Posts Tagged ‘people’

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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"Fear of recession the country will fare

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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The CAC fell slightly before U.S. jobs

October 7, 2011 - 6:37 pm Comments Off

Investors play the card of caution in Europe before the announcement always expected employment figures for the month of September in the United States. Halfway through, the Paris index symbolically gives 0.42% to 3 062.55 points. Elsewhere in Europe, London slipped 0.30% to 0.27% and Frankfurt.

Thursday, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced a series of measures to help European banks to refinance. Global stock markets have accelerated their gains, the CAC 40 ended up sharply from 3.41% to 3075.37 points and the Wall Street lining up a third session in the green. This morning in Asia, the trend is bullish.

Nicolas Sarkozy, in addition, announced this morning that he will discuss the issue of a possible recapitalization of banks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at their next meeting on Sunday in Berlin.A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery gave up 38 cents to 102.44 dollars.

Vallourec is lowering its forecast EBITDA

As for values, the banking sector remains very guarded. Dexia said in a statement Thursday that the Belgian regulator had requested suspension of trading of its title until Monday morning.

Credit Agricole (-2.81% to 5.30 euros) and Societe Generale (-1.93% to 20.28 euros) suffered some profit taking.

Vallourec (-3.92% to 42.25 euros) Friday revised down slightly its forecast for gross operating profit (EBITDA) for the second half because of the uncertainties surrounding the economy, but confirmed that an increase its production and its sales on the strength of the energy markets.

Gecina (-0.63% to 66.58 euros) is considering the sale of 500 million euros of additional residential assets to accelerate debt reduction.

EDF (0.77% to 22.22 euros) loses an ally in the U.S.: chief of the service responsible for issuing controversial loan guarantees from the U.S. government for the development of "clean energy", Jonathan Silver, resigned, according to the Washington Post.He was one of the main support for the proposed construction of a nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, supported by EDF and its U.S. partner Constellation.

Veolia Environnement (-2.71% to 10.61 euros): UBS lowered its recommendation on the value to "sell" against "neutral."

NYSE Euronext (0.31% to 17.77 euros) recorded in September increased volume of transactions on the cash market and derivatives over a year. Trading volumes of derivatives totaled 9.5 million contracts daily in September, an increase of 23.2% over the year but a decline of 8.4% from August. On the spot market, 1.9 million transactions were recorded in Europe, an increase of 34.6% over a year and a decline of 13.5% over the month. In the U.S., sales rose 12.3% to 2.6 billion shares daily volume. A month, 19.8% volume regresses.

The station celebrates 30 years of TGV and looks to the future

September 25, 2011 - 11:12 am Comments Off

SNCF never ceases to celebrate 30 years of its TGV. After the launch last May of a train specially decorated, a new celebration takes place Saturday night in the Gare de Lyon in Paris. The President of the SNCF Guillaume Pepy, and Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development, will attend a particular video show projected on the facade of the Gare de Lyon which left the first TGV, the September 22, 1981.

A few figures summarize the tremendous success of the first high-speed train developed by Alstom to accommodate all age groups, mobile executives, young, old … In all, nearly two billion passengers have taken in 30 years. 83% of French people have traveled at least once on board the TGV, which now serves 230 stations.

But the station pulled the alarm a few years ago commercial success, the TGV is not an economic powerhouse.The accounts of the industry are deteriorating, the fault, including the tolls the operator must pay to Réseau Ferré de France, the operator of the system for the use of high-speed lines. Today, nearly 30% of high-speed lines in circulation are not profitable. Guillaume Pepy regularly reminded that the company can no longer afford to invest in next-generation trains no fax payday loans.

The future railway landscape

Several projects of new lines are under way: the Rhine-Rhone, just opened, the Tours-Bordeaux, Brittany or the Loire region, not to mention the circumvention of Nimes and Montpellier. But others are virtual as the Paris-Caen. The success of the TGV has indeed given to the regions want to have "their" TGV.But the question of funding problem and use increasingly common in public-private partnership, a financing involving the state and communities in building a private group, is not a panacea.

After the festivities, Focus on the rail, a kind of rail Grenelle oragnisé by the Department, will again bring together industry players at round tables austere. Objective: To shape the future landscape railway … and give the French the prospect of other celebrations in the coming decades.

