Posts Tagged ‘features’

The CAC 40 continues to rise, led by banks

July 23, 2011 - 8:24 am Comments Off

In the wake of a decisive EU summit on the future of the euro area, the Paris market continues its march forward again on Friday, relieved by the solutions provided by the 17 member countries of the euro area to the Greek fire. A mid-term, the benchmark index in Paris frankly advance of 1.08% to 3857.94 points. Yesterday, the CAC 40 1.66% has already been awarded, going above the bar of 3800 points (3816.75 points), and welcoming the draft agreement the EU summit in Brussels which includes a longer the duration of loans in the euro area in need.The countries of the region have also yesterday on the table a new plan to help nearly 160 billion euros to save Greece and prevent contagion from the debt crisis, but at the risk of causing a default the country.

These extraordinary measures were immediately relieved markets, notably in Paris or the Paris index had won more than 9% since the beginning of July. The agreement on debt relief, Greek, amounting to 350 billion euros at present, is still today applauded by investors, as well as the involvement of private banks in the device, even if the modalities of this participation to be defined.

On other European markets, the relief is essential.In London, the FTSE-100 was up 1.10% to 5964.57 points while in Frankfurt the DAX index itself to a more timid step forward from 0.64% in 7336 , 51 points.

Japanese support

The announcement Friday by Yoshihiko Noda of possible support from Japan also supports the upward trend this morning. The Japanese Finance Minister has in fact said on Friday that his country was ready to buy more bonds from the European Financial Stability (EFSF) if necessary. Japan has invested some 2.5 billion euros in the first three issues launched by the Fund since January 2011, to help Ireland and Portugal.The minister said Japan is ready to continue "at the same rate, if it can help stabilize the economies of the European Union."

This global expansion of the Greek fire, which had once benefited the euro yesterday, has not had any lasting effect on the foreign exchange market. At mid session on European markets, the euro was worth 1.4412 dollars, against 1.4417 dollars on Thursday night. In the wake of the announcement of the plan, the euro reached a peak Thursday at 1.4443 dollar. In terms of oil, oil prices start rising, supported by a European, but also by the announcement of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA), which has no plans to release a reserve again strategic. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" took 28 cents to 99.41 dollars, after crossing at the meeting yesterday the 100 dollars.That of Brent North Sea took 23 cents to 117.74 dollars.

Macroeconomic side, some important indicators are expected on Friday. Orders to industry have increased more than expected, however, in May in the euro area, show the figures by Eurostat Friday. New orders rose 3.6% from one month to another in the 17 countries using the euro and 15.5% year on year. This morning, INSEE reported a sharp deterioration in the morale of French industry in July, the index fell from 110 to 105 a month. This announcement has not scared investors, the index remains above its long-term average (100 points), in which it had sunk in 2008 with the crisis do not exceed once again that the end of 2010 . Across the Atlantic, no major indicator is expected.

As for values.

In the forefront of best performance, the banking sector is surrounded by this Friday, the day after the adoption of the European plan for Greece. Crédit Agricole (3.42% to 9.62 euros), Société Générale (2.24% to 39.08 euros) and BNP Paribas (2.43% to 50.11 euros) in net rise. Axa (1.56% to 14.64 euros) and Natixis (1.60% to 3.41 euros) are also well oriented. 40 CAC Hors, Dexia wins 4.71%, to 2.15 euros.

The rating agency Standard and Poor's raised the rating a notch French TV group TF1 (0.99% to 12.80 euros), to BBB +, saying that despite the increase in sales shy , cost savings were being lead to greater profitability.

Accor (3.71% to 31.76 euros). The hotel group confirmed to be entered into exclusive negotiations with the catering giant Sodexo to give him the caterer Lenôtre.An enterprise value of € 75 million was used for the project.

Lafarge (2.11% to 40.58 euros). The French cement plaster will sell its operations in Australia in the group of German Knauf construction materials for 120 million euros. The operation, which will reduce its debt, expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2011.

Sequana (-1.62% to 9.60 euros). The group announced half-year net income almost sixfold, to 35 million euros, against 6 million a year ago, and a turnover of 2 billion euros (+1.3% yoy pro forma), supported by higher selling prices last year. However, management has lowered its target EBITDA of "higher" to "close" to that of 2010.

