International & World Report

"The extraordinary rise of Brazil drew the attention of the world." U.S. President Barack Obama has sought to flatter the largest economy in South America on Saturday in Brasilia. At a time when the United States are struggling with recovery still low growth rates Brazilian allure. According to the International Monetary Fund, the economy grew by 7.5% in 2010 and is expected to grow at a rate of 4.1% in 2011.

Enough to create opportunities for U.S. companies. "We are increasing trade and investment to create jobs in both countries. Brazil is already one of our largest trading partners, but we can do much more, "Obama said before an audience of businessmen in Brasilia.The United States is already Brazil's largest trading partner and accounts for 14% of its exports and nearly 15% of its imports, according to figures Ubifrance.

Offshore oil

New opportunities open to American contractors, said Barack Obama. And to quote the infrastructure that Brazil will achieve by the 2014 World Cup and Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, which U.S. companies are hoping for a share of contracts. Not mentioned by the president, the United States also seeking to sell fighter jets F-18 in Brasilia and compete with the French aircraft for a tender for 36 fighter aircraft.

Washington finally look forward to the Brazilian oil reserves."According to some estimates, the oil that you recently discovered off the coast of Brazil could be double the reserves we have in the United States," said Barack Obama. "We want to help you in the technological development of these reserves and safely, and when you're ready to start selling, we want to be among your best customers." These resources all the more interested they are from the U.S. a stable country, "said Obama, at a time when the faltering Middle East because of popular revolts.

Brasilia critical

The increased trade between the two giants of America depends heavily on the goodwill of Washington, however, wished to recall the president of Brazil. Dilma Rousseff has been outspoken against the trade and monetary policy of the United States, reports the Wall Street Journal.She regretted the restrictions imposed by the United States on imports of certain products such as beef, ethanol, or airplanes. Above all, the president reiterated his criticism of the strategy of strong emission of dollars ("quantitative easing") conducted by the U.S. central bank. Brazil has complained for months that its exports were hindered by a real pushed up by a dollar too low.

To achieve their ends, the United States must be treated on an equal footing on economic issues, with China, Brazil and India, recognized Barack Obama. On the diplomatic front, he has not supported the request of his counterpart Dilma Rousseff for his country to obtain a permanent seat on the council. Without closing the door completely.

The clans of the former President Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi held an iron grip until the end the economy of Tunisia. Their flight is expected to give greater freedom to business leaders who feared like the plague "Family," as they called him the power, referring to films about the Mafia.

"The president's extended family is often presented as the hub of corruption in Tunisia," wrote an American diplomat in a memo published by Wikileaks and The World. "Expropriation", "extortion of bribes, kickbacks," the official lists the cases of blatant abuse of power in a note dated June 2008 and entitled "What's yours is mine."

The voracity of Trabelsi

"These people were present in many areas, they decreased the profits of companies and therefore reduces the ability of them to invest," says Jean-Raphael Chaponnière, an economist at the French Agency for Development (AFD). Less investment means less growth and less employment.

To escape the voracity of Ben Ali and Trabelsi, contractors had adopted a motto, "stay small," says Beatrice Hibou, an economist at CERI-Sciences Po "Business leaders said they fear to invest and grow . If true, then the departure of the clans should lead to a resumption of investment, "said the researcher, who also advance other explanations for this phenomenon, such as maintaining corporate control by the family of man business.And will not open accounts.

Arbitrary taxation

After 24 years of rule by Ben Ali, Tunisia is characterized "by the extremely small number of large (0.4% of total business) and even medium-sized enterprises (0.3% or 1.7%), falls Beatrice Hibou. Even the "largest groups Tunisian Poulina, is actually a conglomerate of 71 subsidiaries for 6000 employees only."

