World and National News

The U.S. stock market should open a very slight decline on Thursday. The index futures are predicting a small opening in lower indices on Wall Street. Futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 symbolically retreating from 0.02% to 1 081.50 points and those on the Nasdaq 100 grappillent 0.04% to 1 820.50 points. On Wednesday, the NYSE boosted by the publication of an indicator better than expected U.S. manufacturing, which has eased concerns over the takeover led to depression of investors in August surged forward. The Dow, which fell 4.3% in August, its worst performance this month for nine years, rebounded 2.54% to 10,269 points.The Nasdaq gained 2.97% to 2177 points while the S & P advanced 2.95% to 1080 points.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro was up slightly against the dollar in the morning, but struggled to increase its gains amid anxiety before the monthly monetary policy decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) and on the eve the very important report on employment and unemployment in the United States. The European currency traded at 1.2819 dollars against 1.2807 dollars late Wednesday afternoon.

Overseas, a new set of indicators is the program on Thursday, pending the release of employment figures tomorrow.Investors await including weekly claims for unemployment benefits, the second estimate of productivity in the second quarter, industrial orders for July and the promises of home sales for the month of July.

On the side of values, the automotive sector should stand today. The month of August has actually been the worst for U.S. auto industry since 1983. Sales fell 21% to 11.47 million vehicles. Ford Motor has reported a sales decline of 11%. General Motors, which is preparing an offering of securities to reduce by nearly 61% of the state capital, reflecting a drop in its sales by 25%.

Always on the side of values, the U.S. computer giant Apple has unveiled the updated version of its iPod portable should be very surrounded.The Apple brand has also significantly lowered the price of its Apple TV boxes, for playback on a television screen high definition video from a computer.

Also note, Henri Termeer, the boss of the U.S. biotech Genzyme, acknowledged that his company sought after by Sanofi-Aventis is for sale. Genzyme is good to sell, "but not at $ 69 per share, or $ 18.5 billion in total, as proposed by the French said parton biotech.

Instant payday loan is not the one that requires you to pass the stringent credit check or any other cumbersome paperwork, so you are handed your loan amount within 24 hours of the submission of your application.

The cost of electricity will increase. The Department of Ecology and Energy has announced on Tuesday an increase of electricity tariffs by 3.4% on average, applicable from 15 August. Individuals will be affected up to 3%, and small, medium and large enterprises respectively 4%, 4.5% and 5%.

In accordance with normal procedures, the government seized on Tuesday of this project Regulatory Commission of Energy, however, that issue an advisory opinion. Whatever the opinion, the increase in electricity rates should cover 28.5 million individual customers and 4 million companies, representing 94% of French consumers.Last year, the bill had already risen on average by 2.3%.

With this new increase, the government is "to bring the price of electricity from its actual cost, in line with an opinion a few days ago by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA) low rates payday advance.

In its report, the IEA was concerned because of the artificially low price of electricity in France. Prices are set ultimately by the government, the agency stressed that they are therefore likely to be "politically motivated" and is well below the rates charged by our European neighbors. Even after this increase, prices should remain at 25-35% lower than the European average, the government argues.A low level that would jeopardize the development of new nuclear capacity French, believes his side the agency.

LE FIGARO. – How do you improve your sales and your profits in the first half?

Benoît Potier. – It's an interesting semester. It marks both a recovery in volumes directly linked to the global economy and an upturn in industrial projects. The industry again expressed his interest in the preparation of the future.

We found the pre-crisis levels in virtually all market segments. Only construction accuses six to twelve months behind schedule. Offset restart cycles. Overall, growth in volumes that logically resulted in 10% of our turnover, which grows in all businesses and geographies. However, Air Liquide is one of the industries that were more resistant, with a decline of only 5% in 2009. Moreover, our turnover is 4% higher than the first half of 2008.In this period of euphoria that some groups show up to 30% growth, it is important to see what is the basis for comparison. Our results were up 12% over the same period in 2008.

You can find levels of profitability higher than pre-crisis. Your business has changed significantly in two years?

