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Essilor International shows a rebound in sales of 15.8% in the first half to 1,926 billion euros. The world of ophthalmic lenses has seen its sales boosted by several acquisitions such as U.S. and Signet FGXI Armolite. In all, Essilor has acquired or increased its stake in thirteen companies in the first half, representing an additional turnover of approximately 80 million euros.

Excluding currency and acquisitions, growth in turnover is 5.9%, "in line with its annual target," the company said in a statement.

Sales of optical equipment and lenses, more than 92% of group turnover, rose by 10.7% as reported. North America, Essilor which makes 43.5% of its activity, grew by 8.1% as reported.The rise of Europe, which represents 39.6% of sales, rose slightly less (6.4%). Latin America, however, mark a sharp increase of 47.1% to 88.6 million euros, barely 5% of sales.

Net income for Essilor is down slightly from 1.3% to 197.5 million euros. The group is penalized by the provision of 41.5 million euros to pay the fine imposed by the German competition authority (Bundeskartellamt) for formation of cartels.Adjusted for this provision, net income reached 238.8 million euros, an increase of 19.3%.

Essilor confirms its annual targets

"In the second half of 2010, in a context of renewed activity still fragile, Essilor will pursue the strict implementation of its strategy of growth based on new products, geographical expansion, acquisitions and organic conquer the environment range, "the group said.

This announcement had already acquired majority stakes in two U.S. since the end of the first semester in the laboratory and in the Gulf States Pasch. Essilor has also sold its stake in early August Sperian Protection which represented 15% of capital.This sale will record a gain of 27 million euros in its accounts in the second half.

The manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses confirms target for 2010 sales up 5% to 7%, excluding currency and strategic acquisitions, and margin contribution stable excluding acquisitions and strategic change IFRS. In the first half of 2010, the margin of Essilor has eroded slightly over the same period in 2009, yielding 0.1 percentage points to 18%.

At the Paris Bourse, the title Essilor yields 2.74% to 46.88 euros at 10:00. It displays the largest drop and the CAC 40, itself in decline 0.62%.

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The recovery continues across the Atlantic. But two of the twelve regional branches of the Fed said the pace of activity has slowed recently, Chicago and Atlanta, and two others have found a stable economic situation in Cleveland and Kansas City.

The Beige Book released Wednesday evening by the U.S. Federal Reserve and state is a better overall economy than before.Both at the point of manufacturing and services.

Sightseeing, the report underscores the strong momentum in the areas of San Francisco, New York, Minneapolis, Richmond, Kansas City and Atlanta, although the latter regrets a decline in leisure travel in the Gulf of Mexico, an area affected by the noirée tide.

On the consumer front, consumer spending during the early summer have increased overall, particularly in Dallas, but in most areas, this growth has remained low.

In the property and the trend is less successful.While the tax credit to Etats6unis expired last April 30, the Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Kansas City have suffered declines in construction activity, one can read in the Beige Book.

Finally, employment has gradually improved in several areas, like New York, Chicago, Richmond and Atlanta, but has stagnated for example, Boston and Dallas.

On Wall Street, the investor response is negative. The major indexes have bent the publication of the Beige Book (20 hours, Paris time). In the end, the Dow Jones ended up on a decline of 0.38% to 10,497.96 points, the Nasdaq is up 1.04% to 226.56 points and the S & P by 0.69% to 1106.13 points.

Note that this information valuable as its Chairman of the institution, Bernanke said there just a week before Congress the slow recovery, without announcing new measures to support the economy.Please note that Friday, all eyes will be the publication of the first estimate of U.S. GDP for the second quarter of 2010.

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Crucial day on Tuesday for French nuclear. By late morning, the President convened the Council of nuclear policy, simply responsible for developing strategic thrusts of the French sector, based on the recommendations of the report Roussely.

The latter, watched impatiently for several weeks, has finally been published. Or more precisely, a synthesis of some twenty pages, available from Tuesday evening at the site of the Elysee. Originally, the former President of EDF had been instructed by Nicolas Sarkozy to consider the optimization of a sector hurt by the failure of the bidding in Abu Dhabi on the creation four stations of the future.

But more than this summary and fifteen major recommendations, the Council communiqué nuclear policy, also disclosed this Tuesday evening, which proved enlightening.He devotes just the rule of EDF on the sector. Admittedly, this rule was expected, but not necessarily rooted with such intensity.

Not only a strategic partnership agreement between EDF and Areva covering the whole of their common business will be established, but the scenario of a capital input of EDF, Areva will be studied.

