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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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Renault continues its offensive on the niche of ultra-low cost. According to La Tribune, the manufacturer plans to build a car for the price shock of 2500 euros. Specifically, the newspaper said, citing economic "internal sources", a team Renault-Nissan has come into being on 1 January next year to develop all entry-level models of the group, and a platform an engine at a very low cost payday loans in 1 hour. This morning, the manufacturer confirmed to AFP that Detourbet Gerard, who led until the range low-cost Entry (Logan, Sandero, Duster) umbrella program.

Designed for emerging the poor, this car should allow Renault to boost sales as its traditional markets crumble. On the Old Continent, the debt crisis now weighs on sales of the group.

Will this be enough there to counter the inexorable push Samsung? Probably not.

Korean became the first vendor in the world of smartphones in the third quarter, Gartner said. In one year, sales of smartphones have tripled to 24 million units. Far ahead of the 17 million iPhones sold by Apple on the same quarter.

One in four is a mobile smartphone

The Battle of the smartphones is more important than this is the most dynamic segment fast cash advance. Sales of mobile in the world increased by 5.6% year on year to $ 440 million, while those of smartphones grew 42% to 115 million. This is also where manufacturers achieve the highest margins. "The smartphone market growth slows.

"The revival of the European economy is broken." The verdict of the European Commission, which presented on Thursday its autumn forecasts for 2011-2013, is categorical. According to Brussels, all signals of the economy are red. "The sharp drop in confidence hinders investment and consumption, while the slowdown in global growth reduces export and fiscal consolidation to operate emergency weigh on domestic demand." Accordingly, the Institution provides a low growth for the EU in 2012, about 0.6% against 1.9% forecast last spring. In the euro area, GDP is expected to show a slight increase of 0.5%.

The return to growth, albeit slow, is scheduled for 2013 (1.3% in euro area and 1.5% in the EU). Unless additional shock …Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Economic Affairs has indeed warned that Europe could "experience a new recession." He urged governments to restore confidence in "fiscal sustainability and the financial system" by accelerating the reforms. For the European Commission, the restoration of that confidence is well underway. "The measures adopted in recent months should help to remove uncertainty regarding sovereign debt and the financial crisis in mid-2012, and this should gradually unlock investment and consumption," says his report.

In France, Brussels forecasts should take a cold. François Fillon on Monday presented a new plan of austerity measures designed to bring 65 billion euros by 2016.

April 2012: fifty-four nuclear reactors in Japan are at a standstill. Not a nuclear power plant does not produce a kilowatt hour. Whereas before the cataclysmic tsunami of March 11, 2011, they provided 25% of the electricity of the Archipelago.

This scenario of a sudden release of nuclear energy in twelve months is not the political fiction. It is seriously considered by officials and experts. Asked about this possibility by Le Figaro last week during his visit to Paris, the new Japanese Minister of Economy, Yukio Edano, kicked into touch. And answered: "We have confirmed the safety of reactors stopped before restarting. I can not tell you when. "

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

Currently, only ten of fifty-four reactors are in operation Payday Loan for Bad Credit.Given the economic downturn, electricity consumption is expected to decline 4% this year compared to 2010.

Gas purchases up

To compensate for the cessation of nuclear power plants, Japan has a large fleet of oil-fired power plants, coal and gas but several were damaged by the earthquake. The Japanese also built in recent years of LNG terminals to house liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. Tokyo has spent the last months of gas contracts with Qatar and Indonesia and in July, its oil demand rose 4% year on year.And purchases of gas to run them at current price, would cost between 15 and 20 billion.

While managing the emergency, the government of new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has promised to set a new energy policy in the summer of 2012 to 2030.

The concern of earlier this week gives way to relief. After completing a session in the balance yesterday, marked by a small rise in the Nikkei 0.16%, Asian stock markets will resume after the announcement of the plan to stem the crisis in the eurozone. The benchmark index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose on Thursday from 1.63% to 8891.28 points.It's the same for other Asian financial centers: the Hang Seng index of Hong Kong Stock Exchange gained 1.74% to 19,399 points, the CSI 300 Index 0.26% 2658.42 Shanghai points, the Kospi Index Seoul 1.42% to 1921.29 points, the S & P / ASX 200 Index 2.43% to 4345.80 Sydney points, the BSE Sensex 30 in Mumbai at 0.20% 17,288.80 points and the FTSE Straits Times Singapore 1.63% to 2814.99 points.

