Posts Tagged ‘life’

Soon a smartphone signed Aston Martin

April 6, 2011 - 3:36 pm Comments Off

For now, his name is still barbaric. The CPT002, phone signed Aston Martin still makes quite an impression at the show's World Watch and Jewellery Show in Basel in March. Result of unprecedented collaboration between the luxury car manufacturer and designer of mobile high-end Canadian Mobiado, this smartphone, surprised by its design.

Still in prototype stage, the CPT002 indeed has the distinction of being entirely of glass with a transparent central portion, like a giant windshield! The surface of the touch screen is sapphire high strength, unbreakable and impossible to scratch, according to Mobiado. Edges, platinum and titanium, incorporate all electronic components, including battery, two microcameras and location for the SIM card. Aston Martin logo is placed at the back of the camera.

Direct connection to the Aston Martin

This phone will run Android.Like all other smartphones, it will give access to a large number of applications. According to its manufacturers it will be especially characteristic of facilitating travel for holders of Aston Martin. The mobile will thus open, close and start the vehicle paydayloans. The CPT002 will automatically connect to the GPS board and, through its geo-location software Foursquare, it will keep contacts informed Facebook and Twitter to the location of the driver.

The latter, which has installed cameras in the cabin of his vehicle, able to transmit real-time on social networks images captured by the phone. Finally, CPT002, previously installed in the pocket of the driver, will be equipped with an accelerometer that will, in case of accident, the airbags deploy with as much precision as possible.

Fans of Aston Martin, however, must still wait before buying this technological marvel. No date of production or marketing has yet been announced, although some mention the output of a first range in May. Regarding the price, no information either from the two manufacturers. But like the famous cars will need to hand the portfolio. The Mobiado luxury phones are sold on average from 1300 dollars per unit (approximately 915 euros).

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Free, guilty of practices "abusive and illegal"

March 23, 2011 - 3:12 pm Comments Off

The consumer wins a round face Free. The Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris ruled in favor of the association UFC-Que Choisir ordering the service provider (ISP) to "stop a number of illegal practices" and to delete from its general conditions of sale particular clauses considered "unreasonable". Free society was ordered to pay the Consumers' Association the sum of 50,000 euros in damages. The Iliad, the parent of Free, did not wish to make comment.

Free will and remove certain "terms and conditions of the offer triple play (internet, telephone, TV), its brochure and pricing of its website," "multiple practices" are also involved, said to AFP Nicolas Godfrey, a lawyer by the UFC-Que Choisir.This underlines that the court found that "the presentation of the payment method seemed misleading to the consumer and guided him to direct debit low fee pay day loans. In addition, Free "billed additional charges if you choose to pay by check or credit card, which the court found unlawful."

Moreover, the consumer association was clearly engaged "in terms of termination to deferred collection for us," said Nicolas Godfrey were a semantic loophole (to apply a termination fee) and that the court well recognized as such. " The court's decision thus gives consumers "the ability to challenge the billings already made or those coming for those who terminate on the basis of the VAT hike," said the lawyer.Mobilization of consumers had already resulted in early, to thwart the rising prices of certain operators, such as Bouygues, in response to the VAT hike.

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The Asian market, while green

February 14, 2011 - 10:00 am Comments Off

On this day of Valentine, happiness reigns in the Asian stock markets, which restarts on a good foot this new week, Tokyo head. Closed Friday due to holiday (Feast of the Foundation of the Nation "), while financial markets were relieved by the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday granted a remedial effect.

On Monday, the Nikkei 225 Index climbed 1.13% to 10,725.54 points. While the Japanese GDP will contract in the last quarter of 2010, but less than expected 0.3%. Over the whole of 2010, however, it grew by 3.9%, driven by sales to emerging countries, including China, and supported much of the year offset by government grants this fall.

Among the largest increases, Toyota climbed 2.51% at 3,870 yen or 2.68% at Honda 3635 yen.

Expected inflation in China down

Japan, already exceeded the first time in a quarter this summer, could not maintain its position as second largest economy on the whole of 2010. It is the China that now occupies, with GDP amounted to 5.8786 trillion dollars against 5.4742 trillion dollars in Japan. China could overtake the top spot in the U.S. in 2025.

Morale is looking good on the Chinese financial markets. The Hang Seng Index rose 1.07% to 23,073 points and the CSI index jumped 2.50% to 3198.93 points. On Monday, market rumors also point to a possible decline in inflation in China. The figure will be released tomorrow but the good news is already spreading, and despite a change in the method of calculating this statistic.

