Archive for the ‘economy’ Category

Recovery, precision: United States and Europe differ

September 11, 2011 - 2:44 pm Comments Off

Pressure on Europe. Even before the G7, which met Friday night in Marseille finance ministers and central bank governors of the G7 (U.S., Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK), Christine Lagarde urged leaders of the Old Continent to "act now and boldly."

Executive Director of the IMF did not hesitate to dramatize the situation. "The world economy is in a period fraught with danger," she said in London, alongside the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, before flying to Marseille.She reiterated her concerns vis-à-vis European banks: "Faced with the rising risks and uncertainties and the need to convince the markets, some need to strengthen their capital." We explained to the IMF and the European economies are funded for three quarters by banks and only a quarter through the markets (the opposite in the U.S.) and are highly dependent on the health of their banking system.

Old friend of Christine Lagarde, the U.S. Treasury Secretary has also multiplied the statements at the Europeans. In an article in the Financial Times, Timothy Geithner asked "an unequivocal commitment to support the European financial system and ensure that states can borrow at interest rates as they adopt sustainable reforms."Then, Friday afternoon, he returned to the charge, live from the Old Port with Bloomberg TV in the rooms was sending a market enchanting image: "It is very important for the world that the Europeans do the right thing , he said. It is in the interest of the United States that the euro will survive. "

Tensions

The G7 meeting ended, Friday night, for a press conference Baroin, who chaired the proceedings. The central bankers have published "terms of reference" that mark a commitment to "strong" and "coordinated," said Baroin, on four themes: the challenges of the global economy, the balance between fiscal consolidation and recovery, pursuing monetary policies that allow banks to supply the necessary liquidity, and the reform of financial regulation.

The responses of the G7 remains limited.The possibility of an announcement of coordinated central bank for monetary policy even more generous seems unlikely, "I do not think we will see that," Geithner acknowledged. The IMF, whose services are exposed to a new state G7 encrypted in the world economy, called for a stimulus modulated, depending on the situation of each country, welcoming the passage the Obama plan for employment (see below below).

But Germany, the only G7 country whose public finances could provide room to maneuver, had refused in advance: "Combating the crisis with a debt even more pronounced, it would be the wrong path to take," said Wolfgang Schäuble, his finance minister. But that's another German who fed the conversations, Jürgen Stark, the chief economist of the ECB, resigned.

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Vinci will build the Moscow subway

August 29, 2011 - 11:24 pm Comments Off

World famous for its underground parking, Vinci Park would become better known in Moscow. According to the Russian business daily Vedomosti, the group, in collaboration with its partner, the billionaire Arkadi Rotenberg, a close associate of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has offered his services for the construction of parking in the center of the capital, and extension Moscow metro.

These two proposals, which, according to officials in Moscow, are currently before the town hall. For now, the company manages parking only international airport Sheremetyevo in the north-west of Moscow. But she wants to continue to grow in the country. "Russia is one of our objectives clearly displayed.(..) We have a desire to develop ourselves in this country where the need for parking facilities are very important, "said a spokesman for Vinci, who declined to give further details on the subject.

Demand exceeds supply

Several years ago, the giant French had already proposed to invest $ 300 million (210 million) in the construction of underground parking near subway stations and in the central arteries of the capital (Tverskaya, Lubyanka). "But officials do not have their assigned sites in places as important," the newspaper said. Same for the metro, which is of interest, "which are under state protection."

Previously, the city financed the construction of car parks and subway lines with its budget without resorting to foreign investors.But today, the ability of Russian manufacturers is not enough to complete all projects planned by the city of Moscow. Therefore Vinci "has all these opportunities" to participate in construction programs, the officials commented.

Of large projects

By five years, the mayor of the Russian capital plans to create nearly 2 million parking spaces, and has already launched tenders for the construction of seven parking spaces for a total of 1520 seats. "A place so close to cost 200,000 rubles (500 euros) and will be more beneficial if an investor takes over the construction of a network," says the director of the Department of Antimonopoly Policy of Moscow Gennady Degtev.

