Archive for the ‘economics’ Category

December 14, 2011 - 4:37 pm Comments Off

The family group is very discreet about its level of profitability, but ensures that the results are sufficient to guarantee its independence and its development without the need for external partner and relatively little use of banks.

Part of the offshore production

"In 2012, the economic environment would be bad in Europe and the United States, recognizes Jean Cassegrain, but we feel no impact in our stores." As a result, the company, which opened 20 stores this year in the world, plans to continue its expansion, even in mature markets. Longchamp is well to open a shop in Nantes. "Our priority is to open boutiques in major European cities in China," says the CEO. Longchamp will open a store in Milan in March.

Many affordable individual health insurance products are available for practical and smart consumers of the modern period.

Eric Besson France launches plan Digital 2020

November 30, 2011 - 2:32 pm Comments Off

Eric Besson this Wednesday morning at the University Paris-Dauphine, his new plan, Digital France 2020 laying down broad objectives for the digital sector, which now accounts for 3.7% of employment in France and 5 2% of GDP.

Some fifty measures, the minister will announce that the government wants to free up additional spectrum for the development of mobile broadband. Good news for mobile operators, which, given the exponential growth of traffic, would need additional 450 megahertz. Good news in perspective as to the state, who can expect royalties.

November 28, 2011 - 11:20 pm Comments Off

The Council of State suspended the execution of the decree of September 29 on the sale prices of natural gas, the institution announced on Monday. Gas prices are definitely a real headache for the government. Enact increases in the order of 4 or 5% per quarter is difficult to six months of a presidential election, particularly in times of crisis. So the government there decided by a ministerial decree of 29 September, to freeze the rates for individuals. This price stability followed that decided on July 1.

Problem: after much negotiation, the State and the suppliers had agreed in December 2010 on a formula, which was to end criticism of the political nature of periodic reassessments of gas tariffs.

November 10, 2011 - 5:40 am Comments Off

France, she missed electricity this winter? Nine months after the German decision to phase out nuclear reactors eight of seventeen will be stopped before the end of the year, the question of feeding the Hexagon concern to the government. Yesterday, on the occasion of the presentation of the report of the electricity transmission network (RTE) on the transition of winter, the industry minister, Eric Besson, has expressed its "vigilance".

Governments based on the calculations of the EDF subsidiary responsible for networks and very high tension. In the first nine months of the year, French exports of electricity to Germany increased by 11% over 2010, while imports fell by 50%.With all these elements, RTE suggests a risk of disruption "moderate fast cash loans."

Regarding the availability of the generation French, it is mixed: most important for the period January, at least in contrast to the months of November and December, due to the revised schedule of the facility.

Wednesday, Eric Besson welcomed RTE can count on an average of 1400 MW: Further expansion of wind power, new combined cycle gas came expand the portfolio of means of production.

Remains the black spot in Britain, has long been known. The region, which produces only 8% of the electricity it consumes, is particularly fragile. Certainly, infrastructure building projects exist, but they are slow to be realized.

Eurozone: Berlin set the terms

October 27, 2011 - 2:32 am Comments Off

From our correspondent in Berlin

The symbol will not have escaped anyone. The first act of the EU summit held in Berlin earlier this afternoon. German Chancellor Angela Merkel recueillli a very large majority, including within its own ranks, having traced the Bundestag outline of the stabilization plan for the euro area, as envisaged by Germany.

Some 503 deputies of 596 votes cast, approved the "motion" filed jointly by the government majority and the opposition. The two pages of the text set to Angela Markel its room for negotiation, deal with its European counterparts, tonight no question of charging more the European Central Bank, making it taste too many Germans. And not about to spend more than 211 billion euros already pledged by the country.The Chancellor had to fly to Brussels with a clear mandate, intended to strengthen the positions defended by Berlin.

She assured members that the solutions involving the ECB for the enlargement of the European Financial Stability Dondi "are no longer on the table" for negotiations provided for in the evening. A key point for Berlin, where the risk of inflation is the line not to cross. Therefore the purchase of government bonds on the secondary market should be transferred to the ECB EFSF. The outstanding guarantees amounting to 211 billion euros in Germany, will not be increased, has added Merkel.The conclusions of the summit will EFSF then again ratified by the Bundestag, the chancellor promised.