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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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The dollar, a victim of the slow pace of discussions

July 28, 2011 - 6:00 am Comments Off

The king of the foreign exchange market is losing its supremacy.The dollar, already eroded by the successive plans and massive injections of liquidity into the markets by the Fed to support the economy of the first power of the world crumbles at full speed: everyone sulking the greenback, while the scenario of a failure to pay the United States, powered by the impasse between Democrats and Republicans on increasing the amount of the debt of the federal state could be realized.

If the financial world does not seem to want to believe in a U.S. bankruptcy – the consequences for the global economy would be "very, very, very serious," according to Christine Lagarde at the IMF – is growing concern as the rating agencies, Moody's and Standard and Poor's head, threatening more and more seriously degrade the note of the long-term debt of the United States, currently at AAA – the highest rating possible."This fear that the U.S. lowered rating is increasingly based," said Andrea Tueni, market analyst at Saxo Bank. Combined with poor economic data, especially on the face of real estate and employment falling for several weeks across the Atlantic, such news would further loosen the dollar "as investors are less likely to buy bonds U.S. long-term because they are less safe and more expensive, "said the specialist.

The euro could rate to about $ 1.50 without the Greek case

Faced with a dollar that loses value, the other major currencies, they, climbing mechanically. This rise is not seen on the exchange rate euro / dollar as the euro, too, was abused by his sovereign debt issues."The Greek case far from over, the German finance minister has even admitted today that Europe will still have to meet to resolve the European crisis. This weighs on the euro, "argues Andrea Tueni.

So on Wednesday, the euro it suffers more the situation in Europe as the dollar is disadvantaged by the issue of U.S. debt, the euro yield 1% against the dollar at 1.4369 dollar. But yesterday, the euro was trading more than 1.45 dollars, registering an increase of almost 1%. "Right now, the problem Greek counterbalancing about the American problem, so that the euro / dollar remains relatively stable. Without the Greek case, the euro could move above $ 1.45 even reach $ 1.47, "predicts analyst.

The Swiss franc at record high

But for the other major currencies, the effect of the dollar's decline is palpable.Especially for currency called "safe haven" to which those investors are turning in uncertainty and fear when the market gains. As the yen or Swiss francs. Indeed, Japan is concerned that the yen is so strong: for a dollar, you are under 78 yen. Unheard of. In Switzerland, the situation is unprecedented: the Swiss franc is the highest in its history against the dollar, which fell to 0.7996 Swiss francs on Wednesday.

Such inflation of the currencies directly threatens the economies concerned, particularly exporters. In Switzerland, the economic research he expected slower economic growth in Switzerland over the coming months, corroborating the analysis of the ETH Zurich. The prospect of Swiss GDP growth for 2011 was reduced by the Ministry of Economy to 1.5% against 1.9% expected earlier.What revive the theme of the currency war.

Countries react to contain the surge of their currency

A new central bank intervention Swiss and Japanese is possible. How? By buying dollars to turn back the greenback, and therefore, lower than their money. This is precisely what would have done on Wednesday India's central bank, the agency Dow Jones, which is to prevent the rise of the rupee, at its highest in 35 months against the dollar. Other Asian Institutions designated having exercised the same operation in recent days.

Brazil's real has not been as strong since 1999 (at 1.53 reals to the dollar), when the country began to make its currency fluctuate. Since the beginning of the year, the Brazilian currency has appreciated by 8.08% vis-à-vis the dollar.In 2010, the real had appreciated 4.6% against the dollar and 32.7% in 2009 after falling 23.17% in 2008, the year of the global financial crisis. This outbreak is explained partly by the decline of the dollar, but especially the effects of "carry trade" that make the real rising: investors are the difference in interest rates between the United States from 0 to 0.25%, and Brazil, more than 12%. On Wednesday, the Brazilian government announced the strengthening of control and taxes – up to 25% – on the derivatives market. "I think that this measure will be less profitable speculation, and I hope it will bring down the real," said Guido Mantega, Brazilian Minister of Finance.

