Posts Tagged ‘people’

Competition: A Survey of Google in the U.S.

June 24, 2011 - 7:16 pm Comments Off

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is preparing to open an antitrust investigation of Google, said the Wall Street Journal last night. According to the daily U.S. economy, sending requests for information would be imminent. A committee of five people in the U.S. federal agency seeks to determine whether Google has abused its dominant position in the Web, particularly in the context of its advertising activities. They represent 97% of its turnover.

So far, the U.S. competition had not addressed the situation as Google through various acquisitions, such as the acquisition of DoubleClick Internet governance, governance AdMob mobile or, recently, the specialist ITA Tourism Online. The investigation by the FTC in addition to the one that opened in November the European Commission.Google is particularly suspected of promoting its own services in search results.

Avtovaz: Renault-Nissan close to agreement

June 16, 2011 - 9:20 am Comments Off

Renault would be in the final stretch to complete the project that should enable it to accelerate in Russia. The manufacturer is about to conclude an agreement to take control of Russian automaker AvtoVAZ, said the Japanese newspaper Nikkei. Under the terms of the negotiations within reach, the newspaper said Nissan would purchase 25% of Avtovaz for nearly a billion dollars. Renault are already owns 25% plus one share of the Russian manufacturer since February 2008, the alliance would then become the majority share of AvtoVAZ, said Japanese business newspaper.

Thus, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault-Nissan has made the rise in the capital of AvtoVAZ a goal of the alliance. In February, he said, hoped that discussions result in the current year.A source familiar with the matter, however, told Reuters that the talks would "probably take several more months."

After the conclusion of the agreement, the alliance would include assembling a compact car in 2012 in a Nissan factory Avtovaz of central Russia, and plans to build another production site in Russian Far East low interest personal loan. The three manufacturers might also produce a very low-cost car for emerging markets at a plant of AvtoVAZ, the newspaper said.

Like China, India or Brazil, Russia is a growing market that focuses the attention of automobile manufacturers: the next few years, four million vehicles could be sold annually in Russia, volume doubled from the current level. Renault aims to capture, with Nissan and AvtoVAZ, 40% of Russian market in 2015.Moreover, the entity Renault-Nissan-AvtoVAZ would be the third largest worldwide, with 7.23 million vehicles sold in 2010, behind Japan's Toyota and General Motors.

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Public debt: France must convince in 2012 and beyond

June 1, 2011 - 8:32 am Comments Off

Good student, but must continue its efforts. It is, in short, the message delivered by the rating agency Fitch in France. She confirmed the debt rating "AAA", the best possible, with stable outlook. The French government has taken "a series of measures", says the agency, "which have improved the outlook for public finances." And mention the pension reform, or the draft law in fixing the principle of balance of public finances.

"However, these efforts must be extended to stabilize and then reduce the level of debt of France, which was the end of 2010 to 81.7% of gross domestic product (GDP)," warns Maria Malas-Mroueh, responsible scoring countries at Fitch. A number of risk still hovers in effect on the financial health of the state. Starting with 2012, a major election year.It should not, Fitch warns that the budget skids on the bottom of the presidential election. Especially since the forecast growth in the medium term Bercy (+2.5% per year) are considered "optimistic."

It should not, the agency said that the newly elected unleash the flange to the public finances in 2013. Instead, the agency left little choice to the government that emerges from the polls: "We expect the 2011 budget will meet its objectives (a deficit of 5.7%, Ed), but further efforts are needed to reduce the deficit to 3% of GDP in 2013, as agreed. " Debt levels will then stabilize at a level higher than before the crisis, reducing the flexibility to cope with future crises.

Note "under pressure"

In the medium term, Fitch added that "the memo from France could be under pressure (read: be revised downward, Ed) if the competitiveness of France was deteriorating again and if the position of France was weakening." The agency plans and the current account balance, ie the difference between money coming in and who leaves the territory, will remain negative in 2011 and 2012, approximately 2% of GDP. Fitch impels France to further reduce its "structural rigidities".

Despite these black spots, the Hexagon rest for now, said the agency, a "healthy and diversified economy," equipped "social institutions, civil and effective policies." He added: "financial flexibility reflect its status as a major issuer of sovereign benchmark in the eurozone. Clearly, the markets like, so far, take on France.

