World and National News

The CAC 40 will reach there to string together a seventh consecutive month of meeting this Friday? Investors could be tempted to follow in the footsteps of Asian markets, Tokyo without (closed due to holiday) were very hesitant after the announcement of a U.S. growth slowed in the first quarter. In Paris as in Wall Street, many traders were yesterday conceded that the new had yet been burdened by other negative indicators.

For this last day of the week, risk-taking should be smaller. Especially since the day will be rich in events. The eyes of the markets will not (only) turned to the royal wedding of William and Kate in the UK, but towards the expected flurry of statistics.In France, it is the producer prices in March, Germany, and retail sales in the eurozone, the unemployment rate.

Then the United States, the festivities start with the incomes and household spending in February (14.30) and the Chicago PMI for April (15.45) and the index of consumer sentiment this month ( 3:55 p.m.).

Side currency, the euro remains strong against the dollar at 1.4847 dollar. Oil markets appear, they, down, worried about the state of the U.S. economy.A barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery lost 45 cents to 112.41 dollars and that of Brent North Sea also June delivery yielded 17 cents to 124.85 dollars.

Values ​​to follow

News companies should also serve markets:

Total

The tanker, which publishes its results, announced jeudila takeover of U.S. manufacturer SunPower solar panels with a view to creating the "world leader in solar energy."

GDF Suez

The group announced the launch of a new subsidiary trading on energy markets with the ambition to compete with industry heavyweights such as Barclays, Goldman Sachs, and E. ON EDF Trading

Legrand

The group announced the acquisition of SMS, a leading Brazilian electric inverters, in order to strengthen its position in a growing market.

Ingenico

The group denied on Thursday evening news reports that he would be interested in the activities of online payment from Hi Media.

Gifi

Ginestet family announced Thursday its intention to launch a simplified tender offer for the shares Gifi delist the distributor of first prizes.

Vinci confirms its objectives

Saint-Gobain

The group confirmed its 2011 targets after a first quarter marked by an acceleration of growth in its business thanks to the contribution of most geographic areas where it is present and better weather.

Vinci

The group also confirmed its full-year after a turnover up 25.4% in the first quarter, above market expectations, driven by acquisitions last year and its activities in the construction and energy.

Compagnie des Alpes

The group reported Thursday a turnover up 5.8% for its first semester of the 2010-2011 fiscal year to March after a winter characterized by early snowfall.

Crit

The group again expressed confidence Thursday for earnings growth in 2011 after having posted a revenue increase of nearly 22% in the first quarter.

Saft

The group confirmed on Thursday its forecast for revenue and earnings for 2011 after releasing first quarter sales up 11%.

Bull

The group confirmed Thursday that the goals the group has set medium term, after realizing the first-quarter sales were down 0.9% to 270.8 million euros.The group also said that orders had risen to 313.8 million euros in Q1.

Fimalac

The group reported Thursday after the closing sales up 21.1% to 341.5 million euros thanks to the rise of nearly 17% of revenue from its credit rating agency Fitch.

Renault will hold a meeting this Friday to 15 hours.

Belvedere will unveil its fourth quarter results, EDF Energies Nouvelles in sales the first quarter and Trigano its second quarter results.

Standard & Poor's (S & P) lowered its outlook this morning on the note of the long-term debt of Japan became "negative", fearing the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami that occurred on March 11 for the Japanese economy. Note in Tokyo is currently set at "AA-", the fourth best possible out of a total of 22, which corresponds to a transmitter of high quality but could be reduced soon. The rating agency expects indeed a worsening of the deficit, caused by the cost of the natural disaster that the country will have to bear. S & P, the reconstruction would cost "between 167 and 417 billion euros, with an average forecast of 250 billion euros".

The rating agency believes that only substantial measures such as tax increases, to increase state revenues will be in Tokyo this financial burden.Otherwise it will be assumed by local and central government, the deficit could grow to "two points of gross domestic product (GDP) this year and a point next year." S & P expects a deficit above 8% until 2014 and not 2013, as previously calculated.

Retail sales have also fallen by 8.5% last month, following the earthquake guaranteed payday loans. It is the largest decline in thirteen years. Consumers have clearly deserted shops for anything other than food staples.