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After the hearing, Rupert Murdoch is for employees

July 21, 2011 - 8:20 am Comments Off

Rupert Murdoch warned that things will change. "Given the current problems by News International, we are taking serious steps to deal with the past and ensure that these problems do not happen again," wrote tycoon in an email to all employees on Wednesday. This shipment came a day after his hearing before a parliamentary committee in London, about the wiretapping ordered by the newspaper News of the World, which led to the resignations chain, including the head of Scotland Yard.

"Those who have betrayed our trust, will assume responsibility before the law," he said, adding that the group will emerge stronger from this crisis, but it would take time.

Trying to manage the crisis, the News Corp. has decided to publish an advertising campaign in the British press last weekend to apologize. According to the statement of James Murdoch, son of the founder of News Corp, which was published in The Guardian last Friday, the group plans to communicate widely to explain the actions the group will undertake in the future to manage the crisis. "Our company has made mistakes. She was indicted, but it will make developed to respond to unfair attacks, "he said.

The case made waves in Australia

The wiretapping scandal that broke out in Britain, is now cause problems for the media empire of Rupert Murdoch abroad.The Australian prime minister Julia Gillar said Wednesday in an interview in New South Wales that News Corp. will be forced to answer "hard questions" of Australians in relation to this matter. "I think there are many people who would ask questions related to the practices of News Ltd in our country," she said.The Australian arm of News Corp. News Ltd. controls 70% of the press in the country and trying to acquire other media in the country.

Despite the reassuring statements of Rupert Murdoch, News Corp activities pourraitent be permanently sealed by the case, which led Standard & Poor's yesterday to place the note in the group under surveillance before a next possible degradation.

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Stock Exchange: managers hope a better season

July 4, 2011 - 9:00 am Comments Off

Click the preview to enlarge the graphic.

More calm, but not necessarily the trees that ascend to heaven. That's the feeling of professionals after a first half that gave them turn cold sweats and serious blows hot. Wall Street has ended sharply higher Friday, reassured on industrial production in six months and the CAC 40 gained 5%, not bad. But the last six months have not been a straight line, making investors 'waltz' sectors in their portfolios over the month. Next? The majority of the fifteen institutions we surveyed supports the actions. A conviction is not new, six months ago the answer was the same as other financial investments lack of prospects. But no one still believes in a peaceful market."The agreement to be on the U.S. debt ceiling will take over any concerns, we can expect markets corrugated iron over the summer," warns Edmond de Rothschild AM.

The jolts are therefore likely to be numerous. "Be a little patient and wait for the summer," advises Pictet. For individuals, two solutions: building a portfolio, forget the frenzy of the CAC 40 and look at the long-term performance by focusing in the range of performance. Or take advantage of periods of decline to make purchases with it like the pros. "The economic environment is still fragile and volatile, we remain cautious and prefer shopping on the decline," said Franz and Wezel at Axa IM.

Be opportunistic

Experts predict on average a CAC 40-4172 points (4%) in late December, while it has risen above the figure of 4,000 points Friday faxless cash advance.If these forecasts prove correct, 2011 would be a good year. This scenario is nevertheless undermined by the U.S. economic slowdown and the state of public finances in Europe and overseas. "Historically, growth slows sharply when the public debt ratio exceeds 90% of GDP. This will happen in many countries in the coming years, which will eventually be detrimental to the equity markets, "said Pierre Sabatier in Primeview. In this context, some sectors such as electricity producers and telecom operators, are considered sensitive by Pascal Heurtault Aviva Investors, their operating conditions can deteriorate suddenly due to changes in regulations.

Finally, the first half was disappointing those who had bet on emerging stock markets. Should we return to these places? "No.They always treat with a bonus to unrealistic expectations of growth without any problems, "says Alain Bokobza at Societe Generale in which inflationary pressures are still weighing. The development of emerging economies, however, makes it increasingly difficult global analysis. "We can target a few countries like China or Indonesia but staying away from Brazil and India," says Pictet. Others believe the potential of Russian actions. Schroders recommends devoting 15% of the pocket to the emerging international equity.

