World News, Financial News, Breaking US News

The De Beers diamond bet on a shortage of diamonds in the long term. To prolong the life of its mines, therefore he wants to reduce its production. Such a decision could have an immediate impact on prices, with an increase of 5% according to some analysts, De Beers alone representing 40% of sales of rough diamonds throughout the world.

The world provides a stabilization of its production to 40 million carats in the next two years, against 48 million carats in 2008.The predicted shortage should be accelerated by new demand from Asian countries, including China, where these stones are very popular online cash advance.

In twenty years, no site has been discovered that can compete with the mines operated by De Beers in South Africa or that of Alrosa in Russia.

After a difficult 2009 which resulted in losses, the diamond table on profits this year, and until 2014. Some analysts see the move as a preamble to a re-IPO of the group.

ALSO READ:

One carat diamond discovered 500 South Africa

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Wednesday nudged up its forecast for global growth but said the risks to the recovery, particularly the developed countries' public debt and imbalances in capital flows. In fact, the institution has maintained its growth forecast for the eurozone to 1% in 2010, while stressing the fragility of the recovery against the risk of the Greek budget crisis and its possible contagion effects.

In its "World Economic Outlook, the IMF now expects growth of 4.2% against 3.9% estimated in January. The forecast of +4.3% for 2011 is unchanged. In 2009, world GDP had declined by 0.6%.

"The recovery of the global economy has developed better than expected," said Fund."The activity recovers at different rates, timidly in many advanced countries, but strong in most emerging and developing," he noted.

Growth will be slower in Europe (1% in the euro area, 1.3% in the United Kingdom) and Japan (1.9%). It would be higher in contrast to the United States (3.1%). But it would mainly driven by emerging markets and developing countries (6.3%), the Asia head (8.7%, 10% for China).

In this context, the IMF expressed concern about the impact on capital flows."Estimates of IMF economists show that current account imbalances will increase significantly with the resumption of world trade, improving financial conditions and the stabilization of commodity prices at higher levels," said the institution No fax pay day loan.

"The currencies of a number of Asian economies remain undervalued in significant proportions in the case of the yuan, while the dollar and the euro remained strong over the medium term fundamentals," said the IMF.

In addition, the Fund insisted on another risk to global growth, the swelling public debt of developed countries.

While advising maintain expansionary policies in 2010, he believes that "many of these countries must also take urgent credible medium-term strategies to reduce public debt and then back to more conservative levels ."The risks associated with foreign states may depress the activity for a variety of reasons," noted the IMF.

"The high ratios of debt (relative to GDP, ie) would hinder budgetary flexibility, lead to higher interest rates in the general economy, increase the vulnerability of economies budgetary difficulties, and compressing the growth," he listed.

Finally, the Fund has called on governments to "repair and reform the financial sector, to end the gaps in regulation, and to" support the creation of jobs and the unemployed, the unemployment rate to remain at around 8.5% in developed countries until the end of 2011.

"Dust volcanic paralysis airport dangerous for the economy." The Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CGPME) became concerned Monday that could have consequences for European sky empty of planes. Dramatization? CGPME quick to point out a little further in his text that only SMEs "whose activity is immediately dependent on air transport" are currently affected.

If paralysis continues, the slow recovery of the economy will she threatened? "If this situation persists, all French SMEs encounter difficulties," worries CGPME. Everything depends on the duration of the flight ban imposed much of European airspace. "The problem is simple: the shock will be there temporarily or not?" Says Philippe Waechter, head of economic research at Natixis."For now, all this is annoying but does not call into question the economic recovery."

