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Full financial and economic crisis, Spain will nationalize Bankia, the fourth largest bank, formed by the merger of seven Spanish savings banks in December 2010. The information, released Wednesday by the newspaper El Pais and ABC, has been confirmed in the evening by the Ministry of Economy. This indicated that the government would take 45% stake in banking group, which would make the majority shareholder. "The nominal value of these investments amounts to 4.465 billion euros," the ministry said in a statement. The money would come from public funds to support Spanish banks, the Frob, founded in 2010.

Shortly before this announcement, the Bank of Spain was also confirmed that Bankia had applied its partial nationalization. Announced for several days, this bailout is intended to reassure investors, while the bank accounts are sealed by prime mortgage risk.

The prospect of nationalization of a large Spanish bank, unprecedented in the country since 1992, does not please the markets. On Wednesday, all Spanish banks were sanctioned Exchange: Santander and BBVA have yielded 4.52% and 4.73%, respectively, while Bankia lost 5.84%. Sector In falling throughout the Ibex 35, which closed at a new level since 2003.

A rescue plan Friday

If the measure makes sense in Madrid, Spain is not the first European country to have nationalized its banks since the crisis erupted in 2008. Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland nationalized much of their banking sector. In Ireland, the cost of bank bailout was so high, it has increased the deficit to 32% of GDP, forcing the country to seek IMF assistance and the euro area no fax pay day loans.

In Spain, the nationalization of Bankia a turning point in worrying the banking crisis. After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the big Spanish banks such as BBVA and Santander were cited as examples for their strength. The problems came from "cajas" savings banks that invested with a vengeance in real estate. Today, they are more than a dozen sips but risky assets, including 37.5 billion for the only Bankia.

The government has already asked in early February to banks to provision 53 billion a year, is preparing to present a new rescue plan on Friday, the Council of Ministers.

Recapitalization needs of the Spanish banking sector are estimated at EUR 100 billion, while loans amounted to 143.8 billion euros, according to the latest figures from the Bank of Spain.

Unable to refinance when rates soar on debt markets, Spanish banks have no other choice but to call for help from the state. But the government has not the means to save the entire sector, while its deficit already stands at 8.5% of GDP. And he has already committed for 2012 of 47 billion euros saved. Even if it costs him politically, Mariano Rajoy could be forced to go through using the EFSF (European Financial Stability Fund).

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Angela Merkel will host the new president of the French Republic "open arms", but firmly defend its rigorous design of economic policy in Europe.

The Chancellor reiterated on Monday that it intends to oppose the limits to the will of Francois Hollande to enrich the fiscal pact of measures to support growth. "The Growth Pact is not negotiable. [...] It is not possible to renegotiate everything after each election ", otherwise" Europe no longer works, "said Merkel at a news conference. "Greece could also ask to renegotiate" the austerity plan that it implements in exchange for international aid, for example, she warned. The spokesman for Angela Merkel, Steffen Seibert, also reiterated on Monday that 25 out of 27 countries had ratified the pact adopted snatched a few months ago, and it was therefore "impossible" to renegotiate .

Angela Merkel, provided, opened the door Sunday, the adoption of a new Growth Pact for the euro area, which would add to fiscal pact. But it has clearly defined the limits between what is acceptable and what is not. "Germany is not a growth deficit, but growth through structural reforms", said Steffen Seibert on Monday. In line with about Mario Draghi, the chairman of the European Central Bank (ECB), German Chancellor intends to primarily boost growth in Europe by a sucroît competitiveness, notably by reforming the labor market no fax cash loans.  

"Working well and intensively"

For his part, Francois Hollande called for a resumption of growth through capital investment in infrastructure, new energy and industry. The Socialist would draw upon the European Investment Bank (EIB), he wants to strengthen, and remount the EU tax on financial transactions. The contrast with Chancellor Angela Merkel would be so much more frontal Francois Hollande wanted to introduce shared Eurobonds, or reform the statutes of the ECB. The two countries should compare their growth strategy in the coming weeks. Chancellor, who invited the new president on Sunday in Berlin, said she was ready to "work hard and intensively" with him.  