So far, Areva group present on the cycle (uranium mining to reprocessing spent fuel) was working on the principle of a capital increase, but a scenario involving a stake EDF No. had never been formally considered.Conversely, in its report published in summer 2009, Jean-Cyril Spinetta, the current chairman of the supervisory board of Areva, had reversed this possibility, considering that it was inappropriate for a client of Areva entered the capital quick pay day loan.

GDF Suez absent

Meanwhile, the Council of nuclear policy has confirmed that the increased initial capital of Areva, to the tune of 15%, would be implemented before the end of the year.If EDF was to enter the capital of Areva, it would be in addition to the 15% threshold.

Meanwhile, the two companies, which face regularly on many issues, are invited to work much more efficiently.

In addition to these developments planned capital, the other major teaching issued by the Council of nuclear policy, largely supported by the report Roussely, based on the total absence of GDF Suez in this folder. However, the group led by Gerard Mestrallet have long aspired to become a nuclear operator of reference in France. It has not been heard, far from it. This should not preclude that GDF Suez may work, as EDF, on the development of a medium-power reactor. Provided that if the Council insists on nuclear policy the considerable potential of the EPR, it also stresses that the range of French reactors should be extended."To better meet the diverse needs of the customer."

In this regard, the report Roussely pin delays of the two EPR sites, one in Finland and one in the Channel.

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"Nuclear: report tracks Roussely

The report Roussely, devoted to the layout of the French nuclear industry, was discussed at midday in the context of a council of the nuclear policy statutorily chaired by the Head of State.

Written in a mission entrusted to the former President of EDF, this report was sent to Nicolas Sarkozy last May, before being classified "top secret" in the name of protecting a number sensitive data.

Eagerly anticipated by the industry, it delivers several lessons particularly interesting. Like this recommendation to create a Department of Energy. Meanwhile, the role of EDF as team leader of France's nuclear part of an international development – is clearly stated no fax cash advance.

However, this leadership role of the electrician is first and foremost, reserved for countries new entrants into the nuclear. The report also states that Roussely relationship between EDF and Areva must be much more successful. In other words, the strategic partnership between the two companies are held without being recorded numerous clashes. Finally, it is not any conclusion of this report, the GDF-Suez will become a nuclear operator of reference in France is totally ignored. In short, EDF retains all hands on this sector.

Optimism in the sky world. A few days before the opening of the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom, Boeing set the tone. The American manufacturer has announced on Thursday it had revised upwards its forecast of orders for new aircraft by 2029.

In a report released in London, Boeing presented its annual outlook 2010. "The global market is in much better shape than last year, but challenges remain," said Randy Tinseth, vice president for marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the branch's civil aviation manufacturer.Capitalizing on global growth than expected, Boeing expects that "the air traffic registered an increase this year, both for passengers and freight," said Randy Tinseth.

In the long term, Boeing said a total of 30.900 anticipate orders to the horizon 2029, a figure up 6.5% compared to the forecast of 29,000 made last year. These new orders represent a total 3.6 trillion dollars (2.788 trillion euros). For Boeing, the demand will be sustained in particular by increasing the number of LCCs and Acceleration replacement by airlines for their aircraft models écononomes fuel. And of course, by the "economic recovery".

A recovery that will boost air traffic.According to Boeing, the world air traffic will increase by 5.3% per year by 2029, with the number of passengers carried increased 4.2% per year over this period.

The most prominent aisle

To meet this demand, Boeing is betting on the single-aisle aircraft segment, which will benefit from the appetite of companies to lower costs. This type of aircraft has become the face of long-haul for a decade, says the U.S. group's report. "The airlines will choose to offer more flights using aircraft with more efficient (in terms of fuel consumption, Ed), rather than managing fleets of aircraft much larger," says Boeing. Consequently, the market for large aircraft (type 747 and beyond, namely the Airbus A380's competitor) will account for only 720 units, totaling 220 billion dollars.

Finally, over the next two decades, Boeing sees the Asia-Pacific than in North America as the first global airline market. According to the manufacturer's calculations, the Asia-Pacific will account for 43% of global air traffic by 2029.

To further extend the Dreamliner?

In this horizon rather than a black cloud emerged, however: the delivery of first Boeing Dreamliner could be postponed until early next year while the U.S. aircraft maker said earlier this month that it would intervene in the fourth quarter 2010. If ever the first delivery was a new delayed, the delay from the original schedule – May 2008 – would exceed two and a half years.

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Is this a declaration of war? A sneak attack against a competitor already criticized from all sides? Rating agency Standard & Poor's announced mid-week she placed the note in its rival Moody's under review with negative implications. Translation: "S & P is considering lowering the rating of its counterpart.

