Posts Tagged ‘stories’

Obama takes effort to "all" Americans

September 19, 2011 - 10:08 pm Comments Off

All Americans should be involved in the effort to reduce the deficit. This is the message sent on Monday by Barack Obama from the White House Rose Garden. The U.S. president, who presented his program of deficit reduction, confirmed a tax plan of 1500 billion to the deficit of 3000 billion over the next ten years. "We can not get out of this abyss only by reducing spending. It is normal that we ask everyone to pay their fair share, "said the president.

In Focus: the wealthiest Americans. Barack Obama chose not to extend beyond the end of 2012, the expiration date, the tax breaks granted to wealthier by the administration of his predecessor, Republican George W. Bush. "We can not afford these tax rates low for the rich.We can not help us while we are suffering large deficits, "he says.

The most significant proposal remains the introduction of a tax, "Buffett," the name of the investor Warren Buffett who has proposed. As expected, Bush did not go into details about the conditions of its applications but according to the New York Times, the tax on millionaires that will concern only 0.3% of taxpayers.

"This is not the class struggle is mathematical"

According to Barack Obama, "it is not the class struggle, it is mathematical," he joked, responding to criticism from his Republican opponents who accuse him of wanting to punish those who have succeeded and discourage "create jobs". "Any reform plan will increase revenues to help reduce our deficit.This must be part of the formula, "argued the U.S. president, noting that" middle-class taxpayers should not pay more taxes than millionaires and billionaires. It is loud and clear, and difficult to contradict. "

The project also includes U.S. President down $ 580 billion (425 billion) in mandatory spending on social programs, including Medicare (health insurance for the elderly) and Medicaid (the federal program for the poor). It is also banking on an economy of one trillion dollars (733 billion) over ten years due to the withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq.

But the camp of the Republicans who control the House of Representatives has already ruled out raising taxes to reduce debt abysmal in the country.The proposals of the White House must still be forwarded to a bipartisan parliamentary committee, which means that this bill is unlikely to be adopted in the state.

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Skirmish between the IMF and the Europeans

September 1, 2011 - 9:32 am Comments Off

New twist in the controversy over the health of European banks which opposes the IMF to European officials. The new CEO of the Fund, Christine Lagarde Wednesday held the first meeting of its Board of Directors of European banks. On this occasion, the Fund's economists presented their calculations indicate a probable equity gap of around 200 billion euros for all European institutions, the Financial Times. While European banks inscribed on their balance sheet obligations of States in the euro area market value, their tangible equity would fall from 10% to 12%, said the newspaper.

The newspaper stresses, however, that the amount shown in the "Report on the global financial stability", the traditional semi-annual report due on 21 September, is not final.These figures are obviously equivalent to those that led Christine Lagarde Saturday to encourage Europeans to recapitalize banks on the continent.

Analysis strongly opposed by European leaders. "The vision of the IMF is biased," said the Spanish Finance Minister, Elena Salgado, the FT, explaining that the Fund was wrong not to take into account potential losses without regard to assets Bunds, which saw During their ride. Wednesday, the Minister of Economy, Baroin, has in turn ensured that the French banking sector did not raise "no worries".Statements in line with those of the governor of the Banque de France Christian Noyer and the president of MEDEF Laurence Parisot, who had followed the lead of European leaders as the Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn.

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The rebound continues on the Cac 40

August 10, 2011 - 3:08 pm Comments Off

Like Wall Street Tuesday night, which has rebounded strongly, and Asian markets Wednesday morning, that show – more moderate – from green, the Paris remains well in positive territory. At the opening at 9 am the Cac 40 rising 1.27% to still 3216.59 points. In London, the FTSE s lead of more than 1.7% in early trade, while the Dax in Frankfurt climbed 2.09% to 5040.68 points.

Investors are relieved by the outcome of the Fed, which ensured that it would extend its monetary policy ultra-accommodating while maintaining zero interest rates until at least mid-2012 and exploring other measures to support economy U.S.. The Fed confirmed that the U.S. economy is in trouble, especially since the deterioration in the debt rating of American long-term.

But the French side, poor statistical stopping the rebound came as the Paris Bourse was trying to afford.French industrial production has displayed sharp decline in June, -1.6% compared to May after a significant increase of 1.9% the previous month, said Wednesday the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) . In the only manufacturing industry, which excludes mining and construction, production was also significantly decreased in volume compared to May (-1.9%), according to INSEE. She was up sharply in the previous month (+1.4%).