Groupe Eurotunnel (-0.42% to 7.60 euros).The group has published interim accounts showing a net profit of 2 million euros over the first six months of the year against a loss a year earlier. Turnover increased 22% to 396 million euros. Management expects for 2011 an increase in EBITDA.

Air France-KLM (2.84% to 9.92 euros). The order of a hundred long-haul being prepared by the Franco-Dutch company will be shared equally between Airbus (EADS) and Boeing, La Tribune reported Friday. According to the newspaper, the board of directors of the Franco-Dutch company will review the draft July 27, before an announcement expected in September.

Schneider Electric (2.22% to 108.30 euros) announced a partnership with NVC Lighting, a small Chinese company which will take 9.2% of the capital, to strengthen in the Chinese cities of small size.Specialist solutions energy management also announced two acquisitions: that of certain assets in China Chongqing Enlin Electric, and of the Brazilian Steck, specializing in low voltage products.

France Telecom (1.40% to 14.47 euros). Orange has signed Thursday with Free (Iliad: + 1.46%, to 91.45 euros) an agreement to co-finance the fiber-optic networks to the Internet at very high speed, in about sixty cities located in sparsely populated areas and announced in active discussions with other operators.

Pierre & Vacances (stable at 58 euros). The group announced that its summer bookings for the quarter were ahead of last year on all its destinations, including the sea in France.

Bongrain (1.29%, to 65 euros).The food group has reported an increase of 13.2% of its turnover in the first half, but warned that the sharp rise of raw materials created tensions on consumption and margins.

Somfy (-0.01 to 207.98 euros). The roller shutters specialist reported Thursday a turnover up 13.9% to 501.2 million in the first half, up 8.7% on a comparable basis. The strong demand in Germany and France ontéclipsé Asia the impact of the disaster in Japan, Europe and North and South that of British and Greek economic difficulties.

Vivalis (4.50% to 7.89 euros). The biopharmaceutical company, announced in the first half, a product of the ordinary activities of € 4.7 million, up 165%, and consolidated cash of 36.0 million at June 30, 2011.

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.

A biotech Marseille partnered to 24 million

July 8, 2011 - 6:36 am Comments Off

The agreement is good news the French biotech Innate Pharma. The company, based in Marseille, in a statement anounce the signing of a global agreement with the U.S. laboratory Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS).

BMS is thus committed to finance the development of the IPH2102, a new antibody in Phase I development created by the biotech Marseille for the treatment of cancer. Thus, the U.S. laboratory to make an initial payment of Innate Pharma $ 35 million, followed by other milestone payments based on research findings. The total amount of the transaction could reach $ 465 million (over 320 million euros).Innate Pharma should also receive a fee, a "double-digit percentage" of international sales net of the product.

In exchange, "Innate Pharma will provide Bristol-Myers Squibb exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and marketing of IPH2102 and compounds structurally related KIR receptor blocking."

Innate Pharma flies title

"This license agreement is the largest ever made to date with a French biotech in financial terms," ​​said Hervé Brailly, CEO of Innate Pharma. "Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global leader in the field of immuno-oncology and as the best partner we could look to realize the full potential of IPH2102," he adds.

To BMS is a new step in its strategy of "string of pearls."The giant seeks to "establish collaborations with innovative businesses and leaders in their field worldwide," said Mike Seeley, CEO of BMS France.

The announcement of the agreement was followed closely by investors. The title Innate Pharma jumped nearly 80% in early trade, to 2.35 euros. The CAC 40 rose 0.46%.

Wall Street down slightly

May 13, 2011 - 7:16 pm Comments Off

After a session in the green Thursday, the New York Stock Exchange began the last day of the week to balance. In early trade on Friday, the Dow Jones was down 0.06% at 12,685 points, the Nasdaq lost 0.32% to 2854 points and the S & P coward 0.11% to 1347 points.