"A crisis of this type can be analyzed as attacks or an outbreak, however, significant events that have little overall economic impacts," said Nicolas Bouzou for its part, an economist at Aster. Especially since the paralysis of European airspace should not have a huge impact on trade between Europe and the rest of the world, according to the Economist: "80% of goods moved by boat. And the businessmen will still meet in videoconferencing payday loan instant. "

Attacks and pandemic

The situation is somewhat reminiscent of the paralysis attacks of Sept. 11, which at the time, had greatly affected the airline."This event has changed the behavior vis-?-vis the air, but the current environment is extremely different," relativize Philippe Waechter. "Today, if the ban is lifted, all restarts as before." September 11 has also not necessarily have any impact on the economy, beyond transport. "It is very difficult to detect traces of attacks on the World Trade Center on economic growth," said Nicolas Bouzou.

More recently, influenza H1N1 has raised fears the worst. Especially because of the flight ban could be decided to limit the spread of the virus. The worst-case scenarios developed while anticipating a decline in U.S. GDP by 1.5% year over year. Impact due to paralysis of all types of transport, the cancellation of sporting and cultural events and absenteeism rates of about 30 to 40% in companies.In comparison, the ash cloud would block more than 150,000 French nationals abroad. For a limited time.

See also:

"Economic consequences cascade

"Volcano: expected improvement by the end of the week

Wall Street starts the week with stability: the Dow Jones is quasi-equilibrium (+0.03%) in the first exchanges, the Nasdaq also (+0.06%). few minutes after the bell, the indices are moving a bit better: to 15.45, the Dox Jones up 0.17% at 11,016 points and the Nasdaq is 0.21%, to 2459 points. The S & P 500 wins he, 0.28%, to 1198 points.

The Nikkei closed up 0.42% to 11251.90 Monday lmatin points, supported by positive indicators published this weekend in the United States and by higher metal prices that has benefited the trading companies.

The U.S. stock markets have recently experienced six consecutive weeks of increases, an unprecedented series from the lowest 12 years and a half touchdowns in March 2009.On Friday, the Dow briefly crossed into the symbolic meeting of 11 000 points to finish at a cable that level at precisely 10 997.35 points. For its part, the Standard & Poor's 500 took 0.67% to 1 194.37 points and the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.71% to 2454.05 points. Since its low point of March 9, 2009, the S & P 500 has now increased by 75%.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro is rising against the dollar this morning after the announcement yesterday by the countries of the eurozone plan the details of aid to Greece.The European currency was trading at just below $ 1.37.

Indicators to monitor

On the macroeconomic front, the week will be marked by several important indicators, as the index of consumer prices, retail sales for the month of March, industrial production, housing starts and the first estimate of the confidence index Reuters / Michigan.

The markets will also follow the hearing of Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, the Congressional Joint Economic Committee on Wednesday and will monitor closely developments in the case of the Greek debt.

Alcoa will open the show publications

The week will be decisive for the U.S. markets. Investors will receive the first quarterly results of major listed companies.As usual, the aluminum giant Alcoa will kick off the season of publications, on Monday after the close of Wall Street. Analysts expected a return to profit, its first since a year.

Meanwhile, Alcoa shares are 1.53%, to 14.62 dollars.

The coming week will also be driven by quarterly results from Intel, Google, General Electric and JPMorgan Chase & Co. banks among others.

On the side of values, the oil industry runs the meeting. Friday Chevron (0.74%, to 80.1 dollars), without giving a figure, has announced an increase its refining margins in the first quarter. The group takes advantage of the rising oil prices and a possible improvement in its refining margins.The major U.S. must publish its accounts on April 30.

According to the press, the merger between United Airlines and U.S. Airways (2.73%, to 7.52 dollars) should be performed exclusively by exchange of shares.

LE FIGARO. – Your estate at the head of Generali was held a week ago by Mediobanca, the main shareholder. The agreement was then found that satisfy you?

Antoine Bernheim. – No. Of course I understand that we did not wish to renew for three years president of 85 years. But in this case, it is obvious that age is an excuse. I do not accept the way things have been made against me and against Generali. Me, I was offered an "honorary president", but not at the board of directors! As for the company, its management has been decided from the outside, in Mediobanca. And he provides a board where anyone outside the two managing directors (CEOs, Ed) will not know anything for insurance. They even rejected Claude Tendil, president of Generali France, which is one of the best insurers in the world.Generali deserves better than that. We do not yet know how the powers will be defined between the two managing directors and the president. As for Mr. Geronzi, who must take the presidency, I wonder … This is not an insurer and he always said he did not want this job.