As for the extension of twelve subway lines, the mayor of Moscow also has gigantic projects.The plan to build 14 stations expected to open within two years and opening 75 km of new lines paydayloans. To do this, it provides 343 billion rubles (8.5 billion euros) in its budget between 2012 and 2014.

Possible support for Putin

Through collaboration with the contractor Arkadi Rotenberg, Vinci won the 2009 tender to build the first section of the highway Moscow-Saint Petersburg, whose total cost is estimated at 66.081 billion rubles ( 1.65 billion). According to a former official of the Moscow mayor, support Rotenberg, close to Putin, will once again allow the French company won the contract.

The group Vinci has extensive experience in the construction of car parks in the world.He also participated in numerous construction projects in the metro French cities (Paris, Rennes) and abroad (Budapest, Athens, Hong Kong). However, analysts said, one of the main handicaps of Vinci, the lack of experience on the Russian market. And this handicap could be considered by the Russians during the bidding process. Vedomosti also states that the manufacturer Austrian Strabag also plans to get into the race for the extension of the Moscow metro.

The construction of the highway Moscow-Saint Petersburg is controversial

In July 2009, the Russian Federal Agency Rosavtodor decided to entrust the construction of the first section of the highway Moscow-Saint Petersburg (15th to 58th km) to the North-West Concession Company (NWCC), as part of a public-private project.This company is owned 50% by the French Vinci, the remaining capital is shared between the contractor and the fund Arkadi Rotenberg "N-trans." The construction should also be done with funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the funds of Russian banks VEB and Sberbank. Investors in the NWCC received in exchange for the right to operate the highway for 30 years. But the construction project, which started in 2010, has generated considerable controversy among associations of environmental protection because the route of the highway, which passes through a protected forest. Work has been frozen by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in August 2010 and were resumed in April 2011. After the withdrawal of the EBRD and the EIB, the group Vinci is the only Western participant in this project.

Indecision for Wall Street

August 26, 2011 - 5:52 am Comments Off

Shortly before the start of the session in New York, the index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 declined by 0.26% to 1169 points and 0.77% at 2122.50 points. The Dow Jones was approached for its small down from 0.13% to 11,253 points.

After aligning the day before a third consecutive session, the U.S. stock markets may experience a more mixed session on Thursday. As of Wednesday evening, the title of Apple, the Apple brand famous plunged 7% in electronic trading after the close of trading in reaction to the departure of the group's founder, Steve Jobs, Tim Cook replaced by .

So that investors may enclose the value seriously, now, from the beginning of the session. The stakes are high for Apple.On 9 August, Apple had a happy time oil giant Exxon Mobil's first-place capitalization in the world in full trading day before falling on the second step of the podium.

Unemployment menu

In terms of macroeconomic indicators, the weekly jobless claims, which will be published before the start of the U.S. session at 2:30 p.m., will also be monitored. A consensus of analysts expected a slight decline to 405,000, against 408,000 previously.

Wednesday night, orders for durable goods in the United States had rebounded in July, prompting stock markets to rise, on both sides of the Atlantic. "But the indicator of business spending showed the U.S. economy remains fragile," do, however, keep stock analysts from Barclays.In a context marked by the end of the indicators is misguided, or worse in reality than it seems, investors are on their defense.

Meanwhile Jackson Hole

Especially since tomorrow is Friday that Ben Bernanke will speak from Jackson Hole this Friday at 16:00. We will then know whether a possible third last monetary easing, on which markets have been speculation this week, will be decided. Alternatively, investors can look forward to continued low interest rates likely. The second estimate of U.S. GDP for the second quarter will also be unveiled.

The growth rate of the world's largest economy in the spring, which had greatly disappointed a month ago, could then be revised down 0.2 percentage point to 1.1%.