Standard & Poor's predicted an earthquake in the scoring in the United States. She believes that the current reforms on the financial regulation in the United States threatens the business of Moody's. For example, "investors may sue the agencies in the event of fraudulent or reckless notation, notes S & P, which" increased legal costs of Moody's "dramatically," says S & P.

Moody's might also face a drop in sales, ahead its competitor.New laws in effect remove the references to footnotes in regulatory agencies and investors could then no longer need their services.

Black Series

The decision by Standard & Poor's added to the long series of bad news qu'essuient its competitor. In recent months, Moody's has seen some of its former analysts testify against her before the U.S. Senate. One of its main shareholder, billionaire Warren Buffett, has withdrawn in part. And the agency was roundly criticized by some investors for notes attributed too generous to Greece, Portugal or Spain. When she does not suffer from the wrath of authorities for the untimely degradation States Notes.

Logically, these arguments on the ratings business in general, thus also relates to Standard & Poor's."This decision serves as a warning signal for the whole sector," Norbert Gaillard analysis, an economist and specialist agencies. The agencies are so far very profitable, with operating margins (operating income compared to the number of cases) between 30 and 40%.

Concerns about the sector

The agency derives she shot in the foot by publicly expressing concern about the future of its industry? Yes and no. If she criticizes his rival, it is mainly because the turnover of the latter depends on more than 90% of rating business alone. This is not the case of S & P. "She has put in place, long ago, a diversified business model (financial, S & P 500), regulatory reforms under threat," said Norbert Gaillard.

Moody's will be difficult to replicate its rival news: it is not publicly traded, it is backed by a large group, McGraw Hill. And if attacked, S & P will always assert its good faith by recalling that it had downgraded the rating of its own parent a few years ago.

Rakuten weaves its web internationally. After the acquisition last month of the American Buy.com for $ 250 million and the creation of a joint venture with PT Global Mediacom in Indonesia, the leading Japanese e-commerce has announced Thursday it had acquired all of PriceMinister capital for 200 million euros.

The Japanese offered as a place of choice in a market where e-commerce still has the wind in its sails. Online sales have jumped 30% in France in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period of 2009, according to figures from the Federation of e-commerce and distance selling (Fevad).

"This acquisition is a significant step towards achieving our goal of creating a global platform on which consumers can shop, whatever their country of origin," said the Japanese group said in a statement.

International ambitions

If Rakuten has big, PriceMinister take this announcement to reaffirm its own ambitions. "While PriceMinister happened since March on the top step of the podium in terms of audience e-commerce in France, we sought to further influence our development," explains Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet, cofounder and CEO of the group, in a statement released Thursday.

The French site, which boasted 11 million members and an offer of nearly 150 million products in March 2010, specifies that the transaction was carried out by the group's European subsidiary, Rakuten Europe. The founders of PriceMinister (Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet, Pierre Krings, Justin Ziegler and Olivier Mathiot) "have a commitment for a minimum of five years to support the development of the brand in France and Europe. A period during which the staff of the group should remain in place.

"Rakuten has experience and expertise unmatched in the field of Internet commerce," says Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet. "By combining our respective strengths, PriceMinister will be able to accelerate its growth in France and Europe." If it is already present in Spain and England, and has successfully diversified its business expanding into areas of real estate , email marketing and online travel, the French group is a featherweight against its Japanese rival.

PriceMinister sold well

Rakuten has nearly 64 million members to date and posted sales worth 3.2 billion dollars (2.5 billion euros) in 2009, the group said. In its statement, the Japanese lifted the veil on the financial results of PriceMinister, a secret that the French site had always managed to keep.

Thus, according to Rakuten, PriceMinister recorded a turnover of 39.9 million euros in 2009 against 38.1 million in 2008 (including sales of the subsidiary car-Mixad 321Auto sold in March 2009). The site has also experienced a slight net loss of 105,000 euros last year. In 2008, this loss had reached 9.4 billion euros. Sold for 200 million euros, five times its revenue, PriceMinister has at least made a good deal.

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As demonstrated by these matriochkas high 13 meters, which will adorn the entrance to Grand Palace, the visit of Vladimir Putin, started Thursday night in Paris, sacrifice largely Franco-Russian folklore. It was under the canopies of this symbolic place of French culture that the Prime Minister and his Russian counterpart, Francois Fillon, will open Friday morning a "Russian national exhibition. Previously, the strongman of the country will have breakfast at the Hotel Bristol with Jacques Chirac, then lunch with Nicolas Sarkozy. Fifteen Russian regions, including the turbulent Chechnya will be represented in Paris. A gathering of Russian masters, especially from the aerospace, automotive or pharmacy, will accompany Vladimir Putin.

