Archive for July, 2010

The EPR Flamanville two years late

July 31, 2010 - 11:32 pm Comments Off

It's now official, EDF has announced a delay for the EPR Flamanville, in the Channel. Delaying the start date of the reactor is two years "the goal of the first marketable production is now set to 2014," says management.

And the cost of construction is "re-estimated at around five billion euros," confirms the group. So far, the construction of 3rd generation reactor was estimated at four billion euros.

According to Jack Tord, coordinator CGT on the site, this would involve additional time to recruit more staff on site.The staff, already brought to 3,000 employees, "should reach 3500 to the end of the year or early next year," said he.

The management of EDF had implicitly recognized in November 2009 after a delay of one year, distinguishing between the engine start, in 2012, and "production of electricity sold, set up in 2013.

A delay not surprising

Delays in the EPR Flamanville are regularly mentioned in the press. In January, Le Figaro and Les Echos mentioned already "at least two years late" for a cost of 5 billion euros.Thursday, Le Monde and Le Parisien also evoked a start in 2014, against 2012 under the original schedule.

CGT refers to EDF for several months delay of this order, the Paris-based delegates arguing two years late and those of construction Flamanville a year and a half.

Credibility of the EPR

In a report released Tuesday by the Elysee Palace, the former boss of EDF Francois Roussely called to urgently establish a "priority action plan" to "ensure the construction of the nuclear Flamanville 3 in the best conditions cost and time.

Objective, preserve the credibility of the maximum EPR model and "the ability of the French nuclear industry to achieve new power plants were built, after the difficulties encountered on the Olkiluoto site in Finland and that of the third installment of Flamanville.

Construction of the EPR at Olkiluoto in Finland, led by the Areva group, accuses the four years behind its original schedule, with a reactor startup scheduled for late 2012 or early 2013.

Areva has spent 2.7 billion euros of provisions in its accounts for the site, while the cost of the EPR was initially estimated at 3 billion euros.

Tax free booklets: the hunt for duplicates is open

July 30, 2010 - 6:52 am Comments Off

The law is clear: each person can have only one tax-free booklet, A book or booklet blue. But who knows exactly where his grandparents do not stock a book to his name between the sheets of the linen closet? The Observatory of regulated savings admits that part of the 60 million books is linked to "a significant number of cases" of multidétention the booklet by the same investor. This situation existed even before the normalization of the Livret A, but increased with distribution efforts led by banks such as Credit Agricole and Societe Generale. "I have two savings books, but my savings bank refuses to close one that depends on it," says an investor.

The government, aware of the significant risk of slippage, had threatened the special penalty ": a fine on 2% of the outstanding or additional booklets had been provided by the Act of August 4, 2008. At this stage, however, no penalty has been applied, we recognize the Bank of France. To punish, would it still have the ability to distinguish between the intentional fraud and unintentional multidétenteurs No checking account payday advance."The computerization of some later historical networks did not facilitate the long-term management of these booklets, which have long shelf life support equipment," says the report, acknowledging that fiscal controls "remained limited in scope."

A central

Since the reform of the distribution of the Livret A, efforts are being made to remedy this situation. A central recency bank accounts in France, but it is still not an accurate picture of the holders of tax-free books. Each account is opened or a booklet, the banks have the obligation to consult. These planchent services of the State to establish the second half of 2010 an effective due diligence. "The process is complicated to implement, it is done gradually," said a representative of the Observatory of regulated products.Meanwhile, the Ministers of Economy and Budget have written twice to banks to encourage them to ensure the right information to their customers. What encouraged them to regularize their situation.

Capgemini, confident in the recovery, raising its forecast

July 29, 2010 - 10:44 am Comments Off

Capgemini specializes in consulting, IT services and outsourcing has published today its results for the first half of 2010, citing a "recovery confirmed the activity. Net income Group share reached EUR 101 million, up 29.5% over one year.

Its turnover amounted to 4.211 billion euros, a decline of 3.8% over the first half of 2009 (-6.1% at constant exchange). However, over the second half of 2009, there is an increase of 5.4% (1.8% at constant scope and exchange rates).

The operating margin fell by 0.8 points over the first half of last year, but operating income increased 19.8% to 200 million euros.

Order intake increased

Capgemini is optimistic on the outlook for the year, based on the increase in orders: they increase from 14% a year. Outsourcing has the highest increase (+37%).