The BoJ is 0.8% growth in 2011/2012

These signs of the deterioration of the Japanese economy are published while the Bank of Japan is preparing to revise downwards its growth prospects.The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Japan (BoJ), which will meet on Thursday, is expected to announce a new perspective of growth of 0.8% for the fiscal year of April 2011 to March 2012 against 1.6% expected before. The nine members of the BoJ might also consider Thursday that the recovery will intensify in the next budget year (April 2012-March 2013).

The Bank of Japan should also detail the measures to support the economy after the earthquake of March 11, according to economists. The BoJ should also emphasize the great uncertainty in Japan.It is particularly difficult to measure the business impact of restrictions on products of Japanese origin because of radioactive leaks from the central hilly Fukushima.

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Is it because of his shiny red hull? Or how its architecture English docks with warehouses rehabilitated? Impossible in any case to miss the Millennium The new mall when you get up to the Porte de la Villette on the Paris ring. To find out, it will wait until tomorrow, when the official opening. Launch a daring while the activity of shopping malls is not in sparkling form. In 2010, their turnover has almost stood still with an increase of 0.8%, following several years of decline.

Located in Aubervilliers, The Millennium has retained from the mistakes of recent years. It is accessible by car, of course, with 2800 parking spaces and will also soon be in transit with the arrival of the T3 tramway in 2012. It can also count on the attendance of clients who work or live nearby.Club Med Ifop or Regional Health Agency are located in walking distance. And 1100 dwellings are planned in warehouses Mac Donald, on the other side of the device. "Overall, our catchment area of ​​two million people, said Serge Grzybowski, Icade CEO, developer of the project with Klépierre. We will attract customers from north-east of Paris (eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth districts) where there is no such commercial facilities nearby and also inhabitants of Aubervilliers, Saint-Denis La Plaine Saint- Denis. "

Ambitious goals

Second originality: this mall is equipped with a hypermarket to attract significant flows of consumers, with only 4200 m², this hypermarket Carrefour does not play the card of gigantism because consumers are now looking to store more human dimension fast cash.In contrast, the Millennium, located on two floors, with 140 shops next. With 56,000 m², it is also the largest shopping center opened in France for ten years. Greatest example qu'Odysseum (35,000 m²), launched with great fanfare two years ago in Montpellier.

So, the choice of shops is varied. There are the inevitable (Fnac, Boulanger, Sephora, H & M, Zara, Celio, Desigual …) but also some newcomers little presence in France: Kiko, a sign Italian makeup, Hema, an offshoot of a Dutch group that sells gadgets Home and Home Confo, the latest concept Conforama which is the first shop.

Finally, there are eight restaurants including McDonald's, a cafeteria and a Japanese Flunch.Only drawback: it lacks a store that creates the opening event as was the case with the Apple Store Odysseum.

Proponents ambitious targets. "The first year, we expect an attendance of ten million people, said Laurent Morel, president of Klépierre. This seems reasonable because in Odysseum, which is smaller, we are six or seven million visitors. Ultimately, we expect 14 to 15,000,000 visitors. Even rise expected turnover: the first year, it should be within the range of 150 to 200 million euros, reaching 300 million in three to five years.

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Sunday, many children will go to the Easter egg hunt. A religious symbol, synonymous with abundance and renewal, but also an opportunity to enjoy chocolate in all its forms. "Easter is the traditional appointment with the French chocolatiers. The values ​​of sharing and conviviality carried by the support chocolate consumption during the festive periods, "explains Florence Pradier, general secretary of the union of chocolate.

So last year, purchases of other chickens and rabbits chocolate rose by 3.87% over the same period of 2009. In total, 13,400 tons were tasted in France to mark the Easter weekend, an average of 223 grams per person. At the sales charts, eggs, large or small, still occupy the top of the podium, even though dinosaurs or dolphins have appeared in the windows of chocolate."The large eggs or small eggs filled chocolates, milk and black are the most requested," said Arnaud Tavares, manager of the store of the Marquise de Sevigne in Paris' sixteenth arrondissement.

A distribution channel with bakeries and pastry shops account for 15% of chocolate sales in France as against 85% in supermarkets. "For us, Easter is the strongest period of the year before Christmas," Sophie adds, director of the Museum of Chocolate in Strasbourg, where traditionally it is the Rabbits and hares are popular. Taking into account the Christmas sales, which are chewed 33,800 tons of chocolate, these two periods of the year totaled more than 12% of annual sales of chocolate from France.