Finally, the trade surplus of the Middle Kingdom has fallen by over half in January to $ 6.45 billion, as imports surged 51% year on year, reported Monday's China Customs. The illustration of the willingness of Chinese leaders to reduce the dependence of the second world economy vis-à-vis exports and expand domestic demand and household consumption. And good news for Americans who accuse China of deliberately letting their yuan undervalued to promote exports.

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China rose 1.86% to 4370 yuan and Agricultural Bank of China is 1.91% to 2660 yuan.

Other places in the region are doing well, like oil

Other areas of the region also benefit from these stock performance.The Taiwan TAIEX Index advances 0.88% at 8685.47 points, the KRX 100 of Seoul wins 1.92% to 4275.46 points, the S & P / ASX 200 is 1.12% at 4935.80 points, the BSE Sensex 30 rose 1.52% to 17,997.90 points and the FTSE Straits Times Index was up 1.08% to 3110.59 points.

Crude prices were on the upside Monday in electronic trading in Asia, while the fear of other regimes in the Middle East like Egypt switch boosts prices, dealers said. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for March delivery gained 2 cents to $ 85.60. That of Brent North Sea with identical maturity took 67 cents to 101.61 dollars.

The CAC 40 in its highest since October 2008

February 2, 2011 - 1:56 am Comments Off

The CAC 40 continues on the path to higher Tuesday. Halfway through, the benchmark index in Paris gained 0.86% at 4039.98 points. Investors, who pushed the benchmark index in Paris yesterday to rebound, do everything to maintain the 4000 points. The closing in the green on Wall Street and the increases, even timid, in Asia this morning, contend that the movement extends to other European markets: The London Stock Exchange climbed 0.81% to 5910.69 points. The Dax index featuring the Frankfurt Stock Exchange gained 0.97% on its side at 7145.90 points.

But the news from China are likely to weigh on morale. According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP), the PMI manufacturing index for January was again slowed to 52.9 in January against 53.9 in December 2010 and 55.2 in November. HSBC is less categorical and evokes a PMI remained virtually unchanged at 54.5 in January, against 54.4 in December.What sow doubt in the minds of investors, already disrupted by protests in Egypt.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro continued to rise above $ 1.37 on Tuesday after sharp rebound the previous day fueled by the figures for inflation in the euro zone that gave rise to speculation about a increase in the rate of the European Central Bank. Around 11:15 in Paris, the euro bought 1.3775 dollars against 1.3686 dollars late Monday, its highest level since Nov. 22.

Gust Statistics

Still on macroeconomic, particularly busy day ahead.

In France:

– The producer prices in December rose 1% after rising 0.4% in November, while prices for exports have been 0.6%, INSEE said on Tuesday.Furthermore, growth of manufacturing activity slowed in January, falling to its weakest pace in six months. The PMI index fell to 54.9 against 57.2 in December. An initial estimate had been given to 54.3 a week ago.

For the euro area:

– The number of jobseekers in Germany fell by 13,000 in January in seasonally adjusted data, more than expected, falling to 3.135 million, said Tuesday the Federal Labour Office.

– Manufacturing activity accelerated faster than expected in January.The PMI index rose to 57.3 in January against 57.1 in December, higher than the flash estimate of 56.9.

– The unemployment rate was 10% in December, unchanged from November.

In the U.S., the ISM manufacturing index will also be published, along with construction spending in December (16 hours.

Sanofi gets closer still Genzyme

As for values to be followed:

The values of the energy sector that benefits from rising oil prices. Total clinching 2.37% to 43.73 euros, Technip 2.60% to 72.1 euros O and CGC Veritas winning 3.30% to 22.89 euros.

Club Med: + 0.57% to 16.85 euros, Lafarge: + 2.37% to 44.30 euros, Air France: + 0.52% to 13.42 euros

The tour operator and the cement, very present in Egypt, are particularly challenged in price since the beginning of political troubles in the country.They are less so today, the day of the "march of a million" people in Cairo and Alexandria.

For its part, Air France will increase its capacity between Paris and Egypt from Tuesday to facilitate the repatriation of its customers payday loans online.

Sanofi-Aventis: + 1.11% to 50.43 euros

The French group and its U.S. counterpart Genzyme reached an agreement in principle on the structure of a rapprochement between the two groups said on Monday two sources familiar with the matter.Moreover, U.S. authorities have opened preliminary investigations on the potential risks of drugs produced by Sanofi-Aventis and other laboratories, said Monday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Renault: -0.91% to 47.35 euros

The automaker announced Monday expected to resume with an operating profit in 2010, the current year to be marked, he said, in an operating margin of 2.8% against -1.2% in 2009. More generally, manufacturers will be monitored with the publication today of car registrations in January. The market is still supported by scrapping, because in January registrations were up 3.1% at comparable number of working days.