"After a particularly rough year 2009, the group was armed to face an environment that was still difficult at the beginning of the year but he anticipated gradual improvement," says Capgemini.Its interim results "confirm the appropriateness of decisions and drive new orders validates the hypothesis that this improvement will continue in the second half, despite concerns that persist at the macro-economic and stock market volatility."

Capgemini table so the second half on a turnover growth of 3 to 5% (at constant scope and exchange rates) and an operating margin above 6.5% (against 6% to 6.5 % predicted in May).

Wall Street has reacted well to the real numbers

July 27, 2010 - 3:52 am Comments Off

The U.S. stock markets have evolved in the green Monday, with a peak at the end of the session. The major indices ended the session by sharp increase: the Dow Jones took 0.97% to 10,525.43 points, the Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 earn them, respectively, 1.12% to 1115.01 points and 1.19% in 2296, 43 points.

Investors have reacted to the publication of figures better than expected property: the new single-home sales in the U.S. rebounded more than expected in June, from 23.6% in May after hitting their lowest level at least since 1963, but remain extremely low, according to official figures released Monday in Washington.

On Friday, the NYSE had ended sharply higher, buoyed by another round of quarterly results from U.S. companies of good quality and were reassured on the results of resistance testing in European banks.The Dow Jones gained 0.99% and the Nasdaq 1.05%. On the whole last week, the Dow Jones gained 3.23% and the Nasdaq rose 4.15%.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro against the dollar adds. At the opening of U.S. markets, it was worth 1.2944 dollars against 1.2906 dollars on Friday night.

Oil prices retreated Monday in the opening exchanges in New York, yielding 86 cents a barrel to 78.12 dollars, while Tropical Storm Bonnie was eventually spared oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.

Busy Week Statistics

Another highlight, the U.S. central bank should publish its Beige Book Wednesday on the economic conditions.It will be very guarded while the president of the institution, Ben Bernanke said Wednesday before Congress the slow recovery, with no announcement of new funding in the economy.

On Tuesday, it is the Standard & Poor's / Case Schiller home prices and consumer confidence, which will be followed, before investors only look the next day on orders of durable goods. But it was the day Friday with the first estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) U.S. second quarter to be expected this week.This new burst of publications should be followed especially when investors are questioning again on the strength of the U.S. economic recovery.

Publications wait

U.S. companies are still likely to take stock in their accounts this week, including the program six companies forming part of the Dow Jones online payday advance. Tomorrow investors expect such figures CIT and Lockheed Martin and those sitting in the middle of DuPont.

FedEx rose 5.57% to 83.36 dollars while the group has raised its earnings forecast for the current year. The U.S. giant now aims Messaging earnings per share of between 1.05 and $ 1.25.

Genzyme flies from 7.77% to 65.38 dollars.The group would be the target of several pharmaceutical companies. Sanofi-aventis is about to blow, but Genzyme has rejected its takeover bid by Bloomberg, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

IBM: The European Commission has opened two investigations into the group. It suspects the group of computer abuse of dominant position on the markets for servers. The titles have changed to +0.02% 128.41 dollars.

Always on the side of values, General Electric (2.74% to U.S. $ 16.14) Friday said its increased dividend of 20%, the quarterly dividend from 10 cents to 12 cents. GE also announced a resumption of its share repurchase programs. He had stopped this practice in September 2008. The board gave its approval for an additional $ 11.6 billion."GE hopes to finish the year with $ 25 billion in cash, including proceeds from the sale of a majority stake in its subsidiary NBC Universal to Comcast" say the analysts at Aurel BGC. Some of this money will be used to buy three billion dollars in preferred shares that the group has sold to the holding company Berkshire Hathaway of Warren Buffett in October 2008.

Also note Friday night, the FDIC, the federal agency whose primary responsibility is to guarantee bank deposits, announced the bankruptcy of six new American banks, bringing to 102 the number of closing establishments since the beginning of year.These six failures will cost about 394 million dollars to its compensation fund the FDIC.

Note that the British press suggests a departure from the CEO of BP, before tomorrow, the date of publication of interim results of the oil giant.