President of the European Union, Herman van Rompuy, announced late last week preparing an informal meeting on growth and employment, to the end. This meeting will aim to prepare the EU summit on 28 and 29 June next devoted to the same topic. Several European countries have in recent weeks called for further stimulate growth in Europe. In addition to Greece, whose austerity policy has been sanctioned by the polls, Italy and Ireland were pleased to see growth back at the heart of the European agenda.

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In Athens,

In the land of Athena, the political wisdom does not really progress. After the euphoria fueled by thirty years of fiscal profligacy, the hurricane of the economic crisis and its attendant drastic austerity measures have devastated the morale of the Greeks. It is in this context they are called to vote for crucial general elections Sunday, the first since the trusteeship of the country by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A protest vote is more than ever on the agenda and many experts are worried about a coming political chaos in the country.

The thirty-two contending parties are divided into two camps. On the one hand, the "pro-memorandum," those who voted for and signed the austerity measures imposed on the country in exchange for two loans of 110 and 130 billion euros. Three parties are distinguished in this category: PASOK, Socialist Party headed by Evangelos Venizelos, former finance minister. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he is convinced that Greece is on track and ensures a crisis in the next four years. New Democracy (ND), Conservative Party, whose leader, Antonis Samaras, is leading in the polls, has primarily to renegotiate the terms of the memorandum by betting on the revival and development of the economy. Finally, the Democratic Collaboration Dora Bakoyannis, former Foreign Minister, may see his party not to cross the 3% threshold to enter parliament.

For Giannis Panousis, professor of criminology at the University of Athens, these parties may pay their hypocrisy. "The major parties say they have the solution for overcoming the crisis, while everyone knows that this is not viable. Even before the polls are open, public creditors remind the country that we will have € 11.5 billion of budget savings in the next two months. That means more job losses and new taxes, "he analyzes.

So, the vast majority of candidates appear in the opposite camp, the "anti-memorandum." They denounce the exact figures of sovereign debt, the trusteeship and loss of sovereignty. They rely on the record figures of unemployment and recession to convince the most disadvantaged and the young, depressed by the lack of future. Apart from the Communist Party (KKE), who wants to see Greece leave the European Union as soon as possible, the parties "anti-rigor" consider the place of Greece in the euro area as a given unbeatable. "They can not exclude us, otherwise there will be a domino effect and will be in a very bad position," quips Panagiotaros Ilias, number two Chryssi Avgi, "Golden Dawn" violent far-right group which expected to enter parliament for the first time.

In campaign rally in the Peloponnese, he assured his constituents that in addition to return all illegal immigrants in the country he will veto any legislation introduced to Parliament if they do not defend the interests of the Hellenes. "We do not need these bailouts which in reality are not. Greek debt is sustainable, but we pay the speculations of the great capitalists, "he says. Rhetoric that brings. Many supporters of this group recognize that ideology does not differ greatly from that of the far-left parties, "more patriotic".

Risk of paralysis

"Greece for the Greeks" is a slogan that is also found in the clan Panos Kammenos, leader of the Greeks independent. Surfing also on the crisis and desperation of the Greeks, the former Conservative wants to build on the country's natural resources to repay debt. He admits to not being away from ideas of Syriza, left-wing coalition led by Alexis Tsipras, also rose sharply in the polls.

If Greece is found unable to form a majority government coalition or Sunday, the risk of paralysis is real. "The instability will result when a violent change of political system as a whole and lead very quickly to new elections. The country can not be governed effectively as the situation requires it, "said political analyst Antonis Karakousis. "The question is whether the country can support a political crisis over the economic crisis or whether we will go, as some fear, toward a financial disaster and a danger to the sovereignty of Greece." ……. .

This may especially endanger the European reforms undertaken so far and very controversial in the population. Hence the concern of the country's creditors, which would like the Greeks realize that Greece plays its European future at the ballot box.