Now that the mood calmed down on the front of the U.S. economy, more eyes turn to Europe, a somewhat forgotten during the American episode, but continues to skate on the issue of debt. But the urgency is "crucial to restore market confidence," stressed the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy.But disagreements between countries are delaying the implementation of the rescue plan agreed in June

U.S. oil stocks on the radar screen

From a macroeconomic point of view, in France, the current account deficit narrowed in June to 3.4 billion euros against 5 Payday advance.5 billion in May, mainly due to a significant decline in the deficit of trade in goods, said Wednesday the Bank of France. The deficit of trade in goods reached 5.8 billion euros (7.5 billion after May) while the surplus in services trade has shown an increase ($ 1.5 billion from $ 0.8 billion) .

This is especially the United States the figures are viewed. Weekly crude inventories will be closely monitored while the oil has again depreciated sharply: Oil prices ended Tuesday to its lowest level since September 29, 2010, yielding about 2.5% in New York under the $ 80.At 20 hours, will be published the figures of budget execution in July.

GDF Suez profits down 23%

Values ​​on the forehead, the only value of the Paris stock to remain in Sanofi ke deckhouse is: -0.06% to 47.23 euros.

Note that GDF Suez (3.40% to 20.70 euros) issued a net profit down 23% to 2.74 billion euros in the first half of 2011. Mestrallet, interviewed by Le Figaro on Wednesday that his group believes in the process of deleveraging, which has signed a strategic partnership with China, is well equipped to benefit from growth in emerging markets.

Bourbon (5.90% to 23.34 euros) Wednesday reported a sharp increase in sales in the first half thanks to the continued improvement in the utilization of its fleet of bottom of market recovery.

Scor (3.16% to 15.81 euros) announced in a statement that it has completed the acquisition of the mortality of Transamerica Re, a division of AEGON, and it took effect from Wednesday. The amount of the transaction announced April 26 totaled 912.5 million dollars, said Scor.

Atari (17.69% to 1.73 euro) said Tuesday it has completed the sale of development studio at Cryptic Studios games Chinese Perfect World, listed in the U.S., for gross proceeds of approximately 35 million euros.

Sponsors cautious against the return of the icon Laure Manaudou

July 14, 2011 - 6:40 pm Comments Off

Objective: London Olympics 2012! The challenge is ambitious Laure Manaudou but probably not impossible. "She recovered in the skin of a champion," said Gilles Portelli, CEO of Havas Sports & Entertainment. Absent from the basins since September 18, 2009, the swimming is preparing to make his comeback this Thursday in Athens to the United States. She has eight months to return to competitive, qualified for the Olympics taking place in mid-March. His former mentor, Philippe Lucas, believes it. "It's a good thing for French sport. It changed, it is a mother. She has thought through many things. Swimming was missing.

The importance of achieving good performance will depend in fact a new interest of major sponsors (Lancel, EDF, Arena, among others) who have stopped working when she announced her retirement. These contracts Lancel, EDF Arena and allowed him to reach about three million euros per year between 2007 and 2009. Reportedly, the contract of sponsorship with the chairman of PPR, through his holding company Artemis, who reported one million euros per year, is suspended and not broken. Discussions are therefore underway between the two parties to try to bring back Laure Manaudou and Francois Pinault.But suddenly, its value would decline significantly Advertising (LPG contract with him would bring 200 million euros per year). Necessarily all brands can not match the prices of luxury brands. " Most experts interviewed do not believe that the financial aspect is the main motivation behind this "comeback". "She would have stopped swimming in this case," explains Gilles Portella.

After accumulating the gold medals like pearls and posted disappointing results, shaken by romantic escapades, Laure Manaudou is trying to write a new story of his sporting career. "She now has a stable life, a companion who is immersed in the world of swimming (Frederick Bousquet) and one child (a little old Manon a little over a year). The risk of "relapse" is lower, "said François Guyot. But not nonexistent.

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.