The power was not content to plunder. He also used the IRS to acknowledge or punish. "Taxes were collected in a very arbitrary: if you were not in the odor of sanctity in Carthage, you wipe a tax adjustment, if you were a friend, you do not pay taxes," notes Ali and Mohamed Marouani economist at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Foreign companies did not escape the rule: "Everyone went to the checkout!" Denounces a former Minister Ben Ali's predecessor, Habib Bourguiba, and "voluntary exile" in Paris. "The power is used without restraint, it is even what killed the plan," said Catherine Graciet, author of a survey on women of Ben Ali, Leila (The Regent of Carthage).

'Uncertain times'

Not sure the disappearance of the quasi-mafia allows a dramatic rebound in investment. "With the hectic events of democracy, we are entering uncertain times not conducive to investments," warns Jean-Raphael Chaponnière, an economist at the French Agency for Development (AFD). The rating agency Moody's has also degraded the country note on Wednesday.Corruption, according to many observers, should survive the dictatorship, albeit on a smaller scale.

ALSO READ:

"The Maghreb multiplies grain purchases

"How to rebuild Tunisia

"SPECIAL – Revolution in Tunisia, the new deal

After retirement, Bernard Thibault has found a new battle cry against the government: 35 hours. The boss of the CGT intends to fold the Executive following a decision by the European Committee of Social Rights (ESCR) – 15 independent experts appointed for six years and responsible for judging compliance with State law the European Social Charter – who "found a violation by France of the charter in terms of time working" on two points: the day passes and penalties.

The regulation of day passes (employees working a specified number of days in the year) would be contrary to European law because of weekly working hours' too long to be considered reasonable "(up to 78 hours week) and a violation of overtime laws (the package to employees who can not do).According to the CEDS, the system of penalties would be contrary to the rules applicable to weekly rest. "This is a decision of great significance since it potentially involves millions of employees," said the CGT leader that sum "the government and French companies to comply with the charter." Even if states are not required to comply with the decisions of CEDS – France has been "convicted" twice for the same reasons not taken into account – the boss of the CGT considered "appropriate" to them and even "force of law."

No legal

And Bernard Thibault, therefore, prevent: "Employers should be aware that some of their agreements ( guaranteed payday loans…) are considered contrary to the European Social Charter and, as such, reprehensible." And if companies do not want to reopen negotiations, the CGT will attack before the high court and its designees will initiate proceedings before industrial tribunals. "We will get the punishment of all those who will not comply, I can assure you", asserts the head of the Central Montreuil targeting the companies that make their employees at the maximum fee allowed by law, or 78 hours per week. Bernard Thibault, do not despair that companies ultimately doomed to return against the state for him to claim substantial damages. "It's happened before, it can happen again," he assures.

Xavier Bertrand, Minister of Labour, will not amend the legislation on working time. Neither today nor tomorrow. "What is the legal significance of this decision?" Pretended to consider Monday a close: None. No more than the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (which brings together foreign ministers) to which the decision of the CEDS was sent on September 13. The Committee of Ministers – which postponed on December 8 last consideration of this issue – had not followed in 2000 and 2003, the CEDS lesavis on mêmesquestions.

Since 1 January 2011, banks are obliged to display on their website the prices of ten current services they provide to their customers. This requirement results from an engagement with the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde, who wanted to allow consumers to choose the institution that best suits them most easily by comparing institutions.

According to observations of the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, published on the site quotidienLa Tribune, banks have generally played the game .. even if the information is not always obvious to find. "Sometimes the information is difficult to find and it is sometimes forgotten," says Maxime Chipoy, in charge of banking and insurance to the association.The word "tariffs" or "fare conditions" is discreet, appears in a corner at the bottom, light gray on white background as the site of the Credit Cooperative, the newspaper who also conducted the survey thirteen institutions.

Omissions and additions

"Some banks also add information to display services that are free from them … as in most banks, "says Maxime Chipoy. The cost of sampling unit, for example, absent from the sites of the Savings and Credit Agricole Centre Ouest one hour payday loan. However, it indicates that the cost of withdrawal is free agency … which is the case elsewhere. As for the Crédit Agricole de Normandie, he forgets to include the price of Internet transfer.