BNP Paribas: + 1.94% to 55.66 euros, Societe Generale: + 0.28% to 47.38 euros

The bans short selling of financial stocks, decided in 2008 after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers at the height of the financial crisis, will be lifted on Tuesday along with the entry into force of a modified version of the General Regulation The AMF makes such a mandatory takeover bid from the ownership threshold of 30% and not more than 33% of a company.

EADS: + 0.45% to 21.14 euros

A WTO report issued Monday contends that Boeing has received U.S. government grants unjustified.This latest announcement "a huge rejection of assertions of the European Union."

GDF Suez: + 0.74% to 29.19 euros

The group announced lundiun agreement for the purchase of five underground storage sites for natural gas in Germany, and a stake of up to 19.7% in another site.

EDF: -2.76% to 31.31 euros

EDF shares recorded the strongest decrease in the CAC 40 after information Voices that Paul Champsaur, one of the architects of the reform of the electricity in France, will offer a selling price of electricity from nuclear EDF lower than that required by the electrician.

ArcelorMittal: + 0.73% to 26.80 euros

The steel and mining group Vale, but also groups of South Korean and Chinese companies are among the 15 candidates for the development of Tavan Tolgoi coal site in Mongolia, considered the main source of untapped coking coal in the world.Its reserves are estimated at five billion tonnes.

Technip: + 2.73% to 72.91 euros

The group announced Tuesday it had won, in consortium with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, an engineering contract for a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) in Malaysia.

Carrefour: -1.26% to 35.19 euros

The retail giant confirmed Monday to study various projects likely to lead to the marketing of certain of its assets, including its real estate subsidiary Carrefour Property.

Alten: + 3.54% to 26.39 euros

The group announced Monday include organic growth of at least 8% in 2011, driven by the dynamism of its markets, and pursue acquisitions.

United Kingdom: very liberal reform of health

January 21, 2011 - 8:44 am Comments Off

The coalition government led by David Cameron yesterday launched nothing less than the most significant reform of the British system of public health since its inception in 1948. The plan will give more power to GPs and will put in competition with private and public structures, which is denounced by the opposition Labor Party as a back-door attempt to "privatize" the National Health Service (NHS, National Health Service) .

Although the health sector is the only branch of the state untouched by the 81 billion pounds (96 billion) of budget cuts, the coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats has aimed to 4% savings on the health budget, a total of 20 billion pounds in four years.The money saved by reforming the system should be fully reinvested to improve the quality of care and offset the rising cost of health care costs.

David Cameron recalled last weekend that Britain was still below the EU average in many areas, such as survival rates for different types of cancer.

The reform, which concerns only England (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are autonomous in managing their health care system), was presented yesterday to Parliament by the Conservative Minister of Health Andrew Lansley fast cash advance.While Tony Blair and Gordon Brown had tried to improve the quality of the system by investing billions of pounds and more than 400,000 by recruiting new staff for the NHS in a decade, Cameron's plan will remove two hierarchical levels in the administration and should result in significant staff reductions.

Quest for the best price

Currently, public hospitals are controlled by a British chain of command that goes from regional levels to Ministry of Health at the top. From 2013, the new system will remove the control to the Minister of Health to empower GPs, GP (General Practitioners). These physicians, together with regional groupings, have the responsibility to manage up to 80 billion pounds on a total budget of more than 100 billion pounds.Depending on their needs and objectives, they define the goals of care and will be able to compete with public hospitals and private organizations to provide services at the best price. Many patient groups and doctors' union, the British Medical Association, concerned about the impact of reform on patients and fear that these radical reforms and rapid "focus more on cost than quality" of care.

Creates a French perfume Michael Jackson

January 9, 2011 - 1:00 pm Comments Off

Franck Rouas is a man who has the nose. This Nice, 38, who had already done well in the past to become the professor tennis stars, including Sharon Stone, sublime in Beverly Hills, just get the jackpot: he signed with the father of Michael Jackson a contract that ranks it among designer fragrances bearing the image of the "King of Pop".
Franck Rouas took the pose yesterday in Nice, with the scent Jackson. Photo credits: VALERY HACHE / AFP

The Asian market fears a Chinese rate hike

December 7, 2010 - 11:52 am Comments Off

The Nikkei index of blue chips still falling: instead of Tokyo has indeed declined Tuesday morning down 0.26% or 26.13 points to 10,141.10 at closing.

