World and National News

"We are only at the beginning of the story, and is full of hope." Development Officer at First Solar (U.S. group that is among the world leaders in the manufacture of solar panels), Benjamin Thibault summarizes the feeling that drives the industry today: consciousness, firstly, that the boot remains difficult, with several countries are reviewing their system of subsidies,, confidence, on the other hand, the potential of this sector to supplement fossil fuels. At the end of last week, First Solar has developed a detailed PV market in the world.

Spain, the world's most advanced

The first observation admits of no dispute: The solar covers a very small percentage of the total energy production, including the most promising markets. Spain, the world's most advanced, shows a 2.13% share, followed by Germany (1.11%), Italy (0.27%) and France (0.04%). As the United States, they do not exceed 0.03%. Yet it is in California, County of San Luis Obispo, that First Solar is currently building its largest photovoltaic solar farm with a capacity of 550 megawatts (third of a new generation of nuclear reactor), which will be completed in 2014. In the meantime, several slices gradually start working. In general, First Solar is developing a priority less powerful units, between 50 and 80MW.

Photography market also highlights the imbalance of the global photovoltaic industry: on one hand, a production capacity of panels that quickly climbs (tripled between 2009 and 2011, more than 36 gigawatts), the another, an installation capacity receding. "The markets open, transparent and funded are not viable in the context of an industry surfournie," explains First Solar. As for countries with large energy needs, "they can not provide large subsidies."

Europe thinks

The American company, however, believes firmly in the emerging markets compared to 2011, the year 2012 should lead to the development of industrial infrastructure in the Middle East, North Africa and the Asia-Pacific. So far, these three regions have very few megawatts of solar. "Europe is a very different case: many countries, following the judgment or grants made to the brakes, thinking about their strategy. Clearly, we do not really know where we go, "says Benjamin Thibault.

First Solar, France illustrates the caution with which the operators are forced. As the leading manufacturer of thin-film modules -5 gigawatt already installed worldwide, a third roof-wanted to build a plant Blanquefort (Gironde), it finally froze the investment of one hundred million euros. According to the American group, the project is only suspended but the climate does not encourage optimism.

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End of inadmissibility. One after another, the three unions CFDT, CGT and FO ArcelorMittal rejected on Thursday afternoon hosted by Nicolas Sarkozy. Moving to Suippes (Marne), the president who wished to receive union representatives Florange, Moselle, after negotiations failed to end the crisis Friday, accused CGTde want to play a political role. "What the unionists defending the union and do not have a policy and CGT will be better (…) I say the real Florange employees, those working, I'm available to them," he said. "That the CGT do not think she has a political role to play in this campaign, it does not suit her, it's not good," he said.

The tension is still up a notch today meantime, while some 200 steelworkers came to Paris to pursue several actions punches. Gone about seven o'clock in the morning of Lorraine, the four buses to the Inter CFDT-CGT-FO were supported in highway toll Marne-la-Vallee by riot police who were escorted to the street Convention, in the fifteenth district, where the headquarters of Nicolas Sarkozy. The head of state had left the premises from 11.30. The procession arrived at the scene, a large police had been deployed. Brief scuffles broke out between the then "Steelworkers" and law enforcement. The protesters were tear-gassed by riot police and sent back to the Pont Mirabeau.

Brief scuffles broke out between the "Steelworkers" and law enforcement before the HQ Nicolas Sarkozy. Photo credits: THOMAS SAMSON / AFP

Trial by fire will not take long for the new fiscal pact of the euro. The Greek case almost settled, Spain came to test budgetary discipline endorsed ten days ago the top twenty-five twenty-seven EU countries.

The Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has opened Pandora's box by informing the press that the deficit would reach 5.8% Spanish this year, instead of 4.4% agreed with the European Commission. Madrid has aggravated his case by adding it as a "sovereign decision" taken, ie, without further consideration for collective discipline introduced under pressure from Germany.