There is a real disconnect between emerging and mature economies. Our sales increased by 6% in mature economies and 30% in emerging which represent 20% "only" the activity of the group, or two thirds of our growth. In twelve months, the distribution of our investments has changed structurally. It went from 50/50 between emerging and mature to 80/20.However, be careful not to bury the mature markets, growth of 6% is good, there are many industries that satisfied with them.

But to give you an example, our sales in China in the first half of 2010 rose 65% and they had also increased last year. China is catching up with the level of industrialized countries in streamlining its industry. There is no excess production capacity. Typically, we have seen closure of four sites steelmakers, grouped into a larger one. The latter now invests in technology and modern capabilities. All the industrial world benefit.

Chemistry, property and equipment, how do you explain that the whole industry registered a sharp improvement in its growth and profitability?

The crisis has hit so hard that companies do not have any choice.They had to rest fundamental questions about their structures, their capacity, so their exposure to market, their management parameters. I think all industries are now much stronger than before the crisis. Faced with problems of liquidity and access to financing, companies have strengthened their balance sheets. Their debts are either stable – for those who invest and continue to grow, it is the case of Air Liquide – is declining.

What do you recommend to stop the loss of competitiveness of French industry?

It is a vast subject. The ideal solutions for the industry have not yet been found in Europe and in different countries. Whether as a planned or coordinated, it seems that Europe has not sufficiently defined what strategies or industrial sectors in which it wants to occupy a leadership position.It means rather the leaders speak on a national solution, which is logical, but we do not have European body for industrial communication, unlike the U.S., China and Japan which are three countries integrated and better than us in the definition of industrial strategy. We are losing a major card: The strength in unity. In addition it must maintain a production base in Europe, since that's where ideas materialize. Without production, we have more innovation, but only for research.

European standards they penalize the industry?

Europe does not want to be a hindrance, but it seems to suffer from the narrowness of the missions that have been determined in different organs. The European Central Bank is there to control inflation while the Fed has a wider role.The European Commission organizes the market, ensures fluidity but has no mandate to make Europe competitive beyond its borders. It does not take sufficient account of the external markets. The European institutions can improve.

What makes you confident for the end of the year and may be beyond?

The resumption of growth projects. Signing of contracts shows that the client is ready to commit and so are we. Every time we sign a contract, we bring a stone to the growth of 2012-2013, or even 2015.

You do not fear a relapse of the economy?

The answer is clear: no. We have seen nothing that points in the first half as a direct risk. Since the crisis, we follow the weekly volume of gas consumed by our customers.In case of "double deep", it would stop producing customers, making maintenance. This is not the case. The situation is normal. It must occur because the world consumes. We are almost out of the zone of turbulence to go toward growth, even if the signal "attached belt" remains lit.

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Despite his attempt to play the holdouts last-minute income Multimedia Group (MRG) was not accepted Monday by the band The World as a candidate for his recovery. In a statement released Monday, The World soberly describes the proposed "new expression of interest" without being recognized among the bids recovery group. "The world has so far received two offers from investors. This group BY SFA (holding the Nouvel Observateur) Claude Perdriel ally groups Prisa and Orange, and the consortium formed by MM. Bergé, Niel and Pigasse, "he says. Now, the two trios competing trying to convince companies and individuals. Hearings began Monday afternoon and will continue today.The company personnel, who have somehow a veto on the appointment of their successor, will express their preference in a general meeting on 24 and 25 June

Reportedly, the two bids, some thirty pages each, are accurate. The trio SFA-Prisa-France Telecom plans to inject 100 million euros (10 million from a bank loan) in the group for 67% of the capital. Perdriel propose to hold 45% of the capital, against 35% and 20% for Prisa for France Telecom. Stephane Richard's group plans to inject about 40 million euro offer for the shares of Lagardere, whose 7 million for the participation of 17.27% in Le Monde and 33 million for the 34% interest in the Interactive World .This values the total equity of the group (after debt) to around 40 million euros …

Create a foundation

For its part, the trio offers Pigasse-Niel-Bergé would book the group's employees a surprise. In addition to 110 million euros available for 65% of the capital, the trio was ready to fund "the possibility of personal companies of the group to return to their blocking minority," a reliable source. Thus, Pierre Bergé undertake, if its bid is successful, to create a foundation in which he would pay ten million for the company personnel can see their share increase by 20% (at the end of recapitalization) to 33%, the blocking minority."The relevance of this investment lies in the fact that it would pay the passage of the tickets out of shareholders Lagardère and Prisa diluted by the recapitalization," says one.