Crisis: the proposals of Aubry and Royal

August 14, 2011 - 7:32 pm Comments Off

• The observation

Martine Aubry. "France is suffering from a triple deficit," the public finances, employment, and competitiveness, it says in the Journal du Dimanche (JDD). Two thirds of the deficits are due to the policies of Nicolas Sarkozy, she said, based on a report of the Court of Auditors.

Ségolène Royal. "It's not just a financial crisis but a crisis of civilization," suggests the president of the Poitou-Charentes in an interview with Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui en France. She said "the level of life and employment" are threatened.

• Debt

Aubry. You should immediately "remove 10 billion euros of tax loopholes" as mayor of Lille. It promises to allocate 50% of the financial benefit generated by this measure and the resumption of growth to reduce deficits, echoing a measure explicitly listed in the program of the PS.It is opposed by contrast to the golden rule, namely fixed in the Constitution the principle of balance of public finances.

Royal. "I move that the expenses are secured by new savings." It accuses Nicolas Sarkozy had "doubled the deficit" in part because of "tax breaks to large fortunes".

• Taxes

Aubry. "To boost growth, [should] drop to 20% corporate tax (IS) that reinvest" and penalize those who prefer dividends by increasing the SI to 40%.

Royal. She wants the Estates General on the reform of tax and tax. Then "a referendum to stabilize the rules for five years fast cash online." It also intends to "fight against injustice and tax fraud."

• Employment

Aubry. The candidate wants to eliminate tax benefits related to overtime "that block the hiring."She wants to allocate 50% of future budgetary scope to "investment for the future", that is to say much to use.

Royal. It does not mention once the words "employment" and "unemployment" in the interview to Paris to denounce the current situation. Without advancing a proposal on the subject.

• Finance

Aubry. "It is time to take up the policies on finance," she proclaims. She wants to create an independent rating agency and a financial transaction tax of 0.05% in Europe. What to report 200 billion euros a year, she said.

Royal. It offers "the entry of the state capital of banks that are helped," and wants "to prohibit speculation in government debt." It ensures that in countries where the banking system is controlled by the state, "growth is the appointment."

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Eighth meeting of consecutive decline for the CAC 40

August 4, 2011 - 3:52 am Comments Off

For the eighth consecutive time, the Paris Stock Exchange closed in the red. On Wednesday, the CAC 40 ended down sharply again: 1.93% to 3454.94 points. On only five days, the index lost nearly 8%. The Cac 40 was, however, limited its losses slightly in mid-session, down 0.40% to 3508.71 points. But it was not including the publication of reassuring indicator bit in the U.S..

On other European financial centers in London, the FTSE-100 ended down 2.34% to 5718.14 points, featuring Dax index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange lost 2.30% to 6640.59 Wednesday points. South exchanges, which had made a catch at mid-day, did not resist.The index featured the Milan Stock Exchange, the FTSE Eb, closed on a decline of 1.54% to 17,006 points and lindice Ibex-35 main values ​​of the Madrid Stock Exchange ended down 0.85% at 9037 , 7 points.

Italy and Spain under pressure

The European sovereign debt and U.S. continue to weigh heavily on the trend. Yield spreads between bonds to ten years Spanish and Italian over German bonds widen. They stood at 402 basis points respectively (13 bps) and 386 basis points (12 bps). Italy and Spain are again under pressure from the markets fear a contagion of debt. Their governments are mobilizing to stem the panic even if Brussels has ruled out any discussion of a bailout for those countries.The Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti and the leader of the euro zone, Jean-Claude Juncker, today concluded their discussion by considering that the reflection on the debt crisis was to continue "calmly." For its part, the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero on Wednesday convened a meeting on "market movements".

China increasingly perplexed vis-à-vis the dollar

Investors also remain worried about the strength of U.S. growth. And, although the Senate has ratified Tuesday the plan to raise the debt ceiling. Insufficient agreement by Moody's which could lower the rating of the country. The closing down sharply on Wall Street Tuesday night also confirms the markets in their choice to continue to withdraw.

