Dependent on business investment, the French machinery industry has experienced a particularly gloomy year 2009. The turnover of this sector has plunged 15% to 97.9 billion euros, returning to its 2005 level.

Compared to its European competitors, French industry is doing rather well. "The activity of other countries fell by an average of 19%," said Yvon Jacob, president of the Federation of Engineering Industries (FIM). The French exception is explained in part by the support that was received by French manufacturers.

The recovery plans, the state aid measures such as scrapping bonus, or the continuation of regional investment activities have supported activity. The role of the state does not explain everything. Companies based in France have taken advantage of the health of certain sectors such as construction, aerospace, energy and railway industries."Moreover, thanks to social shocks, household consumption remained at a good level," says Yvon Jacob. The social situation remains tense engineering industries (650,000 jobs) lost 5.5% of their workforce in 2009. The FIM also fears of new staff reductions, and does not expect improvement until the end of the year. The activity should indeed be further reduced by 5% this year. "If the recovery occurs in 2010, it does not benefit us immediately, says the president of the Federation, as investments leave last.

After the sharp market downturn in Paris last weekend, with the Cac 40 lost nearly 7% in 48 hours, optimism is in order at the beginning of the week in the Paris Bourse. Around 10:30 am, the CAC 40 is up over 1.2% to 3607 points.

On the macroeconomic front, gross domestic product (GDP) of France is expected to grow by 0.5% in first quarter 2010, according to a first estimate of the Banque de France (BdF) on Monday.

The latest forecast from the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) published December 17, the economic recovery in France will be confirmed in early 2010 but will be "laborious and delicate, with a growth of around 0.3 % to 0.4% per quarter until midyear.

The government recently revised upward its growth forecast for this year, rose 0.75% to 1.4% in the revised budget.

INSEE has published Friday its first figures on French growth in the last quarter of 2009.The government forecasts a GDP drop of 2.25% over the last year.

As for values, the revival of this earlier this week arises: half a dozen values were lower at the opening.

Dexia climbed after strong green light from Brussels

The year 2010 will be tougher than 2009 for the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia (6.56% to 4.29 euros) due to the acceleration of the implementation of its restructuring plan which has received the green light with Brussels, said Sunday the group's managing director.

EDF (+1.54% at 38.20 euros) and Areva (0.45% to 313.75 euros) announced late Friday it reached an agreement on the processing of uranium used in nuclear power plants of 'electrician question at the heart of a dispute between the two groups for several weeks payday advance online .The CEO of EADS (+0.04% at 14.11 euros), Louis Welsh said in Munich last Saturday he expected a "clarification" on the financing of additional costs for the Airbus A400M military "before the end of next week. "

GDF Suez (+1.05% at 26.50 euros) could revise its bid for International Power Plc, particularly the terms of its offer in cash, reports the Independent on Sunday, citing sources close to the French group.

The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) has asked for new commitments to Bélvédère (-5.28% to 34.07 euros) in the case of warrants, which in recent weeks between the group of spirits Association Defense of Minority Shareholders (ADAM).

Bongrain (-1.68% to 55.53 euros) has reported a turnover down 7.4% on a comparable basis in 2009, affected by unfavorable economic environment.

Eiffage (+0.68% at 36.42 euros) was able to stabilize its sales in 2009 thanks to a rebound in activity in the fourth quarter.

Several publications of companies are expected on Monday: Altran Technologies (-1.18% to 4.20 euros) pre-market Unibail Rodamco (-0.80% to 155 euros) after-hours trading, Le Noble Age (-1, 72% to 15.40 euros) and Devoteam (stable at 18.50 euros). Faurecia brings an extraordinary general meeting regarding the capital increase related to the repurchase of Emcon.

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All the big names in the electronics world is found in Las Vegas. All except Apple, which looks January 27 to make a revolutionary new listing, which may take competitors by surprise.

Since late 2009, it seems clear that the firm will make an apple Internet Tablet to be called islation. The announcement will take place in late January, because Apple has rented a conference room in San Francisco. But the date of its Internet Tablet, which would have a multi-touch screen 25 to 28 centimeters diagonally, is only scheduled for the second quarter of 2010. Indeed, one of the subcontractors Taiwanese Apple said establishing a production of screens and aluminum chassis which should start next month. "It will not take long to assemble the different elements.But output in the second quarter is what we envision, "said an anonymous source to Reuters.