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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Wall Street was down to rising unemployment

June 4, 2011 - 5:40 am Comments Off

After losing more than 2% over the last two sessions, the U.S. stock markets continue their descent. This Friday, the Dow Jones lost 0.79% to close at 12,151.34 points, the Nasdaq 1.46% to 2732.78 loose points and the S & P 500 was down 0.97% at 1300.16 points.These statistics had already weighed on the Dow Jones yesterday, which had thus ended down 0.34% to 12,248.55 points.

A trend that has also confirmed Friday with the publication of the monthly report on employment in the U.S. Department of Labor, rather disappointing, the United States that have created 54,000 jobs in May, three times less than expected and not enough to prevent a rise in unemployment to 9.1%, against 8.9% expected.

The increase in activity in services is accelerating

The increase in activity in services has accelerated in the United States in May, more than expected, according to ISM trade association, whose index of purchasing managers in the sector released Friday appeared to increase by from April, to 54.6.

The Fed does not intend to undertake new measures to boost the economy, according to Richard Fisher, one of its members.In an interview with the Wall Street Journal this morning, the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve believes that "the Fed has done its job" and that if necessary additional stimulus measures, "they must come from elsewhere" .

The U.S. Treasury will sell the 6% that still holds in Chrysler to Fiat. The Italian will thus hold a majority stake in U.S. manufacturer. And the state will pocket U.S. $ 560 million.

Short-term domestic concerns will not prevent operators to remain vigilant regarding the conditions for aid to Greece as part of a new plan, unveiled in principle this afternoon Low fee payday loans.

Walgreen: -0.14% to 43.16 dollars

Walgreen announced today, before opening on Wall Street, the level of its sales in May: they rose 7% to 6.08 billion, up 5.6% on a comparable basis.Remember that the title had been boosted on Wednesday by a recommendation by UBS improved, which initiated coverage on the purchase of the title, with a price target of $ 51.

Chevron: -0.12% to $ 101

Chevron announced late yesterday that four people died in the explosion of one of its refineries in Pembroke. A fifth victim was hospitalized in serious condition.

New York Times: 6.34% to 8.05 dollars

For the first time in its history, the New York Times says the direction of writing to a woman. Jill Abramson, now editor in chief, will assume his new duties on September 6. She will replace Bill Keller, who wants to resume writing. The chief editor Dean Baquet will be provided by currently assistant Jill Abramson.

Relax on the raw

As for raw materials, the pressure falls.In this sector, investors await OPEC meeting next Wednesday, which could lead to a decision by the organization to increase its oil production. Despite the many demands and frequent recently, OPEC had refused to put the issue of increased production in its agenda, and has been for four years. The markets will also tend ear to New York, where the French agriculture minister, Bruno Le Maire, must speak about the speculation on raw materials, around 18 pm (Paris time).

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The Manager Finance DNCA soon under the American flag

April 30, 2011 - 3:36 pm Comments Off

A shareholder in American control will succeed one Italian: according to our information, the management company DNCA Finance is about to be bought by private equity firm TA Associates. The transaction values ​​between 300 and 400 million euros the French firm high of 5.5 billion euros of assets under management.

Banca Leonardo, the bank's business Gerardo Braggiotti owns nearly 70% of DNCA Finance which he had joined in 2006, continues its focus. The Italian bank will remain the capital of the management company, up to 10%. Jean-Charles Mériaux, patron management DNCA Finance, and Joseph Chatel, president, will remain second and third respectively shareholders of the firm.A share capital will also be reserved for employees, present and future of the management company established in 2000.

DNCA Finance, which manages a range of 10 French and Luxembourg UCITS, has based its development especially in the booming wealth management advisors. His new shareholder is an investment fund Boston, which already owns British fund manager Jupiter Asset Management. TA Associates, the head of funds totaling $ 16 billion of capital, fired on all cylinders. He just announced this week its entry into the capital of a management firm Stadion American Money Management, but also an investment in Bigpoint, the German tenor of online games.