China, for its part welcomed the adoption of very hard this plan.Beijing said it would continue to limit its dependence on the dollar, whereas the U.S. has failed to defuse "the bomb of debt." The rating agency Dagong China in the wake downgraded American. Wednesday morning, Asian stock markets, with the exception of Shanghai, changing all down sharply.

Still bad news in the U.S.

On the macroeconomic front, the growth of activity in the services sector continued to slow in July to register their slowest pace since March 2010.The PMI index reached 54.2 against 56.1 in June.

The same goes for the euro area and for Germany: the composite index stood at 52.5 against 56.3 respectively in June and 51.1 against 53.3 in June.

For the euro area, retail sales rebounded 0.9% in June compared to May, where they had fallen by 1.3%, said Wednesday the EU statistics office Eurostat. Eurostat revised down its initial estimate for the month of May, initially announced at 1.1%.

United States, at 14.15, the consulting firm HR ADP unveiled its traditional and highly anticipated monthly report on employment. Higher than the 100,000 new jobs expected by analysts, job creation in the U.S. private sector employment reached 114,000 in July.

In contrast, growth in the services sector in the United States recorded a surprise slowdown in July, according to the index of purchasing managers released Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) payday loan. ISM non-manufacturing index stood at 52.7 last month, falling to its lowest level since February 2010, after 53.3 in June. Analysts on average expected a 53.6 index.

Orders for the industry fell 0.8% in June in the United States, driven down by gloom in the transport sector, said Wednesday the Commerce Department. Economists on average had expected a decline a little less strong, 0.7%. Orders were up 0.6% in May

Both have overshadowed the latest news on employment, including Wall Street, where markets remain frozen in red.

Bic flies, Societe Generale sinks

Societe Generale: -8.97% to 29.59 euros (red lantern CAC)

The bank chaired by Frédéric Oudéa posted net income down 31% to 747 million because of writedowns on loans Greek past. Greece forced Societe Generale has given up its goal of net profit of 6 billion euros in 2012.

Crédit Agricole: -6.57% to 7.47 euros

The bank said it had sold its commercial finance Eurofactor in Britain to GE Capital.

Overall, the whole banking sector has suffered: Natixis lost 3.15% to 2.92 euros, 2.98% to loose Axa 12.03 euros and BNP Paribas gives up 1.87% to 41.80 euros.

Air France-KLM: -3.21% to 7.57 euros

The airline plans to delays or cancellations of flights, from Paris, following a strike by technicians responsible for maintenance of its aircraft.

Total: -1.77% to 36.15 euros

The oil company and its CEO Christophe de Margerie were returned to correctional late July for "active corruption" in the investigation into the UN program "Oil against food" in Saddam Hussein's Iraq from 1996 to 2003 officials said a judicial source.

Danone: -0.37% to 49.32 euros

The dairy group has unveiled a proposed acquisition of 250 million euros in nutrition in India to expand into the Indian markets for infant nutrition and medical purposes.

Suez Environnement: 0.68% to 12.67 euros (largest increase in the ACC)

The group specializes in water management and waste released on Wednesday a net profit down 43% to 221 million euros in the first half. Suez Environnement, however, reaffirmed its financial targets for 2011-2013.

Bic: 3.61% to 63.72 euros (largest increase in the SBF 120)

Bic raised its growth target for the division of pens, lighters and disposable razors, to "greater than 5%" against up to 5%.Instead, the group anticipates a decline of about 10% growth for its advertising and promotional products division against 5% previously.

Hermes: -3.39% to 235.35 euros

The Association for the Defence of Minority Shareholders (Adam) wonders why the saddle spends as much to buy back its own shares, whose price has reached a new record this week, said Tuesday its president Colette Neuville.