France, the ninth largest trading partner of Russia

Unlike the two previous visits of Russian leaders in the capital – in November 2009 and March 2010 – no significant agreement should be concluded. In recent months, Moscow and Paris live on their laurels: the future participation of EDF and GDF-Suez in the pipeline South Stream and Nord Stream, the cooperation of the manufacturer Safran construction project of Sukhoi Superjet 100, the Alstom entry in the capital of the manufacturer of trains, Transmashholding. No room for complacency in the face of inroads by Russian companies in Italy and especially Germany.France is the sixth investor in Russia and the ninth largest trading partner countries.

Ads should be reserved for the visit of Nicolas Sarkozy Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, June 19, in the presence of Dmitry Medvedev: Arianespace is about to purchase Russian rockets, and Martin Bouygues person would enter the Board Skolkovo, a project of Sophia-Antipolis in Russian, which arouses the skepticism of business.

Negotiations on the Mistral

The future of bilateral economic relations is first suspended negotiations started for the purchase by the Russian navy, a helicopter carrier Mistral. Russia, which is counting on France to help modernize its economy, relies on the expertise of the hexagon.

But Paris is reluctant to give Moscow a part of the military technology of this building.It would, however, a "good deal for the French manufacturer," says Vladimir Putin. "A helicopter-carrier as it cost around 300 million euros," added the Prime Minister who wants to buy a copy and duplicating the other three shipyards in the country. The Franco-Russian friendship has its limits.

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The Fed refines its forecast for U.S. growth. Three weeks after announcing a growth across the Atlantic between 3.2% and 3.7% this year, the U.S. central bank announced on Wednesday it expects a GDP of 3.5% for 2010 and "a little "more in 2011. In May, the Fed was between 3.4% and 4.5% for 2011.

The announcement comes one week after the U.S. government has revised upwards its forecast of 3% economic growth for the United States in 2010.

Deficits: Europeans have established a "substantial program"

Referring to the situation in Europe, Ben Bernanke said during a hearing before the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives in Washington, the Fed will remain "extremely attentive to developments abroad and its possible effects on the U.S. economy " Fast payday loan. He said however, "reassured by the answers of Europeans," holding that they have developed a "substantial program" to address their budget deficits."If markets continue to stabilize, it seems that the effects of the debt crisis in Europe on growth in the U.S. are likely limited," said Fed Chairman.

The World Bank predicts growth of 2.9% to 3.3% in the world. It anticipates a GDP between 5.7% and 6.2% this year for developing countries and between 2.1% and 2.3% for developed countries.

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• Three explanations for the fall of the euro

Failure of growth. Treatments austerity that accompany the bailout of the countries of southern Europe are likely to weigh on growth prospects for the euro area, the lowest in the G20 in 2010 and 2011. The growth gap with the United States is widening. "The most marked signs of recovery in the U.S. favor the dollar. One can expect that the Federal Reserve increased rates before the European Central Bank, "said Clemente De Lucia, an economist at BNP Paribas.

Mistrust of state debts in southern Europe. Investors are getting rid of all debt of the euro area, primarily those of the South. They believe that risk still threatening debt restructuring Greek, and are wary of Spanish titles, Portuguese or Italian, considered less safe than before."In the whole euro area, debt maturities until 2013 are 2300 billion euros, three times the European stabilization plan," said Jean-Christophe Caffet, Natixis. "Previously, investors sold securities to buy Spanish or Portuguese to French or German debt. Today, they buy everything except the euro, "said the expert of Natixis. The markets took refuge on the dollar and gold.

Political doubts about the euro area. "There are doubts about the euro area as institution-building solidarity between Member States fiscal and monetary conservatism. It destabilizes markets that sell the euro, "said Gilles Moec, economist at Deutsche Bank. Purchases of debt by the ECB are freeloaders.

• The consequences of a devaluation

Boosting exports.The weaker euro restores mechanical competitiveness to European products. "A drop of 10% of the euro against other currencies, that is 2.5 points higher for exports, 0.5% more growth in the first year and 0.5% next year "said Jean-Christophe Caffet, Natixis. The effect should be stronger for Germany and Italy, whose volume of trade is more important outside the euro area as Spain or Portugal.

Rising oil prices. It's a risk, but it is content for now by the rising dollar. The oil exporting countries have no incentive to increase the price of a barrel in MECC, because they sell in dollars and buy in euros, an optimal configuration for them. Rising commodity prices depend on demand from emerging countries.

Resumption of inflation.The drop in euro adds the price of imported products, which can boost inflation in the long term. But in the short term, the euro area rather deflation risk, fueled by rising unemployment and austerity measures.

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