International & World Report

The case Goldman Sachs has taken the weekend of 24 and 25 April, a new political era with the publication by the U.S. Senate emails embarrassing for the bank, accused of having enriched in 2007 by betting on reduction of financial products that the bank had itself sometimes sold to its customers.

Larry Summers, the Obama economic adviser, declined Sunday to comment on the case Goldman Sachs, except to state: "This highlights what is at the heart of the president's vision (in the reform of finance) : the importance of transparency. "

Shocked that unpacking before the opening of public hearings Monday in Congress, Goldman Sachs categorically denies having violated the law.It maintains its role as an intermediary to serve institutional clients with differing views on the trend of the real estate market forced her to speculate for a fall on some securities to cover its risks also taken on other positions.

If they prove nothing of fraudulent e-mails made public Saturday by the Senate show that the bank on Wall Street reveled during the crisis, earn so much money, thanks to its derivatives betting on the fall of subprime housing market, while its own customers – including European banks – in poorer inverse operations.

"We will make a big pile of money!"

In July 2007, David Viniar, chief financial officer of Goldman Sachs, learning that the bank had already won $ 51 million by betting on falling subprime reacted in an email: "It gives an idea of what might happen to those who not a big short position in low fee pay day loans. "

In October 2007, while the housing market plunge, a trader from the bank sent an email to his colleague: "It seems we will make a big pile of money!" The answer: "Yes, we are well positioned … In 2007, the bank led by Lloyd Blankfein has achieved record profits of 11.6 billion dollars that enabled him to pocket a bonus record of $ 67.9 million.During the same period, rival banks, including Morgan Stanley, suffered massive devaluation of their assets.

On Monday, Lloyd Blankfein and six of his colleagues were summoned to explain himself before the Senate subcommittee charged with investigating the financial crisis. Among them, Fabrice Tourre, a French 31 years, accused of fraud by the SEC, the gendarme of the U.S. financial markets. There is theoretically no link between the two surveys. But they are on the same subject: conflicts of interest of Goldman Sachs derivatives markets of mortgages.An email signed by Fabrice Tourre in 2007 shows his pessimism about the products he elaborated: "This market is completely dead and the poor little subprime borrowers will not be long." Fabrice Tourre will even be compared to Frankenstein for creating products that will turn against their owners, by precipitating the collapse of the U.S. housing bubble and the global financial crisis.

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Bic has published its results on Wednesday the first quarter of 2010. Its turnover in this period reached 378.3 million euros, representing growth of 22.7% compared with the first three months of 2009 as reported, and 8.8% at constant scope and constant exchange rates. Net income group share of EUR 35.4 million was up 32.3% yoy.

The normalized IFO margin (excluding restructuring charges and capital gains on real estate) totaled 14.2%, against 11.8% a year earlier.Operating income increased 31.7% to 47.8 million euros.

Good results are mainly explained by Bic 12.3% increase in sales of consumer business (stationery, lighters, razors) and 107% for those in advertising and promotional products business cash loans Guaranteed approval ".

Mario Guevara, its director general, said: "We will continue to focus on growing our sales and profitability while maintaining our financial discipline. We also continue to invest for the long-term research and development, in supporting the brand and sustainable development. "

Investors appear to have been very sensitive to these good results. The title Bic to the Paris Stock Exchange was trading at 61.50 euros at 8.62% up to 9:50 on Wednesday.

Toyota Recalls endless. It will now add to the list the Lexus GX 460. Having announced Thursday the suspension of sales in the world of this luxury car, the Japanese automaker said in a statement, he will remember 9400 Lexus GX 460. A figure well above the 6,000 vehicles announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Toyota wants and "update program" in the system Dynamic Stability Control (VSC) of vehicles. "Our engineers have conducted tests to confirm the problems associated with VSC, raised by Consumer Reports (the magazine that criticized the reliability of the Lexus GX 460 in the turns, Ed).We are confident that this update will resolve this matter, "said Steve St.Angelo, responsible for the quality of Toyota in the U.S..

Toyota said that all Lexus dealers will have the VSC software by the end of April.

The announcement comes as Toyota has agreed to release another record fine of $ 16.4 million imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the "policeman of the Exchange» U.S. for its slow to reveal the existence of technical defects.

To date, Toyota has recalled more than 9 million cars worldwide because of brake problems or accelerator, including 6 million in the United States.

At the New York Stock Exchange, Toyota lost 0.39% to 79.06 dollars in a market up 0.68% at 11,094 points.

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At Carrefour, the social climate is far from rosy. Dissatisfied with the management proposals as part of mandatory annual negotiations (NAO), the French unions of the retail giant called for the stoppage of work Saturday, the day of attendance in the group's stores.