Renault: -3.20% to 34.23 euros, Peugeot: -1.98% to 23.79 euros

American manufacturers have announced their sales figures on Tuesday night.Chrysler reported a 20% increase in sales of new cars in the U.S. in July, while Ford saw its own increase by 9%.

Accor: -2.03% to 28.23 euros

Accor announced the signing of the sale of catering group Lenôtre Sodexo following the favorable opinion of the works councils of both groups.

After-hours trading, Vilmorin and Cegedim should publish their annual turnover for the first and second quarters respectively.

Faurecia is reviewing all its objectives on the rise

July 26, 2011 - 1:04 pm Comments Off

Faurecia exceeds its own goals. The automotive supplier announced Tuesday an operating profit (EBIT) up 57% to 340 million euros, giving a margin of 4.2% against 3.2% a year earlier. Net income group share jumped from 82% to 185.8 million euros. The specialist for exhaust systems and car seats, including the manufacturer PSA holds 57.4% stake, has also made the period a consolidated turnover of 8.15 billion euros in the first six months of year, an increase of 19.4%.

"With the strong growth recorded by the group in the first half and improved profitability, Faurecia is now a year ahead of its business plan 2010-2014 presented in June 2010", said the equipment in a statement.

Massive investments outside Europe

In this context, the overall objectives of the group are revised upwards.Faurecia, which estimates that growth "should remain strong in the second half in all regions", is a consolidated revenue of between 15.7 and 15.9 billion euros, against 14.8-15300000000 expected so far, an increase of 13.8% to 15.2% over 2010. Incidentally, the group refines upwards its target of operating profit in the range from 620 to 650 million euros, against a previous range from 580 to 640 million.

Yann Delabrière, CEO of Faurecia, said Tuesday during a presentation to analysts that commodities do not constitute a risk to the second half.

To achieve these results, Faurecia is at 450 million its investment objective for this year, against an initial assumption of 350 million.The effort will be concentrated in low-cost countries where investments will increase by 89% against 16% for countries where the cost base is higher. During the presentation of its strategic plan in June 2010, the OEM had also set a goal of doubling the share of sales outside Europe that carries 42% within five years, against 23% in 2009. In the first half, the share of sales generated outside of Europe had already reached 34%. Yann Delabrière announced that the share of sales outside Europe should strive for 50% of the objectives of the new plan in 2015 to be unveiled in November.

The stock market punishes

In a presentation to analysts, Faurecia said to expect in 2011 a new record in terms of new contracts expected between 13 and 14 billion euros, against 13.1 billion in 2010.According to Yann Delabrière, the group would continue to study small acquisitions to strengthen its technology portfolio, but the priority of the moment was clear to organic growth.

"The results are in line with consensus," said JP Morgan Cazenove soberly in a note. "The EBIT forecast is revised up slightly, but remains in line with consensus, while the increase in investment spending reduces the cash flow outlook," says the broker. Indeed, Faurecia has revised down to 100 million euros its forecast net cash flow in 2011, against 200 million euros expected so far.

It is this last point that holds the attention of investors on Tuesday at the Paris Bourse. In early trade, the title Faurecia drops 1.55% to 29.87 euros in a market up 0.55%.

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The BBC could eliminate 3000 jobs

July 10, 2011 - 7:04 pm Comments Off

BBC slashing its workforce. The Sunday Times, the group British public broadcasting might delete jobs by 3000 to five years, as part of a plan to reduce costs. This plan applies this fall, would provide a lower budget of around 20%.

The purpose of such savings is to deal with new budget information inherited from the British austerity plan: last October, the government has indeed frozen Cameron 2017 license fee received by the BBC, and forced the group to Broadcast new charges. It will include finance its broadcast services outside Great Britain, the BBC "World Service", formerly under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the installation of broadband lines in rural areas.In total, the amount of the bill amounted to 340 million pounds (385 million) for the BBC, 16% of its budget.