Sarkozy concludes visit to India

In India, the Bombay SE fold from 0.21% to 19,938.90 points. French President Nicolas Sarkozy Tuesday finished its four-day visit to India, marked a new step for the installation of EPR. Altogether, including military contracts totaling over 15 billion euros are about to be signed. Thales, EADS, Safran and Areva are spared from the game

Probably the Chinese rate hike next weekend

In China, the economic news has been full on Tuesday.First, let us remember that the China Securities Journal (Zhongguo Zhengjuan Bao) reported an expected increase in interest rates to fight inflation in China which could be the next weekend. "The central bank's practice to raise interest rates before publishing the price index for consumption, so there is a significant window this weekend," said business daily, while the National Bureau of Statistics has publish the country's main economic indicators on Monday.Inflation could reach 5.1%, according to analysts.

Such a prospect weighs on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, which backs up to 7 hours of 0.30% to 2025.97 points and the CSI 300 is stable (0.01%) to 3165.76 points.

Also, note that Alstom has signed Tuesday a cooperation agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Railways to speed up the development of rail transport in China but also "certain international markets." The agreement signed in Beijing by CEO Patrick Kron, Alstom and Chinese Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun is on the rolling stock for intercity rail, high speed and locomotives as well as on signage, the statement of Alstom. China has more than 7430 km of railway lines at high speed.

Finally, the Chinese carmaker Geely Automobile Holdings, owner of the Swedish Volvo will start in December to propose its cars on the largest site in China online shopping, Taobao. As of December 22, the online store will first propose a compact model, the Geely Panda Gleagle before gradually extending its offer.

China is the country with the most Internet users, the number of at least 420 million and became the first global automotive market, with sales forecast at more than 17 million vehicles this year.

Maintenance rates in Australia

The Australian Stock Exchange has its own in this gloomy atmosphere in Asia. The S & P / ASX advance of 0.81% to 4726.80 points.

The Central Bank of Australia announced on Tuesday continued its policy rate to 4.75%, indicating a strong Australian dollar would help control inflation.After five months of freezing rates, the Reserve Bank of Australia in early November had raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.75%, due to the potential risks of inflation. "The exchange rate has increased significantly this year, reflecting the high level of commodity prices," said Central Bank governor Glenn Stevens.

Oil drop

Crude oil prices retreated Tuesday in electronic trading in Asia, to 88.88 dollars as investors fearing the next higher Chinese interest rates. "It weighs on the markets because higher rates could slow economic growth and oil demand," said Serene Lim, analyst at ANZ Bank in Singapore.

Equipment: the ball is open merger

November 23, 2010 - 5:12 pm Comments Off

Resumption of air traffic, restarting orders, stabilization and ramp-up of the A 380 and B 787 … The coming years should create favorable conditions for "a structuration of the aeronautics and another distribution of value added between contractors and suppliers. " That is one conclusion of the annual study released today by Euler Hermes. "Airbus and Boeing are refocusing on the architecture and their role in integrating and play the card of outsourcing whole package," note Yann and Bruno Lacroix Goutard to the direction of Strategic Studies of the credit insurance company. Boeing has outsourced 70% of B 787 but, faced with repeated challenges of the program is trying to relocate the work in its U.S. plant in Everett.Airbus has been more measured in 50% confident of the A 350 WXB, its long-haul future, with major partners.

Manufacturers have begun the movement by selling assets that are no longer at the heart of their profession. That is very true in Aerostructures Boeing sold its Wichita site at Spirit, become a leader in the specialty; Airbus has sold its UK sites specializing in wings and GKN sold Socata to Daher absolutely free credit score. In this business, France has four more players (15 in Europe) with Daher-Socata and Sogerma Aerolia, two subsidiaries of EADS and Latecoere. The Toulouse-based company in trouble trying to lean against.

Industry organizations outsourced aircraft manufacturers will therefore give the kickoff to a massive reorganization of outsourcing in France and Europe who need champions weighing at least $ 1 billion.Size deemed necessary to become a partner of rank 1 (Tier-One) by sharing with the manufacturer's technological and financial risks. In France, the ecosystem is concerned nearly 90,000 jobs of which 73,000 are employed by subcontractors of rank 1. Airbus and Boeing will support this movement because they need to stabilize their "supply chain" and rely on strong partners. Some of their competitiveness depends on their suppliers.

