Posts Tagged ‘customers’

Agreement on the euro is emerging

October 24, 2011 - 3:44 am Comments Off

All will be played Wednesday. "No decision will be announced following the summit of the euro area, which takes place this Sunday late afternoon in Brussels, although work is progressing well," said Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel in a joint press conference after a meeting of leaders of 27 countries of the European Union. French President and German Chancellor said that the work "techniques" were still to be completed by the new top of the euro area on Wednesday. The summit will be preceded by another meeting of twenty-seven, they said. "Work is progressing well on the banks of the support fund and the potential use of this fund. The assumptions are tightening and a broad agreement is taking shape. "

On the issue of Greece, progress, assured the leaders without giving details.The stabilization of the indebted country will pass through international loans and additional losses of creditor banks in the country. Europe the figure to at least 50%. According to the report of the troika (representatives of the EU, the ECB and the IMF), the discount should be 60% to maintain unchanged the envelope of € 109 billion promised to Greece, as part a second rescue plan officially recorded on July 21.

Main stumbling block between Paris and Berlin, the transformation of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) in the bank, which insisted on France, finally does more of the options considered by the finance ministers of the single currency. The idea was that the Paris Fund bank can borrow from the European Central Bank. "The two options still on the table to strengthen the EFSF do not involve the ECB," confirmed the German Chancellor.This leaves two options: either the mechanism acts as a partial insurance of the public debt of troubled countries or the IMF is expected to increase its participation in the scheme.

In another area, "the work is progressing well on the recapitalization of banks," said Nicolas Sarkozy, again without providing details on the proposed solutions. Countries of the European Union discussed a budget from 107 to 108 billion euros at the meeting of finance ministers on Saturday night. "Banks must find the money markets," stressed Angela Merkel.

Finally, the pressure on Italy is maximum. The two leaders urged the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, with whom they met ahead of the summit, for it to decisively implement a program of growth and debt reduction Alps online payday advance."I hope that decisions will be taken (…) Italy is a major economic force but it has a very high public debt should be reduced in a credible manner in the years to come," says Angela Merkel . Nicolas Sarkozy has outbid by saying that Paris and Berlin were "confident sense of responsibility of all the Italian authorities' political, financial and economic."

"Do not repeat the mistakes of the past"

"We must work differently in the future," said Angela Merkel. German Chancellor said that we should not "repeat the mistakes of the past." The problem of the euro area far exceeds that of Greece, she hammered, emphasizing the need for each country to conduct "a tighter fiscal policy."The President of the European Union, Herman Van Rompuy, confirmed on Sunday that the EU treaty could be modified to improve the functioning of the euro area. "The aim is to deepen our economic union and strengthen our fiscal discipline," he said.

Europe is facing economically to "serious challenges", said Herman Van Rompuy, at the opening of the EU summit this morning. He felt that the decisions to be taken by EU leaders to deal with were "perhaps the most important" they've ever had to face the financial crisis. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, had also felt it was "time" to take "decisive and effective." "It is clear that the crisis (debt) is not Greek. This is a European crisis, "he judged.

For its part, the Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme had tried hard not announce anything at all on Sunday, in light of market pressure. "It is essential for tomorrow morning at the opening of markets, we have made sufficient progress so as not to jeopardize the credibility of the euro area," he said. Same story for the European partners have not adopted the single currency, which are concerned about the fallout from the debt crisis. "The crisis in the euro area is being extended to all our economies, including that of Great Britain ', launched the British Prime Minister David Cameron.

(With agencies)

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Spain is in the focus of rating agencies

October 15, 2011 - 12:36 pm Comments Off

New blow for the euro area. After Fitch, it was the turn of Standard & Poor's to break down a notch credit rating of Spain, which changes to "AA-". The rating agency also maintains a negative outlook on the country. In other words, a further downgrade of the country can not be excluded.

