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He took his time. But the New York jury delivered its verdict on Friday evening the group of telecommunications and media company Vivendi sued by shareholders ruined by its near-collapse in 2002, was convicted of misleading communication. Its CEO at the time, Jean-Marie Messier, has instead been milled.

As expected, Vivendi's lawyer Paul Saunders immediately announced he would appeal, and that he intended to "win". "We are satisfied that the damage is half of what the plaintiffs claimed this side there is a partial victory," said the lawyer. The plaintiff had estimated that damages could rise to 11.5 billion dollars.

Messier absent when the verdict

Jean-Marie Messier and Guillaume Hannezo, its chief financial officer, were absent when the verdict.They have yet to appear in magistrate in Paris in the spring, with five other executives of Vivendi, including responding to charges of disseminating false or misleading information, price manipulation and abuse of social goods, which they could worth up to 5 years in prison and heavy fines, business cards .

After three months of trial, the nine board members of the Federal Court had to decide on 57 points very technical. After answering a series of questions establishing the guilt of the accused or not, they have, for each trading day occurring between October 2000 and August 2002, "determine the amount of inflation being caused by the fraud alleged" .

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The time of discord between Cadbury and Kraft Foods U.S. suitor would be gone. The BBC and The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that even the banns could be published on Tuesday. An agreement had indeed been found between the two groups on the basis of an offer revalorized Kraft Foods.

The amount of this new proposal to be about 19 billion dollars, according to the U.S. economic daily, citing sources familiar with the matter. The British radio advance estimates of the same order.It expects an offer increased to 850 pence per share, at most, on the recovery of Cadbury at 11.7 billion pounds, or 13.3 billion euros, equivalent to 19.148 billion dollars at current exchange rates of one euro to 1.4397 dollars.

Based on closing prices Friday, the previous offer of Kraft, open until February 2, Cadbury valued at 10.5 billion pounds, about 12 billion euros or 17.2 billion dollars. Kraft Foods has finally decided to upgrade its offer in response to rumors of interest from the U.S. confectioner Hershey. British law gave him until Tuesday, January 19 to change the amount of its proposal.

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If one were to designate a culprit in the matter of the contract failed to Abu Dhabi, it would not Areva. Here is essentially the message that Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of the giant nuclear delivered Wednesday before the Commission on Sustainable Development of the National Assembly. Better, Anne Lauvergeon refer to the former boss of EDF, Pierre Gadonneix, as responsible for the loss of the mega-contract. While Emiratis wanted an electrician at the head of the consortium which also includes GDF-Suez, Total, Vinci and Alstom, it would pass. "The president of EDF refused. The first time he told me 'no' because it was a project that would not exist, and the second time he told me 'no' because it was not a strategic country. We, we did everything to win this case, "says she. After long hesitation, EDF has finally joined the consortium.Too late for Anne Lauvergon which regretted the "cacophony" of the French team.

Implicitly, the president of Areva has denounced the lack of organization of the entire French nuclear industry, one really responsible for the loss of the contract. It specifically faults EDF want to claim leadership of the sector at the expense of others. "I think very frankly that in this area if we wish the team of France walk, everyone must stick together." The boss of Areva was referring to remarks made by the new CEO of EDF, Henri Proglio, who upon taking office had campaigned for his group to become the leader. Before being called to order by the government. "To each his job.While some may want to do our jobs, we in any case, it is clear we are on our territory and we did not want to do the work of others, "Anne Lauvergon Assen.

Redefining roles

To avoid further mishaps, the owner of Areva said after the mission entrusted to Francois Roussely the Elysee supposed redistribute roles clearly to 2030. "Let the State decide which operators are likely to be working nuclear export. And given the appropriate means to GDF Suez to take on this role. "

She said the reorganization will allow Areva to ensure reliable partners for the sale of the EPR in the world. "For countries novice, it takes a special organization. You have to know is the head electrician and what model is proposed, "says she.Asked about the high cost of ERP, that might actually played a major role in the victory of Korean Lauvergon Anne replied: "Nuclear safety has always been a cost." She said the levels of security and power of the French EPR of 1,600 megawatts (MW) are superior to those of Korean reactor of 1,400 MW.

