not given clear signals.

Side indicator, the day promises to be particularly quiet, calendar, industrial production in February in France.The rest of the week will be loaded with particular current accounts in France and the German ZEW index Tuesday, the Fed's Beige Book on Wednesday, the weekly jobless claims in the U.S. on Thursday and the index of U.S. consumer sentiment Friday.

Markets await especially forward to the start of the dance publications of quarterly results in the United States. As usual, Alcoa will begin the festivities this evening.

As for currencies, the euro appears small decline in morning trading at 1.4459 dollar. Same thing for oil, hit by profit taking after sharp gains last week.A barrel of light sweet crude for May delivery yielded 36 cents to 112.43 dollars while that of Brent North Sea crude for May delivery lost 83 cents to 125.82 dollars.

Values ​​to follow

Renault

The board of directors of the group will try Monday to see more clearly in the wrong spying scandal at a special meeting and will try to establish the responsibilities of everyone in this fiasco.

Saffron

The Central Directorate of Internal Intelligence (DCRI) investigation on suspicion of spying for Turbomeca, a subsidiary of Safran including computer networks have been "looted" for several months.

NYSE Euronext

The board of directors of the transatlantic exchange operator yesterday rejected unanimously the offer of participation of $ 11.3 billion made by Nasdaq, coupled with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).

EDF and EDF Energies Nouvelles

The listing of both Kingbird, who was suspended Friday after the announcement of a takeover offer from EDF on the 50% stake in its subsidiary EDF EN it does not already own, resumes today.

EDF also requested that the EPR reactor being built at Flamanville is considered "priority" as part of the audit of nuclear safety in France, said the Nuclear Safety Authority.

United States, the commission (NRC) has denied Unistar, owned by EDF, a license to build a new reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.

Carrefour

The walkouts on Saturday in favor of wage increases were a success according to the unions, who speak highly mobilized. The strike rate ranged from 30 to 85%.Negotiations will resume Wednesday.

Sanofi-Aventis

The group said Friday night that completed the acquisition of Genzyme after the reopening of its bid and said the U.S. biotech is now a subsidiary that holds all.

Total and GDF Suez

The French government has decided to ban the exploitation of shale gas and the repeal of licenses already granted.

Areva

The group bought for 1.62 billion euros from Siemens in the joint venture Areva NP, paving the way for a merger between Siemens and the Russian Rosatom, said on Sunday the German newspaper Die Welt.

Oil: OPEC will act to relax the current

March 9, 2011 - 7:00 am Comments Off

Nigeria, Kuwait and the UAE will increase their oil production by April to offset higher prices, with additional 300,000 barrels per day, according to the Financial Times. Amid civil war in Libya, which translates into a fall of 60% of daily oil production in the country, oil companies and U.S. banks have ceased all activities in the country of Gaddafi. The Wall Street Journal revealed that Morgan Stanley, which bought oil for his customers, has severed all business ties with Libya. ConocoPhilipps longer exports a drop of 46,000 barrels it produced each day in the country, along with Exxon Mobil and BP.

Meanwhile, speculation on oil markets in full swing. Traders expect a continuation of the surge in the number of Paris to the increase reaches a level never reached.The record price for summer 2008 – when WTI traded at $ 145 – could be beaten faxless cash advances. For now, the WTI is trading at more than $ 105 a barrel after rising nearly 14% since the beginning of the year. As for Brent, it is trading at nearly $ 115 after a dramatic 25% since January.

Already at the pump, gasoline prices beat their record highs. A liter of unleaded 95 has sold 1.506 Euro per liter, exceeding its record of 1.497 euro reached in June 2008, according to records released yesterday by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate (DGEC). As for diesel, the fuel most consumed in France, its price rose to 1.351 euro per liter, the highest since August 2008.

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EDF accelerates recruitment in France

March 3, 2011 - 3:08 am Comments Off

It's another year of strong recruitments in France that EDF plans for 2011. The group announced this morning that 4600 recruits (including 1,500 management posts), mostly young people, against 4300 last year. Meanwhile, about 3,800 departures were recorded last year at EDF and ERDF and 3750 are expected this year, giving a net job creation of 850 jobs.

The energy giant is facing a dual challenge: firstly, it must accompany the resumption of nuclear development in the world, extending the life of plants, and new construction projects of thermal power plants or hydraulic. On the other hand it must deal with a pyramid that will lead to retirement from 25 to 30% of workforce in France by 2015.A proportion that rises to half the actual maintenance and operating in the fields of manufacturing, engineering and distribution.

"We are since 2007 on the movement of medium and long term, with an increase in growth rate of our assignments. Over a period of five years and by 2013, the group has recruited 15,000 people in France.Increase the lifetime of nuclear power plants involves indeed predict trades at 15, the profiles necessary to recruit and train, "said Marianne Laigneau, HR group EDF.

Hiring energy group – which currently has 170,000 employees worldwide and 240 jobs – mainly concern the nuclear pole (engineering and operations), with around 2440 vacancies, but also R & D (70), the hydraulic (300), thermal (100), while that ERDF (the distribution center) will proceed to 1400 hires.