The tensions are still very vivid in the markets for raw materials and oil. The U.S. House of Representatives Thursday passed a bill to increase oil production in the United States to respond to soaring gasoline prices, despite opposition from the Obama administration to new drilling Wed For its part, China has announced to suspend its exports of diesel and severely restrict its exports of refined products to ensure adequate domestic supply and fight against inflation in fuel prices.Oil prices were higher Friday at the opening in New York, supported by a slight decline in the dollar in a market which is marked by volatility recorded this semaine.Vers 1:20 p.m. GMT, on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery traded at 99.32 dollars, up 35 cents from the veille.Il still traded above $ 100 just before the opening.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro regained some ground against the dollar on Thursday. About 11:00 am in Paris, the European single currency was worth 1.4316 dollars, against 1.4244 dollars on Thursday night. Yesterday, she had fallen in session at 1.4124 dollars, its lowest level since April 1.

Consumer confidence rises

United States, markets were reassured by inflation contained.The consumer prices in the U.S. rose as expected by 0.4% in April compared to March because of rising food prices and gasoline, according to statistics released Friday by the Labor Department.

Moreover, consumer sentiment recorded a rise to 72.4 in May unexpected vision against 69.8 in April, the index of the University of Michigan. Analysts were waiting to 70.

Yahoo! penalized

The side of values, the Nasdaq Composite is sealed by the fall of Title Yahoo (-5.18% to 16.28 dollars) after the Internet portal said Alibaba Group has reorganized the capital structure of Alipay, one of the leading online payment systems in China, without being notified when it is a shareholder of Alipay.

The earthquake in Japan, which has disrupted production car in the Japanese archipelago, has claimed its place as world number one sector to Toyota, doubled in the first quarter and probably for the year by the American General Motors ( 0.06% to 31.44 dollars) and Germany's Volkswagen. Toyota sold 1.79 million vehicles worldwide between January and March, down 12% year on year.Meanwhile, GM sold 2.22 million cars, and returning, at least for this quarter, the world number one spot he had sold to Toyota in 2008.

For his part, Nvidia (-6.65% to U.S. $ 19.14) reported after the close of Wall Street, for the first quarter of 2011 from a profit down 0.2% to 135 million. The gross margin was 50.4%, a record level. Sales reached $ 962 million against 948 million and 1 billion expected a year ago.For specialists Aurel BGC, "the group is clearly affected by the downturn in PC sales and growth opportunities on the shelf is far from certain … For the current quarter, the Group expects a growth of 4 to 6% of its sales. "

SunPower (-0.89% to 21.19 dollars) achieved during the first quarter 2011 revenues of $ 451 million against 347 million last year and a loss of $ 0.02 per share against a BPA from $ 0.13 a year earlier. For the current quarter, SunPower expects a turnover of 500 to 550 million.

CA Inc. (-8.86% to 22.84 dollars), formerly Computer Associates International) in the fourth quarter of financial year 2010/2011 a turnover of 1.13 billion dollars against 1.17 billion expected and earnings per share of $ 0.48 against $ 0.5 expected.About its prospects, the group expects a growth in turnover of 6% to 8% at constant exchange rates for the year 2011/2012, and GAAP EPS in the range of 1.79 to 1.86 dollar. In addition, the Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of 0.05 dollars per share and a stock repurchase plan of $ 500 million. Last night, losing the title

Nordstrom (-1.64% to 48.37 dollars) for the first quarter sales of 2.32 billion dollars, in line with expectations, and earnings per share of $ 0.65 against $ 0.67 and expected $ 0.52 last year. The board of directors also voted a share repurchase plan of $ 750 million.

The wave of mergers and acquisitions continues. Yum! Brands (+0.28% to 54.88 dollars) has announced the launch of a tender on the Asian restaurant chain Little Sheep at a price of 6.50 Hong Kong dollars per share.

Accor plans to secede from catering Lenôtre

April 30, 2011 - 12:36 am Comments Off

Accor is considering separating from Lenôtre, catering luxury present in thirteen countries with 64 schools. This decision was under review by the two structures for some time, the company said. The transfer of Lenôtre is linked with the change of strategy group, which wants to focus entirely on the hospitality sector, according to a statement released Friday.

Accor believes this project could be beneficial to Lenôtre: according to him, Lenôtre development could be accelerated if the repurchase by a group in its sector.