"The paths taken in 2012 are the least important"

Met on Monday, the finance ministers of the euro area have agreed to a request from Spain but have reduced the target to 5.3% of GDP. To the President of the Eurogroup, that is not essential: the priority is to reach Madrid 3% deficit in 2013. "We agreed that Spain will meet the deficit target of 3.0% (GDP) in 2013 and will, from today and until then, a consolidation course of the about 0.5% of GDP, "he said. He added: "It is the responsibility of the Spanish authorities to identify initiatives to be taken to reduce the budget deficit in 2012, is the most important objective for 2013. What is less important, although still important, are the paths taken in 2012. "

Subsidies removed

Echoing the debate on Greece, the case questions the wisdom of budget cutting in an economy already mired in recession. This is the dilemma of the Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy: a Spaniard in four is now unemployed.

Conversely, the Eurogroup can tolerate an exception to the pact, while text remains to ratify everywhere, including in Berlin? "Spain is not alone in this situation," worries a diplomat, recalling that 23 of the 27 EU countries are still in deficit "excessive". Hungary may be deprived of 495 million euros of EU subsidies in 2013 if it fails to take prompt corrective measures. The Netherlands themselves, heralds of the orthodox, must cut their credit crash.

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Costa Cruises and the sinking of the Concordia, and the Festina doping, Toyota and massive recalls of cars, such cases is still much written and undermines the reputation of the passage leading brands. Given the general emotion, some are choosing to change their name to a clean slate. A strategy very costly and not always pay.

Pierre-Louis Desprez, President Institute of BEC.

PSA Peugeot Citroen has not confirmed its merger with GM that Xavier Bertrand is already warning his direction. Minister for Labour, this approximation is "good news if we keep the good tradition of maintaining employment in France." Suffice to say that the government will not release the pressure on the French manufacturer. Last June, convened at Bercy, Philippe Varin had had to undertake not to close the factory in Aulnay.

Whether we speak of private or public, nothing would be worse for the government's announcement, in its presidential campaign, a social group in a landmark. Last December, the restructuring of Areva and had had to adjust to this rule: no job cuts in France.  

Prey to a reversal of their business and face a lack of visibility, some companies have not yet had a choice: Fnac, Nouvelles Frontieres, Cofinoga, Petroplus … the list of restructuring grows regularly, despite the election period, unfavorable. "It's never comfortable to negotiate a restructuring while receiving a visit from a candidate or making the headlines, says Pierre Beretti, CEO of Altedia. Caution is to postpone its plans of reorganization, but it is still necessary power. "

At two months of the first round of presidential elections, employment issues have again become the primary concern of the French. The last quarter of 2011, the economy has destroyed nearly 32,000 jobs, a first for two years. Including industry, the center of the discourse of all candidates, which has surpassed the 800,000 jobs lost in ten years. As for acting, leading indicator of labor market, he accused his second consecutive quarterly decline and shows a negative balance of 26,000 positions in 2011 paperless payday loans.

Accused of putting pressure

"There is a gap between economic reality and the perception of people, an expert nuance. There is no chainsaw massacre. There is less difficult restructuring and the maximum is done for employees. "Nevertheless. It remains difficult to ask the executive to sit idly by. "Obviously we contact each company to try to find alternatives," says one close to Xavier Bertrand. The Minister of Labour is accused, notably by François Chérèque (CFDT), to move from "phone calls" to ask businesses to defer their restructuring plans after the presidential election. "You think, today, you have the possibility of delaying social plans if they are inevitable?, Xavier Bertrand said Wednesday. Of course not, but still, you can find ways to avoid layoffs. Yes, that's true, when you can avoid redundancies and if I can protect employees, I do. "

They are also not employees or Lejaby Photowatt going to complain. Without the intervention of the president, no recovery solution (respectively by a provider of LVMH and EDF) would have been found. Syndrome Jospin in 2002, powerless to employees of LU-who accused him of having done nothing for them in its presidential campaign, has been there.