These publications have however the advantage to show marked differences.The credit card costs and from 0 to 50 euros per year in the banks. The price gap between the insurance payment cheapest and most expensive is 60% (excluding online banks).

"The banks have fulfilled their commitments, not more," relativize the expert of the UFC-Que Choisir. He recalls that initially there was talk of including the rates of the ten services on a brochure available in branch. This should be done at the end of January. All information that is currently available on the web aparaîtront then on plates whose contents should also be common to all institutions to facilitate comparison.

ALSO READ:

"Pricing bank: the French would see more clearly

"Bank charges: a Progress Report published annually

"Rates Banking: France in the middle

"Victim of a matter that transcends." Thus Michel Balthazar, committee member and director of the division and upstream projects at Renault, qualified. Part, involved in the espionage case that shook the manufacturer, spoke to reporters after his meeting with management. Like the other two subjects, he was received on Tuesday afternoon at the headquarters of the automotive group at Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) for an interview prior to possible dismissal.

At the end of the meeting which lasted half an hour, Michel Balthazard showed its determination to recognize that there is "for nothing" in this case and that his "integrity can not be challenged . "Renault is against me very serious charges that I totally refute. He exposed the facts that I also refutes, "he declared.The spy story is a "serious infringement" to his dignity, "he repeated. Michel Balthazard has also said "ready to cooperate with all investigations." In "Thirty years from home," he believes he has "always respected the ethics of Renault.

For now, the framework is not licensed. These talks, which the lawyers of the persons concerned can not attend, are mandatory in all proceedings of dismissal. They allow employees to respond to the facts referred charges against them payday loan online. If Renault decides eviction, management shall meet within 48 hours before notifying its employees. Renault take its decision and communicate it ", explained Michel Balthazard.

Beijing also rejects accusations

This framework is not the first to deny the facts.Monday, Thibault de Montbrial, lawyer Matthew Tenenbaum, assistant project director of electric vehicles, also suspected, said his client was "shocked by this story," he "does not know the case against him and like living a nightmare. " Bertrand Rochette, responsible for pre-projects, named in that case has not yet expressed.

The three men are suspected of passing information to a Chinese company on electric vehicles at the heart of Renault's strategy. According to Le Figaro, two of these three men respectively have a bank account in Liechtenstein, where 130,000 euros have been discovered, and a second one in Switzerland where 500,000 euros have been deposited. The Chinese public company China Power Grid Corporation is the origin of these remittances.On Tuesday, Beijing has raised hypotheses "irresponsible and unacceptable."

ALSO READ:

"Espionage Renault: Track Chinese

"Renault: the government speaks of a" serious business "

Orange would have dreamed of a more successful transition to the new year. The night's New Year's Eve and the first of the year have once again been marked by a record number of messages sent, to wish a happy new year. But this year at Orange, figures not reported Sunday were inflated by sending SMS or MMS in multiple copies. Besides the inconvenience to the recipients by the message reception burst (some users speak MMS received up to 130 times), this bug in the new year is to make a serious side effect of inflating bills for affected customers. Especially since in many cases, the SMS sent by MMS have been processed, the cost is higher non-package.

On a user forum Orange, some customers have reported exceedances out of proportion to their normal commercial invoice.Didier76, who sent two text messages to a dozen contacts night New Year's Eve, for example, has been recognized by Orange "over 300 MMS package out." On 1 January to 17 hours, his bill was "to 498 euros, changing the hours." Many other Internet users will testify to their shock and inability to contact customer service Orange. "I have the same problem. My messages still being sent at this time. I'm at 140 euros plus package, and impossible to reach customer service !!!», yakusa45 protests. On lefigaro.fr also some users have echoed this problem this weekend. "My family and my friends were even fifteen times the MMS and my Orange package explodes!" Says Michel Faysse well.