The president of Areva therefore calls for standardization of international safety standards to prevent the development of "low cost center" that create "a nuclear two-tier". In conclusion, it announces its firm intention to leave his group to attack the Abu Dhabi for the supply of enriched uranium.

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"Venezuela: a devaluation at high risk

The devaluation of the Venezuelan currency, announced January 8, will have an impact of around 40 million euros on profit before tax and non recurring items of the group in 2009 and approximately 15 million euros on profit current net after-tax, said Accor in a statement. Despite this impact, the Group maintains its objective of profit before tax and non recurring items of between 400 and 450 million euros for 2009. Accor is present mainly in Venezuela through its prepaid service activities (luncheon vouchers, preloaded maps, gift certificates).

Venezuela on Friday announced the devaluation of the bolivar. The currency, whose exchange rate was 2.15 to one U.S. dollar, now trades at 4.30 to the dollar.

Last October, the fourth global hotel group confirmed its financial targets in 2009 but expressed cautious for the year 2010.

Accor will publish its turnover in 2009 January 19 next.

The Accor share price closed Monday down 0.63% to 37.59 euros while the CAC 40 lost 0.05% to 4043.09 points.

Abrupt return to earth to investors who started the session on Wall Street in the red. The unemployment figures in December were worse than expected. The U.S. has destroyed 85,000 jobs in December as the monthly report of the U.S. Department of Labor. The euphoria was not to go because the unemployment rate remains at 10%. Half an hour before the release of U.S. unemployment figures in December, all future pointing upward. Markets expect that job losses have continued into December. Some also not ruled the possibility of new posts.

Now, the Dow Jones fell by 0.4% to 10,563 points, the S & P lost 0.40% to 1137 points while the Nasdaq lost nearly 6% to 2295 points. The day before, the Exchange had ended in the balance.

Values follow

As for values, General Mills lost 1.02% to 70.57 dollars.The group is expected to announce some numerical predictions.

Barclays (1.18% to U.S. $ 20.63) receives a statement of recommendation from UBS from "neutral" from "buy."

Delta Airlines (-0.55% to $ 12.61 million). Information published by the Wall Street Journal announced that the U.S. airline American Airlines, together with the company TPG Capital, now propose to invest 300 million dollars more in Japan Airlines, for a total of 1.4 billion dollars.

Brought by investor confidence in the economy, U.S. markets have concluded the first meeting of 2010, the highest level ever last fifteen months. But on Tuesday, Wall Street opens on an uncertain note: the Dow Jones displays a meter just in the red, -0.03%, while the Nasdaq fell by 0.04%.

The euphoria of yesterday and seems to give way to calm. To recall, the meeting Monday was characterized by a jump in raw materials, through a combination of economic data carriers (Global manufacturing PMI at highest level in 44 months) and political or geopolitical event (tensions between Russia and its former satellites, strike in a copper mine in Chile …). The oil is pressed above 80 dollars per barrel WTI and the dollar has declined substantially.On Tuesday, a barrel of oil is trading at 81.53 dollars and the dollar continues its decline at 1.4438 dollar per euro.

On the macroeconomic front, investors will pay attention to the publication of overseas industrial orders for November, promises of home sales in November and figures about the car market, each in 16 hours.

Google and Kraft Foods for

Google (-0.38%) today gave a press conference during which he must present his new cell phone.

For its part, Apple (-0.04%) said the Wall Street Journal that it planned to unveil a multimedia device during the months of January to start next March.Moreover, according to All Things Digital, the group should buy an advertising company on phones, Quattro Wireless, for $ 275 million dollars.

Kraft Foods (+3.6%) has sold its frozen pizzas to Nestl? ($ 3.7 billion) to afford Cadbury. The giant U.S. agribusiness should specify January 19 the modalities of its new offering to achieve his ends. Today, Berkshire Hathaway (+0.06%), the investment fund of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, said he opposed the hostile bid from Kraft Foods, which he said the biggest shareholder, its British rival.

Mesa Air Group (-64.79%) announced on Tuesday it had entered under the protection of Chapter 11 of U.S. law on bankruptcy. The group intends to restructure its debt and settle its legal dispute with Delta Airlines.