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New episode in the folder Veolia Environnement. Its CEO since late 2009 Antoine Frérot, is on trial. Borloo could indeed take control group of utilities and largest private employer in France. According to Les Echos, hostilities between the former boss of Veolia now head of EDF, and the runner Proglio Antoine Frérot, could be decided during the next meeting of the Board scheduled on February 29. Following this meeting promises to be choppy, several administrators of the group would seek a dismissal of the CEO. Conducted by a sling Proglio which intends to show that he still holds the strings of the group he led for many Annes before moving to EDF. According to Liberation, Proglio have discussed the ouster of Mr. Frérot with Nicolas Sarkozy on February 12 when the two men met to discuss the rescue by EDF of Photowatt.

Besides that of former Minister of Ecology Jean-Louis Borloo, several names would be approached to head the former Generale des Eaux: Augustin de Romanet, CEO of the Caisse des Depots, "but whose entourage denied any contact, "according to Les Echos, Jacques Veyrat, the former head of Louis Dreyfus and Daniel Bouton, former CEO of Societe Generale.

Results and share price at half-mast

The plummeting stock market as Veolia, which has lost nearly 60% of its value in one year, and the two profit warnings passed successively by the group that should show a loss of 200 million for fiscal 2011, according Challenges, feed the sling administrators.  

For its part, Borloo does not dispute some meetings with "people of Veolia," said Liberation. The newspaper said that "at least five members of the board, fully identified, reportedly met Borloo, Thursday and Friday." And the applicant further states that the daily Veolia is "a company that I know well as a former minister. They have problems and if I believe what is said, there are a number of shareholders who think the group needs a class to his head. " The question is whether Borloo could be this character. For now, the former minister is cautious and says that "the only thing I can say is that now I am driven by two major international groups that are not Veolia. And contacts with them are very advanced. "  

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Rio Carnival, which begins Saturday, will this year partly Chinese. More and more costumes, which make the success of this traditional Brazilian festival, are made from synthetic fabrics imported from China, rather than made in Brazil. And this year, China has further strengthened its positions according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics quoted by AFP, the Brazilian textile production fell by nearly 15% in 2011, while imports surged 53 %, mainly from China. This year, Brazil will have finally made that 15% of synthetic fabrics used for the carnival, reports the president of the Brazilian Association of Textile Importers (Abitex). This type of fabric, inexpensive and easy to maintain, is increasingly popular among Brazilians for carnival festivities.  

Unbalanced relationships

The rise in imports of synthetic fabrics from China is emblematic of the relationship between the two countries. In 2010, China became the largest trading partner of Brazil, before the United States pay day loans. But Brazilian companies complain of the growing imbalance of trade relations. While Brazil exports mainly oil, iron and soybeans, the Middle Kingdom drinks market its products manufactured at low costs, which threaten local production. He also became the first foreign direct investor in Brazil, through acquisition, particularly in the energy sector, mining or production of soybeans. An imbalance compounded by the undervaluation of the yuan and over-valuation of the real. During a visit to Beijing last year, the Brazilian president, Rousseff, called for an upscale commercial relations between the two countries, making more room for products with high added value.

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"Kleftes! Thieves! "The insults burst forth in the processions of anti-austerity protesters in the streets of Athens these days. The Greeks win against a political class accused of making no sacrifice while officials have seen their wages blend of 20% and expects the same treatment as private sector employees. MPs in particular are accused of refusing to lower their pay by 10% at the height of the crisis in 2011.

"Until now, politicians have not been transparent about their incomes and citizens suspect that considerable sums are spent for miscellaneous expenses, or that MPs employ family members as assistants," says Nick Malkoutzis a, journalist with the daily Kathimerini.