In addition to a proposed overall increase of 1% of wages to be too thin, the negotiations foundered on the granting of a premium absenteeism desired by management. At a cost of 100 euros gross per annum, that would be assigned as a collective case of lower rates of absenteeism, store by store. In a supermarket whose average absentee rate is 10% – which is very high – for example, employees would receive the bonus if they manage to bring down the rate of 0.65% minimum.This device causes for the moment the ire of unions, which fear that employees absent from becoming the target of retaliation by their colleagues present.

"The absent?ime is an indicator of stress"

"We are opposed to such stigmatization of employees absent" outraged the CFDT delegate Sauzeau Christopher, who believes that management avoids asking the questions of substance. "Absenteeism is primarily an indicator of stress suffered by employees" says he, regretting the 5,000 jobs it eliminated by Carrefour in 2009. A visibly perceived hostility by management, that could change his tune. The human resources director of Carrefour, Jean-Luc Masset, said it had "saved the union position, and would think about."The progress of negotiations and new proposals likely to depend on the mobilization of employees on Saturday" predicted Christopher Sauzeau. If employees did not get satisfaction, a day of action on a larger scale could take place next April 30, the eve of Labor Day.

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"No increase in 2010 in 30% of companies

Wall Street started the week in near balance, then moved into the green early interactions. An increase, however fragile, while the budget deficit emerged in sharp decline in March, to 65.4 billion dollars. Down 65% yoy. Analysts were expecting a lower deficit.

At the close, the Dow Jones climbed 0.09%, the Nasdaq is 0.16% and the S & P 500 of 0.18%.

This slight increase still leaves the Dow Jones crossed the symbolic threshold of 11,000 points. The index reached 22 hours, 11,006 points. A first since September 2008. And the S & P to reach almost 1200 points to 1197 points exactly.

The U.S. stock markets have recently experienced six consecutive weeks of increases, an unprecedented series from the lowest 12 years and a half touchdowns in March 2009.On the foreign exchange market, the euro is rising against the dollar after the announcement yesterday by the countries of the eurozone plan the details of aid to Greece.

Oil prices fell for the fourth consecutive session, still affected by an abundant supply and low demand in the United States.On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of light sweet crude for May delivery finished at 84.34 dollars, down 58 cents from the previous day.

Indicators to follow this week

On the macroeconomic front, the week will be marked by several important indicators such as the index of consumer prices, retail sales for the month of March, industrial production, housing starts and the first estimate of the index Reuters confidence-Michigan.

The markets will also follow the hearing of Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, the Congressional Joint Economic Committee on Wednesday and will monitor closely developments in the case of the Greek debt.

Alcoa opens the ball Publications

Palm jumped 17.05%.The group was mandated to advise the banks to sell its business or other opportunities, according to news agencies.

On the side of values, the oil sector drives the meeting Lowest fee payday loans. Friday Chevron (1.22%, to 80.43 dollars), without giving a figure, has announced an increase its refining margins in the first quarter. The band thrives on rising oil prices and a possible improvement in its refining margins.The major U.S. must publish its accounts on April 30.

According to the press, the merger between United Airlines and U.S. Airways (2.73%, to 7.52 dollars) should be performed exclusively by exchange of shares.

The Department of Treasury of the United States announced plans to sell at auction in six weeks, before the end of May, the warrants of Wells Fargo shares were granted during the salvage of the bank in the fall 2008.

Microsoft has unveiled a new phone especially for the youth market of social networking fans, called KIN, developed with Verizon Wireless and Vodafone and manufacturer Sharp.

ConocoPhillips has announced the sale of its Chinese Sinopec stake in Canadian oil sands project Syncrude for $ 4.65 billion dollars.

Just after the close, investors have taken note of the first quarterly results of major public companies. As usual, the aluminum giant Alcoa, which gave the start of the season publications. Analysts expected a return to profit, its first since a year.

Meanwhile, Alcoa shares have been 1.39%, to 14.59 dollars.

The coming week will also be driven by quarterly results from Intel, Google, General Electric and JPMorgan Chase & Co. banks among others.

"Caution should be clear," says Aurel, who says that "the discourse of business remain positive on the merits but there are risks of disappointment on margins or unit on a possible downturn in order books in the coming months." The industry, raw materials, financials and semiconductors are the sectors most at risk.However, the agri-food sector, distribution or energy values could pleasantly surprise.

The tax shield prevents it really the tax exile? In 2008, when the tax shield has been lowered to 50% of revenues, 821 liable to the ISF have left France, according to figures from the Ministry of the Budget that the Figaro was purchased.

In 2007 when the shield was however 60% – only 719 taxpayers had left France and EWB! Nevertheless, the flow of exiles was more important before the introduction of the shield cash advance. Thus in 2006, 846 liable to the ISF were exiled.

In addition, 312 are expatriates tax revenues in France in 2008. It's better than 2007 when they were 246.