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The fall of the euro makes people happy at EADS. Interviewed by the Financial Times Deutschland, the chief financial officer of Airbus, Hans Peter Ring said the group saw again upgraded its earnings forecast after the fall of the euro. The manufacturer was expecting $ 1.40 to euro. However, the single currency has now reached its lowest level in four years at 1.1894 dollars.

This is a boon for EADS, which occurs in the euro area and therefore pays the majority of its costs in euros, but which generates most of its sales in dollars. If Hans Peter Ring said that the rate of the euro would have no impact on short term profit for the group, he still said he would have a positive effect on turnover. "It seems that this will be different about our income because we have more volatility.Therefore, our revenues could be better than what was previously expected. "

No significant impact in the first quarter

In the first quarter, the impact of the fall of the euro on the results of the group was not significant but if the euro maintains its current course, the first signs should appear in 2012, and the effect could be strengthened 2013. "We must be patient," says the CFO. In an interview with German weekly Welt Am Sonntag, Chairman of the Board of Directors of EADS, said Bodo Ubber parity ideal for Airbus would be $ 1.20 per euro.

As expected, the group should increase the proportion of sales paid in dollars."I think we would be shortsighted if we changed this strategy," said Hans Peter Ring.

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The U.S. Justice had opened a criminal investigation against the U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs, say several U.S. media including the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.

"The federal investigators are conducting a criminal investigation to determine whether Goldman Sachs and its employees have engaged in securities fraud in connection with the brokering of mortgage products," wrote the Wall Street Journal quoted sources familiar with the matter.The investigation by a federal prosecutor in Manhattan is in the preliminary stage and would have begun as a result of a dossier submitted by Constable American Stock Exchange (SEC), the newspaper said.

The SEC has launched a lawsuit against the investment bank and one of its employees, French Fabrice Tourre, accusing them of deceiving customers by selling them financial products backed by the market very risky U.S. home which collapsed in 2007.

Many criminal investigations are launched without the government fails to file a complaint, and in this case, investigators have not yet decided whether they would do it or not, the sources said daily online cash advance.

A spokesman for Goldman Sachs told AFP reacted to news by stating that "given the attention given recently to the company, we are not surprised to articles about an investigation and we will work fully to all inquiries.

Amicable settlement with the SEC

The New York Post said on its side on its website Thursday that the bank could "soon" to end amicably prosecution of the SEC. Goldman Sachs could soon reach agreement with the SEC, choosing to end the standoff rather than endure the public embarrassment still suffered Tuesday in Washington, "writes the New York Post, referring to the hearing group before a U.S. Senate Commission that lasted nearly 11 hours Tuesday."It is almost certain that there will be an amicable agreement," the newspaper said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

A source close to the deal reached by AFP noted that "the SEC has so far not given the opportunity to Goldman Sachs to find an amicable agreement to bring prosecution purposes.

LE FIGARO. – Activation Plan aid to Greece Will there be enough to reassure the markets?

BART VAN ARK. – Nothing is less certain. If using the rescue plan EU-IMF had become inevitable due to the rates imposed by markets, one plan will not help. It will take others. Because Greece can not simply put in order its public finances. She will have to undertake structural reforms, which, by definition, are long and painful. It must focus on its productivity, decreased significantly, and quickly find a way to create jobs.

Before release the money, should there be a new dose of austerity in Greece?

To have a chance to be swallowed, the pill should not be too bitter. If you cut too much spending, it will exacerbate the risk of recession.At the same time, Greece has to reassure the markets over the medium and long term, by engaging in a meaningful and specific reforms. It is not shocking to ask Greece for new safeguards.