Need to amend the Treaties

"Unemployment has not been this low in 20 years" in the country said Angela Merkel, stressing that it will work on the implementation of "viable" tonight online payday loans. But Germany can not continue to act as if its European partners are in trouble. This is why Europe must become a "union of stability." The objective is clear: "prevent the crisis from spreading to other European countries."

For Greece, the Chancellor said that the goal is to "find a solution that would allow Greece to have a debt / GDP ratio of 120% by 2020." "It is impossible without the private sector participates more strongly than had been decided in July," she said.The discount should be between 50% and 60%, parliamentary sources said.

"The report of the troika shows that Greece is the beginning of a long and difficult road," said Merkel advocating sending a permanent mission in Athens to help the country return to growth .

For Angela Merkel, the crisis demonstrated the need to modify the EU treaties to impose greater "stability culture" in the economic and monetary union. Berlin wants to include enhanced penalties, with the possibility of prosecution before the European Court of Justice, for countries that violate the rules of the European Stability Pact. "We must repair the imperfections of the euro, now or never," she insisted.

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Complementary health: 8% increase

October 17, 2011 - 8:32 am Comments Off

Mutual did not took off. And three-quarters of the French objected to the new tax increase on complementary health from 3.5% to 7% since October 1, according to a Harris Interactive survey for the French Mutuality published last Thursday. Over 85% believe that this will result in lower purchasing power. Mutual claim because they are forced to pass on the increase to their policyholders. "In recent years, the taxation of complementary health" officials "went from 0% to 13.27% since in the new 7% tax added to the CMU of 6.27%, that mutual insurers and health are the only ones to fund.We can not support such increases without raising rates, when, in addition, new regulations require us to strengthen our reserves and our solvency, "said Philippe Mixe, the president of the FNIM, the National Federation of Independent Mutual .

Only the GMF took the opportunity of talking to her, announcing that it would not apply to customers the increase decided by the government. A promise that did not cost too much: it has launched its health contract for just over a year, and still only 30,000 policyholders. "We want to develop healthy techniques and results are good. It is normal that we do enjoy our policyholders, "said Patrice Forget, Chief Operating Officer of the GMF. But the GMF stands alone.Even other newcomers in this market – as Amaguiz, the Internet subsidiary of Groupama, which has just launched its contract health – have incorporated the tax rates.

According to Mercer, the French who have subscribed to one of these individual contracts can expect an average increase of 8% of their bonus next year. An increase that reflects not only the tax but also the increase in health spending at the expense of additional no faxing pay day loans.

Contracts "storey"

Insured employees as part of their business are not better off. "The increase will be at least 7% on average," said Philippe Mixe. An invoice less and less accepted by employers. "From 2007 to 2011, contributions of corporate contracts have increased by 6.80% per year, including taxes," says Eric Demolli at Mercer.Today, faced with employees very attached to these contracts, companies, always keen to control costs, tack. "They seek to spread the increase over time in negotiating with insurers, mutual and pension funds. They play better competition. And they refine the guarantees, for example by eliminating reimbursements to "actual costs" too expensive, "says Eric Demolli.

More and more companies are opting for contracts as "storey" in excess of a basic "minimum" common to all employees, the company funded in whole or in part, employees who wish to be better protected may subscribe for options, they bear the cost alone.In their individual contracts, insurers also offer more health insurance "a la carte", where everyone can dose coverage of individual items (ambulatory care, hospitalization, dental, optical) depending on its needs and its budget. They also imagined, as in the last contract Amaguiz of low-cost, to benefit the insured packages for reimbursement when they increased from the previous year have not been exhausted, optics, for example.

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The CAC 40 is reluctant

October 14, 2011 - 1:24 am Comments Off

The Paris Bourse after opening down slightly, sailing around the equilibrium after a session that saw the CAC 40 fly over 2%. In the morning, the CAC 40 in advance symbolically from 0.14% to 3235 points in early trade. Investors do not follow the mood on Wall Street yesterday and Asian markets this morning. The latter found confidence to the rhythm of advertisements European leaders on a plan to end the crisis. They particularly appreciate the position of the European Commission yesterday called for an urgent recapitalization of the banks deal with the debt crisis. Remarks relayed by the Minister of Budget Précresse Valerie, who, like Berlin, says it is "a necessity". France is willing to inject even said herself of public money to support its banks if necessary.