Customers expect to be reimbursed

Given the unavailability of support services to Orange, some users have attempted to resolve the problem by themselves, often without success Payday Loan for Bad Credit. "I came on purpose to block my SIM card for it to stop, as in the case of theft. Nothing to do, my contacts come to warn me that this continues, "exasperated Axelle4. Some customers have even already canceled their subscription. This is the case of Oliver, quoted by Le Parisien in France today who "wanted to avoid especially the rise of the bill and ensure that my correspondents stop receiving text messages." His bill, provides daily, has stabilized at 154 euros.

To cope with the influx of messages sent to the New Year, Orange had announced its numbers have swelled.Customers who are victims of involuntary overruns packages now hope they will not actually charged, or they will be repaid quickly. Orange, who becomes aware of the problem on Monday morning, said that customers charged in error, "if any" would actually be repaid.

"We did not notice anything in particular before the" Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France "we warn of the problem Sunday afternoon. This suggests that the problem has remained marginal. We think it touches a few hundred people at most, "says one in Orange. Already, the telecommunications group points to the responsablity another operator refuses to name, "which all messages that were sent across a bug." Bouygues Telecom, whose name circulates as the operator at fault, on Monday rejected the accusation."Our customers have not reported any particular problems," he argues are.

ALSO READ:

"Record of sending SMS and MMS for New Year

"The greeting card and mobile investing Facebook

Saffron is not discouraged. The equipment manufacturer specializing in the aerospace industry is trying every means to unite with the Zodiac Group. Repeatedly rebuffed by his counterpart, Saffron now plans to use force and to make a hostile takeover of Zodiac.

Asked by a small group of reporters at Airshow China in Zhuhai, the chief executive of Safran, Jean-Paul Herteman, said that launching a hostile takeover of Zodiac is a "theoretical possibility". The officer added that the move to action requires further consideration but that the issue should be resolved "shortly".

A spurned suitor already

Bold, the aerospace group had already proposed to Zodiac this summer to initiate discussions in an informal way, in vain. The offer was rejected by the supervisory board of Zodiac Aerospace July 6 payday loans no teletrack.

But Safran remains convinced of the industrial and strategic rapprochement with Zodiac. Jean-Paul Herteman said that it would improve the approximation Safran position in a market, that of aerospace subcontracting, marked by a strong fragmentation of suppliers.

The analysts are more circumspect them. They highlight a lack of synergies between the two groups. While both companies operate in the aerospace sector, their scope of activity is quite different. One, Zodiac, is known for its seats and cabin interior equipment since it has sold its branch of inflatable boats. Safran is on his side, facing the main building of aircraft engines.

ALSO READ:

"Zodiac: the state supported the draft Safran

"Zodiac reiterates rejection of Safran

U.S. stock markets continue their momentum generated by new U.S. stimulus measures decided by the U.S. central bank. The Dow Jones climbed 1.09% to 11,336.90 points, the Standard & Poor's 500 ahead of 1.18% to 1212.13 points and the Nasdaq 100 rose 1.38% to 2575.39 points. On Wednesday, Wall Street has ended the session uptick in small volumes. The Dow Jones rose 0.24% to 11,213 points, the Nasdaq + 0.27% to 2540 points and the S & P 500 by 0.37% to 1197 points.

Wednesday night, the Fed confirmed as expected that it relaxed its monetary policy. The Federal Reserve will inject $ 600 billion by June 2010.

The dollar is at its lowest for nine months and a half

On the foreign exchange market, the news immediately plunges the dollar. On Thursday, the euro rose above the threshold of $ 1.42 for the first time in nine months and a half.In early afternoon, the euro was worth 1.4263 dollars because the dollar against 1.4130 on Wednesday.

On the macroeconomic front, the weekly jobless claims rose in the United States during the week to October 30 457,000 437,000 against the previous week. Economists on average had expected 443,000 entries.

The side of values, the maker of 3G chip for mobile Qualcomm announced a profit of $ 865 million (+8%). Turnover was 2.95 billion up 10% year on year.