The price of cocoa beans has doubled in two years

"During holidays, the French are more likely to eat chocolate with an increase of 600 tons sold at Easter and Christmas 2010, the two highlights traditional chocolate consumption," says Florence Pradier. With 6.3 kg per capita in 2010, 378,000 tons, France is the 5th-largest consumer of chocolate behind Germany (11.3 kg), the European leader, and the United Kingdom (10.9 kg), his heir apparent.

In the kingdom of His Majesty, the Gauls are distinguished particularly because they are much more dark chocolate lovers as the rest of the British. The fans see it as the "only real" chocolate. In fact, dark chocolate is 30% of consumption in France, against 5% in other EU countries.During the year, the shelves are especially popular with just under a third of sales, ahead of sweets, appetizers, and other rocks, totaling a quarter of sales. The rest is divided between the spreads (19%), cocoa powder (15%) and chocolate bars (11%).

However, doubling the price of cocoa beans in two years following the civil war in Ivory Coast that supply 40% of the world, has curbed the appetite of the French. The shelf price of which is the benchmark rose 10% in two years. Result: chocolate sales on the single period of 2010 decreased by 2.9%. The question is how the market will evolve after the lull in Abidjan. Difficult to read in the dregs of cocoa!

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The U.S. stock market should open up again on Tuesday. Futures on Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 advanced in effect respectively from 0.65% to 1336.90 points from 1.05% to 2380 points. Last night, Wall Street has ended the highest for nearly three years, driven primarily by technology stocks after a new burst of better than expected results in the area. The Dow Jones rose 1.52% at 12,454 points, the Nasdaq is up 2.10% to 2803 points and the Standard & Poor's from 1.35% to 1330 points. A note on Friday, Wall Street will keep its doors closed as most European markets.

This morning the Asian market also finished in the green. The Nikkei rose 0.82% especially at 9685 points. The OECD has released its updated forecast on the Japanese economy after the earthquake that devastated parts of the archipelago.The organization believes that after an increase of sound, gross domestic product by 3.9% in 2010, Japan will only show 0.8% growth this year and 2.3% in 2012.

The dollar still s'affablit

On the foreign exchange market, the euro climbed against the dollar ever, ranking above the threshold of $ 1.46 for the first time since December 2009. Around 11:30 in Paris, the euro bought 1.4647 dollars against 1.4521 dollars late Wednesday. The greenback lost ground against all major currencies amid renewed optimism in financial markets.

Also note the jump in oil prices, reflecting a fall in stocks of petroleum products in the United States and a sharp weakening of the dollar. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery took 53 cents to 111.98 dollars.That of Brent North Sea crude for June delivery gained 38 cents to 124.23 dollars.

On Wall Street, investors will be watching in particular the traditional weekly claims for unemployment benefits until 14:30, then to 16 hours, the composite indicator of economic activity will be unveiled in March, and the index of activity in the region Philadelphia in April, traditionally a leading indicator of economic conditions in the United States.

Apple in its sights

The side of values, the technology industry should still keep the show on Thursday. Apple has posted a net profit almost doubled (+95% to 5.99 billion euros) and well above expectations for the second quarter of fiscal offset, worn by the continued success of iPhones.The sales increased for its 83%.

In the oil sector, the services group Schlumberger has seen its net profit jumped 40% in the first quarter to 944 million, without return to its previous quarter and meet market expectations because of bad weather and tensions in the Middle East.

The chip maker Qualcomm for mobile ad a profit of 999 million dollars in the first quarter, also well above analysts' expectations. The turnover of 3.9 billion also exceeded expectations.

The British oil company BP, which is listed on Wall Street announced Thursday that it filed a complaint with the U.S. against the American company Halliburton, accusing him of having contributed to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, more prosecutions launched against Transocean and Cameron International.According to various analysts BP would claim $ 40 billion in specialist offshore oil drilling

Large U.S. banks have significantly improved their performance, but mainly due to reversals, as shown by figures published yesterday by American Express and Wells Fargo. The financial services group announced a 33% increase in profits to 1.2 billion. Turnover was up 7% to $ 7 billion. For its part, the U.S. bank Wells Fargo reported earnings "record" for the first quarter, up 51% over a year and better than expected thanks to a drop in provisions for credit losses.In contrast, the turnover reached 20.3 billion, down 6% year on year, due to a decline in revenue "from the mortgage and interest rates."