The state wants to force Air France to buy Airbus

June 17, 2011 - 9:16 am Comments Off

Pressure is mounting on the management of Air France-KLM. 144 MPs from all sides have signed the petition launched by Bernard Carayon, UMP deputy from the Tarn, to encourage Air France Airbus to focus on as part of a mégacommande of long-haul aircraft. Tuesday, Pierre Lellouche, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, has announced its intention to meet with Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, the CEO of Air France-KLM to seek "explanations" about its intentions to purchase. The meeting should take place this afternoon.

For the government, bad foreign trade figures – which has grown to more than 7 billion euros in April – have sounded like a severe reprimand. Especially for companies with the state is a shareholder. Air France-KLM, it has "15%" of capital.Pierre Lellouche, but considers that the company can "pass the buck" in a state that has "greatly helped" the group "when he had problems with Brussels." A similar call to order the respondent last week at PSA Peugeot Citroën, after the revelation of its possible plans to close two plants in France. PSA is not a public company, but it has benefited from state funds during the crisis.

Strategic choice

Political pressure put on Air France is a measure of the challenge: a mégacommande – the first made jointly by Air France and KLM – a hundred long-haul aircraft. The project is described as historic by the leaders of Air France-KLM themselves: it should be in the tens of billions of dollars. The verdict of the direction the company should have to fall soon after the general meeting in early July.Now, executives of Air France-KLM believe that the announcement will probably be delayed for several weeks, "the time that the discussions become less passionate."

Internally, the political turn taken by the case shocks. Bernard Pedamon, the representative of the pilots on the board of directors of Air France said he was "surprised and displeased." "These are the strategic choices that can be for an airline. It is a commitment for twenty years which must respond to economic considerations, he says. Currently, we are witnessing the return of our old demons. The days when you could bring in managers office at the head of the company or impose choices of planes is a bygone era. "

At present, the weight of the two aircraft manufacturers in the fleet of the company is not the same lights.On all its long-haul aircraft, Air France Boeing totaled 63, 35 against Airbus. The company has indeed bought many Boeing 777-300 at a time when Airbus had no equivalent model. However, all of its medium-haul (ie 153 units) are Airbus.

The controversy of recent days is all the more surprising that for several months, officials of the fleet of Air France have expressed their intention to mix Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. "The case studied by our team for the purchase of these devices are not made on a corner table," said an executive of the company."We look at many criteria: the choice of engines, maintenance costs, the impact on our maintenance business …" considerations rather far from campaign issues.

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Athens is selling businesses

May 24, 2011 - 11:16 am Comments Off

To reach its target of 7.5% deficit in 2011, Greece has no choice: Time to austerity measures. The rating agency Fitch has warned the country by cutting three notches last Friday's note from the long-term debt. And Minister of Economy and Finance, Christine Lagarde, has assumed the garb of Director General of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which is designated as a favorite, calling for "results" to Greece.

Recognizing that international creditors are losing patience, George Papaconstantinou, the Greek finance minister, said Monday night after the cabinet meeting, the first wave of privatizations. The state holdings in the capital of the telecom operator OTE and the Postal Bank owned 16% and 34% by the state, will be sold by the end of the year.Management companies in the ports of Athens and Thessaloniki and the Water Company of Salonica, which owns 75% and 74% of capital will also be sold.

Continue the fiscal consolidation program

In the end, the government hopes to draw 50 billion of those sales. What he could save the payment of three billion interest per annum on the debt. The details of the new consolidation program will be released after the completion of the Troika mission and after consultation with all Greek political parties, "said George Papaconstantinou payday advance online.

Greece also plans to pursue "the fiscal consolidation program by taking additional savings or new revenues on 6.4 billion euros."Among them, lowering the number of contract of civil service, increasing the working time of employees to 40 hours per week instead of 37.5 hours or even tougher conditions for obtaining unemployment benefits. Chapter tax, Greece plans to lower the ceiling for exemption on the income tax, increase taxes on the trappings of wealth (yachts, luxury cars and swimming pools), to increase taxes gas, soft drinks and car registrations.

The Athens Stock Exchange lost 1.50%

With these measures, Greece hopes to get the green light from Europe and the IMF for the release of the fifth tranche of aid (12 billion euros) over 110 billion awarded in May 2010 by the European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.Shaken by new fears about the debt of Greece, the Athens Stock Exchange in the wake of other European financial centers, has dropped to 1.50% on Monday, closing at 568.94 points.

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