 

LE FIGARO. – The Netherlands seems to suddenly become Eurosceptics. Why?

Luuk van Middelaar. – In reality, they have always been skeptical about some aspects of the European Union. The Netherlands were among the six founding countries, but their motivation was primarily economic, unlike France, which favored the political dimension. The Dutch have always fought for measures that represent an economic interest, such as the European patent. Then the country became a net contributor to EU budget around 2000, which is not conducive to enthusiasm! As for the current debate over the stability pact, we must not underestimate the impact of the crisis of 2003, when Paris and Berlin have violated common rules: it has reinforced the inferiority syndrome of small countries.

Failure in the referendum on the constitution has he not been exceeded?

France and the Netherlands voted no, but for very different reasons. The French were especially opposed to Europe "neoliberal" characterized by the Bolkestein directive on services, named after the Dutch commissioner … In the Netherlands, by contrast, we did not want an "other" Europe, but "less" Europe, if at all! The Dutch were not opposed to a political Europe.

The debate on the return to national currencies is more violent than elsewhere in the Netherlands. Why?

In the Netherlands, the euro has always inspired mistrust. These fears are now confirmed by the mismanagement of other member countries. Dutch MPs debated the creation of two variants of the euro, the "neuro" for the North and the "Zeuro" for the South. But this debate has remained economically, while the euro has a geopolitical origin: it is a concession of the Germans at the time of reunification.

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After seven weeks of political crisis, the good student of the euro area has fallen into line. The Dutch Minister of Finance, Jan Kees de Jager, snatched on Thursday night, a tentative agreement with the liberal VVD, D66 Democrats, the Greens of GroenLinks and ChristenUnie promising to return to 3% deficit in 2013.

The Dutch stability program will be sent this Friday in Brussels before the deadline of April 30. For achieving compliance with the Stability Pact, the Netherlands had to find 14.4 billion euros in savings. This agreement has been hailed by assitôt markets: the borrowing rate to 10 years in the Netherlands fell back to the lowest of the year.

Retirement at age 67 in 2024

The austerity plan, rejected by the extreme right – provides for cuts in many areas. Government salaries will be reduced. The health system will be reformed in order to save 1.6 billion euros. The subsidy on home loans, very sensitive issue for decades, will be revised downwards, which will allow the state to recover 5 free instant credit score.4 billion euros.

Revenues are revised upwards: the richest taxpayers must pay a "tax crisis". The retirement age will increase by one month, starting next year, to reach 66 years in 2019 and 67 in 2024. VAT from 19% to 21% and the tax paid by banks will be doubled.

The political agreement was obtained following a procedure described as "unprecedented" by former Prime Minister Mark Rutte. His finance minister has succeeded in five days what the government (VVD, CDA) had failed to do in seven weeks. Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), which supported the government broke off negotiations last Saturday.  

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"There is no market in the world where one can say that our expansion is complete." Signed Thomas Lourenco, owner of H & M France, this assertion could be pronounced with the same assurance by his peers Zara, Gap and Uniqlo. From New York to Shanghai through Roanne and Cape Town, the four largest clothing retailers in the world are opening every year by hundreds of shops.

Spanish Zara, Swedish H & M, Gap and American Japanese Uniqlo are all facing the same problem: on their home market, the sales growth slows, when it is not negative. "Diversifying internationally is an emergency, insists Luca Solca, head of research at CA Cheuvreux Europe. The economic slowdown, particularly in southern Europe, is likely to be higher than expected. "

Zara and H & M are still dependent on Europe for more than half of their sales, while Gap focuses 68% of its activity in the United States. Last year, the benefits of Fast Retailing, Uniqlo's parent company, they have been sealed by its poor profitability in Japan, where the brand 80% of its sales. The Japanese group has up its sales targets for this year, but its growth (14% to EUR 9 billion) will come mainly from abroad.