Also after the close-food chain Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell) announced an increase of 10% of its profit to 264 million. The group benefits from the strong growth of the Chinese economy but the U.S. market remains difficult.

Also note, the Director General of the transatlantic exchange operator NYSE Euronext, Duncan Niederauer, has defended its proposed merger with Deutsche Börse, the finding most relevant to the strategic plan a takeover by Nasdaq and the ICE documentation he said decommissioning.

Charged in November by Nicolas Sarkozy, a mission for the resumption of economic relations between France and Algeria, former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has received during his two days in Paris Algerian partner, the Minister of Industry, SMEs and investment promotion, Mohamed Bennmaradi. He made the point for Le Figaro on the progress of discussions.

Le Figaro – Where are the Algiers metro project?

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the construction of a subway that goes back more than twenty years has experienced many vicissitudes. The latest deadlock occurred during the last year with a financial dispute between Vinci and Siemens Enterprise metro d'Alger (EMA). The work was stopped, they just take over and I can tell you that the site will be open to the public before the end of the year, as will be commissioned on the tramway company Alstom, which will cover 24 kilometers.1100 people are at work. So far, Algiers had the feeling of being victims of a financial dispute. Now, the parties have the will to succeed quickly. This achievement will impact the daily lives of a population that aspires to improve its living conditions. It is a signal of our economic and social cooperation.

Where are the other lighthouses that records your responsibility?

The mission entrusted to me by the president includes twelve economic issues to raise with the Algerian government saving account payday loan. The challenge? These are contracts that should result in 30,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs. I visited in November and February in Algiers to further discussions and I just got Mr. Benmaradi. There has been much progress on the Renault factory.The industrial part of the project is consensual, reconciliations are to intervene to complete the commercial especially in the areas of distribution and the Algerian political support to the automotive industry. There are still awaiting arbitration on the issue of cement Lafargue. With, Total is to create a steam cracking of ethane. It is on track, but the outlook depends on the capabilities of access to ethane. The current objective is to define a new calendar. Sanofi Records, St. Gobain, Cristal Union, dairy industry, Macif and Alstom have been favorable arbitration.

An economic revival of Franco-Algerian relations is possible without political revival?

My mission ends on May 31 by a large forum Franco-Algerian SMEs.The final assessment will be prepared on this occasion but it is clear that Algeria has shown willingness to develop records that are holders of employment. This cooperation very concrete and precise term can take on a political dimension.

Companies should be more generous with college graduates in 2011, what emerges from the annual survey of consulting firm Aon HR Hewitt, published Tuesday in Les Echos. The results of the survey, their wages should grow by an average of 3.4%. A higher rate not only inflation but also greater than that provided for more experienced managers, whose salaries should rise by only 2.6%.

For the consultancy, this improvement is due to the prospects for recovery of economic activity that are confirmed in many sectors.Exciting news for beginners, almost half of respondents (43%) say they have put in place measures to increase pay specifically for them as elements of variable pay to boost wages, retirement savings plans or stock options. According to Les Echos, the directors of large schools share these optimistic predictions, and indicate that young graduates have no difficulty in finding employment with wages of hiring a good level.

Priority to Bac +5

These increases come after years of stagnation, which partly explains this change was necessary because the catch, especially compared to neighboring countries. Also

However, all graduates will not be housed in the same boat Same day payday loans.If companies want to hire new managers, they are primarily interested in experienced people and benefit increases especially at Bac +5 (or schools of engineering management, master 2 academics). Holders of master degrees or Bac +2, can not rely on such generous increases.

The study also warns against an addition of optimism: the intentions of the companies are in fact mostly higher than the increases actually observed on the ground. And if companies are willing to put their hands in their pockets, they are still cautious. In 85% of cases, the contracts offered to young graduates are initially fixed term, although large groups are more willing to commit themselves to small businesses.According to HR managers, so even beginners may suffer from a market still wait, the real restart was not forthcoming.

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General Motors (GM) up big on green energy. In any case, what transpires from the study of law firm Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti Helsin, specializing in intellectual property. The latter, which compiles an annual index on the theme of clean energy, today announced that the manufacturer has registered more patents related to green energy than any other U.S. company in 2010.