Occupation: reduce immigration, a red herring for economists

May 27, 2011 - 5:24 am Comments Off

In recent weeks the government has repeatedly expressed its willingness to reduce migration flows. In April, the Interior Minister, Claude Gueant, promised "to bring down the volume of legal immigration." This week, the immigration of work he begins work. "Contrary to legend, France did not need the skills of immigrant, said the minister. It has the resources necessary "to fill its vacancies and" did not need bricklayers nor servers restaurants. "It is common sense," outbid Tuesday Budget Minister Baroin. A sense that still leaves many economists skeptical.

"On paper, it may be tempting to put face to face and unemployed immigrants," said Patrick Simon, a demographer at INED.If the French labor market was free of immigrants, it would make it not even more vacancies for indigenous peoples whose unemployment rate is one of the main concerns? "They forget that these two categories of people are not interchangeable," said Patrick Simon. Clearly, natives and immigrants do not occupy the same types of jobs, and make little competition. "They would rather complementary. And in this regard, there is a relative consensus, says Xavier Chojnicki, economist at CEPII and University of Lille 2. Most studies find indeed a very small impact of immigration on unemployment. "

"In France and Europe, the labor market is very segmented," he says. Immigrants often occupy low-skilled jobs, low wages, difficult working conditions.Areas of restoration, construction and personal services for example, still struggling to fill jobs that natives consider insufficiently attractive. According to the latest survey on the needs of labor performed by employment center, 61% of the offers of aid to home and pose difficulties for recruitment. "If the stream of immigration had to be reduced, this would create further difficulties in recruitment of these areas," said Xavier Chojnicki. With a probable consequence of a sharp rise in the black.

20,000 people per year

"In addition, try to reduce labor migration is surprising because it includes more migrants selected," Patrick says Simon.These 20,000 people a year who come to work in France at the request of business owners do in fact represent a small fraction of the 200,000 immigrants who settle there each year, including family reunification or humanitarian grounds. "Employers expect an easing of the rules because they need the foreign labor," he says.

Since 2006 and until recently, Nicolas Sarkozy also advocated for a "selective immigration", encouraging the arrival of candidates selected according to their professional profile. "Since then, labor migration has increased from 10,000 to 20,000 per year," said Patrick Simon. A marginal number compared to 500,000 job vacancies currently unfilled in France. "In total, this is not much either compared to the total migratory flow," J. demographer.Because France, like most European countries, is struggling to bring immigrants into its territory the most attractive. As such, Canada, Australia or the United States doing well ahead of the game their best

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Mobile Internet weighs 1.2 billion euros

May 20, 2011 - 11:40 am Comments Off

Launched in 2007, the iPhone gave the kickoff of the mobile Internet revolution. The proliferation of smartphones and the launch of the free operating system from Google, Android, did the rest. Today, 37.2% of French people equipped with mobile use their phone to access the Internet. And their uses have an economic impact, the French Association of Mobile Multimedia (AFMM) sought to evaluate.

According to a study conducted on its behalf by Solucom, the mobile market has reached a business volume of 1.2 billion euros in France, in 2010. The share generated by the distribution of digital content and services on mobiles, produced by publishers from the Internet, mobile operators, $ 800 million. In addition, there are 300 million euros investment in application development and mobile services.Finally, mobile advertising and direct marketing accounted for 130 million euros in revenue.

This market should grow by +50% over three years, says the study, to 1.9 billion euros at end 2013. "The market for content distribution and mobile services is already fairly mature. But business investment in the mobile, for the promotion and customer relationship services, will experience sustained growth in double digits, "explains Isabelle Chapis, Associate Director of Solucom. "In parallel, the number of smartphones will continue to grow," said Frank Abihssira, president of the AFMM.

"In this market, several economic models and cohabiting relationships are balanced between publishers and operators, says Franck Abihssira. We have created an ecosystem that creates value and jobs. "According Solucom, 10,000 jobs are directly related to the mobile.1500 others should be created in the next three years, an increase of 25%. "The jobs are highly skilled, high value, in engineering, but also design, ergonomics, marketing and sales," says Isabelle Chapis.

Market consolidation

The study estimates 500 the number of companies that make up this market. They are young: more than half are under five years of existence, fifty less than a year. They are also rather small: 70% of businesses have fewer than 50 employees. Unsurprisingly, 80% of players polled by Solucom anticipate a change in their capital by the end of 2013. An asset for potential targets of consolidation movements: 80% of companies operating in the mobile are profitable.

Finally, the sector should benefit from the emergence of shelves and connected televisions."The mobile sector is being opened to irrigate all the digital industry as a tool for authentication, payment and personalization," Isabelle Chapis analysis.