Uniqlo and its three main competitors have no choice but to accelerate in emerging markets, starting with the most promising, China. In 2011, Inditex (Zara's parent company) has opened 156 stores and is 400 by the end of the year. Decided to carry more than half its sales outside Japan within four years, Fast Retailing plans to open 100 stores in Asia this year, including 80 in China, before doubling the pace in 2013. The Japanese want to pass Zara and H & M in China, where Gap has to spend 15 to 45 stores this year.

Adaptation of forms and colors of clothing

The four giant jacked and on other emerging markets. H & M has just opened in Mexico, Thailand, Latvia. Swedish now eyeing South Africa, where Zara plans to open in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The Spanish also investing Australia, Taiwan and Peru. The Gap American ventures in South America, via Chile.

Uniqlo also hunt on the land of origin of its rivals. After all, Europe is still, by value, the first in the world market for clothing. The Japanese also sees the potential in the United States. After opening two "flagships" in New York, he announced a first store in San Francisco, and an innovation center and offices to handle logistics and human resources. It plans to open hundreds of stores in the United States, seeing a market of $ 10 billion by 2020. H & M, which opened 200 stores in the U.S. since 2000, and Zara, which has 47, can not take the risk that the Japanese enjoy one of the disappointments of Gap in the U pay day loans.S..

Neither group can not abandon its traditional market, the risk of yielding market share. Zara and H & M and continue their offensive in France. The Spaniard will land in La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) after the summer; Swedish invests him with smaller cities like Roanne (Loire).

This conquest accelerated on every continent requires the giants of fashion to reshape their strategy and working methods. Paradoxically, refining collections is relatively simple. They remain in effect to 80% common to all countries. Zara added a size XXS for Japan, Gap smaller sizes in Shanghai, "where people are smaller," and other major Beijing … H & M has dedicated her clothes formatted in the UAE.

Brands also avoid sending too much green (color of the husband or wife cheated) and white (color of mourning) in Asia, and juggling the short or long sleeves at the option of climates. Lines of spring H & M are adorned with pastel colors, such as Uniqlo, yet partisan bright colors. Blades are apparently more seyants skinned fashionistas Chinese very well and flatter your tan Europeans. Globalization can sometimes synergies in the colors …

Higher prices by 30% in the Chinese market

For now, the Chinese conquest of clients has not changed the procurement strategies of the giants of fashion. They have responded to higher cotton and wages in China. H & M still produces most of its collections in Asia, but increasingly in Bangladesh. Uniqlo stocks up 80% in China, but part of its production is relocated to Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Zara, meanwhile, increased its production in Asia and will continue this strategy. But "we will always maintain at least 50% of our supplies in Europe," says a manager of Zara, whose production is mainly located in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. This asset can deliver within 24 hours of Europe, and in little more time in Asia, where customers are fond of European products.

Result of this procurement strategy, the giants of fashion practiced in China prices averaged 30% greater than those displayed in Europe, partly because of taxes and customs duties. So, high prices encourage Chinese purchasing power remains low, to consider Zara, H & M and Uniqlo brand as "premium". "This will force these retailers to improve their quality," says a consultant. Or, conversely, to harmonize their prices. "Especially since they are exposed to local competitors, the European-sounding names, such as Hong Kong's Giordano, much cheaper," says Anne-Laure LINGET, the Federation of knitwear and lingerie. In China, the war between Zara, H & M and Uniqlo may be more complicated than elsewhere.

 

"Ask the fiscal program of Sarkozy!

"Ask the fiscal program of Holland!

It speaks only of "it": family, friends, in shops, on leaving school … Less candidates in the presidential election evoke, he obsesses over the French. "It" is the higher taxes will fall on taxpayers in the coming months. For if not all are promised the same tax hell, few people are certain to escape. ISF for VAT through the income tax, local taxes or the CSG, all candidates for president – without exception! – Promise to raise taxes. More than seven in ten French expect, according to our survey Opinion Way – Fiducial.