Already, potential buyers have expressed interest in buying this prestigious culinary group, said Accor, which is careful however to specify the identity and business of the suitors."The bodies representing staff were informed of these discussions and will be consulted when a project is developed more concrete," the statement said without giving further details cash advance payday loan.

Under pressure from some major shareholders, Accor has launched a process of refocusing on the hotel. He has sold its prepaid services, become Endered, sold the business to restaurants in the trains of the Compagnie des Wagons-Lits and sold the walls of a large part of its hotel brands Novotel, Sofitel and Formula 1 keeping only their management.

The announcement of this proposed sale leaves investors indifferent. This morning at 10:30, the title of the Accor Group in effect losing 0.33% to 30.15 euros in a market down 0.32%.

NYSE Euronext rejects the advances of Nasdaq / ICE

April 11, 2011 - 8:32 am Comments Off

NYSE Euronext raises the lusts but retains its preference for a union with the Frankfurt Deutsche Börse. 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). The place specializes in new technologies and that on raw materials are intended to counter the approximation of the US-European space with Deutsche Börse.

But the directors of NYSE Euronext have found the offer of Nasdaq and ICE "strategically unattractive, with an unacceptable operational risk." Besides the issue of debt, the directors were concerned about the competition issues that would raise a takeover by Nasdaq OMX and ICE, with the risk of a monopoly of trading in shares in the United States.NYSE Euronext's boss Duncan Niederauer also said: "We can hardly call that an offer because it is a proposal formulated in vague terms and that is, from our point of view, an empty shell."

Conversely, the officer believes that a strategy has been defined and that "the combination with Deutsche Börse is consistent with this strategy." NYSE Euronext believes that a merger with Deutsche Börse to the new entity will position itself to become the leading operator of global market and create substantially more long-term value for its shareholders.

Nasdaq OMX was formalized on April 1 its alliance with ICE to add to NYSE Euronext. And despite this rejection, Nasdaq plans to maintain its proposal.

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Chinese Haier has a wireless TV

April 4, 2011 - 9:55 am Comments Off

Flat screens, sleek … TVs are becoming more beautiful, too bad the picture is marred by the son. Chinese manufacturer Haier has designed a wire-free, not even electricity. The promise's dream.

On paper, the principle is very simple. "Within a radius of two meters, no need son. We create a magnetic field in which the electric current pass, and the image data, "said Rene Aubertin, president of Haier Europe. So just to have a box placed near the TV. The housing is connected by wire to the sector and possibly a cable or antenna reception ADSL and sends waves energy and information without loss of quality or power.

The advantage of such a solution would be to achieve dispense with all cables and son, including those connecting the TV to DVD players, Blu-ray … "We're obviously going to test the impact of technology on health" adds Rene Aubertin, who put on a launch of the first products in 2011 in China and Europe in early 2012. Haier, which is convinced that wireless "is a real argument for consumers' experiences another solution in the field. It is like this time the principle of induction. Just this time to ask its receptor (provided it is designed for) on a shelf, connected to electricity payday loans for bad credit. The current then flows between the post and the plate. The gain is a priori small, since it is necessary to connect the shelf and not the receiver.But Haier has wanted to go further in this direction and consider making this plate a kind of universal charger for all electrical appliances in the home. "Imagine, you go home, you put your phone on the plate and presto, it recharges itself," enthuses Rene Aubertin. Ultimately, the principle can be extended to objects as diverse as a PC, a kettle, a shelf …

Positioning in the midrange

Haier, which makes $ 20 billion in sales worldwide, including 600 million in Europe, wants a fivefold increase its presence in mature countries shortly. Television weighed barely a third of European sales in 2010 (the balance coming from appliances), it should represent more than half of next year."We develop products to make them more responsive to the expectations of European consumers," said Rene Aubertin, who wants to position products in Haier midrange. At year end, the brand will launch its first television sets connected and 3D with passive glasses (or polarized) at a price "significantly lower than competitors'.