The agency believes that financial services' growth prospects are uncertain "because of" increasing risks "facing the economy. The agency referred in particular to "the incomplete reform of the labor market will continue to hinder economic recovery." In the view of S & P, Spain could fall into recession next year, with GDP expected down 0.5%.

The fragility of the financial system is also the Achilles heel of the fourth largest economy in the eurozone.S & P is concerned and "a probable further deterioration of asset quality of the Spanish financial system."

The agency also questioned the budgetary targets of the Zapatero government. The Spanish public deficit forecast at 6.2% of GDP for 2011 could be exceeded. As for reducing the deficit to 4.4% of GDP in 2012, it will not be possible without "additional measures".

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Spain, Italy and Belgium in the viewfinder of rating agencies

October 9, 2011 - 12:56 pm Comments Off

Fitch Ratings lowered the rating two notches from Spain, which now stands at "AA-". Spain held so far a "AA +", the fourth highest on a scale of twenty. More worryingly, the note is accompanied by a 'Negative' outlook, which means that the agency could lower it back to medium term.

Spanish growth at half mast

Moody's in turn should decide by the end of October on a possible downgrade Spanish now "Aa2" (the third best possible)."With significant funding needs" of the Spanish State, to cover its budget expenditures and net external debt is "one of the highest in the world" (91% of GDP), said Fitch, "the more volatile strong a negative effect on financing conditions in the market of Spain. "

But there are also internal factors in the country "risks to fiscal consolidation as a result of performance parts." The same agency Fitch has lowered Wednesday including the long-term rating of the Basque Country, one of the richest region in which it criticizes the "weak fiscal performance." Growth forecasts have been revised downwards. Wednesday, the Bank of Spain announced that the country's growth expected to slow in the third quarter, to reach an economic activity 'lackluster'.The Spanish government has also recognized that the economic growth targets it had set for 2011 and subsequent years would be "hard to reach" because of the risk of recession in the world.

Italian governance into question

Fitch also lowered the rating one notch to Italy, "A +" against "AA-" and does not see her again in the fall if the country would miss its targets for reducing the budget deficit. Fitch was the last of three major international rating agencies have not downgraded from Italy since the beginning of the debt crisis in the eurozone guaranteed unsecured personal loan. She explained that the high level of public debt and budgetary financing needs, combined with the low level of potential growth (the country), made in Italy especially vulnerable.The Agency is challenging the country's governance and stressed that the differences in the Parliament and the escapades of the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, help to weaken the ruling coalition.

Belgium heckled by Dexia

Belgium is also in sight. The agenceMoody's said it was considering lowering its rating, currently at "Aa1", the second best possible. The agency cited three reasons: the crisis in the euro area, concerns for economic growth and the possibility of additional support to the banking system, particularly in establishing Franco-Belgian Dexia.

Another European country in turmoil, Portugal, has been confirmed its rating of "BBB-" (the last before falling into the category of "speculative") by Fitch, which continued on negative watch at least until the end of the year.Standard & Poor's, confirmed Tuesday the rating "BBB-" from Portugal, while maintaining it as a negative outlook. Portugal, the third country in the eurozone after Greece and Ireland to receive international financial assistance, is facing new economic challenges that undermine his efforts to clean up its public accounts. Progress in implementing the program of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and its budget for 2012 will be crucial.

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Wall Street tackles the week in the red

September 19, 2011 - 10:44 pm Comments Off

The U.S. stock markets have opened sharply lower on Monday. In early trade the Dow Jones loose 1.23% and the Nasdaq -1.54%. European divisions over the records of the debt crisis and the rescue of Greece, and political tensions in the United States expected to weigh on investor sentiment. Friday, after a feverish new session, Wall Street had ended in the green on the wire.

