International & World Report

The wait before the EU summit on Sunday, this should be the watchword on the stock exchanges on Thursday. European financial markets are in effect suspended the decisions that should be taken after the EU summit to be held this Sunday. Folds U.S. and Asian indices, however, should weigh on the trend.

Politicians of the old continent have already promised that a solution to the crisis would be found. "Monday morning he will have the markets, the United States, China and the IMF are convinced that Europe has a plan, a European official placed loose in the heart of the discussion. If there is no agreement, each European country will be reduced to playing individual survival. "

Meanwhile, last minute negotiations are increasing.Nicolas Sarkozy visited emergency yesterday in Frankfurt to resolve differences between France and Germany directly with Angela Merkel. No information was available for this meeting. The Wall Street Journal, the discussions would focus on the possibility of allowing the EFSF to provide collateral to support bonds issued by countries in need rather than use it to provide direct guarantees.

Chapter macroeconomic, Germany will provide the Government's economic forecasts. Across the Atlantic, the weekly claims for unemployment benefits will be published 16 hours and the resales of September and the composite indicator of economic activity.Activity in the Philadelphia area in October will be known 16 hours.

New burst of publications

As for values, the Dexia should respond to green light by the French Senate on the guarantees provided by the French state in the process of dismantling the Franco-Belgian bank. Legislators have asked, however, a principle of banking counterparties.

Pernod Ricard achieved a turnover up 6% to almost two billion euros in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011-2012, according to a statement released Thursday.

Schneider Electric has lowered its forecast its operating margin from 2011 to 14% after posting a turnover up 4.6% to 5.7 billion euros in the third quarter.

Publicis announced that he fears a slowdown in activity at the end of the year, following growth of 7.5% of sales in the third quarter, but still think recording "above market growth" over the entire the exercise.

The manufacturer of smart cards Gemalto, the world, published Thursday in the third quarter sales of 491 million euros, stable over a year and affected by the poor performance of mobile telephony.

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Struggling to complete their funding, local authorities could smile again. Traveling in Indre-et-Loire, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Friday the release of three billion euros in loans to help local communities. "The funding needs of communities must be met to enable them to carry out their investments, said the Prime Minister. That's why I decided that the Deposit would set up a budget of three billion euros to fund loans to local authorities between now and the end of the year. "Pending the establishment of a new entity formed by the CDC and the Postal Bank, the Deposit will therefore over the funding of local authorities so far provided by the dismantling of which Dexia is accurate.

According to a survey conducted in September by several associations of elected representatives, many local authorities face difficulties in borrowing from banks. "This is almost systematic refusal when the community does not have long-term loans or do not wish to subscribe again," the study said adding that the banks argue the new Basel banking standards 3 with elected officials to justify the shortage cheap business cards.

These standards penalize long-term financing that are not backed by stable resources such as bank deposits. "Basically, this means that we can not lend unless the borrower has savings," noted a banker."Now communities spared nothing."

The device will be launched "based on that the government had set up in 2008 and had been able to satisfy the financing needs of communities at the time the bank has showed signs of drying up," said the Prime Minister.

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Brussels took the leap. Despite the opposition front in the UK and strong differences between capitals, José Manuel Barroso will propose Wednesday to create a tax on financial transactions in the twenty-seven EU countries. The tax would apply from 2014 to the field the largest stocks, bonds, derivatives and structured financial products. But with the lowest possible rate: 0.1% for transactions in securities and 0.01% on products, according to the latest assumptions of the Commission. This rate floors, each state is then free to burden the tax at will and profit, as is the case for VAT.

The TTF, as amended Brussels, aims to hit 85% of financial transactions. It will be collected from banks, stock exchanges and financial services providers. Individuals and businesses will be affected only indirectly.Bank loans and mortgages, foreign exchange, insurance contracts and other financial products for individuals not included in the base, according to the draft directive obtained by Le Figaro.

The idea of ​​the TTF is in the air since the beginning of the crisis. On the need to find new revenue for the budget adds a political justification: to charge the world at least part of the cost of public rescue operations conducted since the fall of 2008. The European Commission amounted to 4.6 trillion euros in three States' commitments to the financial sector.

Obama opposed this idea

The idea, for it may seem attractive to the taxpayer, has struggled to take off. G20, it was rejected by Barack Obama and emerging powers short term personal loan.In Europe, precisely because of global consensus, it comes up against the reluctance of countries like Sweden or the Netherlands, who fear that the EU put a bullet in the foot. Only Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel continues to bring the European project at arm's length. But the idea made its way to reduce the application to the smaller group of seventeen countries of the euro.

