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"We are exploring ways to provide benefits to small holders faithful, these solutions exist, and we're working on." That was the message delivered by Pierre Bellon, the boss of Sodexo at the last general meeting of the group that denounced the attitude of speculators "that enter and leave."

How to build a strong relationship with individual shareholders? The question hangs over the board: whether to protect themselves from the vagaries of the Stock Exchange or the appetite of a rival, small holders, shareholders are stable and frequent strong allies. For loyalty, companies are using every weapon at their disposal. And to fly, nothing can replace the hard cash.

The payment each year of a generous dividend, indicating a continuous and healthy growth is certainly the most effective way to reward its shareholders.For the most faithful, "who hold their shares for more than two years, companies may pay a dividend plus a maximum of 10%," explains Eric Bleine, Director General of JRC Asset Management. "These same shareholders may also benefit from plans to award free shares also increased to a maximum of 10%.

Another lever: the right to vote can be doubled beyond a certain period of detention. Another technique that has proved itself: shares in registered form, directly into the records of the company make quick cash .

A variety of tools

For the latter, the advantage is huge. It clearly identifies its shareholders and can detect any movement in the capital, where a significant proportion of the shares are registered in the nominative, as is the case with Michelin, Lagardère or Air Liquide.For the holder of action, the advantage is twofold: It is generally exempt from payment of custody and is constantly informed of the life of society. In the world of action "father", some titles are in a privileged position as Air Liquide and L'Oreal, darlings of small shareholders. "Among the 410 identified 000 individual shareholders, more than 150 000 were registered," says one from Air Liquide. Its main recipe: distribute generous dividends.

But the group uses almost the entire range of tools at its disposal with many levels of distribution of free shares, plus dividends and many buybacks. L'Oreal led until a different policy focusing mainly on the growth of its shares to pamper its shareholders.But now the group has decided to go further by also rewarding its loyal shareholders with a bonus dividend. The first will be paid in 2012 for profit in 2011.

Athens finally got the good report from Brussels. The European Commission ruled Wednesday that the savings plan acceptable Greek. "The Commission shares the ambitious deficit reduction that the Greek government has set, and the fiscal and structural reforms announced in the stability program," she said in a statement.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, had presented new budget measures, including freezing the salaries of all officials at the last moment on Tuesday evening. The Commission appreciated the welcoming approach.

The approval of Brussels is not a blank check.The Commission "calls on Greece to explain the tax measures announced and the timetable for their implementation in the coming weeks" and ", more detailed measures to be implemented in 2011 and 2012.

Athens will be placed under surveillance free credit reports . "The way to help, not only applaud, is to establish a monitoring tool and monitoring the implementation of this program" fiscal recovery, "said European Commissioner for economic, Joaquin Almunia. "For the first time we put in place a monitoring system as intense and almost continuous, but is necessary given the circumstances."

Confidence does not reign. Greece has for several years, played the unreliability of its statistics.In this regard, it will be an infringement procedure.

After the announcement of the Commission, the Greek bond yields back down to 6.516% against 6.742% on Wednesday morning around 8:30.

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For the third consecutive month, the French industrial morale remains very low in December. The synthetic indicator of business climate has stabilized at 89 points, down one point compared to November, INSEE said on Friday. The long period average is 100 points.

Chilling, INSEE noted that "the reversal indicator" sense "to detect the earliest possible time the industrial economy turns around," came "in the area indicating an economic downturn."

Business leaders note much of the sector increased their activity increased and stocks far below their level a long period, but observed a deterioration in their global order books and abroad. Their production forecasts are less good.

"The personal perspectives of production are less well oriented in November.The industrial and anticipate a slight slowdown in the coming months, "notes the INSEE.

The index had rebounded after the spring after a low of 69 points in March.

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Restructure its debt and enter the stock market with a dual listing in Hong Kong and Paris. This was the program of Russian Rusal, the world's largest producer of aluminum this year. The first step has been completed on time.

Prior to renegotiation, the group's debt amounted to 16.8 billion dollars (for a 2008 turnover of 15.7 billion dollars). It was reduced to 14.9 billion dollars. The group has completed one of its primary goals: reduce cost.

In detail, the 7.4 billion driven by international creditors (including large French banks) will be settled in two stages. The first four years, Rusal make principal repayments on the basis of its available cash. Interest will be paid partly in cash and the balance will be funded.

