International & World Report

Baroin the stage. He keeps repeating the last few days: it will require further cuts in the tax loopholes in 2012. For now, the government planned to cut $ 3 billion. "It is very likely that we will go beyond, as part of the Finance Act," warns the Minister of Economy. Otherwise, the objective of reducing the public deficit (4.6% of GDP in 2012, 3% in 2013) will not be met. The IMF says the same thing Wednesday, in the final version of his report on France, he warned that without additional effort, the deficit "would decline more slowly contemplated" and still reach 3.8% two years.

However, Prime Minister François Fillon reiterated last week even as the French would not have to tighten their belts further.If the IMF is seeking new revenue – or additional savings – is that it considers the government's growth projections too optimistic. He did not table more than 1.9% next year (after 2.1% this year), where the government is preparing its 2012 budget on an assumption of 2.25% (after 2%).

The cost of Greece and Libya

But that's not really what worries Bercy. Growth at 2.25%? "The account will be," says without a doubt a top official of the Ministry of Economy.

However, Bercy identified several elements that could degrade the accounts. First, the second bailout of Greece faxless payday advance. While it will not weigh directly on the deficit of France, as François Fillon stressed. The private sector has agreed to cash a loss equivalent to 21% of the value of the loan granted to Athens.The slate for French banks would exceed 2 billion euros. "We will inevitably income tax on companies and less," admits the Ministry of Economy.

Then "there will be a time when we look at the balance of external operations," Do we loose the ministry. In other words, the commitment of the army in Libya and Afghanistan could be very expensive.

Finally, remember that at Bercy Taiwan frigates affair will cost 460 million euros to France. In early June, after ten years of a bitter legal battle, Thales has indeed been ordered to pay more than $ 800 million in Taiwan, for commissions on the sale of frigates in 1991. The State had brought its guarantee in the contract."Public finances must now endure the heavy consequences of the decision in 1991 to pay commissions, unlike the letter of the contract," Matignon had pointed to the announcement of the court decision. This cost was included in the supplementary budget at the beginning of July. It will, however, offset this expense.

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"Yes, I advocate a federalist vision of Europe," enthused Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday before his counterparts in the eurozone. The Franco-German proposals for a better European governance are not intended to create a big night in which federal public opinions are not ready. The French initiative on the fact that the Greek debt crisis has revealed the interdependence of European economies. "We have reached a degree of interpenetration as the most federalist of us did not even imagine. The Stability Pact is not enough, "says one senior European official.

The proposals will set aside any supranational option. The proposal to create the office of Union Minister of Finance put forward by Jean-Claude Trichet, the head of the European Central Bank, was clearly rejected by Paris."The idea of ​​the president is to move towards more European integration. However, he does not want a supranational economic government, "said one close adviser. "He believes in a more close monitoring by peers, by the Commission, and also the creation of a European rating agency," it adds.

Among the possible ways, that of a regular meeting of Heads of State in the euro area. Until now, German Chancellor opposed any "institutionalization" of the summit to seventeen for three reasons: not to cut Europe into two hopelessly between those who use the euro and those that have no. Do not give the new speaker a casting vote in the Mediterranean countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain …) friends of France and are far from being paragons of virtue.And, ultimately, do not support the idea of ​​a Franco-German Executive which is expected to submit the rest of Europe.

A "European Fund"

For this reason, many MEPs protest against the double standards of Paris and Berlin. "The economic governance of the Franco-German dictatorship is not a solution," says MEP (Modem) Sylvie Goulard, who defends the idea of ​​involving the European Parliament to tax policy options. Other tracks include the gradual transformation of European Stabilization Fund into a "European Fund." Finally, many "federalist" believe we should give more resources to the European Commission. "The statements of intent for a greater convergence of economic policies were made in the Lisbon strategy, and it did not help," says Sylvie Goulard yet.

At the Élysée, it places great emphasis on the need to confront the high-level fiscal policy choices, budgetary, wage. "Between 1997 and 2004, the French and the Germans had a policy against it. In France, we opted for 35 hours in Germany, Schroeder was the opposite. It was the model of what not to do when you're in the euro area, "says one close to the head of state.

Microsoft continues to decline in the navigation software on the Internet. In France, in June, less than half of Web site visits were conducted with Internet Explorer, according to the research institute Médiamétrie-eStat. This analysis was already advanced by other observers earlier this year for Europe. The situation becomes critical for the Redmond giant. Microsoft can not stem its decline despite the launch of Version 9 of Internet Explorer and the new Internet search engine Bing, French, earlier this year. The use of Internet Explorer was down 6.6 points from January to June, to 44.4%, note Médiamétrie.This is the worst score of Microsoft since its breakthrough in the mid-1990s.

