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The index futures are predicting a slight opening up U.S. markets already after three consecutive sessions in green. Thursday, S & P 500 closed at its highest since 17 months.

Investors seemed reassured by the latest statistics. The U.S. trade deficit fell to 37.29 billion dollars from 39.9 billion in January. For specialists Barclays Exchange, "it is a pleasant surprise to the extent that economists were expecting a deficit of 41 billion dollars." Other good news side of the labor market "listings weekly unemployment fell to 462,000 from 469,000 the previous week.

On Wall Street will be sitting under the sign consumer with the publication of sales information for the month of February and the preliminary estimate of consumer confidence.Business inventories for the month of January will be published in late afternoon.

Shortly before the opening, futures on Nasdaq 100 and Standard & Poor's 500 advanced 0.01% respectively at 1925.50 points from 0.06% to 1151.30 points.

On the side of values, the CEO of Citigroup has pledged a return to profitability of the bank. The state could get rid of all of its shares within twelve months. The title of Citigroup rose 30% since the beginning of the month and by 20% since the stock market Monday.

For several sessions throughout the banking sector enjoys a renewed interest from investors. On Thursday, he was also concerned by the failure of talks in the U.S. Senate to reform the financial system.After several months of effort, Senator Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, has not succeeded in concluding an agreement between Republicans and Democrats on this bill to reform the banking system.

In the energy sector, Devon Energy, a specialist in the production of oil will sell at BP Plc for seven billion dollars of assets located in Brazil, Azerbaijan and the Gulf of Mexico.

Note also the manufacturer of semiconductor National Semi-conductor announced after the close of the NYSE, a profit of 53.2 million, or 22 cents a share against 18 cents expected by analysts' consensus. Turnover was 361.9 million against 348.6 million expected by analysts.

The Appeal of Ban Ki-Moon has been heard. "There is no doubt that we are facing a major humanitarian emergency and an equivalent effort in disaster relief is needed. I urge all members of the international community to assist Haiti in this hour of great need, "stated the secretary general of the United Nations (UN), after the violent earthquake that devastated the capital Port -au-Prince Tuesday. Since then, pledges poured in from around the world.

The United Nations said on Friday he had received 268.5 million dollars in aid pledges from many governments and businesses. To this sum, plus the $ 100 million that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has put on the table.At a press conference in Washington yesterday evening, its managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said this aid, which will be released "very soon" by the board of the IMF, would come from an extension of a existing loan to Haiti. The day before, the World Bank had pledged aid for the same amount.

Governments at the rendezvous

Among the twenty donors reported by the UN include Belgium (0.65 million), Sweden (0.85 million), China (1 million), Italy (1.46 million), Finland (1.8 million), Denmark (1.9 million), Switzerland (1.9 million), Germany (2.17 million), Netherlands (2.91 million), Spain ( 4.37 million), EU (4.37 million), Canada (4.8 million), Brazil (5 million), Australia (9.3 million), the United Kingdom (10 million ) and the United States (100 million).

In France, the Economy Minister Christine Lagarde has benefited from the presentation of his vows to the press this morning to ask the creditor countries of the Paris Club to cancel the entire debt of Haiti. The country still has 54 million euros to France, for example. Paris had already canceled unilaterally and unconditionally 4 million euros of debt, December 11 last. Christine Lagarde also appealed to Venezuela and Taiwan, two major creditors of Haiti who do not belong to this group.

Solidarity initiatives of companies

But generosity is not the sole preserve of large institutions and governments. NGOs and associations are at the forefront, both on the field and at the collection of donations. Calls for assistance have increased over the past three days.In addition to individuals, many companies have personally responded to these appeals, as after the tsunami that hit Asia in late 2004. Numerous initiatives have been announced, including France.

The Post, for example, will publish in the coming days, a tone of solidarity with the victims of the earthquake. The price of 1 euro includes a donation of 44 cents to the Red Cross. EADS and its subsidiary Airbus has decided to lend the association Action against hunger a jumbo A 340 to help the Haitians. The aircraft must take off from Lyon on Friday afternoon, with on board 150 cubic meters of material health and telecommunications, as well as pockets of water. Following the call of Industry Minister Christian Estrosi Wednesday, the French pharmaceutical industry donated 56,000 emergency treatment for relief teams visiting Haiti.Finally, the French airline Air Caribbean said this morning that it would introduce flights at special rates for Port-au-Prince, from the airport in the Haitian capital will be reopened to commercial flights.

The challenge of rebuilding

Such generosity is not without challenges. This effort requires international coordination, said Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Start quack, the EU acknowledged on Friday having been informed "by the press" of the international conference for reconstruction and development of Haiti, announced yesterday by France. "I am not aware" of the conference, said the spokesman of the High Representative of EU for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, during a press briefing in Brussels.

Yet, as Bernard Kouchner, the appointment is already taken.The conference, which would join the United States, Brazil, Canada and other countries, could be held in March, said the Foreign Minister this morning.

Haiti, a country to its knees

• Population: 9.8 million (UN estimates 2008)

• Gross national income (GNI) per capita: $ 560

• Poverty: 78% of the population lives on less than $ 2 per day and over 50% with less than $ 1 a day

• United Nations Development Program (UNDP): 146th rank among 177 countries worldwide

• Life expectancy: 59 years for men, 63 for women

• Infant mortality rate: 60 per 1,000 births

• Aid for Development: The World Bank has granted 273 million dollars in financial assistance to Haiti since 2005, through the International Development Association (IDA).

(Source: World Bank)

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The "Teorem" Thales is not a math problem. The Telephone Network Cryptography for state and military, made by Thales, is exclusively for heads of state and military, for its qualities in terms of security of confidentiality. RTL radio this morning reminded the many business-related policies tapping conversations with enemy states as well as by allies. With encryption, the conversations transmitted by Teorem can escape from such plays.

In moving in Cholet, Maine-et-Loire, to present his greetings to economic forces, the President of the Republic Nicolas Sarkozy will go through the factory, where 850 employees are working on making this phone. The terminals will exchange sensitive information secrecy protection.Only two companies in the world are able to produce such a device.

In 2010, the Head of State, representatives of ministries and military staffs will have the 14,000 copies ordered by France in March (price not known at this time).

To ensure the security of sensitive communications that must relay any lost or stolen device will be excluded from the network.

British Airways won a first victory against his crew. The British airline, which deemed it illegal to vote on a strike by its employees last Monday, just win the case on Thursday. A British judge of the High Court in London took the view that the strike, scheduled from December 22 to January 2, was not legal.

According to the interim ruling issued Thursday, irregularities were committed during the vote in which employees were asked to vote on the principle of the strike. The judge ruled that the company disputed the fact that such employees being dismissed have taken part in the poll.

The management of British Airways welcomes the victory. "We are delighted for our customers that the threat of a strike at Christmas has been lifted.It is a decision that will be welcomed by hundreds of thousands of families in the United Kingdom and around the world. "

The conflict is not over

This decision does not preclude the union Unite, causing the motion to proceed to another vote. For employees in anger, the movement will only end if the negotiations succeed. But for now, discussions are taking the wrong direction.

The direction of the British airline and representatives of Unite had met on Wednesday but failed to agree on a compromise. British Airways refuses to reverse the changes already implemented such as reducing the number of crew members on long distance flights and short haul.

If such a work stoppage occurs, it would be the first strike at British Airways since 1997, and the longest in the history of British aviation.The company would lose big on this account since the holiday season to carry one million passengers on Flight 7000.

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