Then, the remaining debt will be refinanced for an additional period of three years. A similar agreement was reached with the creditors of the Russian group, which are 2.1 billion of debt, the new rate of 8-9%.

A value of 30 billion dollars

RUSAL also signed an agreement with Onexim – a leading Russian investment fund – the creditor group to the tune of 2.7 billion. The fund has agreed to convert $ 1.82 billion in a 6% shareholding in Rusal. This therefore values the company at 30.3 billion dollars.

Finally, net debt, estimated at 5 billion by counting the future interest will be subject to periodic payments by the fourth quarter 2013. The group has already indicated that some funds raised on financial markets would be used to repay debt.About 5 billion would be spent.

Oleg Deripaska, Rusal CEO and principal shareholder, welcomed "a project of such size and complexity without precedent." It remains now to get the stock exchange's business under pain of seeing nationalized. And even the Russian state does not acquire a significant share of its capital.

However, the IPO of Rusal is far from being a plain sailing. The group plans to make its debut on the coast of Hong Kong before the end of the year. A calendar that may be difficult to hold. In 2007, Rusal was considered a listing in London before giving it up.

These days, advocates of fiscal orthodoxy seem to score points on the supporters of a massive debt. The president ruled between 25 and 50 billion euros will be invested in projects that build the future of France. That does not mean that the amount of the "great debt" will be too high.

First difference: the Elysee account used to finance part of the "future costs", public aid granted at the beginning of the crisis with French banks, which are paying off. Or 13 billion euros back into the coffers of the state and which will therefore be recycled. While the state had to borrow funds on the market a year ago before re-lending to banks …

Cofinancing

Second difference: The government has always been clear, most projects will be financed by the state and privately.To allow access to the Internet at high speed throughout, for example, the loan will finance a large part of the deployment of a huge network of fiber optic telecom operators but will also put their hands in their pockets . And their "contribution" could well be recorded in the 25 to 50 milliards displayed, provides a government source. Who goes: "It is true, ultimately, he could not keep a lot of money to borrow." Perhaps no more than 15 billion euros …

"Do not the French credibility differs from that of Germany", explained in any case François Fillon on Thursday at the World.

In other words, Matignon would prevent total borrowings French (to fund all deficits, "great debt" included) than in 2010, that of German broadcasts.

And to avoid a surge in borrowing rates at which Bercy. The Treasury figures the additional borrowing capacity of France "between 20 and 30 billion euros", said the Premier.

Regardless, the executive does not repeat does not all the time that the important thing is not to set the amount of the loan but to define priorities for the future?

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The Regulatory Authority for electronic communications and postal services would intend to notice the two operators SFR and Orange (France Telecom subsidiary) to complete their networks of third generation mobile (3G) in France, under penalty of a fine record, according to the daily Les Echos.

In case of insufficient coverage of the French population in 3G network. In August 2009, the mobile network SFR 3G covered nearly 80% of the population then it should have covered 99.3%, according to the obligations of the license. As the Orange 3G network, it covered 83% of the French population in late September when he should have covered 98%.The two operators had obtained their licenses mobile third generation – UMTS license – in 2001.

As provided in the Act to modernize the economy since 2007, Arcep could, if the operators fail to comply, impose a penalty of up to 600 to 700 million euros per operator. Such a fine should push the two operators to act and to increase national coverage or at least encourage them to think seriously.

Constant pressure on Arcep

The digital development planning is a growing concern among French and their elected representatives, who exercise a constant pressure on Arcep to make it comply with the commitments made by operators in obtaining their licenses.The network coverage of Bouygues Telecom, which won the third UMTS license a year and a half after Orange and SFR will be verified later, again according to Les Echos.

Both operators will nevertheless defend keep the ill will in recent months. SFR said that the delay in the coverage area is due to technical difficulties of reusing frequencies from 2G to 3G while Orange himself, highlights the difficulty of installing antennas for the delay.

This case must surely be followed closely by the applicants for the fourth mobile license, while the debate is currently raging on the details of its acquisition.The Bouygues Telecom has announced on Wednesday it had filed two appeals with the State Council to challenge the award procedure for the fourth license for mobile phones it deems anticompetitive.

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