Investors will be particularly attentive to the speech of President of the United States, Barack Obama. The U.S. president should propose a new tax plan today to 1.5 trillion dollars over the next decade. The plan also intends to cut the deficit in Washington from 3000 billion over the next ten years, said Sunday night a senior administration official.Worried that his program pushed by Congress, Bush called this weekend to support the Republicans, to avoid "dead end". President Barack Obama presented a plan Thursday night use of 447 billion dollars intended to provide a "shock" to the U.S. economy. He warned the Americans Saturday that they would provide "pull their weight" to reduce the country's budget deficit. The United States must indeed make 1.2 trillion dollars in savings by the end of the year. Barack Obama wants to target primarily the rich and businesses. In this sense, it must provide to Congress today a tax on incomes above taxpayers, those earning over a million dollars a year.

Summit meeting in Greece

Concerns about the situation in Greece should also still produce adverse effects on Wall Street.Following a two-day meeting, Friday and Saturday in Wroclaw, Poland, EU finance ministers decided to postpone their decision until October on a loan of 8 billion euros in Athens. The European finance ministers have also made little progress on the implementation of the second aid package to Greece about 160 billion euros, of which the principle was arrested on July 21. The presence of U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner will not change. Accused of delay in implementing measures to reduce the deficit, Greece must show its good will.

To try to convince the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos has to go today as the yoke of the major creditors of the country, calling for new savings measures.According to his ministry, Evangelos Venizelos will submit to the verdict of the "troika" representing euro area and the International Monetary Fund on a conference call scheduled just after the close of European stock. An interministerial meeting is then scheduled to "specify concrete decisions" to be taken, said on Sunday the Greek Minister.

On Monday, the only indicator of expected importance in the U.S. NAHB housing index is to be released in 16 hours. The main highlight of the week in the U.S. is expected Tuesday and Wednesday with the Fed meeting. Investors expect the institution to take steps to maintain the downward pressure on interest rates and long-term and in turn gives a boost to growth.

The euro against the dollar worth

On the foreign exchange market, the euro accentuated his decline against the dollar on Monday.The euro bought 1.3653 dollars against 1.3797 dollars on Friday night. He fell last week below the threshold of $ 1.36 for the first time since February. Oil prices are also in the red. Around 12:30 in Paris, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery traded at 111.75 dollars in London, giving 47 cents from Friday's close. In electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" (WTI) for October delivery gave up $ 1.19 to 86.77 dollars.

Also note, share repurchases by companies have reached record levels over the quarter.They are for non-financial businesses of $ 475.2 billion in the quarter (annual rate) against 277.9 billion dollars for the full year 2010 specialists note Aurel BGC.

Values ​​to follow

The side of values, the general manager of movie rental service Netflix announced on the blog of the company splitting its activities on the internet streaming movies and delivery of DVDs by mail.

Boeing expects to receive "hundreds" of new orders and commitments for the 737 version of its remotorisée in the coming months, told Reuters Randy Tinseth, vice president of Boeing Commercial.

according to reports from CNBC, United Technologies is in talks with Goodrich Corp. to buy the company at a price of 125 dollars per share.

Moreover, according to the Sunday Express, Best Buy would have discussed the prospects of its business in the UK with its shareholders.

GE Transportation, a subsidiary of the giant General Electric announced it would invest $ 200 million to develop manufacturing of locomotives in Texas and Pennsylvania.

Tax harmonization Franco-German track in 2012

August 28, 2011 - 7:00 pm Comments Off

The measures announced in mid-August by Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy are now entering into their implementation phase, wanted to highlight this weekend the Minister of Economy, Baroin, in an interview published in the Journal du Dimanche.

Franco-German work beginning to bear fruit. On the harmonization of corporate taxes first. Baroin said that the proposals on a plate and a single rate in France and Germany are on the table in 2012, for implementation in 2013. "In practice, we expect an early convergence of the supplementary budget in September," said the minister. Impossible, however, as to what are currently the preferred paths to achieve such convergence. If, for example, the corporate tax will fall in France, or if it will increase across the Rhine.

The tax on financial transactions discussed in G20

The terms of the tax on financial transactions announced on August 16 by Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy also remain mysterious. "What is the basis used? Rate? Who receive income: the Commission, the States? We have not finalized the position on this issue ", said Minister of Economy, Baroin, in an interview published this morning in the Journal du Dimanche.