Shortly before 4 am, France, Germany and the euro zone countries are agreed after intense negotiations with creditor banks on a 50% discount on debt securities Greek removing the last obstacle to a comprehensive plan of response to the debt crisis. The contribution of the private sector, coupled with an effort of the States of the euro area of ​​130 billion euros, will bring the Greek debt of over 160% of GDP today to 120% in 2020, said Nicolas Sarkozy.The French president also said that the means of relief funds in the euro area (EFSF) would be "multiplied" in order to reach "1.4 trillion dollars," or "1000 billion euros." For Nicolas Sarkozy, "the summit has to adopt elements of a comprehensive response, an ambitious response, a credible response to the crisis in the euro area". Even if the plan is still very fragile if the economy of Greece does not improve, he said.

The surge in the yen threatens Japan

For its part, the IMF Executive Director Christine Lagarde welcomed the "substantial progress" made at the EU summit in Brussels, welcomed the leaders of the euro area have set up "a program that will respond to the crisis in the region ".Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, for its part considered that a "new era" began in Greece, speaking of a "new beginning" with this debt reduction Greek.

On the macroeconomic front, the Central Bank of Japan announced Thursday a further easing of monetary policy to fight against soaring yen that threatens the recovery of the Japanese economy.The institute has decided to increase 5 trillion yen (47 billion) purchases of treasury bills, increasing to 55,000 billion yen (519 billion) the maximum amount it spends on purchases of government bonds, corporate bonds and other financial securities, and loans at preferential rates.

The euro has strengthened

In addition, retail sales continued to decline in Japan in September, from 1.2% yoy, due to the fall in purchases of TVs after an exceptional run in early summer, announced the Ministry of Economy Thursday. However, car sales have stopped their dive.Consumers remain cautious overall spending due to fears generated by the earthquake and tsunami in the northeast of the archipelago on March 11 and the Fukushima nuclear accident they caused.

Side values, the action of the group of cameras Olympus flew more than 20% Thursday at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, following the resignation of its CEO Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, accused by his British predecessor Michael Woodford to have overcharged acquisitions between 2006 and 2008.

The euro has strengthened, buoyed by hopes of resolving the crisis in Europe. It was worth 106.26 yen and 1.3975 dollars in Tokyo Thursday morning, 1.3908 against the dollar and 105.98 yen in New Yok the night before.

Finally, oil was up, after the sharp fall the previous day in New York.In electronic trading in the morning, a barrel of "light sweet crude" gained 1.11 dollar to 91.31 dollars a barrel while Brent North Sea crude for December delivery took 70 cents to 109.61 dollars.

The wait is dominant. After clearly displayed in the green yesterday, the Nikkei gaining 1.90%, Asian stock markets oscillate around equilibrium on Tuesday, pending a decision of the euro area to stem the debt crisis in the next EU summit. The benchmark index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange lost 0.45% to 8803.83 and points, while the Hang Seng Index Hong Kong rose 0.54% to 18,873.10 points. The CSI 300 Index of the Shanghai Stock Exchange gained 0.92% on the other hand points to 2600.27, the BSE Sensex 30 in Mumbai 0.37% to 17,002.60 points. And the Kospi index in Seoul lost 0.18% to 1894.99 points, like the S & P / ASX 200 index in Sydney (-0.66% to 4226.80 points) and the FTSE Straits Times of Singapore (-0 , 10% to 2758.15 points).

Investors are wary and vis-à-vis the euro zone leaders, whose plan to end the debt crisis on Wednesday is expected.Thus, the Japanese Minister of Finance today called Europe to take steps to restore calm on the foreign exchange market. "The stability of the foreign exchange market can be ensured by a single country," said Jun Azumi at a press conference, while Tokyo is facing a record surge in the yen weakening industrial activity in the archipelago. "The European problem is entering a decisive stage, he added. The question is whether Europeans can establish a pattern likely to appease everyone. We call them to do so without firing a shot. "

Clearly, the statements by Franco-German tandem, following a first anti-crisis EU summit this weekend, are still a sceptiscisme markets. In this line, Baroin, Minister of Economy, was considered "satisfied" on Monday that European leaders would reach a "global agreement".For the Minister of Economy, the last meeting of the euro area in Brussels this weekend in Brussels has led to progress "two thirds" of the negotiations.

The price of gold mixed black

But investors, it seems, keep in mind the slowness with which the European Union handled the crisis of the Greek debt, leading to a contagion of the crisis. And in Italy, while rumors of using the European Union and the International Monetary Fund will crescendo in Rome.It must be said that for the first time since the outbreak of the sovereign debt crisis in November 2009, the EU will apply directly to other states and their sovereign wealth funds to head out of water and multiply the capabilities of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF).