Portugal inflicted austerity a risk

October 16, 2010 - 9:44 am Comments Off

José Socrates plays his trump card. Portuguese Prime Minister presented the vendrediau Congress a new austerity budget for 2011, the third in less than a year, the most severe since fifteen years. The project combines wage decreases and increases in VAT has led to violent passages of arms with the opposition. The leader of the socialist government that claimed to have obtained a consensus in May this time risk a veto of the PSD (Social Democratic Party). This vendrediencore, Passos Coelho leader showed his firmness, hostile to new tax increases.

In retaliation, Socrates has threatened to resign. A "thin" political maneuver, say most analysts. "He managed to defer responsibility for the failure on the opposition.A government's resignation would cause political chaos, untenable vis-à-vis the financial markets with the risk of climbing interest debt, "says Pedro Magalhes, a political scientist at the Institute of Social Sciences. This Friday, meet deputies, Jose Socrates drove home the point: "This budget responds to an emergency."

Wage adjustment

In late September, the Portuguese rate in the wake of the Irish bonds have skyrocketed, exceeding 6.5%. The sanction, in the case of Portugal, was the government's inability to contain the slide into deficit. The finance minister warned on Saturday in an interview with the weekly Expresso, setting the limit at 7%. Beyond that, it becomes too expensive, and Portugal will have to resort to international assistance.

Hence this new potion of the most drastic.Sections 5 to 10% on the wages of civil servants from 1500 euros gross monthly pension freeze, raising VAT by two percentage points to 23%, removed several tax allowances and social pensions tax the highest tax credit … With a stated goal of reducing the deficit by 7.3% this year to 4.6% in 2011, Portugal signed one of the most austere budgets in Europe after Greece, Spain and Ireland . The risk is falling into recession predictions are at best stagnant in 2011.

Above all, this budget does not solve the structural problem of the Portuguese economy: a lack of competitiveness, which undermines growth (0.7% per year on average) and increased public debt for ten years. "The country was in crisis before the crisis," says Carlos Gaspar, Director of Ipri.

For a decade, the country has lived on credit, consuming more resources than it produced.Households and businesses are heavily indebted and the public sector has continued to swell. "Many sectors such as energy, telecoms and banks charge prices well above international standards," said Nicolau Santos, deputy director of Expresso. The adjustment to restore competitiveness can be done only on wages. "What awaken social protest. For the first time in nearly twenty years, the two major unions, UGT and CGTP, are united front and call a general strike on November 24.

Spain: municipalities may strike garbage

October 13, 2010 - 12:32 am Comments Off

The 200,000 inhabitants of Jerez de la Frontera, the Andalusian city that invented sherry – or Sherry – are warned: If the mayor fails to honor its debts by January 23, 2011, garbage will pile into the streets. The municipality has 30 million euros Urbaser, a subsidiary of ACS, a Spanish construction giants, ready to use strong to be paid.

Jerez is not an isolated case in Spain. Spanish mayors have traditionally deadbeat. But with the crisis, delinquencies have soared. Municipal revenues have fallen and banks have closed the valves. Result: the common display of more than 3.2 billion euros of debts.

Alone has 500 million Madrid giants of cleanliness. Besides the 65 million with 7 million of interest charged by providers of maintenance of parks and gardens.Near Almeria, the 33 sweepers and gardeners in the small town of Albox will not be paid in October. Unless the mayor is miraculously the 6.5 million it owes the group Ferrovial.

Concession companies, whose heart is the construction trades are the ones who suffer most from the bursting of the housing bubble in Spain.

Grouped in a lobby, Aselip, subsidiaries of ACS, FCC, Ferrovial and Sacyr have assigned to court over 6000 common! "All our companies will complain against mayors," and threatened the president of Aselip Francisco Jardon, in an interview with financial daily Expansión cash advance now.

For their part, mayors kicking into touch. The main cause of the situation would be the socialist government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who cut their access to long-term credits last spring.Urged by the IMF and its European partners, the executive wanted to impose on local government effort rigor he applied at the national level.

These days, however, the government has finally given two major concessions. The Law on the 2011 budget will allow councils to increase local property taxes. And the tap of credits will also reopened in 2011, municipal elections, except for municipalities whose debt exceeds 75% of current income.

Madrid and Valencia, two major cities run by the right are the sixteen exceptions. Pending 2011, local officials are clueless. Some municipalities have renegotiated the concession contracts. Madrid and obtained a 15% discount on their bill for waste disposal. In return, businesses are cutting services or laying off.Left to swell a little more unemployment figures, which at 20.5% according to Eurostat, are already the highest rate of any European Union.