The Easter bonus deleted

MEPs, however, made a few sacrifices. The 13th and 14th month salaries were eliminated, as in the rest of the civil service in 2010. Last July, the attendance fee paid for participation in a meeting of the 34 parliamentary committees was reduced to 150 euros, against 245 euros before. Premiums Easter, Christmas and holidays have been removed, additional taxes created. These measures have melted the monthly salary of 3375 euros per head on average, according to elected officials.

Parliament said today that the gross monthly salary now stands at 8,221 euros, 4,231 euros after taxes. Are aligned with the highest salaries of public service. In comparison, a French MEP wins 5189.17 euros net. Still, the Greek Parliament plans to spend 34.2 million euros in 2012 for salaries, including bonuses and other compensation. What assure members a sum of 9500 euros per month, plus office and secretarial included.

The difference, ultimately, does not seem huge with the situation before rigor sets. Last December, Parliament has in fact published on its website, for a few days, the tax returns for 2009 of 300 MPs. It was to answer charges of opacity.

Income gaps

Salaries, allowances, current accounts, real estate, and other financial transactions in this document. It shows that in 2009, elected a ten won more than 9,000 euros per month through its sole parliamentary activity. What must be added, for some, a second salary (in Greece, one elected is entitled to retain his original job posting) as well as income potential spouse. Then the gaps widen between the richer members of the assembly (six of them earned more than 33,000 euros per month) and more modest, saying some 2,025 euros monthly income for their household.

"While the debate on the wages of 300 Deputies Greek is symbolic. They represent only three thousandths of the state budget. But the political class has missed the opportunity to cut its own salaries along with those officials, two years ago, analyzing the Greek-Swiss historian Nikolas Bloudanis. It would have been a symbolic gesture extremely important. "Times are changing: this week, for the first time, an elected, Dora Bakoyannis, head of the small liberal party New Democracy (four members), has proposed halving the salaries of parliamentarians .

How much do Greek political leaders

George Papandreou. Photo credits: JOHN KOLESIDIS / REUTERS

With the popularity of its latest shooter series Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 3, became the best-selling cultural history, the U.S. publisher of video games Activision Blizzard, a subsidiary of Vivendi, has multiplied records. The game has generated over a billion dollars in sales in sixteen days, surpassing the record revenue of cinema film Avatar, James Cameron. Including previous versions of Call of Duty, the previous record of 30 million boxes sold in 2010 was exceeded last year, analysts said.

Therefore, the annual profit of the publisher jumped 159% to a record high of $ 1.09 billion, against 420 million a year earlier. Last quarter, Activision Blizzard has returned net profits, with a profit of 99 million against a loss of 233 million for the same period of 2010. These results have exceeded expectations.

7 million registered players,

"We were able to generate nearly a billion dollars in operating cash flow", says Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard.

As profits, revenues also reveals surprises. Over 34% of annual sales of $ 4.75 billion from the sale of online games. This is another record in the history of video game publisher that has managed to stabilize the number of customers to its virtual world called "massively multiplayer" World-ofWarcraft, to 10.2 million subscribers.

"We record the fastest growing premium services with our new online gaming service online Call of Duty Elite Subscriber, which has attracted more than 1.5 million subscribers Premium and over 7 million registered players in the service" , says the boss of Activision Blizzard. Subscribers "premium" pay 50 dollars a year "to receive, each month, new content," said Eric Hirshberg, the CEO of Activision, Le Figaro.

The figurines Skylanders

It's "faster than the takeoff of everything I've experienced so far. It's better than what we recorded for the start of worldofwarcraft. But it is also faster than the beginning of paid subscriptions to Netflix, hulu.com or Xbox Live, "says Bobby Kotick. Moreover, the last title Modern Warfare 3, launched in November, has generated alone, over 639 hours of online game. These online versions allow the group to reduce the impact of pirates who have illegally downloaded 4.5 million times the latest installment of Call of Duty, according to the website TorrentFreak.

