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The French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis and the U.S. Merck in a statement announcing the creation of a joint venture in animal health. Owned equally between the two groups, it is destined to become the world's number one industry with a combined turnover of approximately $ 5.3 billion, or 29% of the market.

Since July 29, 2009 and redeemed for $ 4 billion of Merck's participation in their previous joint venture Merial, Sanofi-Aventis had an option to meet with Merial, Intervet Schering-Plow Animal Health Division in the born merger between Merck and Schering Plow.

The deal values Merial to 8 billion dollars and Intervet Schering-Plow 8.5 billion.It already cost at Sanofi-Aventis 250 million dollars to establish an equal joint venture with Merck, and 750 million under the agreement of July 2009 the statement said.

The formation of this joint venture is subject to completion of definitive agreements, review by competition authorities in the United States, Europe and other countries . The completion of the transaction is expected during the next 12 months. Pending completion of the transaction, Merial and Intervet Schering-Plow continue to work independently.

The market for animal health has reached 19 billion dollars in 2008. Products for pets represent 40% of the market and 60% for animal production.The growth of this market should be about 5% per year during the next 5 years, supported by a growing demand for animal protein, and by the substantial need for care for pets.

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After giving a first pressure on the management of the oil company, Christian Estrosi, Minister of Industry, insists the government "will not accept" the closure of the Total refinery at Dunkirk "as long as n 'There will be no guarantees the necessary continuity "of some 800 jobs involved," he said Monday on radio BFM.

The Government looks forward to the official position of Total in this case. The group must decide precisely Monday on the fate of the Flanders refinery, which employs 370 employees and 450 subcontractors. Since mid-September, the site is in "stop cyclical" because he can no longer sell its output, given the current weakness in demand for fuel.

"For the moment we have no binding commitment on the part of Total and I say very clearly, the Government will be firm," said Minister of Industry.

The previous March 2009 is remembered

In any case, the government has warned it did not intend to be outdone in the folder "Total" payday loans . "We will not accept an initiative to be taken unilaterally without any commitments are made to sustain current employment at the refinery," says Christian Estrosi.

Last Tuesday, the Minister noted that Total was considering the possibility of opening an LNG terminal in the port of Dunkirk.

In March 2009 already, the oil company had attracted the ire of politicians, after announcing the abolition of 555 posts in France, including 249 by 2013 in the refinery.A few weeks earlier, had issued a total record profit for 2008 of 13.9 billion euros.

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Abrupt return to earth to investors who started the session on Wall Street in the red. The unemployment figures in December were worse than expected. The U.S. has destroyed 85,000 jobs in December as the monthly report of the U.S. Department of Labor. The euphoria was not to go because the unemployment rate remains at 10%. Half an hour before the release of U.S. unemployment figures in December, all future pointing upward. Markets expect that job losses have continued into December. Some also not ruled the possibility of new posts.

Now, the Dow Jones fell by 0.4% to 10,563 points, the S & P lost 0.40% to 1137 points while the Nasdaq lost nearly 6% to 2295 points. The day before, the Exchange had ended in the balance.

Values follow

As for values, General Mills lost 1.02% to 70.57 dollars.The group is expected to announce some numerical predictions.

Barclays (1.18% to U.S. $ 20.63) receives a statement of recommendation from UBS from "neutral" from "buy."

Delta Airlines (-0.55% to $ 12.61 million). Information published by the Wall Street Journal announced that the U.S. airline American Airlines, together with the company TPG Capital, now propose to invest 300 million dollars more in Japan Airlines, for a total of 1.4 billion dollars.

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.

Around 11:30, the title L'Oreal fell by 2.29% to 69.7 euros on the CAC 40, in a market down slightly from 0.20%. The group's quarterly results released yesterday did not surprise investors, who anticipated the return to growth and bought securities they sell now. In addition, Societe Generale has revised down its rating on the stock following its figures from "buying" to "hold" value. Normal in these circumstances, the title of L'Oreal suffer clearances.

The world of cosmetic Thursday reported a turnover of 4.23 billion euros over the period, up 0.8% on a comparable basis."Despite a market that remains difficult, the renewed growth of the cosmetics business in the 3rd quarter was very encouraging and confirms the gradual improvement in sales that we announced," said Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of the group cosmetics. "Each division has improved its performance over the first half," the statement said.

In the nine months of the current year, group sales fall slightly increased by 0.7%, to 13 billion euros (-1.9% on a comparable basis). During a conference call, the chief financial communications Thierry Prévot said that L'Oreal has benefited from the dynamism of emerging products, where sales growth "increases quarter after quarter."Sales rose by 18.5% in Asia, but the group continues to record sales declined in Western Europe (-3.5%), in Eastern Europe (-15.3%) or Latin America (-3.8%).

Stable at the opening, the CAC 40 has changed very little throughout the morning. ACC clings to the bar 3700 points ironed Thursday. At 13 hours, it appears to 3706 points (-0.06%). All eyes of investors have turned on the numbers of U.S. jobs that will be communicated to 14:30.

Thursday, stock markets worldwide have been well oriented due to figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor Productivity in the country.

In addition to the monthly report on employment in the United States, markets are also watching puvblication wholesale inventories in September.

Values follow

Lafarge is attacked (-4.5%). The French group has released financial results Friday down sharply in the third quarter. Net income is recorded down 38% year on year to 404 million euros while sales fell 20% to 4.25 billion euros.These results were slightly below analyst expectations.

L'Oreal is sanctioned (-1.46%) after the publication of a revenue deemed disappointing. For its part CapGemini is still undergoing clearances (-2.49%). Several brokers have changed their views following the quarterly judged below investor expectations.

Conversely, Hermes International stands (2.30%). The luxury group has for its part issued Friday sales up 5% at constant rates in the third quarter, to 452.1 million euros. The group said its goal of stable sales in 2009 could be exceeded if the trend continues this year.

Values M6 (6.41%) at the highest for two years and TF1 (4.23%) were also searched.The audiovisual group M6 has exceeded expectations by recording a marked improvement in advertising revenue chain and strong growth of its business diversification. In particular, M6 was confirmed as the month of September showed the first signs of an improving advertising market with stronger demand from advertisers in some sectors the consumer in particular.

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"Quarterly results: a signal to invest? Ask your questions!