In total, the manufacturer has filed 135 patents on this topic, or 14% of total 1881 patents related to green energy deposited by 700 companies or organizations. "Clearly, GM has made great efforts with a range of clean energy technologies, which puts top ranking for the first time," says Victor Cardona, an official of the firm. According to him, these patents relate to hybrid vehicles, batteries, solar energy and several improvements to existing technologies.

Reinventing the DNA of the automobile "

For the direction of the automotive group, this performance is the logic. "GM has gone to reinvent the DNA of the automobile, and this led to many innovations and technological advances," explains Alan Taub, vice president of research and development group.

GM, which has just released the Volt hybrid electric car, has bet on new technologies to raise, two years after filing for bankruptcy. Overall, the manufacturer has stepped up its efforts in R & D since a total, he filed 940 patents in 2010, placing it among the 25 U.S. companies that filed the most patents last year.

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George Papandreou is determined to get his country out of crisis. Greek Prime Minister on Friday presented an outline of its program budget 2012-2015. He began by trying to wring the necks of persistent rumors of Greek debt restructuring in 2013, which shook the markets for two days, leaving flaming the cost of debt. For the head of the government solve its problems of Greece "in restructuring the country, not debt."

Papandreou has warned that new austerity measures would be taken, which will be detailed after the Easter holidays. They include wage cuts, building audits, particularly in hospitals, and a brake on hiring.The Greek government hopes to save nearly 23 billion euros to get to cut spending "approximately 44% of GDP in the euro area average, against 53% of GDP in 2009, and increase revenues about 43% of GDP, against 38% in 2009, "said George Papandreou.

Nearly a year after the implementation of remediation plan accounts, Greece must continue its efforts when it is in recession and unemployment set new records, more than 15%.

Privatizations

Despite social tensions and the announcement of new events in early May, the government decided to launch as soon as possible a broad privatization program of 50 billion euros by 2015. He immediately announced a reduction of the share of state ownership of the national electricity by 51% to 34% in 2012.Following the reduction of its stake in the national telephony and the privatization of railways.

Build an image of stability and dynamism is more than ever crucial for Greece. The country will proceed on Tuesday a new issue of treasury bills to thirteen weeks and hopes to raise 1.25 billion euros.

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Brussels whiter! As part of its major offensive against cartels, the European Commission tackles soapers. Wednesday, it imposed a fine of 315.2 million euros at Procter & Gamble and Unilever, who had heard for over three years on prices in eight European countries.

The German group Henkel was also part of the cartel, has, himself, received full immunity for revealing the facts. For others, the fine could have been saltier. But the Commission granted a 60% discount to the U.S. Procter & Gamble, and 35% in the Anglo-Dutch Unilever, because they cooperated and admitted their guilt to obtain a mutual agreement.

Procter will have to pay 211.2 million euros, 104 million and Unilever. High amounts, justified by the size of market share and the "extreme gravity of the offense."

The cartel began at a professional initiative aimed at improving the environmental performance of products and has operated between January 2002 and March 2005 in eight countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands low. Henkel, Unilever and Procter agreed to share the washing powder market and set prices. They thus agreed not to lower rates when the packet size decreases, "said Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. The latter was intended to refer to any brand, saying it was "not here to advertise."The products of three major detergent manufacturers are part of the daily lives of Europeans and Ariel Bonux for Procter & Gamble, Skip and Omo for Unilever, or Le Chat or Mir for Henkel no faxing 1 hour payday loans.

Main increasingly heavy

Unilever said in a statement that the settlement was "in the interest of the company," and stressed that the amount had already been provisioned.

The case, however, may influence the proceedings for damages may be brought before the courts of the Member States.A conviction of Brussels is generally a "compelling evidence of the existence of illegal practices at issue," says the Commission.

"Companies should not delude ourselves about the Commission's determination to pursue a relentless fight against cartels that charge consumers higher prices than they would pay in the context of a healthy and fair competition" , hammered Joaquin Almunia. Brussels has in effect hand more and more cumbersome in its sanctions, which can theoretically reach 10% of sales. Almost 12 billion euros in fines have been inflicted over the past five years.

In 2010, the Commission has issued fines of 799 million euros to air cargo carriers, including Air France-KLM.It remains far from a record 1.38 billion euros imposed in 2008 to a cartel in the automotive glass, of which 896 million for the French Saint-Gobain.

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