Recognizing the need to redress the public accounts, the French are frankly skeptical about how go about policies. According to our survey, 83% believe it would be better to start by addressing the reduction of public expenditure. Las … Both favorites of 6 May, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande, have detailed these days their tax proposals, which leave little doubt about their intentions.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

Side of the president candidate, it is argued that the rebalancing of accounts goes to three quarters by controlling public spending. Higher taxes will do that for one quarter. Moreover, it adds in the entourage of the head of state, the bulk of tax increases has already been voted. In recent months, 32 billion in new revenues were indeed acts by Parliament and began to take effect. It is largely due to the increase in the tax burden that France was able to record a deficit lower than expected in 2011: 5.2% of GDP instead of 5.7% originally expected.

The reduced VAT rate increased from 5.5 to 7% in late December (except for staples). Social charges on savings have been identified, tax loopholes, planed, and an outstanding contribution is requested with the highest incomes. A total of 11 billion euros of additional levies on households' most-favored "have been decided," because the solidarity required "at this time of crisis, Nicolas Sarkozy justified in his Letter to the French. How to respond to the argument of "tax giveaways to the rich made" repeated by his opponents to long speeches.

Conspicuously absent from the count of the president candidate, rising by 1.6 percentage points of VAT, already passed, is expected to come into force on 1 October. "It is not a levy increase, as it will be fully offset by reductions in social charges on low wages," says one of his entourage. Not sure this is enough to convince the French, skeptical of this "social VAT" (52% opposed, according to our survey).

Nevertheless, it remains to be Nicolas Sarkozy another 8 billion euros to find to meet its goal of a return to 3% deficit next year. But the UMP candidate has promised if re-elected, "no tax increase will weigh on households', except the famous" tax on tax exiles, "which he expects 500 to 700,000,000 euros year.

tax reform is the No. 1 priority of Holland

With Francois Hollande, however, taxpayers will not have completed the tax increases. If elected, the Socialist candidate wants to make tax reform the "mother of all reforms" of his five years. He warned that the tax burden would contribute half the recovery of accounts of the country and announced a forty billion of new taxes, of which 16 billion would weigh on individuals, especially the "most affluent". The team of the socialist candidate is careful to note that these increases would be added to those of M. Sarkozy … because, apart from the increase in VAT on books (from 5.5% to 7% since April 1) and the "social VAT", the PS candidate does not come back on measures already enacted.

By the summer, according to its "road map" published on April 4, Parliament would be asked to vote shock measures announced during the campaign, such as capping of tax loopholes to 10,000 euros per year, great tranche of 75% for revenues of over EUR 1 million, but the end of the tax exemption of overtime.

Despite this clarification in the calendar, remains a big blur of headlights more ads. For example: measures of higher taxes on income, such as super-slice or ceiling niches, would come into effect this year or January 1, 2013? The tax on millionaires would it apply to income tax or the home, such as tax practitioners presentiment, by hand? What about the ISF – payable in June – that Francois Hollande plans to burden? Would it be postponed until September? Is there a tax shield to 85% of income as suggested by the candidate? His entourage of these questions is swept out of hand: "These are questions for a budget minister, not a candidate as president." Tuesday, Michel Sapin, in charge of the socialist project, said the super slice to 75% would last "as long" as the recovery of the finances of France require.

Beware of leaving headquarters

Meanwhile, it was panic. Tax consulting firms claim to be inundated with requests for expatriation. "There is a before and after 75%," says a Parisian tax. Unprecedented fact, artists stamped on the left as Jamel Debbouze have spread in the media against proposed tax of Holland. Francoise Hardy has even been suggested (Paris Match 5 April) that it would move to London if they win socialist. Not sure that her friend is still a rose … Especially as the Socialist candidate, in reply, accused the stars of "whining" about their taxes! But the Dutch team, in private, multiplies the reassuring statements. The super slice? This is to "send a signal to the bosses of the CAC 40 and their extravagant salaries," they say. Everything will be done to protect athletes and artists (how? Mystery, equal taxation is a constitutional principle sacrosanct).

And for everyone else? For the Socialist tax plan, if passed as is, would increase the rating of millions of taxpayers, far beyond a few hundred privileged, as shown by simulations that we have asked the Cabinet Delsol Lawyers. Certainly, large estates and high income are at the forefront. But they are not alone.