As for commodities, oil prices were mixed in early trade on Tuesday in Asia, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for December delivery gained 27 cents to 91.54 dollars. Barrel of Brent North Sea crude for December delivery yielded 44 cents to 111.01 dollars. For its part, the euro fell slightly against the U.S. dollar, losing 0.14% to 1.391 dollars.

Side values, Japanese banks are feeling the pinch: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group lost 1.11% to 2140 yen. As Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, to -1.48% at 334 yen.At the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the values ​​are dependent on raw materials, however, much higher, the image of China Coal Energy (5.83% to 9.26 Hong Kong dollars) and oil giant CNOOC (+ 4.68% to 14.32 dollars).

A sequence at high risk for economic diplomacy opened on Friday in Paris with a G20 Finance Ministers, which ends in mid-afternoon today. The summit precedes the meeting of European heads of state, October 23 in Brussels, to enable Europe to get united at the top twenty richest countries in the world, at Cannes, 3 and 4 November. The road is marked. But after the race progress is uncertain. The subjects of accumulated tensions between developed countries, amid Sino-US tensions around the issue of exchange rates.

Aware of the pitfalls, Paris, who chairs the G20 seeks to avoid the reasons for tension. First objective: to show that Europe is determined to solve the crisis of its debt, which raises concerns around the world.To do this, nothing better than to show the strength of the Franco-German couple at a luncheon on Friday at the Elysee, bringing together around the president, the French finance minister and Baroin his German counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble.

"We have made good progress on the path to find how to package a comprehensive and lasting agreement," said the French way out. For Baroin, progress has been made "on the joint bank recapitalization," he may say no more.According to European sources cited by Bloomberg, the euro area is working on the assumption of a default of 50% of Greek debt and would have identified seven options to boost the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), from the processing bank the simple assurance of securities issued by the countries most vulnerable.

Individual Solutions

Paradoxically, this sacred union between France and Germany is no longer visible in the markets guaranteed high risk personal loans. Yesterday, the spread between ten-year French and German was 93 basis points, to the detriment of the former. Never since the creation of the euro area, France has borrowed as much from Germany even though the absolute rates at ten years French remain historically low.In the eyes of financial markets, it shows the weakness of leeway in Paris, to boost the EFSF or possibly refinance its banks.

The other cause of tension that the French Presidency is to avoid global order. At their working dinner last night, finance ministers from the G20 should discuss ways "to ensure global growth strong, sustainable and balanced", as agreed for three years. But unlike previous summits, where everyone was asked to revive its economy, the solutions will be this time individual. "At Cannes, each country will come with two or three steps to support its economy depend on the fiscal space of each other," says Bercy. What display a facade of unity.

However, the Twenty will not avoid the reasons for tension.The heaviest between China to the United States, since the passage by Congress in Washington, a bill denouncing the undervaluation of the yuan. The newest arrived yesterday: the emerging propose strengthening of $ 350 billion financial capacity of the IMF for help, among other things, to finance Europe. A proposal that has received a plea of ​​receiving U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, for whom the IMF has "largely sufficient resources to deal with the crisis."

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The trend remains bullish on Wednesday at the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones opened up 0.42% to 11.4460 points and the Nasdaq 0.80% to 2603 points. Like the European markets, Wall Street resists not the Slovak Parliament on strengthening the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF). Tuesday, after four sessions of strong gains in a row, Wall Street ended in a disorganized. Investors chose to garner a share of profits.

On the front of the debt crisis in the eurozone, the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso presented this afternoon at the European Parliament its proposals to support the banking sector. It should be "emergency" recapitalize the banks, he said.He also called for increasing the EFSF and accelerate the replacement of it by a permanent, mid-2012 instead of mid-2013.

In Slovakia, a second vote could be held Friday with the support of the left opposition. "It's not good news but I trust the authorities of Slovakia to hold a second vote," said Wednesday morning the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Alain Juppé on radio France Info. For its part German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that strengthening the EFSF be ratified "in October." The Slovak Parliament was the last to vote on the strengthening of the European relief fund.Indeed, the unanimity of the country is essential to confirm the agreement reached by the Heads of State on July 21.

Berlin and Paris commitments marchésLes reassure the weekend by Germany and France had restored some hope to the financial markets. Last Sunday, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have in fact committed to respond "lasting and comprehensive peace" to the crisis in the euro area for the G20 summit in Cannes, 3 and 4 November. About the difficulties of the European banking sector, the two leaders said they were "determined to do whatever it takes to ensure the recapitalization of our banks." But again, the "details" to be specified later, and the EU summit scheduled for October 17 and 18 was postponed to October 23.After several missed appointments with the financial markets, Europe hopes this time strike a blow to stop the contagion of the crisis in the euro area.