For its part, the group distribution of "natural products" Whole Foods Market has announced a profit of 57.5 million, or 33 cents per share against 28 cents expected by the consensus faxless pay day loans.Turnover was up 15% to $ 2.1 billion.

Also note, the media group News Corp. announced a profit of 775 million, also above analysts' expectations.

Car values in the viewfinder

General Motors Wednesday finalized the terms of an offering of securities by nearly $ 13 billion to reimburse the state and make it a minority shareholder. The automaker expects to sell 365 million common shares at a price of 26-29 dollars apiece, totaling more than $ 10 billion. The deal values GM to just over 41 billion dollars.

In addition, GM announced Thursday being the first foreign manufacturer to be sold in 2010, with its joint ventures in China, more than two million vehicles in one year to the first global automotive market.

Also in the automotive sector, car sales for the month of October has been very positive, well above consensus expectations. They are up 13.4% year on year to 12.26 million units annual rate, and find their highest level in two years, according to statistics from Autodata.

Always on the side of values, the Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has announced Thursday that he had just invested $ 30 million in the small American manufacturer Tesla, specializing in electric car.Small California company that just made its IPO in New York, Tesla has never reached a profit since its inception but aims to break into the all-electric vehicle market.

As they had hinted over the weekend, the road joined Monday mobilization against pension reform. The blocking sites are added, since Monday, strikes in many sectors of the economy.

On Tuesday morning, Laurence Parisot, president of MEDEF, said she was "concerned for businesses." For its part, the General Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CGPME) reports that companies are beginning to idle as the staff struggles to get to work, especially in rural areas."If it were to continue, we may fairly quickly, by next week to have a slowdown or downtime to the right and left," warned the Secretary General, Jean-Eudes du Mesnil du Buisson.

Its president is alarmist: "I sounding the alarm because we can not afford today, after the economic crisis we have just lived for three years, can withstand strikes which last long," said Jean-Francois Roubaud on Europe 1. "We really need it stops very quickly," he added. "I'm worried because I wonder where we go."

• Refineries and depots

Eleven of the twelve metropolitan refineries are stopped due to strikes or lack of crude oil. Only one of Exxon at Fos-sur-Mer works minimum flow.At the refinery Total Grandpuits (Seine-et-Marne), a dozen employees have been requisitioned by the prefecture to provide fuel to the service of public health and safety.

By late afternoon Monday, "less than ten out of 200 deposits were blocked," according to the French Union of Petroleum Industry (Ufip). This morning, the blockades are continuing in some of them. In Caen, the militants have extended Tuesday blocking a fuel depot began early Monday morning, a fleet of thirty trucks tanks adjacent to the site. Access to the oil depot of DPA Bassens, near Bordeaux, was again blocked on Tuesday morning.The oil depot near Rouen Ruby has been released for the second time on Tuesday.

• Ports and terminals

The oil terminal at Fos-Lavera near Marseille, entered its 22nd day on strike, blocking roads in 65 vessels and five barges at sea or on the Rhone. The movement should continue: "Until the government will not budge, we will not move," said an official CGT refinery sector.

The staff of three LNG terminals for natural gas are still on strike, according to the CGT. A Montoir-de-Bretagne (Loire-Atlantique), the terminal is stopped. A Fos-Tonkin (Bouches-du-Rhone) and Fos-Cavaou (Bouches-du-Rhone) the strike is extended until Wednesday and the flow is "minimum."

• Stations

By aggregating large numbers of distribution of other distributors, we reached les2500 service stations out of stock.France has begun to tap into the industrial stocks representing 30 days of consumption. The prefect of Calvados has commandeered on Tuesday, twelve stations of his department to fuel the "priority services, relief and emergencies."