In addition to its outstanding success with war games, Activision Blizzard has also recorded a score very encouraging with its new game Skylanders Spyro's Adventure, which brings together plastic figurines and traditional video games. A total of 20 million stamps were sold last year. "We are out of stock," says his side Jerry Storch, CEO of retailer Toys'R'Us. The game Skylanders would have generated $ 400 million last year, including some 4 million software units sold. These performances are of Skylanders Spyro's Adventure "the greatest creation of a game for children 6 to 12 years," said Eric Hirshberg.

To renew the genre in 2012, Activision will present next week at the Toy Fair in New York, following his children's game called Skylanders Giants.

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The announcement is far from trivial. Japan's Mitsubishi Motors said Monday it would cease production of passenger cars in Western Europe, the Netherlands, after 2012. "It is not viable to start production of a new model" in this factory from 2013, the group said. "This plant was the only car in the Netherlands", his "closing is a catastrophe" for 1500 employees, was responsible for the sorry a majority union.

Beyond the Japanese company, Europe became a continent cursed the automobile. As manufacturers unveil their financial results, the list of those who lose money will only continue to grow. The French PSA Peugeot Citroen will announce Wednesday a "significant loss" of its automotive division in the second half of 2011. This operating deficit, due to its performance-cons in Europe, could exceed 500 million euros according to some analysts.

His rival Renault, which should instead have made money on his heart of business, would have recorded a negative margin of 2.9% of its automotive business on the continent estimated by Barclays Capital.

For its part, Fiat has acknowledged that its consumer brands had lost 500 million euros last year in Europe. The Standard & Poor's threat also to lower the note from the Italian. Americans also are struggling. Ford reported last year an operating deficit of $ 190 million in the fourth quarter. As for his compatriot General Motors, its German subsidiary Opel remains its weakest link. German manufacturers should be among the only ones remaining beneficiaries in Europe last year, analysts said.

The outlook is even bleaker for 2012. Increased from 16 to 13.6 million cars between 2007 and 2011, European car sales are expected to drop 3 to 5% this year, according to Euler Hermes. To maintain their market share, brands may be tempted to continue the price war that rolled margins for several months.

"Given their exposure to this continent, Renault and PSA will lose money in Europe this year" in the car, said Philippe Houchois, an analyst at UBS. To make matters worse, France, a key market in terms of both volume and profitability for both manufacturers, expected to fall by 6 to 8% according to Renault.

This market decline should exacerbate the problem of overcapacity in Europe. The rate of plant utilization was only 82% last year in Europe, according to PWC. Clearly, the sites are equipped to manufacture 3.9 million cars more than they produced.

Too much capacity in Europe

The situation varies greatly between countries and brands. Plants of certain German manufacturers are working at 90% of their potential, while the utilization rate of the French sites is limited to 70%, experts say (and should fall further this year). But "if the Renault plants in Turkey or Romania at full capacity, they operate at only 60% and 30% of French sites Douai and Sandouville," said Gaetan Toulemonde, an analyst at Deutsche Bank. However, experts believe that a plant must operate at 80% expect to be profitable.

In Italy, Fiat plants operate at only 50% of their possibilities. An unfavorable environment which will impact negatively on the group's operating margin in Europe in 2012, says Standard & Poor's.

Beyond the case of Fiat, "there is too much capacity" in Europe: "The only remedy I know of is to close plants," Judge Sergio Marchionne, the boss of Fiat and Chrysler. Only two manufacturers have broken this taboo: Fiat precisely, by closing a factory in Sicily, and Opel, curtailing its Antwerp plant.

But if the U.S. government encouraged their manufacturers to close plants during the crisis, European governments are unlike anything to protect jobs in an industry that employs more than 2 million people.

While only a few months of the presidential debate on the "Made in France" is central, PSA did not specify what would happen to its site of Aulnay after 2014, until which time production is ensured of the C3. Remains to be seen whether the band will make an announcement in the second half of 2012, as envisaged in an internal document of the summer of 2010.

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