The risk of contagion to other European countries there in recent days?

I do not think. Markets are well sorted. Portugal and Spain are in very different situations of Greece. Although Portugal has a similar financial problem and a serious deficit of structural reforms, the situation is less dramatic than that of Greece now payday loan. As for Spain, much larger economy, it began structural reforms, and its banking sector is stronger.

The cohesion of the euro area is at risk?

I do not think so.The eurozone saw, for sure, his first financial and economic crisis. But this is not the end of the Euro! This crisis, which I find exciting force, in contrast, Euroland more economic integration. Europe must urgently address this need for economic integration. There is no other way. The hypothesis of a breakdown of the euro area is not realistic to my eyes.

More integration, it means there a belt tightening for everybody?

In the short term it seems inevitable. Public deficits rise between 5% and 10% of GDP. They strike even the most virtuous countries such as Germany, which will perhaps five years to return to fiscal sanity. The euro area has become credible.In the medium term, more integration, it means more responsibility for each other in their economic policy.

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Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux is president of Virgin Mobile and vice president of UNEDIC.

LE FIGARO .- Do you sell Virgin Mobile Free when preparing his arrival in the mobile phone?

Geoffroy Roux de B?zieux .- I have no plans to sell as we are growing, we will invest 20 million in strengthening our systems for longer battery life, we derive the first profit in five years' investments with a positive operating result and more than 400 million turnover this year. There will probably be in the coming years a recomposition of capital. I hold 5% and I can go up to 13.5%. Virgin Mobile could also go public. This would enable our two shareholders (Virgin and Carphone Warehouse) to go out and bring a new industry partner.

There is talk of a forthcoming project "revolutionary" at Virgin Mobile.What is it?

It is too early to say but it is a major initiative around the dissemination of audiovisual content on mobile. With the development of mobile Internet, network saturation is the challenge of tomorrow. We must find a solution for segmenting purposes.

How would you assess the work of Laurence Parisot, who is seeking a second term as head of MEDEF?

There were good things: the relaxation of relations with the social partners or the creation of conventional breach. But the crisis has caused a resurgence of government intervention. I'm not sure he has to decide everything from industrial sectors of future business to save or let go.Please do not recreate the Commissariat au Plan! In this context, we can not just repeat "we want less government" or "Companies need air …" The speech "all-deregulation" is no longer convincing: the state has an essential role oversee the finance, competition, trade relations … But it remains poor manager and poor tactician. It bosses to offer a vision of the role of civil society and social partners, and demonstrate that we can be a power-cons. Laurence Parisot has not expressed this vision so far. Now is a crucial time for three years coequality only yield ground in the training, the 1% housing, employment center …

Do you fear, as the UIMM (metal), that management is "threatened with extinction in the public debate and action?

Disappearance, no, inward-looking, yes.The crisis, combined with our internal problems, has revived tensions: between small and large businesses, services and industry, banks and SMEs, elected and permanent … There is a danger that everyone is more concerned with his personal lobbying of the interest. We hear too of discordant voices. Our concern must be the unit of employers for bad credit payday loans. I remain convinced that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.

So you introduce yourself to the presidency of Medef?

I decided not to run. First President of the MEDEF requires 3 or 4 days per week, which would not leave me enough time for Virgin Mobile. On the other hand, I chose the unit of employers and a strong MEDEF. In recent weeks I have met many entrepreneurs.Some urged me to go, and many others want a debate on the issues of employers without publicly display our divisions. For some wounds have not healed. I do not want to add to current tensions already high. This reasoning applies to me as for any other candidate.

You spend your turn to try your luck in 2013?

It is too early to say whether I will be a candidate! The bosses can be learned and I have time. I'll stay here by a contractor hired through my assignments with the MEDEF, keeping my freedom of speech.

You are the vice-president of employment center. What is your assessment of fusion ANPE-Assedic?

The whole has not experienced a major failure, especially in the payment of compensation. Given the timing of forced marches and the crisis that no one had imagined, this is not so bad.But the merger has cost hundreds of millions and has not improved the service to job seekers and businesses, except that they no longer have to go in 2 separate locations.