Take the alignment of taxation of capital income on those work. This provision "could have important implications for public shareholding," warns Mathieu Le Tacon, Delsol of Lawyers, which states that dividends are already taxed once at the corporate income tax (33.3%) in the company before being taxed at the shareholder. The taxation of overtime? It will affect many employees, and 235,000 teachers who have won, thanks to them, additional one billion euros last year.

 

Small revolution in the OJD, which is one step closer to seeing his measures of attendance on the Internet more recognized by the market. In its ranking of websites in March, the body that certifies the mailing of printed and digital press titles in France is hosting for the first time the orange.fr portal, one of the earliest in the hexagon with Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

Gateway to the telecom operator arrives directly at the head of the most popular sites last month, with over 450 million visits. The OJD measure all connections to the site (the "site-centric"), that is to say the number of visits and page views, without deduplicate visits on the same site by the same user. "We do not say in front of a screen but we certify the figures reported by the sites, which are the comprehensive measure of attendance," explained Stephane Bodier Bartement and Patrick, President and CEO of OJD. With the exception of Marianne, VOD or Humanity, all brand sites releases are already certified by the OJD.

Qualify hearings

The organization hopes that this will arrive in others, notably those of Yahoo! and MSN, which should seek, also, to certify their attendance. Google, which has developed its own measurement tool, Google Analytics, for its part could choose to stay out of the movement.

But there on the market another way of measuring the digital world personal business card. This is the tool with its Médiamétrie NetRatings ("user-centric") which, by observing a panel of 25,000 Internet users, to qualify (age, occupational status, etc..). The challenge now is to combine the best of both measures. Médiamétrie and OJD announced in early March signed an agreement for the supply by the second to the first of its basic results "site-centric." This merger of the two measures should allow the hearings to describe and measure, for example, the loyalty of Internet sites. It will materialize in June, with the publication of results by Médiamétrie Internet audience in April, via a hybrid measure that integrates both data and those of OJD, but also on the results of websites measured by Médiamétrie-eStat and certified by the OJD. "This agreement will help provide a market-based results more accurate and consistent," said Médiamétrie.

In the longer term, it will find tools to accompany the rise of advertising offers Web-coupled television. Médiamétrie talks with Google for the establishment of a study that would bring together data from television audience of those with Médiamat Internet.

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The games are made for the launch of the giant project of installing offshore wind turbines off the French coast. Reportedly, Alstom and EDF are expected as the big winners of the operation. The State has chosen to allocate their consortium of three fields that were at stake: those of Saint-Nazaire, Fécamp and Courseulles-sur-Mer.

Spanish Iberdrola, the French partner Areva, would win him the field of Saint-Brieuc. The fifth and last field, the Tréport, wait again, the tender was declared unsuccessful on about.

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One million dollars per day, or 750,000 euros. Such is the cost of operations by Total to plug the leak on board its platform Elgin, North Sea, said Monday its chief financial officer Patrick de la Chevardière. Added to this bill a loss of $ 1.5 million each day (1.12 million) which corresponds to the cessation of production from fields adjoining the Elgin and Franklin, for a total cost estimated to about 1.9 million euros. These two deposits, located 240 kilometers off the coast of Aberdeen in Scotland, representing 2% of the total hydrocarbon production.

The company was still awaiting the green light Monday from the British authorities to dispatch technicians on the platform, removed a week earlier. Total will begin simultaneously on the one hand, to "kill" the leaking wells at the platform, out of the water, and, secondly, to drill two relief wells Faxless payday loans. If the first operation, "relatively easy", according to Patrick Chevardière, successful, drilling (at least 100 million euros and six months of work) will be useless.

According to Total, gas, mainly methane, disperses quickly in the air. Only 7m3 of condensate (light oil such as gasoline) are currently prevalent in sea Greenpeace, arrived on Monday with a vessel area, intend to verify these statements.

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