China stands ready to help European countries

March 11, 2011 - 9:08 pm Comments Off

While China has already provided support to European countries struggling with debt problems, such as Spain or Portugal, it could again give them a boost. The central bank governor, Zhou Xiaochuan, said on Friday that "despite difficulties in some European countries, China supports strong to overcome their budgetary difficulties and succeed in their economic recovery."

Moreover, Zhou Xiaochuan said China is "very confident in the euro area and its ability to overcome the crisis. What about European countries in difficulty, the governor said: "We have confidence in their economic prospects." A response to the wave of downgrades by Moody's sovereign these days, that hit Greece and Spain.

China pledged last year to support the euro zone countries face the rising cost of sovereign debt, worsened by U.S. rating agencies. The Spanish daily El Pais had reported in early January that the Chinese government planned to buy six billion euros of debt in Spain. In December, the Portuguese daily Jornal de Negocios wrote that Beijing was ready to buy five billion euros of debt Portuguese. At the end of last year, the chief economist of the bank Natixis, Patrick Artus, had considered buying Chinese Greek debt to several hundred million euros. Beijing has never confirmed any of these amounts.

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The Italian projects Groupama Blocked

March 5, 2011 - 9:57 am Comments Off

Back to square one for the mutual insurer Groupama. His plan of conquest of Italy was thwarted Friday by Consob, the Milan stock market watchdog. This is a new blow to the French who dreams of European expansion for years. To this end, Groupama in 2003 had offered an observation post of first choice in Italy. With the help of Vincent Bollore, the insurer had entered the capital and the board of directors of the powerful Milanese merchant bank, Mediobanca.

After years of observation, this investment was to finally pay. A beautiful operation, acquisition-Sai Fon, the first Italian car insurer, crippled by disastrous financial results, was in sight. To achieve this goal, a long-term plan had been mounted.The direction of Groupama had close family Ligresti, the majority shareholder of a financial holding, Premafin, which owns 41% of Sai Fon.

In financial difficulty, the Ligresti had agreed to sell 17% of their company Groupama for 145 million euros. Once in place, the French hoped of course gradually take control of Fon-Sai creditreport. Despite plans IPO of Groupama, the financing of such acquisition, estimated at between 2 and 3 billion euros, however, seemed complex.

Political reading

To achieve his ends, Groupama wanted to remain a minority in the capital of Premafin. The mutual had therefore conditioned its investment to the lack of obligation to Consob to launch a takeover bid for the entire holding. The authority has no doubt considered that Groupama Ligresti and acted in concert. Permission has been refused.Groupama said it would "examine the situation created when it is properly informed" by Consob of "motives of his decision."

The decision of the Milanese can also lead to a political reading. The prospect of a French acquire a large insurance company had caused an outcry in Milan. "We will keep the Italian spirit of our company" and had promised Ligresti at the last general meeting of their society.

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Early retirement: how to retire at 60

February 28, 2011 - 9:57 pm Comments Off

In the wake of massive demonstrations against employees of the pension reform in the month of September, the president promised to take better account of the drudgery. The daily Les Echos, the new rules allow for early retirement – at age 60 instead of 62 years – are ready to come into force. The draft orders were submitted Monday to the Commission of accidents and illnesses that must review them before publication in the Official Gazette.

These decrees provide that to continue to retire at age 60, the insured must prove that a disability rating of over 20% caused by illness or accident.The retirement age is then lowered from two years.

17 years of exposure

For insured persons with disability rate ranges between 10% and 20%, the process is rather more complex. This amounts to a lot of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Employees must then prove they were exposed for at least seventeen years of difficulty factors. These are precisely defined by the decrees. These include carrying heavy loads, uncomfortable postures, work at night …

The case of employees who apply for early retirement will be reviewed by a commission whose members are representatives of state and social security. The Commission will have four months to decide.

If proof of 17 years of exposure is not required for employees suffering from occupational disease, the trade unions believe it is inappropriate to TMS.The CGT said that this term does correcpond to any reality. according to the CFDT, over a quarter of TMS appears to exhibits ranging from one to ten years. Syncicats also denounced the lack of recourse against the decision of the Commission if it refuses the early departure. Only possibility to look to the court of social security which could be blocked quickly by the CFDT.

The new rules should come into force at the same time that the law on pension reform on 1 July.

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