Further increase expected on Wall Street

July 24, 2010 - 10:52 pm Comments Off

After their fine up yesterday, the U.S. equity market should be cautious Friday. The index futures are predicting a slightly higher opening of U.S. markets. Future Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 advancing in effect respectively by 0.36% to 1091.60 points and 0.43% to 1960.10 points. On Thursday, the New York Stock Exchange ended sharply higher, boosted by another round of results in good order. At the close, the Dow Jones gained 1.99% to 10,322.30 points and the Nasdaq 2.68% to 2245.89 points. For its part, the S & P has won 2.25% to 1093.67 points.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro off again on the rise against the dollar in the morning, after the publication of a German Ifo barometer jumped in July, but remained confined to below $ 1.30.The euro was at 1.2956 dollars against 1.2886 dollars late on the eve of the day.

On the macroeconomic front, the session looks very calm. No major indicator is expected in the United States. Wall Street should have their eyes on Europe. Operators should indeed play the card of caution before publication in the evening the results of resistance tests 91plus major European banks.

From the values listed, investors will react to another round of results published the day after the close of Wall Street.

The U.S. computer giant Microsoft seems to have turned the page on the economic crisis with a quarterly profit up 48% year on year, better than expected, more than 4.5 billion dollars.Over the year, net income climbed to 18.760 billion, up 29%, and sales to nearly $ 62.5 billion, up 7%.

Always on the side of values, the Internet retailer Amazon has posted Thursday a net profit increase of over 45% in the second quarter but below expectations. In after-hours electronic trade, the share lost more than 13.5%.

The credit card issuer American Express American issued Thursday a net income group share increased by 3 over one year to over $ 1 billion in the second quarter. The group was encouraged by the recovery of expenses of its customers and lower defaults on credit cards.

Note also the flash memory maker SanDisk has announced a quarterly benefit of $ 257.9 million slightly exceeded expectations.The turnover was 1.18 billion over the quarter against 730 million last year. "The U.S. market is recovering quickly (27%) and becomes profitable, but significant uncertainties remain safe with the new law on the distribution of consumer credit" note the experts at Aurel BGC. The group remains very cautious on the outlook for activity in the United States.

"Consumers will be better protected"

July 23, 2010 - 7:20 am Comments Off

ABC News – Where is the bill that protects the personal assets of individual entrepreneurs?

Herve Novelli – The decrees of applications of this law appear before the end of the year for implementation status as of 1 January 2011. We will do everything to create a sole proprietorship with limited liability (EIRL) is simple. It is possible to create an online EIRL site counter-entreprises.fr. I also implemented a feature that allows the entrepreneur to avoid having to give a personal guarantee to the bank when he wants to borrow money, this financial product will be managed by OSEO will guarantee up to 70% maximum loan granted by the bank.

Banks are hostile to the creation of a sole proprietorship to limited liability.How to convince?

Banks must be with contractors, as the state has to be by their side when they needed it. I will ask the banks in September to explain the importance of this reform on 1.5 million individual entrepreneurs. I do not want there to be ruined because of artisans of a bankruptcy professional.

This Order is being signed and will include officials from exercising a complementary service activities to the person.

The study group set up with the budget minister working for the simplicity of the status of self-contractor be extended to 1.5 million self-employed. The aim is that the deadlines for payroll taxes are more in line with sales receipts.It is better to consider the impacts on cash social security contributions, especially when the turnover decreased quick pay day loan. The working group will issue its findings in late September.

I signed on July 28 financing agreements on the training of entrepreneurs with self-insurance fund training. The State will fund this year to the tune of 5 million euros.

Protecting consumers, as business support is essential to revitalize our economy. I decided three types of operation for this semester. The administration of fraud prevention is better control of online commerce sites that are becoming more numerous. It has created 17,000 sites trade thanks to the status of self-contractor. 24 million French people use them, and nearly one in two French selects his holiday on the internet.I will start early September also strengthened controls to enforce the rights of students who rent rooms and furnished and are sometimes subject to unfair terms. Finally, I want to limit the accidents of everyday life that are still too many in connection with the Consumer Safety Commission mandated that I have on this

After several months of negotiations between MEDEF and consumer associations, we have reached an agreement on the protection of personal digital data. Consumers who buy a product on the Internet should give their consent for their personal information is transmitted to other sites. They will oppose it easier to use their personal data for commercial purposes.

Technip maintains its forecast for 2010

July 22, 2010 - 6:44 pm Comments Off

Technip has published today the results down in the second quarter of 2010. Turnover amounted to 1.485 billion euros, down 14.3% as reported from the second quarter of 2009 (18.4% excluding currency effects). Net profit reached 106 million euros, or 8.7% less than last year over the same period. The operating margin was also reduced: it reached 10.8% against 11.3% in the second quarter in 2009.