"Pure Speculation"

While 8,000 jobs were cut in the group since 2005, the BBC had already announced in January the elimination of 650 positions in the "world service", with the closure of some offices abroad. This time, the British group would separate about 20% of its 17,000 employees. A spokesman for the BBC, however, denied the claims of the Sunday Times on Sunday, calling it "pure speculation" the figure put forward by the newspaper.

According to the Sunday Times, the group should also make public this week a reduction in costs generated by management.For example, members of its board of directors were paid 2.7 million pounds last year (3 million), against 4.8 million the year before, said Sunday Times. A reminder that ordinary employees are not the only ones to bear the painful consequences of rigor.

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Wall Street sign a great week in the green

July 2, 2011 - 12:04 pm Comments Off

The NYSE has ended sharply higher Friday, boosted by a surprisingly strong industrial indicator in the U.S., allowing the Dow to gain 1.36% and the Nasdaq 1.53% on Friday before a weekend of three day – Monday, the stock market is closed due to national holiday in the United States.

According to final figures, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 168.43 points to 12,582.77 in points and the Nasdaq, dominated by technology, from 42.51 points to 2816.03 points.The broader index Standard & Poor's 500 rose 1.44% (19.03 points) to 1339.67 points.

The Dow Jones ended in green all sessions of the week on which it jumped 5.4%, its best performance since July 2009

The day before, now, Wall Street had closed on an open rise, encouraged in this direction by the Chicago PMI – and the relief felt on both sides of the Atlantic after the second vote in Parliament in Greece. Voting allows the application of the austerity plan as expected, and the release of 12 billion euros in aid to Athens.However, the agreement of the Eurogroup surl second aid plan, expected this weekend, take a little longer than expected, according to diplomatic sources.

U.S. Policy and Debt

Another current, more American and more uncertain, however, could be followed by operators, mindful of the political context, while U.S. debt back on the front of the stage: the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States Timothy Geithner, in fact, consider soon resign from his post.Information reported yesterday by the Bloomberg financial news agency and other U.S. media, but qualified this morning.

Consumption, construction and industrial activity

In terms of macroeconomic indicators, the activity of manufacturing accelerated in June in the United States, according to an index released Friday by the professional association ISM, which stood at 55.3% as against 53 3% month précédent.Cet index, analysts expected a decline to 51.1%, is above 50%, the line between expansion and contraction, for the twenty-third consecutive month.

Consumer confidence fell in June in the United States, according to the index of U.S. consumer confidence released Friday by the University of Michigan, who finally stood at 71.5, lower than analysts had thought .A first estimate, released in mid-June, the index stood at 71.8 and analysts expected that this figure does not change pas.Après two months of increases, this index declined 2.8 percentage points at the end of May, and falling to its lowest level since April.

$ 4.5 billion for Nortel patents

On the corporate side, the maker of BlackBerry phones Research In Motion (RIM), is 0.28% to 28.93 dollars after the announcement yesterday of an agreement avoiding, at the General Meeting of July 12, vote on a motion challenging the operation of its management.Turbulent in recent times, the action RIM has tumbled almost 41% in one year, closing at 28.85 dollars Thursday on the Nasdaq, while the S & P 500 gained at the same time 28.55%.

Apple (2.26% to 343.26 dollars) Research in Motion and Microsoft (0.08% to 26.02 dollars), however, are part of a group of six companies that got their hands on the latest patents The telecoms equipment maker Nortel (1.82% to 29.14 dollars). The acquisition represents $ 4.5 billion (3.10 billion euros), after an auction that Google has removed (2.89%) and Intel (1.67% at 22, $ 53)

EMC Corp., and Sony Ericsson are the other members of the winning consortium, Nortel said in a statement released Thursday night.Telecommunications giant to the Internet bubble burst, Nortel filed for bankruptcy in January 2009 and has since liquidated most of its assets, raising about $ 3.2 billion.