Parliament and the Council, where each state has a veto tax will decide the fate of the project in the coming months. For now, it is to revive the dice before the G20 summit in Cannes on November 3 and 4.The Commission expects the EU to play a pioneering role on the TTF as before on climate and other economic powers will eventually follow suit.

In this act of faith, there is still a loophole: the determined opposition of the British Treasury and the hostility of the City, which Europe generates more than half of its financial transactions. Tax in Europe "has no meaning if the markets scamper overnight to New York or Singapore, 'says there is little George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Brussels experts recognize the danger of "offshoring" noting in their expected "extreme mobility of most financial transactions." The Commission responds by imposing low, but also by raking off: a transaction conducted in Asia or America would be taxable, since it would be conducted by a firm established in the EU.

The bill for banks that have distributed toxic loans to local authorities may be salty. Claude Bartolone at war for three years against Dexia and its sister does not count because no release. PS MP who chairs the Assembly today a Commission of Inquiry on "risky financial products underwritten by local" has already federated number of public entities that have contracted loans toxic.

The President of the General Council of Seine-Saint-Denis since 2007 fought first for his department. Claude Bartolone has discovered that he had contracted in 2008, led by Communists, many loans have become toxic. Thus, a debt of 953 million euros, the joint may have to pay a premium of about $ 300 million over the next ten years because of toxic loans contracted between 1997 and 2008."The equivalent of building a school year," criticizes Claude Bartolone. "And that amount could be even higher," said the MP. In fact, some of the loans contracted by the municipality are indexed to the Swiss franc and interest rates can reach 50% depending on the evolution of the franc.

Most disturbing is that the department of Seine-Saint-Denis (93) is not alone in this. MP PS refers to "hospitals, small towns or communes, departments, ports such as port of Le Havre" and "communes of all political stripes like Saint Etienne, Rouen, Saint Maur or Saint Tropez."

According to Claude Bartolone, "the total amount of toxic loans granted to public entities be around 15 billion euros of which would be 5 billion of potential losses."

"Banks can not not pay"

MP PS is clearly concerned the role of banks. He said "they are responsible for the explosive situation in the French subprime" where thousands of municipalities are now over-indebted. Indeed, it is satisfied that they have not fulfilled their code of ethics. "They had a duty to inform and how their customers customized uninitiated" or the quest for profit seems to have guided more banks. Thus, the President of the General Council 93 filed a complaint against Dexia, Depfa and Calyon (Credit Agricole). The court should rule in October. But even Claude Bartolone said that "banks can not avoid paying." The MP also believes that "the whole chain has failed." The state has not applied a circular on the prohibition of structured products and regulatory authorities have also failed in their duty.A helping hand of the state can not be excluded.

Otherwise, "the local authorities would be forced to raise local taxes, reduce investment and jobs." And technically if the failure of a local community is not possible, it can be put under the tutelage of the state as was the case of Angouleme, said the chosen PS.

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Party in May to conquer the mobile market, La Poste is a misfortune! The group has attracted 150,000 customers in three months. "We had anticipated 25,000 sales per month, we are at 50,000, is two times more than expected," revealed to Figaro Jacques Rapoport, Deputy Director General of La Poste Group and CEO of La Poste. And if postal workers were starting the first customers, they are now a minority.

This success has also led to stock shortages, some bugs and a saturation of computer centers. "We suffered a bit but it is now settled," said Jacques Rapoport, who is reviewing its objectives and is on the rise now "300,000 to 400,000 customers by the end of the year, against 210,000 originally planned."

No typical profile for the client to the mobile station, which is recruited from all social classes and age.Offers balanced, "there are so many packages with high-end smartphones that prepaid kits. The social package (10 euros for 45 minutes of calls and 60 SMS, Ed) also works well with 10% of sales, "said Jacques Rapoport. "The smaller are welcome here. But we are not the operator of the poor. We are committed to serve all customers. "Finally, subscriptions (most profitable) are in the majority compared to prepaid. Another lesson: while the Post was the first to launch non-binding offers, customers prefer offers mostly sold with a phone and then a commitment.

This initial assessment also confirms the importance played by the network of post offices which carries 75% of sales, the remaining 25% being done by Internet and telephone quick payday loans. "They want us to believe that everything is sold on the Internet. This is not reality.Consumers want the closeness and service. Seen in the return of small businesses face the hypermarkets, the return of customers in bank branches. In mobile, our presence throughout is a huge asset, "said Jacques Rapoport.