Alain Weill, "BFM TV in balance in 2011"

April 7, 2011 - 7:16 pm Comments Off

In February 2011, BFM TV news channel's flagship NextRadio TV, aired on TNT free since 2005, achieved 1.1% audience share, a gain of 0.2 points compared to January . Like the other news channels, particularly given the current international has strongly supported his audience. But not only, according to Alain Weill. "Thanks to TNT in France, the news channels have high ratings compared to other countries. Sky News brings 0.6% audience share, CNN is also below 1%. Coupled with an exceptionally strong news since Christmas, the audience of our channel continues to rise. And the figures for March will be much higher than February. "

Full debate on the allocation of channels compensatory historical chains (TF1, M6 and Canal +) in restitution for the transition to all-digital, the CEO of TV NextRadio supports the initiative of Canal + to diversify the French media landscape. The chain wants to use its encrypted string bonus to launch a general channel for free on DTT in November 2011 (Channel 20). This support may seem ambiguous, even though NextRadioTV was, among others, the source of appeal filed in late 2007 with the European Commission against the award of these bonus channels."On the merits and beyond compensatory channels, TV needs innovation and launch new channels, rather thematic, to be in the same logic as the cable in other countries, which often offer 25 channels Free to the public. "

Also a means to support his own request to award a new channel for a dedicated channel, RMC Sport, and thus build on the success of the radio station RMC. Sport a theme absent today on free DTT but which NextRadio TV would end up competing with the group L'Equipe.This indeed came to announce his intention to stand for him as candidate for a frequency TNT HD to convert L'Equipe TV, currently on paid media, free chain.

On several occasions, Alain Weill has alerted the Higher Audiovisual Council (CSA) on the risk for independent media groups have only a single frequency on the national TNT. What is now the case with TV NextRadio BFM TV, and NRJ NRJ Group with 12. The officer then calls the launch as soon as a call for nominations "on the frequencies identified and made available." Faced with large groups monopolizing the DTT channels (TF1 with NT1 and TMC, W9 M6 …), he is worried about a "conviction in the short term" of his group, as recalled in a letter three days ago the CSA.

To say that BFM TV can not survive only on TNT, there is only one step … Alain Weill is crossed, however. "BFM TV will be at breakeven this year," he says, while the leading news channel on DTT showed another loss EBITDAR of 3.9 million euros in 2010, originally scheduled for arrival at equilibrium. "We'll get there in 2011, but the balance is not enough. Deal with groups that will have up to 7 TV channels, if new entrants must be content with a single string, they will be in difficulty. We need to continue to grow as big players who will perhaps benefit from a bonus channel. The opposite would be unjustifiable. "

"Profound strategic error of historic channels"

For months, the leader of the group created in 2000 with the acquisition of RMC, faces lobbying chains historical headwind at the time to share their share of the advertising market. An argument that virulently opposes Alain Weill. "It is difficult to accept the idea that depends on the procrastination of historical actors who either defend their turf, or make deep strategic errors. Those who say that the advertising market is saturated never came with supporting figures. France is very much behind in terms of advertising expenditures per capita or per GDP. The advertising market can support new course strings. Five years ago, people said the same thing when TNT came, gold M6 has signed an extraordinary exercise. "The evidence for Alain Weill that large groups are better off than before the overthrow of digital terrestrial television. "Especially with the evidence of new canals, historical chains will be stronger and more powerful in five years today."

After the announcement of Canal + Canal 20, M6 has been provocation by claiming his side two new channels. NRJ Group and NextRadio TV are also candidates for the respective launches of HD and Honey RMC Sport HD. If used his bonus channel TF1, at least six new channels would therefore emerge. A bidding war against-productive? "Instead, support Alain Weill.This means that basically, everyone thinks that overall, he must go, we need new channels, while TF1 and M6 are tempted to defend their prerogatives. "

No cannibalization of BFM Business

The group also launched last November declination TV on his radio BFM, BFM Business, presented as the first string of economic and financial information in France. "The synergies with the BFM radio business are strong. It was feared a risk of cannibalization, but there are rather a virtuous effect with a radio sales up 9% over the year. The entire TV division will not suffer the launch of the television, "said the officer who sought to balance BFM TV Business from 2011. Still, it has doubled its TV division's gross operating loss (EBITDA) in the second half of 2010 to 2.7 million with the launch of the channel on DTT Ile-de-France.The cost of the launch was estimated at 1 million euros.

In total in 2010, the group NextRadio TV has made 138.9 million euros in turnover, up 14%. An exercise that has signed the return to net profit (6.2 million euros) after a 2009 leaded by restructuring the group engaged in 01 (net loss of EUR 6 million). "This growth will continue in 2011", concludes Alain Weill.

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