Will you accept this patronage?

Honestly, I do not know yet. Thanks to Mediobanca, I'm not even on the list of directors to be presented at the meeting April 24. Given what I represent in the history of Generali, I think it's an insult. Ultimately, I could accept such a position, if I was director. And then, when we, like me, been kicked out of a masterful kick, one is rather tempted to retaliate. I am.I would add that on April 24, the small shareholders in Generali will, too, have a say.

Vincent Bollore, who is close to you has participated in the council and Mediobanca will become vice chairman of Generali. This does not "compensate" Does not your departure?

Vincent Bollore said he did everything he could within the nominations committee of Mediobanca. I think, though, in reality, I think that he is not against the idea of a withdrawal to my age. He advises me for months already to accept a honorary president for life and the benefits attached to them.Do I need? After all, my phone rings again …

As for the future role within the board of Generali, Vincent Bollore – who, as intelligent and dynamic as it is, is not an insurer – I do not know what he can be when we clearly supports a takeover of Generali by Mediobanca.

What do you mean?

I think if you put me in the door today Generali, because I defend an orthodox management, exclusively serving the interests of the company and its shareholders, not special interests. I also fought for what is Generali of Italy, a treasure, one of his very few companies to be known worldwide. We're number two in France, Germany, Central Europe, in China too (private sector).But for the merchant bank Mediobanca, which is no longer the hub of the Italian economy, it was the time of Enrico Cuccia, the issue has always been to return to power at Generali No teletrack payday loan. What has never been neither in the interests of the company and its customers or the interests of Italy.

The defense of Generali, it was also against the appetites of other insurers. Have you, during your presidency, proposed a marriage with AXA?

My duty has always been to defend, with all my strength, the "Italian character" of Generali. So yes, Axa has always wanted a reconciliation, but I've always been against. And I have often said Claude Bebear.If it was thought at one time or another, the fact that French is the head of Generali was a godsend, he finally had to give in to reason.

Compare yourself today the circumstances of your departure to the 1999?

When I became the CEO of Generali in 1995, it achieved very little of its profit in connection with its object. She was content to sell property to make profits! In four years, I had doubled the turnover consolidated global market capitalization tripled. But Mediobanca from me in 1999. As I said at the time, and this remains true, the recognition is a disease of the dog not transmissible to man!

And then in 2002, Mediobanca, very concerned about the financial situation of Generali, which was lost, asked me to return. What not to the liking of everyone.Antonio Fazio, Governor of the Bank of Italy, has done everything for me put a spoke in the wheels. But he failed. Others were convinced that I would not set goals that I had with the two managing directors: we had developed a considerable business plan, for a term of three years for the management, instead of just one year as was. And as I have done my job, they could not get rid of me … until now.

This special relationship between Generali and Mediobanca did she embarrassed in your plans for the insurer?

Yes, because Mediobanca would not be diluted stake in Generali. They have never wanted me to realize any capital increase. Mediobanca may not, from his point of view, giving room for maneuver to Generali, and I worry for its future.Because if the company has managed to partially rebuild its capital after the terrible financial crisis we went through these past two years, it will not be sufficient to meet future regulatory requirements under Solvency 2 Directive nor more needs to be developed by means not only organic but also by major acquisitions.

At one point, he will make a capital increase. And better sooner than later because the liquidity has been abundant in recent months, will not always what you …

ALSO READ:

"Generali turns the page Bernheim

"Great exercises for the presidency of Generali

"What insurers are saving the French

A first for a group of ACC 40.Total was indicted on 27 February by the French judge Serge Tournaire, corruption, complicity and concealment of influence peddling in the case called "oil-food cons", echoing the UN program established in 1997 for the Iraqis, when the international embargo following the invasion of Kuwait.

