Archive for the ‘special’ Category

Regulated tobacco sales in overseas departments

August 1, 2011 - 10:48 pm Comments Off

For the first time, the sale of tobacco is regulated overseas. Following the enactment last Saturday of supplementary budget for 2011, only licensed dealers are now allowed to sell cigarettes in the departments of overseas.

These licenses distributed by the county councils are limited in number for the 540 Martinique, 550 for Guadeloupe, Reunion and 1070 to 300 in Guyana. This provision does not apply to Mayotte for when the tax is not yet aligned with that of other DOM.

This measure looks controversial local shops who use tobacco to attract customers concerned about the financial loss they may sustain same day payday loans. Those who will not benefit, however, the licensing of a transition period of five months.They will then be allowed to "continue the sale to individuals during the period strictly necessary for the depletion of their stock and not later than December 31, 2011," according to the legislation.

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Direct Energy buys Poweo

July 27, 2011 - 3:36 am Comments Off

After months of discussions, the two alternative operators in France, Energy, Direct Energy and Poweo, will join forces. The first will announce Wednesday morning the acquisition of 46% stake in the Austrian Verbund in the second. The transaction, which amounts to 36 million euros – at a rate of 4.77 euros per share – allows Direct Energy to become the shareholder of Poweo, the company founded and headed by Charles Beigbeder long. The UK fund Ecofin has for its part, 26%, against 9.5% for the investment company Luxempart and 18.5% for the float.

"This is the first step in the formation of a major independent challenger of EDF and GDF Suez, which already book a million customers in the gas and electricity," said Xavier Caitucoli, CEO of Direct Energy.The portfolio of the company amounted to 650,000 customers specifically, while some 350,000 claims in Poweo.

Xavier Caitucoli, there is no question of seeing this combination in the ultimate act of resistance of both companies in a market ultradominé by incumbents. "Instead, we are here to stay. The new law on the organization of the electricity market, adopted recently, gives us more visibility on our margins and gives the end user the opportunity to go freely in the competition and return to regulated rates if desired ".

The executive recruitment remains strong

July 21, 2011 - 9:32 am Comments Off

A study by the Association for the use of frameworks (APEC) issued Thursday, the labor market remains well-oriented framework in the third quarter of 2011. 52% of companies surveyed expect to recruit in effect at least a part in the summer, 9 points higher than the same period in 2010 and 17 in 2009.

All sectors – including industry, banking and insurance, engineering and computer science – driven by the development of their business will be affected and graduates will for once not forgotten. "This dynamic is explained by that of business investment, which has a positive trend over the last 12 months," explains Jacky Chatelain, the director general of APEC payday advances.

The employment guidelines issued by APEC in June has also remained well oriented. At 48,307, it rose by 52% over the same month last year.Year over year, the trend is even more significant: + 67% to 461 366 job postings. A new record. All functions are sought, with a prize for technical professions (purchasing, logistics, maintenance, security …) which rose 80% year on year. Then the number of positions in IT, which jumped 71%.

Asian stock markets into the red

July 20, 2011 - 5:24 am Comments Off

The major stock markets in Asia are in the red on Tuesday. The signals sent yesterday by the stock exchanges in Europe and the United States do not encourage investors to take risks. Gloom settles permanently while stresst tests of European banks are not convincing and that the debt problems on both sides of the Atlantic continue.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei, which resumed trading after the long weekend, started on a decline of 0.53%. An hour of closing, it was down from 0.60% to 9914 points. The banking sector is particularly abused in the image of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (-2.54%), Nomura Holdings (-2.34%) and Daiwa Securities Group (-1.15%). Export values ​​also suffer from a higher yen against the dollar: Sony loose 2.06% 3.63% Nintendo loses first Panasonic was down 1.95%.

For their part, Hong Kong and Shanghai respectively lost 0.29% and 0.47%.In Hong Kong, banks are still in trouble: HSBC Holdings (-0.47%), Agricultural Bank of China (-0.99%) and China Merchants Bank (-0.22%) down.

Only exchanges of Korea (0.12%), Australia (0.10%) and India (0.26%) manage to rise into the green but remain cautious. Note that at the Sydney Stock Exchange, the action News Corp, battered since the wiretapping scandal, bounced 2.54% to 14.53 dollars as investors take advantage of lower stock price.They also respond to information from the Wall Street Journal under which Rupert Murdoch, the founder of the media group, plans to release the reins of his company.