Wall Street up the slope, reassured by the Fed

May 19, 2011 - 3:44 am Comments Off

The U.S. stock market return in the green Wednesday. After a cautious start, the Dow Jones up 0.44% at 12,434 points, the Nasdaq climbed 1.03% to 2812 points and the S & P advance of 0.66% to 1338 points.

The indexes have regained upward shift after the publication of the conclusions of the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Fed in April. Participants spoke at length about inflation that has plagued the country prior to deduce that it was only "temporary." They also confirmed that interest rates would remain low until at least late June.

One solution is looming for Greece

Furthermore, advances in the Greek case are relieved. The option of rescheduling the debt held by creditors Hellenic both public and private, has gained momentum Tuesday in Europe, given the difficulties the country out of crisis.If Greece is making efforts, "we will see if it is possible to have a smooth restructuring of the Greek debt, has said the leader of the finance ministers of the eurozone, Jean-Claude Juncker. Restructuring "soft" requires longer periods for repayment and possibly lower interest rates.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro fell slightly against the dollar at 1.4222 dollars against 1.4234 dollars late Tuesday. For their part, oil prices recorded a sharp rebound on Wednesday in New York, a barrel of benchmark win $ 3.19 to 100.10 dollars. U.S. inventories of crude oil fell against all odds last week, said Wednesday the U.S. Agency for Energy Information (EIA). Crude inventories were down 15,000 barrels to 370.31 million. Economists on average had expected an increase of one million barrels.Gasoline inventories rose much less than expected, rising by 119,000 barrels to 205.94 million, against an estimate of an increase of 800,000.

Staples plummet, Dell flies

The side of values, the number two U.S. computer, Dell (5 online payday loan lenders.72% to 16.81 dollars) on Tuesday after the close of Wall Street net profit more than doubled and exceeded expectations for its first quarter of year 2011/12 to $ 945 million, but with a disappointing sales, up only 1%.

For its part, Intel (1.19% to 23.83 dollars) has denied rumors that it could produce chips for mobile phones using technology from its competitor ARM.Intel has also maintained a growth forecast of just over 10% for sales of PC processors.

The group office supplies Staples (-14.54% to 16.80 dollars) has reported a quarterly profit below expectations due to rising costs and falling demand in a recovery economically fragile. Net income amounted to $ 198.2 million or 28 cents per share, against 188.8 million or 26 cents per share a year earlier. Analysts on average expected a profit of 32 cents per share. Turnover increased by 2% to 6.17 billion.

Skyworks Solutions (3.38% to 27.54 dollars) has announced the acquisition of SiGe Semiconductor for $ 210 million in cash, which will add 65 million additional cases of achievement.

The shareholders of JPMorgan Chase (-0.41% to 43.63 U.S. dollars) on Tuesday accused the U.S. bank of negligence in the proceedings of foreclosures and the change in loans to troubled borrowers, particularly in relation to ethnic minorities.

Russian oil giant Rosneft said on Wednesday it had received new proposals for cooperation on the part of BP (-0.28% to $ 7), after the failure this week of their proposed strategic alliance to explore the Arctic .

Please note that LinkedIn, a site of exchange of curriculum vitae, announced Tuesday that the actions it intends to market, perhaps as early as Thursday, would be made at prices not between 32 and 35 dollars, as he had announced a week ago, but almost 30% higher, between 42 and 45 dollars for a maximum value approaching 3 but not 4 billion.

Shale gas: defense industrial

April 16, 2011 - 10:32 pm Comments Off

If the state seems determined to bury the projects to exploit gas and oil shale, it is not the same industry. Total and after the oil is now up to CEO of GDF Suez, Gerard Mestrallet, to speak on the subject. Voices in the columns, the leader regretted that "France turns the page on shale gas before opening it."

The government has indeed done an about-face on the subject. Faced with a growing mobilization against the exploitation of these deposits to potentially harmful to the environment, the prime minister on Wednesday urged the cancellation of the exploration license. In March 2010, Jean-Louis Borloo, Minister of Ecology, had authorized the search of these gases "unconventional" in the basement French Three licenses were awarded, one in Total and two other group Texas Schuepbach associated with GDF Suez.