A spokesman for Esso said this morning that the situation should improve at the pump through a "comprehensive plan replenishment" in place Monday. The main points of difficulty lie in regions of Rennes, Nantes and Toulouse, "he said, adding:" Paris is not critical. "

Of nearly 250 pumps dedicated to road, about 90 were dry Monday night.Therefore, the National Federation of Road Transport (FNTR) asked the government "to release fuel depots, to set priorities in delivery of fuel for vehicles otherwise, without the truck, there is a risk of paralysis of the economy ".

• Electricity

The decline in electricity production associated with social movements representing 5200 megawatts Tuesday morning, announced the CGT, including 3000 MW nuclear.

Employees of the nuclear Flamanville (Manche) voted on Monday to stop work for 48 hours with reduced production, said the CGT.Social movements will not "impact on customers," said Monday, a spokeswoman for EDF.

• Construction and Chemistry

"Some members of the executive council (MEDEF) reported disturbances in their already sensitive industry: building, civil engineering, chemistry," Laurence Parisot said at a news conference.

• Hospitality

"There are also areas that suffer the immediate consequences when there is a slowdown, like restaurants and hotels, retail, leisure, etc.," said Jean-Eudes du Mesnil du Buisson, Secretary General of the CGPME."In this case, the revenue lost on the day of strike is not caught the next day."

ALSO READ:

"Given the lack of gasoline, multiply the requisitions

"Shortage of fuel, more than 2500 stations are dry (with an interactive map)

It has not seen such a performance nearly a month and a half. The CAC 40 is chained to four sessions of consecutive increases, which saw the index rise by 5.25% in Paris. A month ago, he had recorded six consecutive sessions of up to a total gain of 5.73%. And the CAC 40 is on course to match or exceed that performance. "If the U.S. unemployment figures are bad, I think the markets will fall heavily and not only Friday, but next week," said one analyst. "But the reverse is also true," he added. The future of the CAC 40 rose 0.56% to 3692 points, about 8:25.

Wall street closed due to "Labor Day"

Anyway, the CAC 40 should, like the Asian markets, thus starting the week on a good note, after the U.S. unemployment figures, less bad than expected.But this note could be shy, because of the close of trading on Wall Street (due to Labor Day) and the absence of macroeconomic significance. The meeting could be rather quiet on Monday. A meeting between EU finance ministers in Brussels is expected to strengthen the stability pact and economic governance.

Sanofi-aventis ready to make an effort at Genzyme

It is the same on the microeconomic front.Only the results of the first half of BioMerieux the program: the diagnostics specialist announced a first-half profit rose 4% to 72.1 million euros and confirmed its full-year organic growth (6%) and margin operational (between 17% and 18%) in 2010.

In the context of returning a slight optimistic thanks to the figures of U.S. unemployment, cyclical stocks (including financial and automotive) will also be monitored.

We will monitor developments in exchange Areva still struggling with Siemens, as part of the output of the German capital of the company chaired by Anne Lauvergeon.

Sanofi-Aventis would be willing to slightly increase its proposal to $ 69 per share on Genzyme, the biotechnology company if willing to negotiate, Dow Jones reported on Sunday.

PSA Peugeot Citroen has started building a new factory in China with its partner Dongfeng Motor, China's export and thought from 2011, said Saturday his manager for Asia.

Nissan, which Renault owns 44.3%, was willing to ally with Chinese automakers in the field of electric cars.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday approved the payment of 690 million dollars (535 million euros) in Casino and other shareholders of the supermarket chain Exito nationalized in January.

Natixis and Publicis integrate CAC 40 September 20

Finally, Friday evening, the Scientific Council of the indices of the Paris Stock Exchange has announced that Natixis and Publicis will join the CAC 40, from 20 September.For the company headed by Maurice Levy, it is a return: the group of advertising methods had already been part of the CAC 40 between 2004 and 2006.

The two companies replace digitally Dexia and Lagardere, which appeared in the CAC 40 since 1999 and 1994 respectively, and join the CAC Next 20, that is to say, the main hall of the Paris stock exchange index.

Dexia and Lagardere will be replaced in the CAC Next 20 Atos Origin and Land Regions.