Hopes in rural areas

And the band accelerates: already in 1000 the largest post offices, the mobile will be distributed in 450 additional offices on 12 September and another 450 in November. It will even be sold in 70 small rural offices in September, they will not physically products, but customers can order and be delivered the next day by Chronopost. While the offices of small towns have sold more mobile than those in larger cities, La Poste Mobile high hopes on rural areas. "At the end 2012, 10,000 post offices will distribute the mobile offering.By itself, the Post will have more outlets that Orange, SFR and Bouygues together, "said Jacques Rapoport. The mobile station will also develop synergies with La Banque Postale, in line with the special youth launched in late August that offers a discount of 40 euros on the price of the mobile.

The mobile station should be profitable in 2013. Both shareholders and SFR Post rub their hands.

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The aim is to encourage solidarity among employees. UMP deputy from the Loire, Paul Salen, filed in July 2011 a bill providing a legal framework for donations of RTT. A consistent practice in companies, which had so far developed in the silence of the Labour Code and case law.

The member was itself inspired by an actual case that occurred recently in his constituency. Badoit employees have offered 170 days of RTT to one of them to accompany her to the end of a child with liver cancer. A single gesture of solidarity was observed in April in the automotive supplier Fuji Autotech in the Doubs, in favor of an employee whose husband was suffering from lymphoma. Or at Merial, a subsidiary of Sanofi, which has even signed a collective agreement on this.

Company agreements

For now, no text did not mention the possibility of offering shorter working week, days off or recovery. This practice was not illegal as long. Spontaneous, it has developed on the basis of agreements between employees and employer, which is responsible for the holidays. "The agreements allow the company to implement virtually any provision not prohibited by the labor code," says Eric Rocheblave, lawyer office.

Thus the employees of Adixen in Annecy, could pay back all of their Christmas bonus for interim company, who did not have touched before fast cash now. Or that Renault executives have, by sacrificing RTT make ends months of Workers' group, one time forced to short.

Few dispute

But if an agreement is simple enough to offer its RTT, why, then, legislate? The bill appears to meet two objectives. First draw the attention of public opinion on a new form of solidarity. Then make sure to prevent abuses that could result.

Thus the proposed text, which focuses only on the donations bound for parents whose child is "gravely ill," says that the agreement required the employee donor such as his employer. "To the extent that these initiatives are based on agreements, litigation is rare. For now, it is even nonexistent, "Eric Rocheblave nuance. Already signed by 136 MPs, Paul Salen, interviewed Thursday morning in Les Echos, has high hopes to push through the text before the next presidential election.

"YOUR OPINION – Do you agree with the initiative of offering their employees days off? Would you be willing to do the same for a colleague? Share your thoughts and experience in the comments below or by email at temoin@lefigaro.fr.

The ranking of cities where life is the most expensive in the world has just been updated. Based on the study "Prices and Earnings" of 2009 conducted by the Swiss bank UBS, the ranking reveals a new top trio now consists of Oslo, Zurich and Geneva. New Delhi, Manila and Bombay are on their last on the list.

To establish this classification, UBS has written, based on European consumption patterns, a basket of 122 goods and services in 73 cities worldwide. Surprise for New York, formerly the sixth, falling heavily to the 14th because of the weak dollar. Paris, however, losing three places, is now considered to be more expensive than New York, as it appears in 12th place.

Regarding wages, Zurich tops the list of cities that pay the best.Far behind Paris and Lyon are respectively the 24th and 25th place in this ranking shows that during that wages are twice lower than in Switzerland. Central to the survey on which this list is based: the purchasing power. UBS has in fact a classification of employees taking advantage of the stronger purchasing power based on their net hourly wage. If Zurich, Sydney and Luxembourg occupy the podium, London 16th and 22nd Lyon. Gones is the capital of the French before the capital, Paris listed in 28th place for the only criteria in purchasing power.

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Wall Street has failed to confirm its rebound on Wednesday. At the close, the Dow Jones unscrewed from 4.62% to 10,719.94 points, the Nasdaq 4.09% to 2381.05 loose points and the S & P lost 4.42% to 1120.76 points. As in Europe, signs of nervousness was palpable. The volume of trade has been very substantial and heightened volatility.

Again, the problems of sovereign debt in Europe have focused attention. Greece plans to expand its exchange program to include obligations of the securities in the longer term, which penalizes first private creditors. As the European markets, particularly the banking sector has been attacked in the image of Bank of America (-9.87%), Citigroup (-8.49%), Goldman Sachs (-7.76%), Morgan Stanley (-7.52%), Wells Fargo (-6.17%) and JP Morgan Chase (-6.13%).