In any other industry, General Mills (0.35% to 37.35 dollars) announced Friday the completion of the acquisition of half of the yogurt maker Yoplait, which he was the franchise in the United States. General Mills bought for about $ 1.2 billion (830 million), with the investment fund PAI Partners and the cooperative Sodiaal, 51% stake in Yoplait SAS and 50% of the entity holding world Yoplait brands.

High wages: tax withheld by employers

June 30, 2011 - 6:08 pm Comments Off

The French Association of Private Enterprises (Afep), which includes very large groups, will this evening at dinner Xavier Bertrand. Labour Minister and his guests have something to talk about everything found: the taxation of the remuneration of top managers.

Xavier Bertrand Tuesday reiterated the government's intention, not to establish a "maximum wage", but to increase the levies on companies' pay extravagant wages "- which in his view, means" several million euros. " The idea was initiated by a part of the majority in the debate on the alleviation of the ISF and the end of the tax shield. The Left had also seen a way to feel good after a "gift to the rich" … The measure should be passed in the fall.It could take two forms: a new tax or the inability to deduct the payments of the tax base of companies. "I favor the latter possibility," the minister said Tuesday.

"Branding a category»

Neither of the two formulas, in any case not suitable for Afep. Its chairman, Maurice Levy (Publicis Groupe), found the need to "be bad enough faith to consider that there is a problem together" on the compensation of top managers of French companies. Based on a study Aon Hewitt, he assured that they are on average paid less than their counterparts at the head of U.S. companies, Swiss, British, Spanish or German. "It's not healthy to attack a general executive compensation. This leads to stigmatize a category, "says Maurice Levy."I'm not at all support the idea that decides what should be the compensation of one or the other, in a total abstraction of what the company," he says. As to subject executive compensation to the general meeting of shareholders, rather than the board or a special committee, the president of the Afep sees "no need to submit to such AG decision over another ", saying that there is already" in the company a democracy that works very well. " Annual reports, accessible, detailed executive compensation.

"Personally," Maurice Levy, however, sees "no objection" that the persons whose total income is high "contribute more in difficult times," as an "element of solidarity."

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Fillon wants to tax companies that pay too bosses

June 18, 2011 - 12:20 pm Comments Off

Overtax businesses too generous with their leaders. The idea was launched by Prime Minister Francois Fillon in an interview published Saturday in Nice Matin: "With the government, I think about a device that is to overtax the companies issuing exorbitant fees."

The head of government is responding to the proposal of Xavier Bertrand, Minister of Labour and Employment, to "tax" or "frame" the "extravagant salaries." It lampooned in an interview published Thursday by Les Echos code of conduct drawn up on the subject of big salaries. "Write a code of conduct is good. The enforcement is better, "he said. Considering that some large companies did not comply with these principles, the Minister has threatened to legislate on the issue.

Shocked by some earnings

In Nice Matin, François Fillon rejects such an approach in trying to punish companies through a tax rather than the bosses through a ceiling unsurpassable. If it says "shocked" by some remuneration of senior executives, the Prime Minister "not [believe] not the regulation of wages for some totally disconnected from economic reality of the business and wage negotiations." However, he called the companies to regulate themselves. If they do not, the government will make decisions, he added.

The salaries of officers of the CAC 40 rose 19% in 2010 compared to 2011 according to a study of the expansion. Their average salary was 4.2 million.And increases do not always correspond to performance industrial markets.

No revaluation of the minimum wage

François Fillon said in the same interview in Nice morning that there would be no boost given to the minimum wage at its next revaluation. "Today, it would be an economic mistake. This will overwrite the hierarchy of wages and would drive up labor costs and thus unemployment, "he justified.

François Fillon has argued that "before 2000, the labor cost of products manufactured in France was on average 15% cheaper than in Germany."However, "since the 35 hours, this advantage was lost in some sectors such as agriculture and services, we are overtaking Germany," he said.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the next automatic adjustment of minimum wage-price inflation when the achieved 2% since the previous revaluation, "could take place" in August.

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