Marianne Laigneau also confirmed the group's commitment towards alternation. EDF is proposing this year 2400 offers alternating at all skill levels. Including personnel already in training in 2010, "more than 4,700 staff are currently in the group," she recalls.

Pernod Ricard supported by emerging

February 17, 2011 - 7:16 pm Comments Off

Champagne to celebrate the good interim results of Pernod Ricard! During the first half of its fiscal year lagged 2010-2011, "the activity is very dynamic in emerging markets and enjoys a gradual recovery in North America and an improvement in Western Europe," says in a statement.

Net income for the period from 1 July to 31 December 2010 amounted to 666 million euros, up 10% over the same period last year.

The turnover of the first half amounted to 4.28 billion euros, up 13%.These are mainly sales of strategic brands of spirits and champagne, which represent 59% of group turnover, which increased the most last year (+8% in volume and +13% in value).

Geographically, Asia and the rest of the world jumped 29%, America 15% Europe 2%, after falling 5% in 2009-2010.

Reduced debt and continued investment

Net debt was reduced from 864 million euros due mainly to a strong generation of cash flow (639 million).

These positive results supporting the group, speaking through its director general, Pierre Pringuet, announced it is revising upwards its guidance for organic growth to a level close to 7% in fiscal 2010/2011, cons " close to 6% "until then.

"We will continue our policy of continued investment in brands and key markets," says Director General of Pernod Ricard.

Wall Street opens lower after mixed indicators

February 16, 2011 - 5:24 am Comments Off

The U.S. stock market opened slightly lower Tuesday after Monday's meeting Temin virtually in equilibrium. The Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 down 0.33% at 1327.87 respectively points and 0.26% at 2809.97 points. For its part, the Dow Jones fell back from 0.31% to 12,230 points.

On the macroeconomic front, the United States, the publication of indicators have been mixed disappointed traders. In January, import prices surged due to a further rise in energy costs. They rose 1.5%, almost almost twice the consensus forecast (0.8%).

Furthermore, the Empire State index measuring industrial activity in New York came out slightly below expectations, despite a faster rise in February.He climbed to 15.4 against 11.9 in January, its highest level since June, but 1inférieur the 15.5 expected by analysts.

For their part, retail sales began the year without much enthusiasm after the sharp increase in fourth quarter 2010. The 0.3% increase recorded between January and February is the lowest in seven months, and well below the 0.5% expected by analysts.

The United States has also attracted less net capital flows to long-term in December: 65.9 billion, after 85.1 billion in November.

The side of values, the earnings season coming to an end.The figure, however, operators monitor Dell on Tuesday after market close, those of CBS, Qwest Communications or Analog Devices, tomorrow and the annual results for CBS, Comcast and Nvidia on Thursday, and finally those of Campbell Friday.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro was still up against the dollar on Tuesday, buoyed by the German figures reassuring despite persistent pressure from concerns about the fiscal health of fragile area euro.Vers 15:00 to Paris, the euro bought 1.3535 dollars against 1.3486 dollars on Monday to the closure, after falling in the day from Monday to 1.3428 dollars, the lowest since three weeks.

Marriott will split into two listed companies

Marriott International, 3.85%, to 42.58 dollars

On Wall Street, the hotel company announced after market close Monday its intention to split into two publicly traded company, with one side of the other hotels and timeshare operations poor credit personal loans. The new entity specializing in timeshare brands will use the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, while Marriott International will focus on the activities of hotel accommodation, including franchisees. In 2010, the timeshare industry has posted a turnover of 1.5 billion made on 71 sites with over 400,000 multi-owner and approximately 10,000 employees. After paying a special dividend, the Marriott family should hold 21% stake in each of the two companies split.The group also reported a quarterly profit increase, the economic recovery accompanied by an increase in business travel. Net income for the fourth quarter was $ 173 million or 46 cents per share, against 106 million or 28 cents per share, a year earlier.

Fedex: 2.46%, to 96.30 dollars

Also after market, the group messageriea lowered its targets for the current quarter The group now expects earnings per share and 90 cents entre70, fork down 25 cents.The group says that performance-cons by harsh climatic conditions and rising fuel prices explain this.

Chevron: -0.57%, to 96.40 dollars

Always on the side of values, The Chevron oil company has been fined eight billion dollars for the pollution caused by Texaco, a company he bought in an Amazonian province of Ecuador, a decision against which he has promised to appeal.

NYSE Euronext: -6.21% to $ 37

Also note, while boards of directors of the exchange group NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse in talks for a merger, may announce an agreement soon on Tuesday, the press reported a possible offer by the Chicago Mercantile cons Exchange (CME), the world trade in raw materials.

Genzyme: + 0.73%, to 72.29 dollars

The series Sanofi Aventis / Genzyme continues.A merger agreement between the French laboratory and the American biotechnology should be signed shortly. Sanofi, however, should extend its offer a third time on Genzyme and continue along its negotiation. The expiry of the offer is midnight New York time on Tuesday or Wednesday 6:00 pm Paris time. In Paris, the title of Sanofi-Aventis rose slightly from 0.13% to 49.99 euros