In addition, rumors of worsening debt rating by a French rating agency have affected investors. "These rumors are totally unfounded and the three agencies Standard and Poor's, Fitch and Moody's have confirmed that there was no risk of degradation," however, said the entourage of the French finance minister, Baroin.

"At this stage, investors dizzy," says Oliver Pursche, president of Gary Goldberg Financial Services.

Fear of a recession

In addition, operators are even very concerned about the state of the U.S. economy. Yesterday, the world stock markets have overreacted, and positive against all odds, to about the Fed. This has indeed ensured that it would maintain its rates at a historical low, and until mid-2013 to support the economy.Oil stocks have fallen dramatically and unexpectedly last week in the U.S., according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Energy. Crude inventories fell 5.2 million barrels to 349.8 million barrels in the week ended August 5. Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast the contrary, an increase of 1.1 million barrels.

Note that the budget deficit of the United States continued to fall in July for the fourth consecutive month according to figures released Wednesday by the Treasury Department.The action even reached 10.36 dollars during the session, the lowest price ever since the split with Time Warner in 2009.

Facebook on Tuesday launched a new application for mobile phones iPhone (Apple) and those equipped with the Android operating system (Google) to send messages to his "friends" on social networking, but also to other contacts. Called "Messenger", the application can send both text messages (SMS) and email.

Apple (-2.76% to 363.69 dollars) briefly delighted, yesterday, Exxon Mobil (-4.59% to 67.90 dollars), its position as the first market capitalization.

The script, well-functioning, truly does not leave room for surprise. Around the fall, Apple should introduce a new iPhone, the fifth. As with previous releases of the iPhone and those of the iPad, the clues and revelations follow one another in recent weeks, from subcontractors in Asia, analysts and industry sources "knowledgeable," cited by major U.S. media. Little to say as usual, Apple executives have so far been content to indicate that a transition to a "future product" was to be expected.

If Apple has not experienced such a mishap with the iPhone 4, a prototype of which was intercepted by a blog two months before the release, specifications are beginning to converge guaranteed cash advance.Manufacturers of accessories, which can get the dimensions of future Apple products under the seal of secrecy, expose already covers cut for the next iPhone. They suggest that the new model, greatly thinned, will include a screen bigger (about 4 inches instead of 3.5 inches), full width of the device. The back end up rounding the old iPhone, easier to handle.

Touch an area in place of the home button

Examples of covers for the next iPhone.

Further escalation, that night, in the war between the elected officials for several months Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. to find a solution to the need to reduce the U.S. budget deficit. Having failed to reach an agreement with Barack Obama, the chairman of the House of Representatives, Republican John Boehner, Friday slammed the door to negotiations with the president.

At issue this time, as the Republican's will vote Democratic president to make an additional $ 400 billion of tax increases. A demand unacceptable, according to Boehner, while the two sides had previously agreed to a ceiling of one trillion dollars in additional tax revenue.This Saturday, the threat of a default by August 2 of the world's largest economy has thus further increased.

Of default formally excluded

The President has convened several political leaders to an emergency meeting Saturday afternoon at the White House to try yet again to reach compromise. Both sides say they are confident of raising the debt ceiling (14.294 billion U.S. dollars), reached on May 16, but whether common ground had been reached on the amount of the uncapping. Barack Obama and John Boehner have ruled out a formal non-payment within 10 days.

But the talks still face the question of the amount of budget cuts and debt reduction.Republican side, John Boehner said that after the new clash, he preferred to look to the leaders of the Senate to find a "reasonable" on these issues. Which casts a big doubt about the outcome of negotiations Saturday with the president, which is called Boehner. Democratic side, Barack Obama is prepared to assume full political responsibility to raise the debt ceiling in order to unlock at least for a time, the status quo. "If that's all Congress can do, I will sign an increase in the ceiling to take us to 2013," the president said.

Obama recalled that he had proposed to the Republican's $ 1.65 trillion spending cuts various offers an "extraordinarily fair" said the president.But still not enough for John Boehner, who accuses the president's inability to take "tough decisions" on reducing public spending. Boehmer wishes to bring to the 3 trillion budget savings over 10 years.

Time-critical

The time to find common ground is critical. The readiness of Barack Obama to convene a further meeting this Saturday is a sign that the U.S. president does not want to wait until the deadline of August 2 to reach an agreement. "We have more time in front of us," he said.

Recalling that Wall Street opened Monday, the president pointed to the impact on financial markets of such uncertainty. "Americans are outraged" by the inability of Congress to act, he said.This willingness to find a solution is also shared by the Republican camp, in which counsel highlighted the urgency of an agreement by Monday. What then leave both parties ten days to write a non-redundant legislation and get it validated by Congress.

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