Saved from financial turmoil by Vladimir Putin, the Russian oligarchs, now rebuilt, is invited by the prime minister and strongman of the country to participate in the effort to boost national economy.

The latest example, Viktor Vekselberg, thirteenth fortunes of Russia as the magazine Finans (6.2 billion euros in 2010), has been entrusted by the Kremlin to oversee the creation, in the vicinity of Moscow, d 'a Silicon Valley in the Russian. This project is intended to "modernize" the country, allowing it to reduce its addiction to oil and gas. And here's what mogul materials, like Rich's colleagues, converted into information technology.

The name of his friend, Roman Abramovich, the third national fortune and owner of Chelsea, is also cited for leading a Sports Council.According to business daily "Vedomosti", he would be assisted in his task by the chairman of Gazprom, Alexei Miller and his counterpart Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, a close ally of Vladimir Putin.

In view of the Winter Games in Sochi 2014 Sport is built in another national cause. To transform the resort on the Black Sea, backed by the Caucasus Mountains, Showcasing mountaineering, the oligarchs have started to invest part of their fortune in the construction of hotels and ski resorts.Roads, rail link, sports, everything is built.

Quest for new money to invest

In addition to public companies Gazprom and Sberbank, are present the world's leading aluminum Rusal, Oleg Deripaska (10.4 billion euros), and his colleague from Interros, Vladimir Potanin (7.4 billion euros) , a fan of skiing.

In search of money to invest in Sochi and the Caucasus, the government even thinks to "repatriate" in Russian billionaires past events such as Telman Ismailov, party building palaces in Turkey, or Mikhail Gutseriyev, whose oil company Russneft had been transferred, under pressure, a close Putin No teletrack payday loans.

What the Russian oligarchs finance the development of their country is quite natural in the eyes of the Prime Minister.In the wake of the dissolution of the USSR, they have made a fortune putting his hand on assets sold off by power, or later, putting themselves in the wake of Putin.

During the last financial crisis, the state mobilized its resources and budget for banking rescuing oligarchs, hoping that they will owe him for his gesture. Recently, the prime minister threatened to punish financially Vladimir Potanin and Mikhail Prokhorov to have under-invested in energy production, even though they had "purchased assets for kopecks.

In respect of the first clan of oligarchs, "Putin behaves like a loving father, while scolding the children," says Tatiana Stanova?a, expert at the Center for Political Technologies. Gazprom is lowered, custom power, to build a ski resort may seem to defy the laws of modern management.And sometimes leads Russian billionaires to drag their feet, especially when the investment seems risky. But so far none of them have refused to run.

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While the CAC 40 is left below the 4,000 points on Friday night at closing, and the Asian market is changing globally in green (except the Nikkei) – but basically for local reasons – the Paris Bourse is expected to show hesitant opening on Monday. Especially since now, Friday night, Wall Street has ended without direction.

While Greece is saved, but the helm of the 4,000 technical points should be saved without being highly outdated. For the situation in Europe is not rosy either. The Portuguese and Irish records on the deficits are in the pipeline.

Around 8:20, the index futures on CAC 40 rose slightly, from 0.34% to 4001 points.

On Monday, the news is rather poor.In France, the publication will be more interesting day tomorrow, Tuesday: INSEE unveil quarterly national accounts in detail for the fourth quarter of 2009.

In the euro zone on Monday, the index of economic confidence in March will be released in 11 hours. In Brussels, will meet on Monday the European Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries. Last week, President Nicolas Sarkozy was willing to "a crisis in Europe" saver for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

In the U.S., investors expect the revenue and expenditure of households for the month of March at 14.30.Tomorrow, they watch the housing prices Case & Shiller, and consumer confidence in March.

The energy for

The dismissal of former chief investment officer of TCW, the U.S. subsidiary to 100% of Societe Generale, caused a stir in the U.S. cash advance . The bank believes that this case has "a very marginal impact" to its shareholders.

The fifteenth penal court of Nanterre Friday acquitted the former CEO of Vinci, Antoine Zacharias. Prosecutors, who had claimed two years suspended sentence and a fine of 375,000 euros, has appealed the ruling.His annual pension of 2.1 million, his early departure of 12.5 million and earnings of 4.2 million euros in 2005 are therefore assumed to septuagenarian.

Side energy, France is currently working on establishing a consortium of companies responsible for developing a vast network of power lines under the Mediterranean Sea, to deliver solar electricity produced in Africa to Europe.

This project, called Transgreen, bring together suppliers of electricity, electricity grid managers and manufacturers of high voltage equipment under the umbrella of EDF, confirming information from the daily special Enerpresse.

Furthermore, the organization of international environmental advocacy group Greenpeace accused Areva of endangering the health of residents of uranium mines it operates in northern Niger, in a report published Monday.