The euro will always be a "hard currency", has also assured Angela Merkel, following Slovakia's rejection of strengthening financial relief funds in the euro area. On the foreign exchange market, the euro was virtually unchanged munching 0.05% against the greenback at 1.3658 dollars.

Alcoa opens the ball quarterly results

In the U.S., the season of quarterly results of large companies began Tuesday after the close of Wall Street. As usual, the aluminum giant Alcoa kicked-off for these publications. Including follow on Wednesday, PepsiCo, and Thursday, JPMorgan Chase and Google internet group and finally, Friday, Mattel.Analysts bet on an average increase of 13% earnings per share for the third quarter.

The group Alcoa (-3.25% to 9.97 dollars) reported, after market, a net quarterly profit of $ 172 million, an increase of 182% over a year and a decrease of 47% the previous quarter. Revenues jumped 21% year on year to 6.4 billion. In 2011, Alcoa still expects growth of 12%.

For his part Infosys Technologies (6.57% to 56.12 dollars) also announced after the market have achieved in the second quarter of fiscal 2011 to 2012 (ended September 30) with net income of $ 411 million, against 374 million last year while sales rose to 1.75 billion dollars against 1.5 billion a year earlier.For the full fiscal year 2011/12, the group expects a turnover of 7.08 to 7.2 billion dollars.

The Canadian Research In Motion (-2.34% to 23.84 dollars) a Wall Street side, affected by major failures affecting the Blackberry, is facing a revolt by disgruntled shareholders calling for the sale or replacement of its leaders then that its action has already lost 60% since the beginning of the year.

For its part the world leader in lithography for semiconductor, ASML (5.14% to 38.03 dollars), also listed on Wall Street believes that there will be a slowdown in growth in most segments semiconductors, with the exception of technologies related to tablets and smartphones.

Chinese banks are no longer a paradox about. When they announce record profits, their shares continue to plunge on the stock markets. More than 100 billion dollars in profits have been achieved over the last twelve months by the four largest banks in the MSCI China's financial. Yet the same index retreated by 24% last month …

In question, the ability of banks to cope with the heavy debt burden of local Chinese. Last June, the National Audit Office made an unpublished report, evaluating the debts of local governments to 1200 billion euros. Debts incurred to 80% among Chinese banks. Nearly 25% of these loans come to an end at the end of the year, according to the official.Enough to make investors nervous at the beginning of autumn.

For the businessman Jim Chanos, who made his name in the financial world by predicting the collapse of Enron, the problem of Chinese banks is so large that it could completely cancel the growth of the empire environment. "If we assume that China will issue loans representing 30% to 40% of its gross domestic product (GDP) and half of that debt will be questionable, it represents 15% to 20%. Let's say half of them are covered. China may have to switch to a loss of these amounts and reduce growth of 9% to zero, "calculated the investor in an interview with Bloomberg TV last week.

Interest rates reaching 70%

A feeling that reflects at least the concerns of many investors, as evidenced by the poor performance of local banks in the markets.But analysts located in China do not share this pessimism. "I do not think there is a bubble. These are more questions about the future easy to get unsecured personal loans. Investors are concerned about asset quality of Chinese banks, "cautions Zhang Yi, an expert in the industry for Moody's in Beijing. "The government is responsible for the bank and will do everything to prevent a major problem," said one of his part in Shanghai-based analyst, who works for a large brokerage company in China. For now, the real problem of Chinese banks is the explosion of informal loans. Clearly, the restrictions imposed by Beijing on credit have greatly benefited the black market. "We have no idea of ​​the true extent of the phenomenon, no credible data was available. But banks remain exposed to the last borrower, "said Zhang Yi.For some of these funds lent at usurious rates comes directly from banks.

Last month, the Journal of the securities of China, close to the government, reported that the equivalent of nearly 50 billion euros had been removed on the first two weeks of September in the deposits of the four major state banks: Bank of China, ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China. Most of these funds were reinvested, according to the newspaper, the black market in credit, where interest rates can reach up to 70%, while the alternative financial investments are scarce for individuals and businesses. The stock markets are down and banks remunerate savings at rates lower than inflation.

For now, the response of banks to secure their future look for the capital increase.ICBC has announced plans to raise $ 11 billion market over the next nine months. The question is whether investors are ready to go.