Oil climbs the slope

Oil prices were up Tuesday in electronic trading in Asia, investors taking advantage of prices driven down by concerns about the debt crisis in the eurozone, analysts said.

In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in August took 38 cents to 96.31 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery took 41 cents to 116.46 dollars.

The markets fear a contagion of debt to Italy

July 10, 2011 - 12:56 am Comments Off

After attacking the Portugal earlier this week, markets accentuate the pressure on Italy. Friday, the Milan Stock Exchange closed on a fall of 3.47% due to a sharp drop in bank stocks. The Italian 10-year rate reached a record 5.259%, while the gap with the German borrowing rates soared to 242.4 basis points. The markets fear a contagion of debt to Italy, the third economy in the euro zone, whose debt reached 120% of GDP. Under pressure from rating agencies threatening to lower the rating of the country since the spring, Rome adopted an austerity budget of 40 billion euros on Thursday, but the political crisis, revived by Berlusconi's statements could derail everything.

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The CAC is expected to slow in 4000

July 5, 2011 - 11:40 am Comments Off

At the Paris Bourse, the trend is expected to be negative on Tuesday, more pronounced than the day before, while the Cac 40 showed a slight decline, and Asian stock markets this morning. Wall Street closed yesterday, will reopen at 15:30. Yesterday, the Cac 40 ended on a slight decline of 0.11%, but was maintained jsuute above the 4000 points, to 4003.11 points exactly.

If the folder Greek reassures the issue of sovereign debt in Europe remains. However, in Ireland, the country is on track to meet its goal of reducing the deficit for 2011, with a deficit in the first half of 10.8 billion euros, in line with forecasts, assured the Irish Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan. In addition, the goal of 34.9 billion euros in revenue in 2011 "remains doable," he said.

On Tuesday, is expected at 9:50 Markit composite PMI index.In the euro area, opn know retail in May to 11 hours while in the U.S. industrial orders in the month of May will be known 16 hours. On the currency side, the euro was down 0.42% to 1.4480 dollar.

First trading day of Dia in Spain

Carrefour. Tuesday is the first day of trading of the shares Dia, a subsidiary of Carrefour, the Madrid Stock Exchange. In addition, the shareholders of the holding Wilkes, who controls the Brazilian Grupo Pão de Açúcar (GPA) will meet on August 2 to discuss the proposed merger with Carrefour, said in a statement released Tuesday no fax pay day loans. Wilkes is controlled by Casino, current partner of GPA and fierce opponent of the approximation of the latter and its French rival Carrefour, and the family of Abilio Diniz investor.

PPR.The French group distribution and luxury becomes the majority shareholder, with 50.1% of Swiss Sowind Group (brands Girard-Perregaux and Jean Richard) to strengthen in the field of fine watchmaking. The operation will be done through a reserved capital increase of Sowind Group, which will be fully underwritten by PPR.

Yellow Pages. The group of French directories announced that he could not meet its objectives in 2011. Yellow Pages originally expected to maintain its sales and operating margin stable. The company explains that social movements, which severely disrupted his business last month, could affect its revenues to the tune of twenty million euros.

Bombardier. The Canadian manufacturer of trains should announce job cuts at its site in Derby Litchurch Lane, in Great Britain.British trade unions have called for negotiations, but the measure could actually reach 2000 posts in this factory which employs 3,000 people. Bombardier justifies this decision by the loss of a major contract in favor of Siemens in the UK.

Publicized announced a majority stake in Spillmann / Felser / Leo Burnett, one of the leading advertising agencies in Switzerland.

Fillon attack the proponents of de-globalization

July 3, 2011 - 1:20 am Comments Off

A true campaign speeches. Cambodia before the French together in a vast lounge of the Sofitel Hotel in Phnom Penh, the prime minister Saturday launched a violent charge against the left, without ever naming it: "Those who believe that the idea that one could 'de-globalization' history and the comfort of a domestic policy alone, without external stress, maintain a dangerous illusion, "he said, while some voices in the PS and the Greens in particular to call for ecological and social conversion of the production system. "Globalization is a fact, not a hypothesis," has dealt François Fillon, taking the opportunity to refine their profile politician "lucid" which tells the "truth" to the French.