The German Minister of Economy Wolfgang Schäuble and his French counterpart have yet met last week, including to clarify the contours of the future tax, the timing is tighter quick payday loan. As originally announced by the Franco-German tandem, a first draft of the text should be proposed to the European Commission in the coming weeks."We are preparing a specific proposal that we send to the Committee in September," Baroin repeated the weekly.

Delicate negotiations

A timing that will allow the Commission to bring to the table a legislative proposal on the subject in early October, which will integrate the conclusions of the Franco-German couple. "It will be examined in the fall. We are determined to achieve results at the G20 3 and 4 November in Cannes, "said the minister. So much for the calendar. So far, the European Commission was considering the track instead of a 0.1% tax on transactions involving stocks or bonds, and 0.01% for those on products.

The adoption of such a tax at the European level is difficult, however, regardless of the arrangements envisaged.The unanimous agreement of the 27 states should indeed succeed the vote the proposal by the European Parliament. But Britain, which houses an important financial center, as well as Ireland or Luxembourg, are currently strongly opposed. Main question, the financial sector also protested against such a hypothesis, arguing the risks of travel to areas of the transactions tax warmer.

Slight decline expected on Wall Street

August 10, 2011 - 2:20 pm Comments Off

Shortly before the opening, the index futures and Nasdaq Poors'500 Standard & 100 respectively crumbling of just 0.04% to 1171.20 points, 0.02% to 2154.50 points. The Dow Jones was in turn approached down 0.14% at 11,178 points.

While most careful observers with little enthusiasm yesterday evening, the statements of the U.S. Federal Reserve, the world stock markets have overreacted, and positive against all odds, these about the Fed. Buyers picked by hand. This has indeed ensured that it would maintain its rates at a historical low, and until mid-2013 to support the economy. Its leaders also promised various stimulus, but without specifying its content.It will probably wait until his final release in late August.

Meanwhile, the early promises more than simply market, which ended a series of 11 black unprecedented declines. The Dow Jones bounced freely from 4% yesterday, the day after his worst day since December 2008. Tuesday the European markets had unscrewed from 4% to 6% and 10% in Seoul meeting, approaching a market crash.

Oil stocks and budget menu

Wednesday morning in Europe, the main financial markets bounce in the wake of Wall Street. Signs of nervousness are nonetheless palpable. The volume of trade is thus still very substantial, and heightened volatility. On the merits, the Fed has painted a disturbing report from the world's largest economy.Growth, pointing in particular the U.S. central bank, is growing at an annual rate of less than 1% in the first half, where the institution expected, earlier this year, more than 3% instant payday loan.

On Wednesday, the U.S. macroeconomic calendar is relatively lightweight. Will be announced weekly stocks of crude oil (to 16.30). The figures of budget execution for the month of July will be for their detailed at 20:00.

Cisco News Corp expected

On the business side, Cisco will announce later this evening (22 hours) results for the fourth quarter, along with News Corp.

The title of U.S. internet group AOL will probably remain very guarded on Wednesday. Indeed, it has lost over a quarter of its value on Tuesday at the New York Stock Exchange after the release of disappointing quarterly earnings and lower forecasts. The stock has dropped 25.75% against the current of a market up sharply.The action even reached 10.36 dollars during the session, the lowest price ever since the split with Time Warner in 2009.

Facebook on Tuesday launched a new application for mobile phones iPhone (Apple) and those equipped with the Android operating system (Google) to send messages to his "friends" on social networking, but also to other contacts. Called "Messenger", the application can send both text messages (SMS) and email.

Apple could also be surrounded, after briefly delighted yesterday to ExxonMobil, its position as the first market capitalization.