Impact on prices

It is not certain that there are industrial. They surf on rising fuel prices to justify further research in this area. The CEO of GDF Suez and in Les Echos argues that "France will freeze gas prices on one side and the other refuses to produce shale gas. I recall that if natural gas is cheap in the U.S., thanks to unconventional gas. "

Same story at Total. In a recent interview in Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, oil group's CEO, Christophe de Margerie said that gasoline prices will continue to blaze to 2 euros lellitre super and that this development necessitates the search other energy sources.It specifically targets the shale gas, "We can not defend one side of the security of supply in France, and the other, prohibit the exploration of these famous shale gas. How can we make a final decision without even knowing if this gas is present in the French soil and if it is usable? "

"An operation" clean "is possible"

Similarly, Gerard Mestrallet advocates a continuation of research, also on methods of extracting these gases. "To conclude that we will never be able to develop clean technologies to exploit shale gas, there is not as scientific as I would not cross," said the officer saving account payday loan. Total goes further. Courmes Bruno, director of Total Shale Gas in Europe, the Group subsidiary dedicated to oil shale gas, is "sure to offer a holding" clean "of shale gas."

Cleaner technology and less controversial, would bring the Prime Minister, currently opposed to the exploitation of shale gas, to review its position: "There is no question of closing the door to technological advances that allow for future access to new energy resources ", has underlined Francois Fillon during his speech in favor of cancellation of licenses already granted. A scientific research mission on the possibilities of exploiting these deposits with other technologies is ongoing.

No credible alternative for the moment

Except that it may take time. Asked by lefigaro.fr, Total acknowledges that, at present, there is no alternative to the hydraulic fracturing technique implemented by the Texas Haliburton. An efficient method known but the effects are harmful to the environment.This method aims to create small earthquakes over 2000 meters before injecting large amounts of water and chemicals to extract the fuel. The film Gasland shock, the Oscar-nominated 2011 – which had a significant effect on protest movements – really demonstrates what can be the impact on drinking water, air quality and public health of this method extraction.

Cap on foreign

And France, a "National Day of Action" against the shale gas to take place this weekend. It might then be that manufacturers are turning abroad. Total has also finalized an agreement with CNPC-PetroChina to operate an unconventional gas field in Inner Mongolia and the group has two exploration permits for shale gas in Denmark and six in Argentina.Remains whether the environmental impact of the same technique is different from one country to another.

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Vinci: a supplement to Tours-Bordeaux

April 13, 2011 - 1:20 pm Comments Off

Certainly, the financing of high-speed rail line between Tours and Bordeaux is a story full of twists. Latest episode, Vinci, selected in March 2010 to build and operate this path, calling for several weeks an extension to the original contract of 7.2 billion. Reportedly, the largest group of French construction and concessions asks his client RFF (Réseau Ferré de France) to pay a supplement of more than 60 million. He argues in particular the rising cost of raw materials.

Vinci does not speak on the subject, but if it goes in this direction is that it can hope to have the right for him. Last year it was agreed with RFF its price of $ 7.2 billion would remain the same until February 28, 2011. The final concession contract between the two parties should be signed before that date.But today, the famous agreement is still not signed. Obviously, RFF is not willing to pay that amount. Negotiations between the two parties are therefore likely to be rough.

These discussions inevitably evoke why preliminary steps essential for the signing of the contract were not completed. First, Vinci had to find loans to the tune of three billion. However, it has not yet achieved this financial closure. "It's complicated given the large number of bankers around the table," said Xavier Huillard mid-February, the group's CEO. The record is, indeed, complicated given the very high amounts of this operation, unprecedented in France.

Communities left behind

The state, meanwhile, was to finalize the contribution of local authorities to round. It was anticipated that 57 communities contribute $ 1.5 billion.Again, this agreement was expected in late February. But the diversity of local contexts has hampered this movement. Especially in the context of district elections. In addition, some communities (General Council of the Landes region of Poitou-Charentes …) have long refused to put their hands in the pocket for this project. Recognizing this, the Minister of Ecology and Transportation, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, left a deadline until April 15 to gather the latest signatures. This has raised the contribution of some as the General Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

But a few days before the deadline, a final tally shows that 200 million missed the $ 1.5 billion. The main recalcitrant? Poitou-Charentes headed by Ségolène Royal, who has just committed to a loan repayable to the state 102 million. Suddenly, everyone wonders who will fill the hole.All eyes turn to the state. But experts say if the state could consider to supplement community failing to 100 million, nothing says it is ready to settle without flinching a note of 200 million.

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Debt Crisis: Madrid hopes to avoid contagion

April 9, 2011 - 1:12 pm Comments Off

Spain calmly observes the release of financial assistance to its neighbor Portuguese. The Economy Minister Elena Salgado has ruled out any risk of contagion. The facts give him reason for now: the Spanish treasury was placed yesterday, four billion euros good for three years from 3.601%, a decrease compared to the issue of March 3.