The specialist oil services records, however, a sharp increase in orders. The order backlog amounted to 8.263 million euros. In the second quarter, order intake was EUR 1.524 million, "almost evenly divided between the segments and Subsea Onshore / Offshore, against 873 million in the second quarter of 2009, bouncing about 74%.The group hopes that the resumption of orders in the Norwegian part will continue and believes that the Brazilian market remains "promising" No fax cash advance.

Work continues

Technip therefore maintains its objectives for the year. The company expects a turnover of between 5.9 and 6.1 billion euros (2.6 to 2,700,000,000 in subsea). The expected operating margin should exceed 15%.

Regarding the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the company said that "at this stage, [its] operations were not affected in 2010 but the new orders could be delayed in the short term."In the longer term we believe that operators prefer to work with contractors who have maintained a constant effort to invest in security," the group added, stressing that it is a central element of its strategy .

The CAC 40 was reluctant to leave

July 20, 2010 - 12:36 pm Comments Off

While preparing a new series of sales on Tuesday, the CAC 40 attempts to leave after the good performance of Wall Street on Monday, despite the erosion of trust property developers and disappointing results from Texas Instruments and IBM. But the trend is still cautious. Around 10:45, the CAC 40 gained 0.17% to 3492.10 points. "This week will be clearly nervous about the financial markets, as dependent on stress tests. The volumes are very low weight (less than 500 million euros with 350 million around 10:45 am on the CAC 40, Ed), "said Franklin Pichard, director of Barclays stock.

With the exception of Tokyo was closed Monday for a holiday, the Asian stock markets have also rebounded to gain, climbing 1.45% Shanghai and Hong Kong of 1.41%.

On the macroeconomic front, it remains in real estate in the United States, since the figures for housing starts for the month of June will be published at approximately 14.30. In France, INSEE reveal clues to 12 hours worth of orders received in the industry for the month of May

The news will be charged at the micro level, notably with the publication of turnover. Program are: Alstom and Hermes pre-market, Accor, Lafuma and Radiall after-hours trade. In the U.S., Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo and Goldman Sachs will release their second quarter results pre-market, Yahoo! (Second quarter) and Apple (third quarter) after market.

On the currency markets, the euro flirted with the $ 1.30 mark, he has not met since May. Around 10.45am, the single currency was worth 1.2984 dollars (0.33%)."A strong euro coupled with a fragile economic recovery in the U.S. is double bad news for European export companies. Until then, the situation was reversed, "said Franklin Pichard.

The bank will resume, the computer values mixed

While bank stocks are picking up well in the early exchanges – Dexia (0.84%), BNP Paribas (0.73%), Credit Agricole (0.95%) and Societe Generale (+0.15% ), computer companies emerge mixed after disappointing results from IBM. Cap Gemini lost 1.02% to 35.42 euros, but Steria wins 1.18% to 20.56 euros.

Alstom: -1.07% to 36.46 euros

Alstom recorded a fall of 38% of its orders in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010/2011 shifted, while its revenues fell 5%.The group expects a "gradual recovery in demand.

Hermes: 0.24% to 57.29 euros

Hermes has doubled its forecast for sales growth this year and expects a rise of between 10% and 12%. The group's turnover surged by 22.8% in first half of 2010 to 1.0747 billion euros.

Edenred: 5% to 13.68 euros

Edenred announced an increase of 4.7% of its turnover in the second quarter, growth of Latin American operations have helped offset a more difficult economic environment in Europe. Trends should remain "similar" in Latin America, and Europe, in the second half.

Soitec: 1.46% to 8.21 euros

Soitec posted a turnover 2010-2011 in the first quarter increased 56.5%.The group expects a sequential sales growth exceeding 20% in first half on the basis of one euro to $ 1.27, with a return to balanced operating income, including its new photovoltaic business Concentrix.

Guyenne et Gascogne: 0.99% to 79.77 euros

Guyenne et Gascogne saw its consolidated revenues to grow by 5.1% to 278 million euros in the first half of 2010, the distribution of fuel. This figure confirms the sluggish consumer spending.

Compagnie des Alpes: 0.24% to 20.60 euros

Compagnie des Alpes has announced its successful capital increase of EUR 100 million with preferential subscription rights and creation of 5.88 million new shares. The total demand amounts to approximately 143.9 million euros, the company said in a statement.The new shares will be listed on the market July 21.