The decline in Internet Explorer due to "the rise of the main browsers used to smartphones and Internet tablets, Google Chrome (Android) and Apple Safari, in connection with the deployment of these terminals to the consultation of Internet in mobility, "said the research institute.

Windows 7 Phone does not pierce

The iPhone and the Apple iPad, the plethora of smartphones and tablets that use the Android operating system Google's take on a dominant role. In addition, "their browsers are installed on more PCs and Macintosh bad credit personal loan lenders. The share of smartphones and tablets only 3% of total visits, "said Franck Si-Hassen, Managing Director of Médiamétrie-eStat.

In smartphones, Windows 7 Phone Microsoft does not pierce.Its agreement with Nokia should be realized only at the end of the year. As for the shelves, Microsoft is still not widely. Thus, in the first half, the browser of Google increased its share of visits of 3.6 points (16.1%) and that Apple has increased its fourth place in France (up 1.3 points to 8.3%).

Finally, the Firefox browser, Mozilla Foundation, consolidated its second position in France, with 29.6% of visits, up 0.5 points over the period. 4 and 5 versions of Firefox have recently been launched. Innovations made necessary to generate financial resources related to the use of Firefox and "clicks" of Internet users.With 400 million users worldwide, the Mozilla Foundation generates a turnover of 100 million dollars a year, most of which is paid by Google.

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Saturn must be profitable in three years: it is the objective that its new owner, HTM Group, has set. The holding of the family group Mulliez (Paragraph, Kiabi, etc.). Boulanger strengthens its brand with 35 stores in French Media Saturn, a subsidiary of the German Metro, which she bought on June 30 for an undisclosed price.

"Saturn knew generate traffic in its stores with low prices and promotions, but never developed Internet business and has never managed to be profitable," especially in front of supermarkets are on the same niche (26 % market share), explains Layous Bernard, director of purchasing and marketing Boulanger.

"With Saturn, Boulanger changes category. Faced with global suppliers, we will have greater purchasing power and we will be known to the public, "he says.The distributor of multimedia products and services and appliances improves its national coverage with this acquisition, which "saves 3 to 4 years of expansion." Even if Baker is, first, giving up open the store on the outskirts of Saturn provided Avignon and on the other hand, give five other outlets of the brand (Toulon, Le Havre, Mulhouse, Aubergenville , Angers), and a shop in Tours Boulanger to respect the opinion of the Competition Authority on the merger.

No project abroad

The integration of the stores kept Saturn, which carry a turnover of 500 million euros, will allow Boulanger (97 stores) to reach the 2 billion mark in sales in a French market the electrical appliance 22 billion euros, according to Gfk.

"The market has been growing steadily for twenty years, with the exception of 2009," says Francis cord, CEO of HTM Group. Since the beginning of the year, but the activity is again down, 1.2%, except for sales professionals on the Internet, such as Darty and Fnac. These are already doing about 10% of their sales through this channel, twice as Boulanger, who made his priority. Points boulanger.com withdrawals and will appear in the old Saturn, because a client of two picks the order.More reason to want to see HTM Group "soon" its goal of 150 stores Boulanger on the rise, with major cities and especially Paris-line of sight. International expansion, produced by its competitors, remains a dream, "but before going abroad, one must be strong in our home market," said Francis cord. Confident, it provides a higher turnover of Boulanger 3% over the year, at constant perimeter.

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As announced in Le Figaro, the No. 1 reactor of the nuclear Fessenheim (Haut-Rhin) received clearance from the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) to continue operating. He "is able to be operated for a period of ten additional years provided you follow a number of requirements," said Monday the president of the ASN, Andre-Claude Lacoste.

The concrete slab on which was built the reactor must be such "enhanced" before June 30, 2013 "to increase its resistance to corium (molten magma resulting from insufficient cooling of the fuel, Ed) in case of serious accidents with piercing of the tank. "Second "major limitation" on the 40 made by the ASN: EDF will have to install an emergency device designed to remove the residual power "in case of loss of the cold source" before December 31, 2012.

Notice of extension published Monday is worth not discharge. Especially since it was made "subject to the findings of evaluations undertaken additional security after the accident Fukushima," said Andre-Claude Lacoste.