This commitment reflects a shift in the euro area on the Greek case.The taboo of failure is no longer excluded. The Chairman of the Commission José Manuel Barroso, called for "decisive action on Greece" while German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said yesterday that the overall level of indebtedness of Greece should be reduced s' it reaches an unbearable level, "to provide better opportunities" in the country. The discount will have to accept that private investors in the second aid package to Greece adopted in July would be 39% if we used the current market prices to assess the risk profile of the country, instead of 21% estimated at the time, said yesterday an official of the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

New vote in Slovakia, the euro rises

Concerning the Relief Fund in the euro area (EFSF), which must be expanded to support the plan to end the crisis, Slovakia has promised another vote tonight or tomorrow.It should be positive this time because four opposition parties agreed to support the government in place, Maturity of early elections. These data give back to the euro insurance. The European currency found the threshold of $ 1.38 in morning trading.

Oil, however, is small decline: a barrel of "light sweet crude" for November delivery lost 86 cents to 84.71 dollars. Barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery yielded nine cents to 111.27 dollars for the last trading day of the deadline. The operators claim to be concerned before the publication of figures on weekly petroleum reserves in the United States no fax pay day loans. Another indicator to the American agenda: the weekly jobless claims, trade balance and budget.

Values ​​to follow

Total (-0.98% to 36.20 euros)

The oil company has discovered gas and oil off the coast of Norway, announced this morning the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. According to preliminary estimates, this discovery is to be between 19 million and 101 million barrels. To dig the well that led to this discovery, Total was allied with Norway's Statoil, authorities said.

Carrefour plunged 4.16% to 17.17 euros

The group launched Thursday a new warning on its results in 2011, relying now on a decline in operating income between 15% and 20%, 15% instead of the planned end of August.

Lafarge (2.28% to 29.62 euros)

The French cement company announced an asset swap with the U.S. Martin Marietta, which he will sell the aggregates quarries and concrete plants ready and asphalt, in exchange for aggregate quarries and distribution sites .

Casino (1.98% to 62.71 euros)

The retailer saw its organic growth slowed in the third quarter with declining sales of its hypermarkets in France, but the group has confirmed its objectives for 2011 include the strengthening of its market share in the Hexagon and improving margins at Franprix-Leader Price.

Areva (0.72% 22.49 euros)

The consortium of the French group and Germany's Siemens called the Finnish operator Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) to engage in the path of cooperation with the approach the final stages of construction of the EPR reactor Olkiluoto 3 (OL3). The French nuclear group has also been licensed by the U.S. authorities allowing it to construct and operate an enrichment plant in Idaho.Finally, the boss of the group, Luc Oursel, raised the possibility "to smooth or to shift some investments to reduce risk and improve (the) financial situation"

ArcelorMittal (-0.38% to 14.47 euros)

The group decided to shut down two blast furnaces located near Liège in particular because of the deteriorating global economic situation, the financial daily reported on Wednesday Belgian L'Echo, information later confirmed by the unions.

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Less taxes for second homes

October 11, 2011 - 1:32 pm Comments Off

Households that sell for the first time a property (second home, rental investment) and use the proceeds of such sale to purchase their primary residence would be exempt from tax on capital gains in real estate: This is what Gilles Carrez The rapporteur UMP Budget to the Assembly. It will introduce an amendment to that effect to the proposed 2012 budget. An amendment must still be approved by the Assembly and the Senate to take effect.

The regime has been tightened

This measure, if adopted, would address the problems of people in big cities like Paris. Many people initially buy a second home in the country, prices being more affordable. A few years later, they may wish to sell the first property to purchase their principal residence.

But today, the sale of second homes and the sale of any property outside the residence, are heavily taxed. The regime has even been cured. 32.5% of the gain now from taxes and social faxless cash advances. And for the deeds of sale entered into after 1 February 2012, the gain will be exempt only if the property is held for over thirty years (instead of an exemption after fifteen years now). Of course, allowances will apply after five years in prison but they will be ungenerous. In short, the amendment would Carrez restore some flexibility in this plan.

In addition, many members of the Finance Committee have agreed to reduce to 250,000 euros per person and 500,000 euros for a couple the input threshold for the tax on high incomes.In the government's plan, the threshold is € 500,000 per person and one million euros for a couple.

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Education: 14,000 jobs lost in 2012

September 30, 2011 - 9:04 am Comments Off

"We can not talk about withdrawal of state for education," says one Wednesday evening at the Ministry of Education. Of course, the "mission school education" total in 2012, 62.33 billion euros in payments against 61.8 billion euros in 2011. But in practice the proposed 2012 budget builds on the budgets of previous years with the removal of thousands of teaching positions. School education "contributes substantially to the efforts of non-replacement of retiring in two. Thus, 14,200 jobs will not be replaced in 2012, "says Bercy.