"You who live in the Asian continent, you know what is meant by globalization and the (…) changes it brought with it," he said to an audience that the UMP would attract and retain the perspective the presidential election of 2012 (hence the creation Wednesday of a Secretary of State for French nationals abroad, at the ministerial reshuffle).

Fillon promised to fight against the risk of decline

The prime minister also criticized the "lack of responsibility" for "those who advocate, under a mask of generosity, the return to funding expensive." "Between the spring of election promises and fall of the exercise of power, the reality is responsible for breaking down dead leaves of inconsistent programs," he added, lyrical faxless cash advances.

While calling for more than "partisanship," the Prime Minister continued his charge against the advocates of protectionism. "Those who want to get France out of the euro, if unfortunately they came to business, they would endanger our economy, our social model, in the name of a false idea of ​​national sovereignty", he attacked. Against these "lax or populist proposals" which "we pose the risk of decline," Fillon promised he would fight "all (his) forces."

While the UMP is constantly mock the PS program considered "dated," Fillon drove the nail in praising the reforms carried out in four years: a guarantee "of international adjustment," he praised " we have continued to act to reinvigorate our economy, to capitalize on innovation to secure our social model, to contain our costs, "he added."None of these reforms has not been easy, he said. But I am convinced that their legitimacy will prevail, because the French feel that the new world will be uncompromising for nations that choose the easy (…) With the approach of elections, disputes conducive to systematic and utopias of all kinds, we will maintain our line of truth and realism ambitious. "

(From our special correspondent in Cambodia)

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Growth will reach 2.1% this year

June 25, 2011 - 8:24 pm Comments Off

The year 2011 will be marked by beauty "jolts", it should nevertheless result in an increase of 2.1%, according to forecasts released yesterday by INSEE. A figure that – even if it is the thickness of the line – is widely expected to satisfy the government, including the forecast for this year is 2%. It is rare that the institute of statistics is more optimistic than Bercy!

This year has been marked by "shock," said he notes in the introduction of its quarterly. The first months left on the ground running, with a 1% growth in first quarter – "supported in part by exceptional factors, including the effects of catch-up following the strike last fall," and a phenomenon stock, is the INSEE.Industrial production was then greatly accelerated.

This is another backlash that explains the strong slowdown in the spring: the end of the scrapping a car that plunged household consumption, in the face of any support in the international environment.

But after that, the momentum for two years and would resume its place in the third and fourth quarters, growth would return to a rate of 0.5%. Households would resume eating, companies continue to invest and trade would not weigh on growth.

Peak inflation to 2.5% in October

In this context, improving on the employment front would continue. Job creation in the private sector would be of about 106,000 in the first half, then 73,000 the second 100% free credit score.The unemployment rate should fall back and to 9% in mainland France by the end of the year, "still above its pre-crisis", said Insee, however. This improvement, along with higher wages, could have played very positively on the wallets of the French. Especially since the Insee estimated that 1 billion the amount that could be injected by companies to employees by the end of the year (an amount that does not damage their margin, the precise INSEE) for the "premium against dividend" – a device that must still be approved by the Senate.

But did not count on the rise in inflation resulting from higher commodity prices. In October, a peak would be reached, with inflation reaching 2.5% year on year.As a result, gains in purchasing power would be only "moderate" in 2011, and they increase by 1%, after 0.8% in 2010.

The savings rate, which had increased significantly during the crisis, should remain at a high level, 16%.

Insee warns in conclusion that several uncertainties surrounding this scenario. On the negative side, the weakness of the U.S. economy could be more sustainable envisioned the restoration of the Japanese economy may be slower. Conversely, "face to improve the labor market, the French could break with the precautionary behavior they adopted during the crisis," and consumption grow more strongly than anticipated.

Wall Street expected to open in the balance

June 17, 2011 - 2:44 pm Comments Off

The U.S. stock markets would open again on Friday in a small increase. Future of Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively, in fact advance of 0.20% to 1266 points and 0.18% at 2199.50 points. Thursday, Wall Street has ended in a disorganized, fears shared by more and more vivid on the outcome of the crisis of public finances in Europe and reassuring indicators from the United States who came to end a series of bad news on the macroeconomic level.

Note, in this session, the VIX implied volatility index, also called fear index, rose 6.6% during the session at 22.73 and just reacted to what is wanted "reassuring "European officials.