These stress tests requested by France and Europe aimed at assessing the behavior of plants in extreme situations. An "appointment" that could lead to the ASN "strengthen requirements," says its president. It will then EDF or the government to decide whether to continue the operation of reactor.

Monday, environmental groups and antinuclear called for "immediate closing" of Fessenheim.Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Minister of Ecology responds to Le Figaro.

The mood remains gloomy in the Paris Stock Exchange on Thursday. In the aftermath of a session that saw the CAC 40abandonner 1.49%, morale improved slightly with the release of U.S. indicators better than expected. In the afternoon, the Paris index erased some losses and ended down 0.38% to 3792.31 points after hitting a low of 3743.97 points.

The London Stock Exchange also ended lower, the FTSE-100 index lost 0.76% to 5698.81 points. The Frankfurt Dax finished down slightly from 0.07% to 7110.2 points.

This bad mood, which resulted in Wall Street and Asian markets this morning in the dark red, is mainly due to Greece. Indeed, the financial position and policy of the country bogged down.The special meeting of finance ministers has ended in failure Wednesday, Europeans failing to agree on the role of private creditors in the new rescue measures. Meanwhile, violent demonstrations took place in Parliament of the country, forcing the Prime Minister George Papandreou to announce a reshuffle of his government that is expected to announce on Thursday evening.

Decline in jobless claims across the Atlantic

In addition to Greece, the eyes were again turned to the United States Wednesday, the publication of disappointing statistics showed the weakness of the U.S. recovery, particularly in the industry.On Thursday, the news was, however, quite good: the new jobless claims have declined more than expected and the United States, where 414,000 benefit claims are submitted from June 5 to 11 – a decrease of 4% compared to last week.Analysts had expected 421,000 new registrations.

The housing starts and building permits issued in the United States are also rising again in May, increasing by 8.7% and 3.5%, according to figures released Thursday by the Commerce .

However, the deficit in the current account of the United States has widened in the first quarter to 119.3 billion against $ 112.2 billion the previous quarter, according to figures released Thursday by the Commerce Department.

Manufacturing activity declines in the Philadelphia area for the first time since September, said Thursday the U.S. central bank (Fed), whose local activity index fell to -7.7 against all odds, the lowest level since July 2009.

In the euro area, consumer prices rose 2.7% year on year, after 2.8% in April, according to a second estimate of Eurostat made similar to the first end of May.

On the currency side, the euro has stabilized against the dollar in late afternoon. Around 17:30 the European currency was worth 1.4166 dollars against 1.4182 dollars late Wednesday. In the morning, the euro has continued to fall weighed down by the Greek crisis, and fell to 1.4090 dollars, its lowest level for three weeks.

Values ​​to follow

Banking

French banking stocks are still under attack on Thursday. They are among the largest declines the CAC 40 business cards. Societe Generale lost 3.28% to 37.50 euros, Crédit Agricole loose 2.77% to 9.63 euros, BNP Paribas was down 2.20% to 50.17 euros. Axa Natixis and follow the trend with decreases of 3.60% to 14.60 euros and 1.37% to 3.45 euros.Dexia unscrews for its share of 4.56% to 2.15 euros.

Areva: -2.80% to 25.31 euros; Eramet: -1.83% to 217.50 euros

Luc Oursel, deputy CEO of Areva, is the favorite to replace Anne Lauvergeon at the head of French nuclear specialist, says the newspaper La Tribune.In addition, the group extended for six months its shareholders in companies with Eramet Sorame CEIR and representing the shareholders of the family Duvan.

Bull: -1.47% to 4.68 euros

The French computer group announced Thursday a plan to recruit a thousand employees for 2011, including 400 in France, mostly young graduates.

Sanofi: -0.92% to 51.43 euros

The group announced Thursday the signing of a research collaboration of two years with the Dutch biotechnology company Audion Therapeutics for the development of potential treatments for hearing loss.

EADS: + 0.65% to 21.53 euros

The low-cost Philippine Cebu Air said Thursday it had entered into a $ 3.8 billion with Airbus for an order for 30 A321s and seven A320s.

Renault: -1.16% to 36.27 euros

The Renault-Nissan is about to take control of Russian automaker AvtoVAZ, an acquisition that would propel the world's third largest, said Thursday the Japanese newspaper Nikkei.

L'Oreal: -1.18% to 84.39 euros

The businessman Stephane Courbit explained in a letter to Liliane Bettencourt why he wants to break the financial partnership that had just concluded the head of Lov group and the heir to L'Oreal.

