Archive for the ‘economy’ Category

Medica: Successful IPO

February 10, 2010 - 2:40 am Comments Off

Medica may blow. While markets remain subdued, the specialist retirement home announced Tuesday in a statement that its IPO has been "a success". French institutional investors and international were to rendezvous with a subscription offer for about three times its original size. The offer to individuals attracted 7500 orders. Among these, the group's employees have answered the call. Nearly 3,000 of them participated in the operation.

The group welcomes this performance, "in market conditions very difficult." It must be said that Medica had significantly lowered the price of its shares, offering 13 euros instead of 16 or 19.50 euros expected in a first instant payday loans .

The gross proceeds from the offering price and the open global placement represents approximately 255 million euros."In the event that the option of over-allotment is exercised in full, and would offer an amount of about 293 million euros, a figure of 22,530 shares representing approximately 47% of capital and human Group voting Medica, "the statement said.

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Exports of nuclear power plants: Lauvergeon wants clear roles

January 15, 2010 - 5:22 pm Comments Off

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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Accor maintains its objectives

January 12, 2010 - 4:42 pm Comments Off

"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.

Wall Street in the balance

January 5, 2010 - 8:02 pm Comments Off

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 Nestlé ($ 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.

Bercy modifies the rules for fixing gas prices

December 12, 2009 - 11:20 pm Comments Off

After several weeks of reflection, the verdict has finally fallen on the new method of fixing gas prices. The Ministry of Economy, which was to maneuver, just send the document to refer to the Regulatory Commission of Energy (CRE), for entry under the next year, after the publication of a decree .

The government, which ruled until then every three months on possible changes in gas prices, trying to remove a little of the game, at least in appearance. It will no longer once per year, one component of overall framing of the price curve of the molecule. This scheme seeks to prevent the State to meet in full psychodrama whenever Bercy opts for a rise in gas prices.

So now the company, GDF Suez, which will seize the regulator for a rate increase.Which regulator, after watching whether the incumbent's request is consistent with the pricing formula, make a binding opinion. Until now, the opinion of the CRE in the record setting gas prices was only advisory. In the new scheme, the Commission will therefore pose a greater weight.

However, uncertainties remain. In particular, what happens if gas prices are indexed on oil prices should fall? In the reference document, it is not called GDF Suez to decide in what direction. Similarly, it does not ask the regulator to pressure the company to obtain a reduction in charges.

"Let's just common sense: since oil prices are public, they bend permanently, GDF Suez will be forced to seek lower fares.Or the group will draw the wrath of both consumers and government, "says an industry expert.

Psychodrama

So much for the new scheme, at least in theory, developed by the government with the approval of other partners, beginning with GDF Suez. It remains now to see how it will apply in practice. It is hard, in fact, the government remain inactive in the face several repeated hikes in gas prices. Especially during elections, where the energy bill is regularly found in the heart of debates.

In short, despite government efforts, it is feared that this new device does not put an end to psychodramas on gas prices.

Free sentenced by Justice

December 7, 2009 - 3:36 pm Comments Off

The Supreme Court has sentenced in mid-November the ISP Free, a subsidiary of Iliad, to pay 2,500 euros to one of his subscribers who had complained in 2004 unable to receive television has yet endorsed a bid Triple Play (offers TV / Telephone / Internet) in the latter.

The customer had initially attacked Free before a judge near Orleans, demanding repayment of sums paid as damages. The verdict delivered on 1 July 2008 had gone in the direction of the operator who spoke of the technical problems he had informed his client at the outset of his subscription.The judge had chosen and the "obligation of means" and not "result" to make its ruling.

"The obligation of result" reached by the Court of Cassation

The Court of Cassation found instead that Free was indeed subject to an obligation of result vis-à-vis his client to provide the service for which he had paid, and only one case of "force majeure" would could relieve the operator and justify the breach of his contractual obligation that the technical incidents are not mentioned.

Such a ruling could set a precedent.That case, in addition to its symbolic of the victory of a "simple" client on a company such as Free, has serious consequences for the entire sector, as it will force all providers to verify that TV services are actually available before offering them to their future customers, under penalty of prosecution.

Without recourse, the operator has been convicted yet declined comment.

France: the 3 million unemployed will not affect

November 23, 2009 - 6:38 pm Comments Off

Despite an increase in job seekers during several months, the CEO job Pole Christian Charpy said on LCI television on Monday morning that the number of unemployed would remain "below the 3 million mark registered in Class A". He said that increasing numbers of people from Pole to register job is way slower than earlier this year.

In September, the number of jobseekers who have not worked (Class A) increased by 21,600 at 2,574 million, a surge of 25.1% in one year. By cons, if we add those who have a reduced activity (categories A, B and C), this number stood at 3.745 million (+20.8% yoy) and 3.972 million households in the overseas.Thus, the number of unemployed could exceed 4 million if one takes into account all categories.

From "many months" to return to the situation a year ago

"I hope that from the end of this year the trend will change but it will take many months to return to a situation that had been there even just a year – 1.9 million unemployed cons 2.5 million registered job center today. Indeed the number of unemployed still increasing each month at the rate of "20,000 to 25,000," he said. The figures on the number of job seekers for the period of October will be published Thursday.

This declaration takes place just before surgery, at 11.30 President Nicolas Sarkozy before 1700 agency managers and area job center, the new agency created by the merger of Assedic and ANPE, which is far from keep all its promises. The unions believe the poorly prepared.A counselor supports an average of 94 people (a record) in the direction. Employment center uses private companies to complement the Convention and proposed reclassification Custom (PRC) which has only retrenched, where "there, we guarantee a counselor for 50 to 60 people, according to Christian Charpy.

United States: bad month of October for indicators of real estate

November 18, 2009 - 5:58 pm Comments Off

Surprises in the U.S., with two worrying statistics published in the real estate sector and make future dive on Wall Street. This sector is a particular followed by analysts, real estate is at the root of the crisis and each data is scrutinized.

To begin, starts of new homes fell 10.6% in October compared to September. They settle well to 529,000 annual rate, while analysts had forecast 600,000. Housing starts for September were revised to 592,000 against 590,000 in the first estimate. The key indicator to its lowest level since April, when he hit a record low.

Second blow, the building permit for their share fell 4% last month, to 552,000 units annualized, where analysts expected an increase, to 580,000.Compared to the same period last year, building permits fell by 24.3% and housing starts of 30.7%.