Greece still under surveillance

The situation in Greece is also likely again to engage the attention of investors before the publication of a new round of macroeconomic indicators expected on Friday. Originally scheduled Thursday, the redesign part of the Greek government has intervened in the morning. In a final attempt to resolve the political crisis gripping the country, Prime Minister George Papandreou announced the formation of a new government. The name was the most anticipated of the new finance minister.This will be the former Defence Minister Evangelos Venizelos, who is also Vice-Premier, announced Friday a spokesman of the Greek government.

Efforts that do not seem to convince the Fed chairman, Alan Greenspan, who said in a television interview Thursday night that a lack of Greece was to him "almost certain".

On the foreign exchange market, the euro is falling against the dollar. To 11 hours in Paris, the single European currency was worth 1.4189 dollars against 1.4209 dollars on Thursday night. Oil prices also retreated during the session. A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for August delivery was trading at 112.72 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London, down $ 1.30 from the close of Thursday.In electronic trading of the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" (WTI) for delivery in July let go $ 1.54, to 93.41 dollars. It fell earlier to 92.12 dollars, its lowest level since late February.

United States, on the macroeconomic front, investors will monitor the indices of consumer sentiment and leading indicators that will be announced in mid-afternoon.

RIM, in line with expectations

The side of values, the U.S. bank Capital One said Thursday after the close of Wall Street that it would buy the Dutch bank insurer ING's U.S. subsidiary of ING Direct online bank for $ 9 billion in cash and shares.Under the agreement, ING Capital One pays $ 6.2 billion in cash, together with some 55.9 million shares of Capital One, estimated at about $ 2.8 billion.

The Canadian group Research in Motion (RIM), listed on Wall Street, manufacturer of BlackBerry smart phones, said Thursday after market close a net profit of 695 million U.S. dollars, in line with expectations, but sales below market expectations for its first quarter.

Also note, the U.S. Treasury said Thursday it planned to recover about 36 million in bringing to market some 2.85 million shares of Bank Central Pacific Financial held.

Orders for medium-haul aircraft should carve out the lion's share at Paris Air Show, in particular the re-engined Airbus A320, whose commercial success increases the pressure on Boeing for a decision on the future of 737, the 'best-selling commercial airplane in the world.

The title of the internet radio Pandora Media should still be very surrounded. Thursday, it fell by almost 23.88% for its second day on the stock market, and coast now below its IPO price.

Libya: SocGen was leveraging of funding

May 26, 2011 - 3:48 pm Comments Off

It's a story that Societe Generale would have preferred to keep to herself. Since the freezing of Libyan assets earlier this year, the French bank has made its discreet yet welcomed funds investments of the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), the country's sovereign wealth fund of Muammar Gaddafi. According to a document published by the NGO Global Witness and Le Monde on Thursday, the LIA has investments in three funds of SocGen, now frozen: Soc Gen Europe Medium, Soc Gen CODEIS Strategic Equity Fund, and Soc Gen Cross Roads 5Y Link Notes. This is a set of structured products that allowed Libya to diversify its portfolio.

The case was not even interesting for the French bank that has faced very disappointing returns in 2010.Thus, the value of the three financial products is increasing between the first and second quarters last year, 1.8 billion dollars (1.27 billion euros) to 1.05 billion. The only funds specializing in Europe, Soc Gen Europe Medium, which alone weighed 1 billion dollar saw its value drop by 43% to 498 million.

BNP Paribas, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs …

The French bank is obviously not the only one who sows the seeds of funds from the Libyan regime. The names of several banks are well surface, which another French BNP Paribas, as well as American as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse and Britain's HSBC. In total, these financial institutions managed almost $ 5 billion in assets (3.5 billion euros) over the 55 billion dollars of financial assets of the LIA.Overall, losses collected by these funds would be heavy: their value would be increased from 5 to 3.5 billion dollars last year.

But for NGOs, collected more than the losses is the involvement of these prestigious institution in managing the funds of a scheme which is now discredited defendant. "It is striking to see how many large institutions were ready to do business with the Libyan regime, knowing the potential risk of misuse of state funds for personal use," says Robert Palmer Global Witness, in the columns of the Financial Times.

In his defense, Societe Generale said it acted legally and accurately manage the investments of several state funds in the same way.Remember, the banks and financial institutions held 8.233 billion Libyan dollars (5.84 billion euros) in deposits and loans from French banks to September 30, 2010.

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