Total: -0.58% to 37.52 euros

The tanker has completed its friendly takeover bid of about $ 1.3 billion over the American SunPower, a majority of shareholders of the company specialized in solar panels have agreed to tender their shares.

Eurosic: + 0.56% to 33.99 euros

Batipart, family holding company specializing in real estate, will launch a takeover bid for Eurosic in the coming weeks after the sale by Nexity and Banque Palatine of all of their shares in the specialist real estate office.

Vivendi: -0.22% to 18.13 euros

Between September and the summer of 2012, SFR will take the rays of the telephone 80 Fnac stores in France.

France Telecom: -0.49% to 14.21 euros

The operator said Wednesday it had issued 670 million euros maturing in 2019 and 2021.

Perno Ricard: -0.42% to 66.46 euros

The group announced Wednesday that its board had decided to pay an interim dividend of 67 cents per share.

After market, Zodiac Aerospace announce its third quarter revenues.

"CONTEST Estimate the Cac 40 in late June

Asian stock markets follow divergent paths on Wednesday. Markets are generally reassured by U.S. data released Tuesday, less bad than expected on the price front in the production and sales details. But the reluctance dominates.

In Japan, the Nikkei decides to follow the good mood on Wall Street has ended sharply higher on Tuesday. The benchmark index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 0.28% to 9574.32 points at closing. The Topix, wider, took 0.22% to 824.65 points. Again, the action of the electric company Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), operator of the nuclear accident in Fukushima, illustrated by a jump of 32.12%, after the government submitted to Parliament Support project to fund compensation for victims. The title had already taken 25% yesterday.

In contrast, Hong Kong and Shanghai are losing ground.The Hang Seng loose 0.39% and the Shanghai Composite was down 0.49%. Investors are troubled by the decision of the People's Bank of China to meet Tuesday to 50 basis points on required reserve ratio of banks, hoping to contain high inflation that poses many economic and social risks. Beijing had announced earlier that consumer prices rose 5 guaranteed personal loan approval.5% in May, an unprecedented growth in nearly three years. The banking sector battered the image of Bank of China (-1.27%) and HSBC Holdings (-1.01%).

The KOSPI Korea following the Chinese markets and decline of 0.17%. Same thing for the Indian Sensex losing 0.31% and the S & P dropped 0.43% Australian. In Australia, the rating is pulled down by the airline industry. Qantas Airways (-1.06%) and Blue Holdings (-3.33%) and are penalized by their decision to cancel domestic flights due to volcanic emissions.

Trend mixed before U.S. crude stocks

The time is also reluctance on the oil markets on Wednesday. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for July delivery lost 25 cents to 99.12 dollars while that of Brent North Sea crude for delivery rose 49 cents identical to 120.65 dollars.

Investors await the day the report on the status of stocks of petroleum products in the United States. Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires, crude oil inventories have fallen by 500,000 barrels last week. In contrast, gasoline stocks had risen by 400,000 barrels and distillates (including diesel and heating oil) of 900,000 barrels.

After several months of development, GDF Suez has now officially launched its website for the 218,000 employees of the group, to enable them to support the development of micro-enterprises scattered around the world. While the week of microcredit is nearing completion, this unique initiative could give a fillip to microfinance solidarity.

Specifically, the site presents a selection of projects to be financed in a variety of countries (currently Peru, Lebanon, Senegal, Tajikistan, Cambodia pending, the Philippines and Madagascar). On the basis of information given to them, employees may choose to assist a particular activity: the purchase of pigs, creation of woolen hats, launching a candy … The proposed assistance takes the form of a 0% interest loan of EUR 20 minimum, payable in 6 to 18 months.The money is paid directly online (via credit card or Paypal account) and the loan is secured by local microfinance institutions. After retrieving their application, lenders are obviously free to reinvest or not the amounts paid on other projects. The site is open to employees and everyone who would be invited by employees.

The project has been fully assembled by MicroWorld, a subsidiary of PlaNet Finance, an NGO founded by Jacques Attali in 1998. Until now GDF Suez already funding specific programs through PlaNet Finance (Microfinance & Energy in Morocco and Egypt "Business in Suburbs in France). With this initiative, "Suez regains its banking business," joked Jacques Attali before noting: "Today's world is not socially sustainable.To reduce this gap, democracy is the first medium and the second is to give people the means to achieve ". Knowing that many of them will create their own jobs, he said that credit is a key lever for growth of these enrepreneurs. Even should you avoid some pitfalls: microcredit must learn to go along with ecology to be truly sustainable and must avoid certain abuses observed in India in particular or some companies claiming solidarity finance is much closer to practices of loan sharks.