Standard & Poor's removed the "AAA" rating from the United States

August 7, 2011 - 12:28 pm Comments Off

The penalty was expected, but it still sounds like a shock. In the night from Friday to Saturday, the rating agency Standard and Poor's lowered the rating on the debt of the United States, and deprived of their "AAA" for the first time in their history. S & P said in a statement it had lowered the rating a notch, the best possible, to bring it to 'AA +'. It also downgraded the outlook to "negative", which means that Standard and Poor's believes that the next time the note will change, it is to be lowered again. The United States were rated "AAA" by S & P since the creation of this agency in 1941.They remain in the other two major agencies, Moody's Dean (since 1917) and Fitch Ratings.

Standard and Poor's, which had warned in April that it was considering lowering, justified its decision with "political risks" to see the country taking insufficient measures against its budget deficit. For her, the political debate on these issues is not up to the problems caused by a debt of more than 14,500 billion. "The plan for balancing the budget on which Congress and the Executive have recently agreed is insufficient compared to what, in our view, would be needed to stabilize the dynamics in the medium term public debt" said S & P, citing the law known as "control the budget" passed Tuesday.

The U.S. public debt to more than 100% of GDP

The first power of the world is, well, so sure before.The loss of this seal of excellence is expected brutal impact on the financial markets, difficult to imagine right now paperless payday loans. But while the financial world is upside down, the risk that markets continue to dive is high. The announcement of S & P comes in effect when the markets were closed for the weekend, closing on both sides of the Atlantic one week black.

For now, only Japan has responded. Second World holder of U.S. debt, Tokyo assured that his confidence in the U.S. Treasury and its strategy of purchasing these bonds were unchanged. But China, by far the world's largest creditor United States, found that she had "every right now to require the United States to address their structural problems of debt."

Two days ago, the U.S. debt has passed a symbolic milestone.Because it exceeded the threshold of 100% of GDP, just after raising the debt ceiling by Congress. The United States saw their public finances sealed by the harsh recession that crossed their economy from late 2007 to mid-2009. Since then, economic growth has returned, but they are not able to restore the health of their public finances. According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, they should acknowledge this year, with about 9% of GDP, the highest budget deficit of the G20 countries, except Japan. It is sixteen countries rated "AAA" by Standard and Poor's, four of the G7: Germany, Canada, France and Great Britain.

(With AFP and Reuters)

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U.S. debt: the draft agreement still under discussion

July 31, 2011 - 10:00 pm Comments Off

The uncertainty in Washington. After long weeks of negotiations, Republicans and Democrats seem finally to have reached an agreement to raise the ceiling of U.S. debt, according to U.S. television, ABC News, citing unnamed sources in Congress. But the White House quickly denied. "There is no agreement, said Obama adviser David Plouffe, on NBC. The clock is ticking. We need to find a solution. Today's (Sunday, ed) is obviously crucial "but" significant challenges remain to be resolved, "he said.

The text is still under negotiation, under the leadership of the White House. After a long back against the long struggle between Republicans and Democrats, Barack Obama Saturday decided to get involved again in the negotiations. Return ardently desired by the Republicans.The head of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Harry Reid said he was "cautiously optimistic" about reaching an agreement, saying that some issues remained to be finalized. For its part, the Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell assured on CNN: "We are very close to agreement" .3000 billion over ten years

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate rejected a Democratic proposal to raise the debt ceiling, which had already been rejected by the House of Representatives. In a procedural vote of 50 votes against 49, elected officials have pushed the text elaborated by the head of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Harry Reid.

The Senate will have to decide again on the new text. Only a few details have filtered through the compromise now being negotiated. According to Mitch McConnell, it calls for reducing spending 3 trillion dollars over ten years.The Republicans have also agreed a mechanism to ensure that the debt cap could be raised beyond the U.S. presidential election in November 2012, claiming instead that they reopen early next year, or election campaign.

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Lacourt-Stravius: the same coin but not the same income

July 27, 2011 - 4:00 am Comments Off

Two world champions, yet two totally separate financial realities. This is the observation made on Tuesday after Camille Lacourt Stravius ​​and Jeremy have jointly won the gold medal in 100 meter backstroke in Shanghai (China).