How better?

The social partners should consider simplifying the compensation grids. This would help counselors to be more versatile and to focus on supporting the job search. It was also wrong to want to put job seekers in boxes according to their status (retrenched and entrepreneur …) rather than according to their distance from employment. Although they were both dismissed from Continental, the tire factory worker who for 30 years requires more monitoring than the young computer specialist who find a job alone, via the Internet. Finally, geographical mobility is very low, when we know that in some employment areas unemployment is 5% and others 14%.We can do much more on aid to move.

Unedic fund she measures for the unemployed at the end of rights?

We will make a gesture if the state is one. But a reasonable gesture: we have an accumulated deficit of nearly 10 billion euros at end 2010. We managed to borrow 4 billion in the fall to an exceptional rate of 2.23% but the situation has changed and we will not have the same conditions this summer when we will raise about 2 billion.

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At the MEDEF, the critics were unanimous and anonymous …

The victory was expected, but nonetheless delighted the leaders of Thales Alenia Space. The subsidiary of Thales, 67% owned by him and 33% by Italy's Finmeccanica, has won a lucrative contract for the construction of six European meteorological satellites third generation. The European Space Agency (ESA) made the announcement Friday. The contract amount is not included in the release of Thales, but industry sources estimate it at 1.5 billion euros.

"If the negotiations end with success, management will submit the contract to the committee for industrial policy of ESA for approval and action by member countries participating in the program. What is envisaged for June, "said Agency.The satellites must be in operation from late 2016.

"We are proud to meet the challenge of more ambitious geostationary satellite ever developed in Europe," said CEO of Thales Alenia Space, Reynald Seznec, quoted in the press. Sites of Thales Alenia Space in Cannes and Toulouse, as well as those of OHB in Bremen and Munich will be involved in the project, in "in close cooperation with the German industrialist."

"Forecasts near-real time

These satellites MTG (Meteosat Third Generation) should help predict the weather with greater accuracy. Unlike existing satellite, they will be stabilized in three axes with a set of wheels and will no longer need to turn on themselves, allowing them to operate continuously."The shots will be more frequent," said Donny Aminou, head of MTG instruments to the European Space Agency (ESA) bad credit payday loans . "Plus we have accurate data, the more we improve the accuracy of weather forecasts in near real-time, but in the long term through improved models to better assess what will happen in five or six days, and even make the longer-term data on climatology, "exults the scientist.

The atmosphere can be observed every 10 minutes instead of the current 15, while satellite imagers MTG will provide coverage of Europe every 2.5 minutes. In addition, a lightning detector on board imaging satellites of MTG to see upcoming rainy training.The forecasters can anticipate the time with a margin of error smaller. A rainy period, instead of being announced with a probability of 80%, may for example be 90%.

EADS cringe

Happiness Thales is a natural misfortune of EADS. Astrium, a subsidiary of the European manufacturer dedicated to space systems and services civilians and military, was also in the race. The ESA noted that both bids were "technically good" and lower the amount of the budget imposed. But he explains that he chose the Thales offer because it was cheaper.

This announcement is another setback for the group who had already failed earlier this year another major contract for the European navigation system Galileo satellite, given the small German group OHB. Questioned by AFP, Astrium (EADS) declined to make comment.

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President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker, called Thursday a survey of the European Union on financial derivatives, and hoped the ban on "speculative transactions" the regarding.

In a letter dated March 10 released Thursday by the Elysee, the three leaders and the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou proposed that the European Commission "due diligence as soon as possible an investigation into the role and impact of Speculation on CDS (credit default swaps, Ed) the obligations of European states. " CDSs are contracts to exchange the risks of default of a company or a state.Speculation on these CDS are singled out in the financial crisis currently Greece, heavily indebted.

Minimum holding period of CDS

"If this investigation was to expose abuses of market or that it exhibits evidence that speculation has an impact on interest rates, we will quickly review and action as appropriate, adopt laws and regulations necessary to end, "adds Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Jean-Claude Junker and George Papandreou cash till payday advance