Finally, according to Les Echos on Monday, Total is in the process of selling the refinery Lindsey, England, in the northeast. "The first offers are expected in the coming days," reads the columns in the business daily. According to el Sunday Times published Sunday, Gazprom or Valero Essar would instantly.

Later results, Korian, Trigano and RATP unveil their accounts.

The crisis in the eurozone, triggered by the financial woes of Greece, does not discourage candidates for membership. Instead, the accelerated deadlines. Next on the list, Estonia – a member of the European Union since 2004, like its Baltic neighbors – has become in January the 17th state to adopt the single currency when it emerges just one of the worst recessions its history. The small Baltic state announced Friday a fiscal deficit and public debt for 2009 well below the limits set by the European Union, respectively 1.7% and 7.2%. These exemplary figures are enough to make the envy of the major European countries even if they hide a decline in GDP of 14%.

With these results, the government intends to pass his entrance examination in May for publishing the report in Brussels in June and especially in the political verdict Finance Ministers."I do not see how they could refuse," said Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet. Most countries in the euro area far exceed the criteria, "Bill Thomson, OECD, grade:" One can always interpret in one way or another, especially on the sustainability of public finances. This is a political decision. "As such, the entry of Estonia into the OECD in late May it provides proof of credibility.

Yet a year ago, few experts would have bet on the country joining the single currency. After years of euphoria, the country has suffered serious setbacks: the collapse of the housing bubble, crash consumption, falling exports … and unemployment rising sharply, to 14%.

Unlike most countries that have tirelessly to revive the machine, the strategy here was quite different, based at the end of 2008 on the restrictions.Salaries down, the tax burden to rise, spending freeze … In 2009, savings accounted for 9.2 points of GDP. All without protest or strike extent. "If we compare the living standards of the time (prior to its independence from Russia in 1991) and today is the day and night. Wages have increased significantly between 2005 and 2008, justifies Rein Minka, vice president of the central bank. "Estonians do not complain, it is not in their nature. They have not forgotten the rationing of the Soviet era, reflects Stecken Antoine, a French importer of cosmetics. They are also followers of the liberal model. "There is a consensus policy, including public opinion, to deny recovery by the public debt," said Maris Lauri, chief economist at Swedbank.

Meanwhile, the newspaper in Tallinn is very difficult.In the image Meeli Lass, 39, 4 children, opera singer, who supports her family with a salary of 13000couronnes (around 830euros) – good pay, judge the young woman. Her husband was fired, and his eldest daughter graduated last nine months looking for a job. "It tightens belt: no output, no new clothes. This winter, heating costs have soared because of very severe cold, they make up half of our budget. We still have potatoes that my husband grows outside the city. "What can we expect Does the euro? "This will be worse, answered Meeli with fatalism. Prices will rise as in Slovenia. And the country loses a little more independence. "

Flexible economy

According to surveys, almost 55% of the population believe the contrary to the virtues of the euro. He starts by removing the specter of devaluation ruinous for the country.Despite the fixed exchange rate regime, many rumors have circulated at the height of the crisis, the contagion of a Latvian lat devalued. The government also relies on the euro to attract investors. "We have a diverse economy and a very flexible system of single tax to 21%. Moreover, if the company reinvests it pays no taxes, "argues the minister of Economy, Juhan Parts.

For Maris Lauri, the only apparent in the short term will come from exports, which have already started to leave. "Estonia has a large network of SMEs that can adapt and produce in small quantities," said the economist. The close cultural, linguistic and geographical Finland is an undeniable asset. In two hours by ferry from Helsinki to Estonia, which produces a third less expensive, has become the preferred subcontractor of Finland.It cultivates its differences with its two Baltic neighbors: Latvia leaded by a banking crisis and real estate and Lithuania dependent on markets in Germany and Poland, which has seen its market collapse.

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The automotive supplier Plastic Omnium published on Thursday its results for the year 2009. Its sales, down 8.8%, reaching 2.459 billion euros. Its operating margin was 102.1 million euros (+44.4%) or 4.2% of turnover, against 2.6% a year earlier. The company has managed to make a profit of 31 million euros against a loss of 63.2 million in 2008. The Board of Directors will propose a dividend of 0.70 ? per share.

The group said that 2009 was a year of very mixed in terms of activity, particularly in the automobile.The decrease in turnover of 8.8% in 2009 masks a decline in activity earlier this year (-19% in the first half of 2009) and a recovery later this year.

In 2010, further development in emerging countries

This year, Plastic Omnium will continue its expansion in China with two new plants, and India with the entry into production of a third plant in partnership with Suzuki-Maruti Payday Loan for Bad Credit !!!?? ?!!!???!!!.

Regarding activity in early 2010, it is comparable to the end of 2009 with production volumes supported by various bonuses bet breaks up in Europe and growth in emerging countries.

The group hopes to achieve in the first half 2010 operating margin similar to that of the second half of 2009.For the full year, it expects a slight growth in turnover.

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