Two new reasons for this positive market reaction. "On one hand, the European Union now knows how to respond to financial crises of its members, analysis Giada Giani, an expert on Southeast Europe at Citigroup. Moreover, Spain has implemented reforms that Portugal is just beginning to discuss on the labor market, fiscal policy and the banking sector. "

For Brussels, "Spain is facing significant challenges, but it is on track to meet its objectives."It would be "totally inappropriate to compare Portugal to Spain," said Secretary General of OECD, Angel Gurria.

"Spain has done much to reassure the markets, but has yet to take action on reforming the labor market," Jean-Claude Trichet shade no faxing 1 hour payday loans.

The position of savings banks also remains fragile. In 2010, Madrid has injected 11 billion euros in "cajas", the latter have sought additional 6.5 billion in March. But ratings agency Moody's believes that they will be provisioned and 50 billion euros to ensure their viability.

"Spain has done much to reassure the markets, but has yet to take action on reforming the labor market …" Jean-Claude Trichet shade situation Savings Bank also remains fragile.In 2010, Madrid has injected 11 billion euros in "cajas", the latter have sought additional 6.5 billion in March. But ratings agency Moody's believes that they will be provisioned and 50 billion euros to ensure their viability.

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"A premium paid to companies 'green'

April 2, 2011 - 1:44 pm Comments Off

lefigaro.fr / jdf.com – How is it more worthwhile to invest in listed property than directly into the stone?

Fred Tassin – This allows for better diversification as land generally have office buildings and shopping centers, while in the unlisted, the individual is generally limited to the residential sector. Another advantage is the liquidity of the market: if a problem occurs, the shares may be resold in the day, while a property may take several months to find buyers. Moreover, by their tax status, investment companies listed real estate are not subject to income taxation from the stone. Finally, management of the park is provided directly by the property, which is responsible for finding tenants, seek new property or to renegotiate the rent.

As for performance, they are relatively similar, the results of the land is mostly modeled on the evolution of asset values ​​and rents. But these companies are listed, they are of course dependent on market shares, making them more volatile and therefore riskier.

Property values ​​have performed well in 2010. Their context remains favorable?

The current context of renewed growth in the euro area and the beginning of inflationary pressure is favorable to real estate companies. With regard to the malls, with consumption rising and unemployment falling slightly, attendance will rise again. Who said traffic growth says rising sales shops, thus higher rents and therefore cash flows.And as in France, rents are indexed to 100% on inflation, the land naturally provide good protection against rising prices. For offices, better news are expected. With the crisis, all projects had been frozen. Restarting the demand for office should have a positive impact on rents.

The increase in lending rates does not she stop that rents and property prices?

We think not, unless the collapse of the euro area which would cause a surge in interest rates. In the future, we believe that the rents and thus the land revenue will increase moderately with the increase in the price index, while the debt of property values, average 70% fixed, will slightly impacted by higher interest rates.It should certainly not expect an exceptional year for stock markets as last year, but normalized to one year.

What do you feel about that?

Banks, faced with a more stringent banking regulation should no longer display the same frenetic lending in 2007 easy payday loans. This had led to the emergence of a bubble valuation on real estate. Getting a real estate project financing in the future will be reserved on the balance sheets of the highest order, and this one could wish the best for real estate which can only be penalized by as much volatility and speculation . This sector should no longer know the aberrations there three to four years. In 2007, the market capitalization of land values ​​was greater than 40% of their heritage.A year later, after the financial crisis was the reverse scenario: they showed discounts of 50%.

Real estate remains there a long term investment or can you make some good short-term trading?

Unless you come across a nugget unrecognized undervalued by financial markets, it will become difficult to achieve significant capital gains in the short term. Real estate is and should remain a long-term investment. We are not looking for companies that merely collecting rent, but to land that have identifiable assets and whose project is to increase shareholder value through acquisitions.

This makes us wary of companies with more than half of the asset value is made up of debts.The major players in real estate (Unibail-Rodamco Gecina Icade Klépierre, Ed) but we are interested in smaller companies with industrial histories that follow the traditional route of a property value: cash flow growth and heritage value and recurring payment of dividend.

Building low-power label (BBC) is becoming more and more constructions as the renewal. Is this a choke point for property companies?

We believe that real estate companies that do not take into account this new situation will undergo discounts. We've seen a real appetite for green buildings, not for reasons of energy conservation long ago that the land seek to optimize the energy bill but because it will become a vital communication tool for these companies.Financial markets will give a bonus to companies that offer green building. Eventually, the rents will be noticeable differences between these and conventional buildings.

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