After the setbacks in terms of image for Total, with Erika – Total was sentenced on appeal to pay 375,000 euros – and AZF, this attack could further extend the negative perception of the French vis-?-vis the oil group .

A decision "incomprehensible"

The investigation started in 2002 had directed to various French personalities suspected of having distributed the early 2000s kickbacks to members of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein that the group continues to source barrels of oil outside the framework imposed program of the UN oil-food cons.

Several officers and employees of the group had been indicted personally since 2006. But this time, it's Total as corporation that is under no faxing pay day loans.

"This decision (of indictment of the Total Group, NDRL) recommence the proceedings," said Master Veil, the lawyer of Total, has told AFP the date of the indictment, and thus confirmed information from the newspaper Les Echos."The judge took this decision against all odds, while his predecessor and the prosecution had held the contrary, at least implicitly," he added, saying the indictment "incomprehensible."

Total will watch his side surprised by this indictment, which "comes eight years after the commencement of the trial, with no new element has been placed on file," according to Les Echos.

Indeed, Serge Tournaire succeeded Xaviere Someone who had requested a non-place for all employees and former employees, and the boss of Total, Christophe de Margerie. In addition, Total said that "the report Volker independent commission of inquiry established by the United Nations had rejected any complaint of corruption."

ALSO READ:

"Total sentenced on appeal to the Erika disaster

"AZF: the appeal trial in early 2011

What a pleasant surprise! In March, the barometer of the moral frameworks (- 26) has won eight points from February, regaining its 2005 level. "This result is exceptional in scope and that ends the period of depression began in the fall of 2008, is a bundle of factors, both macro and micro," said Francois Miquet-Marty, president of ViaVoice.

Last month, the number of unemployed has increased by "only" 0.1% and the Prime Minister said that the unemployment curve "should be reversed" this year.

In this context, the pessimism fades frames. They are more than 23% against 28% a month earlier, suggests that the number of unemployed would "increase significantly" in the coming months. It's the same for the outlook for living standards. The frames provide a breakdown is no longer the majority (45% against 51% in February).

Occupational mobility

Moreover, two important indicators, as forming part of life, experiencing a frank improvement. Thus, 25% of executives (+ 7 points) believe that opportunities to advance their careers in the coming months "will be important" and 18% (+5 points) than their financial situation "will improve" easy payday loans.

Regional elections have also played a role in improving the morale of white-collar. "Their result has reassured the French left's ability to register their camp in a dynamic of conquest of power and those on the right on the determination of the President of the Republic to maintain focus and to pursue reforms, with the exception of the carbon tax, "said Francois Miquet-Marty.Asked about the place and role of higher education, executives claim, massively, more money for it. Eight out of ten consider, in fact, that France "does not invest enough" in this teaching.

On effectiveness, their opinion is also positive. Seven in ten "confidence" in higher education to deliver a broad general education and a narrow majority (52%), they also make it "trust" to prepare young people for the job.

ALSO READ:

"The executives happy at work

The comeback of frames

"Moral frameworks: the acclaimed Model EDF

Deliveries of goods for export jumped 45.3% in February in Japan, their biggest increase in nearly three decades. Exports rose towards all continents for the first time since 2007, according to figures released today by the Ministry of Finance nippon.

Despite the concerns of the Japanese government vis-?-vis the deflation threat, the dramatic rebound in exports could indicate the consolidation of the recovery so far seen as fragile and dispel any doubts about a possible recession.

The sharp increase reflects a recovery of global trade but also by a calculation that gives in February 2009 as the reference period. Japanese exports were then plunged 49.4%. Imports were up 29.5% last month.