At the request of President Chirac, concerned the ski local elected officials, "the balance of closures and openings will be no classes in September 2012 in the first degree": 5700 positions will be eliminated, however.Secondary education will pay the heaviest price, with 6550 faculty positions and less. To these job cuts, plus those of private schools and about 400 administrative. The ministry expects a dozen of "levers" to achieve this. The number of students per class is expected to increase in schools and colleges, except where an educational priority regulated ceiling sets a maximum of 25 students.

Innovative devices

The deletions will focus on language teaching assistants, teaching assistants, and teachers redundant. Institutions will be grouped, pooled options. "Today, 300 public colleges and 500 private colleges with fewer than 200 students," do we observe. The Department intends to continue reducing the number of children in kindergarten for two years payday loan companies.He also mentioned the possibility of job cuts in classes préparatoires (CPGE) and the BTS (brevet de technicien supérieur). "3000 places are now vacant in the BTS, since, in particular, graduates who preferred to go to university," says one. The Ministry also points CPGE classes consisting of four to five students, only one "indecent situation." Local elected officials "are fighting to keep mostly kindergartens and preparatory classes, this explains so this …».

Consistent with commitments made, the savings "benefit to employees first," says Bercy.Teachers early in their careers benefit from an increase in their treatment since the 2010 school year: 180 million euro will continue to improve their financial situation.

The document Bercy also indicates that "the development of innovative devices can provide an appropriate response to each student" as "strengthening the reception of students with disabilities" with "progressive recruitment of thousands of enrollment qualified assistants (2000 recruitment in September 2011 and 2300 in September 2012). "

Boarding schools of excellence that the capacity is "10,300 places in September 2011 should be increased to 16,200 places in September 2012 and approximately 20,000 seats in time, mostly financed by appropriations from the investment program for the future ".

The Nikkei rose after central bank action

September 16, 2011 - 6:44 pm Comments Off

Asian stock markets will end the week on a positive note. In the wake of Wall Street closed higher on Thursday, the markets have also welcomed the decision by central bankers from the richer countries to mobilize to prevent the drying up of banks' liquidity in dollars. Thus, the European Central Bank (ECB), with the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Japan has reopened its facilities dollar loans to European institutions in three months, at their request. The Nikkei gained 1.93% to 8836.10 as well.

The IMF, like the ECB through its president Jean-Claude Trichet welcomed the unity of central bankers to the crisis: he stressed that it was more necessary than ever for world leaders to unite to prevent a recession that should spare "person."This will reassure investors, who until now did not cease to spread their fears about a bankruptcy in Greece, coupled with sluggish growth prospects on both sides of the Atlantic.

However, brokers in Asia fear that this improvement is short-lived. "The coordinated central bank takes the market today," noted Toshiyuki Kanayama, broker at Monex, Japan, quoted by Dow Jones Newswires. But this does not solve the problem of the euro area should have a temporary effect. "

Bank stocks and exporters in progress

At the Tokyo Stock Exchange, banking stocks and exporters popped up then. Toyota wins and 1.75% to 2737 yen, Honda 2.27% to 2447 yen.The same goes for banks, Sumitomo rising by 3.39% to 2166 yen, as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (4.24% to 244 yen).

Other places are also Asian financirèes in the green. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong gained 2.14% to 19,591.93 points, the Kospi Index in Seoul was up 3.56% to 1837.22 points, the S & P / ASX 200 index in Sydney rose by 1.81% to 4145.20 points, the BSE Sensex index in Mumbai was up 0.96% to 17,039.30 points and the FTSE Singapore Straits Times Index rose 1.35% to 2803.25 points.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro kept most of the gains made the previous day. The European currency was worth 1.3848 dollars and 106.31 yen Friday morning in Tokyo, down slightly compared to 1.3882 dollar and 106.40 yen the night before in New York.Similarly, the oil price displayed in a small increase in morning trading in Asia, a barrel of "light sweet crude" earned 5 cents to 89.45 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea 14 cents to 112 , $ 44. "This liquidity will likely prevent the recession to hit the euro area, supporting crude oil prices," said Victoire Shum, an analyst at Purvin and Gertz in Singapore.