The first saw its revenues increased more than sixteen in less than a year with new advertising contracts. 42,000 euros per year in August 2010, Camille Lacourt thus rose to 700,000 euros, much of which end of advertising contracts. Jeremy Stravius, it has at present still no agent and a single sponsor, Tyr, obtained through the French Federation of Swimming.

Thanks to a physique, Camille Lacourt has attracted luxury brands like Clarins and beauty, and earns 200,000 euros a year for six years, and Chanel, which pays 70,000 euros a year to wear its watches. But not only.These three gold medals taken down on three different disciplines at the European Championships in 2010 convinced the sponsors to leverage the rising value of swimming. This choice is paying now. "We have no logic, because the muse is the star product, it says Clarins. Such a partnership is a new and unusual practice for us. It's Camille Lacourt who came to us. President Christian Courtin had a crush on the athlete who shared our family values. It has in fact explained that her grandmother was attached to our products low fee payday loans. It has become our first ambassador. What we do not regret today. "

Banking on new talent to one year of the Olympics 2012

A speech that could also take Tyre, the last date of the associate sponsor of the club swimmers Marseille.Last June, the U.S. supplier has signed with him a three-year contract for a minimum of 80,000 euros per year. This amount could go up to 150,000 euros.

The gap is large with Jeremy Stravius ​​which according to our information, does not own advertising contract. But in the basin of Shanghai, the swimmer's club has yet matched the Amiens time Camille Lacourt, which is considered as one of the specialists in the discipline. Jeremy Stravius ​​therefore affect the same amount as for this fellow gold medal.

Amiens and the swimmer is reassuring: the current situation is reminiscent of Camille Lacourt a year ago, before it exploded and sports media to the general public.As long as Jeremy Stravius ​​this week confirmed its performance on other distances, it is not inconceivable that a brand can be associated with his image, in just one year of London Olympics in 2012.

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The trade deficit hits new record

July 8, 2011 - 6:24 am Comments Off

On the international trade front, France patina. For the second time in two months, the trade deficit hit a bad record in May, -7.422 billion euros, according to figures released Thursday by the Customs. Year over year, he moved to -63.418 billion euros, against -51.558 billion in 2010.

The poor sales in May due in large part by higher energy bills in France, reflecting a rebound in imports of natural hydrocarbons. Imports, burdened by this trend, amounting to 41.601 billion euros in May, up 2.9% over three months. This figure was moderated by the slowdown of industrial imports.This, "due to lower aircraft and naval acquisitions and a decline in purchases of electronic equipment and pharmaceuticals, 'the customs.

At the same time, "industrial exports sag again," they note. Result, exports grew by only 0.9% over the last three months to reach 34.179 billion euros in May "The persistent decline in transport equipment (aircraft in May, car in April) weighs on the trend," within Customs.

"Aérodépendance"

Important position in sales abroad, but very volatile, aviation fell 6.2% over the month."We had one the last two months show some" aérodépendance "of France, aerospace accounts for more than 10% of French exports and any slowdown in performance has a very significant effect on the external accounts of country, "Analysis Alberto Balboni, an economist at Xerfi easy pay day loans.

"The weakness also dominates," adds customs. To make matters worse, military exports shrink to 100 million euros. "Exports, unlike imports, have not regained their pre-crisis level (they are still below their values ​​of mid-2008), continues Alberto Balboni.More worryingly, France is among the major industrialized economies (excluding Japan), which recorded the lowest export growth after the trough of the crisis. "

Dynamism of Germany

Only exceptions to this gloomy picture, agricultural exports go, and auto sales. "Sales at their highest level since the crisis, particularly to improve the major partners of the European Union," according to customs.

France breaks the limits in general thanks to the dynamism of its European neighbors, including Belgium and especially Germany. Customs also stressed that "sales to Africa, however, are well oriented (automotive and aerospace, cereals, refined oil), like those in the Near and Middle East (aircraft)".In contrast, Asian economies, exports that had supported earlier this year, marking time.

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