HF Company: -1.62% to 13.87 euros

HF Company has reported a turnover of 72 million euros in the first half, up 1.1% as reported and 3% on a constant basis, in a crisis of consumption.The company produces equipment for residential systems (digital television, broadband internet, etc..) Expects accelerated growth in the second half.

Audika: -14.05% 22.75 euros

Audika posted revenues down 4% to 27.9 million euros in the second quarter with a slowdown in sales of hearing correction since mid-May, as the environment is again unfavorable for consumption seniors.

Laurent Perrier: -1.20% to 66.51 euros

Laurent Perrier announced Tuesday an increase of 17.3% of its turnover, 36.8 million euros in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010-2011. The group enjoys very strong Champagne exports to the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Asia.

Citi and Bank of America struggling to revive

July 17, 2010 - 2:32 pm Comments Off

Meanwhile measure the effects of the broad financial reform approved by Congress, the giants of Wall Street continued their slow recovery. Citigroup, which had managed to exit the first quarter of 2010 after losing a total of $ 29 billion between 2008 and 2009, has confirmed his return to profits between March and June The third U.S. lender has reported net earnings of $ 2.7 billion, down 37% over a year. For its part, Bank of America, the first U.S. retail bank, posted net income of $ 3.1 billion, a slight decrease of 4%. The day before, JPMorgan had announced a profit of 4.8 billion, up 76%.

If the performance of these three giants of Wall Street have exceeded the expectations of financial analysts, they are far from convincing.The banks, in effect, save their profits fall in provisions for doubtful debts, which remain however very high levels. At Citigroup, they have a charge of $ 6.7 billion, the lowest in almost three years. For Bank of America, the drain $ 8.1 billion against $ 9.8 billion in the first quarter and still $ 16.4 billion a year ago credit reports free.

Less capital raising

More than three years after the start of the crisis in the housing, the improvement of conditions in the shy USA relieves borrowers. But business remains sluggish, as evidenced by the decrease in revenues of large banks: – 33% for Citigroup – 18% for Bank of America – 7% for JPMorgan. The great challenge for these players is to reach boost their sales."It will be several more quarters to see a sustainable activity," warns Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America.

Last year, the Wall Street banks had managed to offset the gloom with an exceptional year in the investment bank, with capital raising records. Alas, this windfall is gone and instead the second quarter under the sign of the crisis of European sovereign countries was characterized by high volatility and lower risk appetite. This scenario weighs on commissions and revenue from emissions trading.

Reform Wall Street offered to Obama

July 16, 2010 - 12:20 am Comments Off

Financial regulation in the United States is running. The most comprehensive reform in this area since the 1930s has been passed by the U.S. Senate by 60 votes against 39. A key legislative victory for Barack Obama after the reform of health coverage in March.The U.S. president did not hesitate to declare last May: "Wall Street has failed," referring to lobbyists who tried to prevent the adoption of this project.

New legislative victory for Obama

Obama can now enact this historic piece to prevent another financial crisis and economic such as the United States had known in autumn 2008.

"Today the Senate will take action and send the bill on the president's office, so that the country can finally feel the effects of reform on which we have discussed for so many months," said Thursday Senator Chris Dodd, one of the main authors of the text with the Representative Barney Frank.

The text of over 2300 pages of the law "Dodd-Frank", aims to extend regulatory control over whole sectors of finance, which escaped him.It thus provides for the creation of a consumer of financial products within the central bank and it prevents the rescue of large financial institutions at taxpayers' expense.

For regulators play now

Among other measures leading text include a provision for better control of the vast market of derivatives traded over the counter, these tools have been speculative in the heart of the recent financial crisis in the United States instant credit reports.The text finally contains a measure dubbed the "rule of Volcker," the name of Barack Obama's economic adviser, Paul Volcker, whose idea is to encourage commercial banks to focus on their lending activities and take fewer risks .

While most Democrats have supported this project, the Republicans have signaled their opposition to the text, notably in that it gives too much power to regulators who failed to prevent the recent financial crisis.

The Chairman of the Central Bank of the United States, Ben Bernanke on Thursday hailed an "important step" with the vote by the Senate of legislation to reform financial regulation, which gives them considerable powers of oversight at the institution.

The ball is now in the hands of regulators. "We will pay with meticulous application and our responsibilities under the new law," promises Ben Bernanke.Legislation passed by the Senate because the Fed responsible for regulating all major financial institutions in the country, more than 50 billion dollars in assets.

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