The mobilization of Tuesday has been much lower than last year. 800,000 demonstrators responded to the appeal of unions on Tuesday by the CGT for a national day of action aimed at influencing government policy on political and social. If this mobilization came shortly after the regional elections, the appointment union had however taken immediately after the Social Summit in February, meeting at the initiative of the Head of State to discuss, among other things, the upcoming construction of the reform pensions.

Tuesday afternoon, thousands of demonstrators began to march throughout France. If 60,000 participants were recorded in Paris by the CGT, 10,000 people marched in Nantes, the source said, police still had no figures available. They were 7000 in Le Mans, police said. In Rennes, the mobilization seemed weaker.Lyon accounted as 10,000 demonstrators by police, and Marseille, between 12,000 and 50,000. Bernard Thibault, the CGT leader, welcomed Tuesday a "mobilization rather good, given the lack of communication media on the day of action, because of elections."

The strike of civil servants was also relatively followed in mid-day. The department estimated that 21% the proportion of striking teachers, estimated at 40% for the SNES-FSU, a rate higher than the previous mobilizations. 11.45% of the postal employees were also mobilized by the leadership. At the station, the strike rate was estimated at 28% by management, and 32% by the CGT.At RATP, it would amount to 14% depending on the direction, the CGT-RATP not yet have figures to communicate.

Pension reform crystallized discontent

Two main points Tuesday crystallized the opposition of unions, following the government reshuffle.

• Pensions: major point of contention between the unions and the government, the pension reform was launched at the Social Summit in February. While the dialogue should begin early April, several union leaders have spoken about this on Tuesday, sending a warning to the government. The CFDT leader Francois Ch?r?que has called for reform reduces inequality cash advance america ."Of course we must change our pension system, but it does not evolve towards greater social justice, this is again a loss of confidence in politics." Therefore, it could "be the sport at a social level," he warns. Jean-Claude Mailly, secretary general of FP, for his part reiterated on Tuesday his commitment to the LCI retirement at age 60, holding "absurd" the solution of longer working hours to alleviate the funding problems induced by the lengthening of life expectancy. "If we follow this logic, women live longer should work longer," he argued. As for Bernard Thibault, leader of the CGT, he believes "we can not impose reform on accounting criteria exclusively, also challenging the objectivity of the Advisory Committee of pensions. "This appointment will be very difficult to carry," he predicted.Probably heard a speech by the new Labor Minister, Eric Woerth, who insisted on Tuesday on the need to "protect" the current system "an equitable reform.

• Employment: while the unemployment rate back above the 10% in the fourth quarter of 2009, the CFDT called for taking further steps to assist employees affected by the crisis. Pleading for an appeal to partial unemployment, training rather than dismissal, the leader of the CFDT has also called for financial support purchasing power and resources center for sustainable employment. The employees "have the feeling that we no longer speak of their real situation since September. An impression they would have in his Sunday expressed through the ballot box. The government must now "give strong signals, and change of method," he said.A view shared by the leader of the CGT, Bernard Thibault, who on Tuesday urged the convening of a new social summit at the Elysee. The meeting, a time desired by the head of state says he would aim to "take stock of the situation regarding employment, economic and social policy and purchasing power for practical decisions for implementing fast.

ALSO READ:

"SNCF: traffic estimates for strike

The SGC of the oil industry, the majority, urged employees of the 13 refineries in the French strike Thursday, April 15, when a national roundtable on the future of refining in France, the union said in a statement Wednesday.

The union claims a "refining industry to serve the economic needs and the country's social and employment areas.

The panel of 15 April under the aegis of government, was obtained during the strike a week for employees of Total's refining industry in late February.

The Total Group announced Monday the end of its refining operations in Dunkirk, one of its six refineries in France, while maintaining the 370 jobs at the site through industrial restructuring, considered insufficient by the employees.

On Tuesday, employees of the refinery had planned to launch a new appeal for solidarity from other refineries in France group.

Total number of unions are to meet Thursday to take a common position.

ALSO READ:

"Total stop refining at Dunkirk