GDF Suez side, if the group has funded the launch of this initiative and promises of matching shapes subsidized loans, it also recognizes the benefits expected from this operation. Firstly in terms of internal cohesion.The website encourages the creation of virtual communities and circles that can strengthen the bonds within a group and engage the best young troops. And then of course there is the group's image. CEO Gerard Mestrallet has also not stood in the preamble to introduce the launch of the new advertising group whose slogan is "Be good to men" and his view that illustrates the positioning of the company.

Arnaud Lagardere is now the sole master on board of a subsidiary of sports rights and live shows, Lagardère Unlimited. Discreetly and after two years of wrestling with his bodyguards, the head of the Lagardère group has decided to dispose of Olivier and Stéphane Schindler Guiguet, numbers one and two sports. Two evictions, revealed by the website of the Nouvel Observateur and La Tribune, which is concomitant to that of Christophe Bouchet, the CEO of Sportfive sports rights agency and principal subsidiary of Lagardère Unlimited.

In 2006, Arnaud Lagardere has the intuition of the potential market for sports rights. He also knows that this activity requires a critical mass consistent. To quickly position, he must hit fast and hard. He does not hesitate to put on the table 865 million euros to acquire Sportfive, a leading market players.

In the process, it will expand this activity with the arrival in the lap of the group of players such as IEC in 2007 and World Sports Group in 2008, followed by the acquisition last year's Best (Blue Entertainment Sports Television) American expert in the representation of athletes and the purchase of 30% stake in the American academy of sports training Saddlebrook. Two operations to "several tens of millions of euros," he admits. Arnaud Lagardere, it is clear that the market for sport and entertainment is its future. "Sport is a market of 100 billion dollars", he still recalled when publishing the final results of the group.

Trading at European level

Aware after the time of acquisition is that of consolidation, it equips its assets in May 2010 of a new structure called the Unlimited, which succeeds Lagardère Sports.She becomes the equal of other major subsidiaries of the media and he becomes the president instead of his lieutenants.

But this tutorial is not enough to take off the activity. In 2010, its sales collapsed by 23% to 396 million and its losses amounted to 96 million euros. In defense of Arnaud Lagardere, new players with deep pockets is coming to the market beginning with the Gulf countries. In addition, the European Commission is considering changing the rules of trading rights to be bought at the European level rather than nationally. What sharpening a little more competition. For the entourage of Arnaud Lagardere, it is clear that to succeed we must therefore focus its resources on a few key disciplines such as football. The head of the Lagardère group has not given up "to be the world's number one sport in five years."

What is the real plan of assistance to Portugal? Since Friday, the question is on everyone's lips in the country. Doubts have been launched by the third television station in the country, Sic, who spoke of the existence of two different versions of the plan signed by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with the Socialist government resigning.

Thus, a first version of the document, signed May 3 by the Socialist government after talks with the troika (EU, IMF, ECB), has been submitted for approval to the two main opposition parties, the PSD (center right) and CDS (right). But it is another version of the text, including changes in schedule, which was eventually signed officially by the government on May 17 in Brussels at a meeting of EU finance ministers.

A surprise for the opposition

This revelation has caused controversy in the country, forcing the Ministry of Finance to explain. In a memo to reporters, he confirmed the existence of "ad hoc adjustments" between "the draft memorandum of agreement" developed in Lisbon and "the final version signed by the Ministry of Finance, the Governor of the Bank Portugal and the European Commission on May 17 low fee payday advance.

Similarly, the outgoing Prime Minister Jose Socrates said the parties had signed "two documents, one with the European Commission, the other with the IMF, and the final text did the" make compatible . But for its part, the president of PSD, Pedro Passos Coelho says "not having been informed of these differences," which he said "are not just small adjustments."

For the socialist Jose Socrates, this mess falls at the worst time. The Prime Minister, who resigned in March following the rejection by parliament of its austerity program, is indeed a candidate to succeed himself for early parliamentary elections on 5 June. This Saturday, surveys conducted for the newspaper Publico and Expresso weekly show that PSD collects between 33.9 and 35.8% of the vote, beating the Socialist Party, credited with 32.3 to 34.1% of voice. CDS (right) remains in third place with 11.3 to 13.4% of the vote.

(With Agencies)

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