It seems that islation, including a video circulated on the Internet is the answer to Apple's digital media books. It is the first color. This could lead to the creation of a new department of sales on the iTunes website.

Competitors eclipsed

But it would be difficult to know now than to give this one new activity. The new product Apple should allow you to download applications, listening to music, watching movies, into a true entertainment product while traveling. It would be more appropriate than the iPod touch and iPhone, whose screen is too small (9 cm) to qualify for comfortable vision. Islation with the Cupertino company remains true to its business model winner.It sells very expensive and a revolutionary product takes the services market (music, video, books …) that are downloaded on this product. Exits to sell these services at very low prices. Consequently, when Apple makes money, the service providers do not share the crumbs.

This ad may overshadow those of its competitors have made in Las Vegas. Last week, new Internet Tablet, which is a kind of PC without a keyboard but with a multi-touch screen, were presented by almost all PC makers. Among them, the Chinese Lenovo freed from Intel and Microsoft opted for the chips Qualcomm U.S., of Britain's ARM and a Linux operating system. But these are, after all, only computers that are trying to rise from their ashes. Five years ago, a first wave of Tablet PCs had appeared before dying for lack of customers.

Who will succeed Philippe Séguin as its first president in the Court of Auditors? For now, the Dean of Presidents of the Chamber of the Court of Auditors, Alain Pichon, 64, automatically ensures the Acting Senior Chairperson of the institution. The choice of his successor, returned to the Elysee. The Head of State must choose a person internally. Meanwhile, several questions arise, including that around the next hearing solemn Kids are back. Who will preside in effect?

The Court of Auditors has seven bedrooms consist of a Chairman of Board of Advisors masters, counselors, auditors, rapporteurs and experts. Each room is assigned areas of responsibility.

The first president, appointed by decree of the Cabinet is a magistrate irremovable.He divides the powers of the Court between the seven rooms hereby schedule the work of the Court. He addressed the ministers and presidents of organizations controlled by the deliberate observation rooms, communicate to Parliament the reports that were requested and published reports that the Court decided the publication.

Philippe Séguin has to give the Court any influence

Philippe Séguin was appointed July 21, 2004. He succeeded Francois Logerot member since 2005 Committee to honor the bicentennial of the Court of Auditors. Since taking office in 2004, Philippe Séguin has strengthened the influence of the Court. The former president of the National Assembly had given a mission: to give the Court a true institutional and political role. The reports are chained, the advice has taken on a different scale, including greater media coverage.Strong messages but have not really been heard by the government.

For five years, the Court of Auditors has repeatedly expressed its serious concern when the debt of the French state, the explosion of government spending, the necessity of fighting the deficit Security sociale.Sans forget spending the Elysee screened.

But Philippe Séguin was also set in motion the reform of the Court of Auditors. He wanted to abolish the 22 regional chambers of accounts for the group in some rooms interregional. The former president also believes that the rooms are not dispersed the critical size needed for optimal functioning.

He hopes to coordinate control policy at national level: currently, the rooms are autonomous and define their own control programs.

A project which at the time was presented as a "back hand" by his opponents.

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In a letter he sent to his employees, CEO of the U.S. bank Morgan Stanley, John Mack, said it will waive for the third consecutive year to its traditional premium end of the year. "At Morgan Stanley, we are aware of the context in which we operate and the economic difficulties faced by both countries. (…) I recommended to our remuneration committee last week not to grant me the premium end of the year. According to news channel CNBC, the management of Morgan Stanley's CEO wanted to receive this award.

John Mack will leave his post as CEO at the end of the year to become non-executive chairman of the board of directors. It's James Gorman to take over at the head of the U.S. bank.

Banks are currently in the sights of government and the American public, particularly incensed by the level of compensation of bankers, while the unemployment rate reached 10% in the country. In view of appeasement, many large institutions have decided to make efforts to pay. As such, the CEO of Citigroup, Vikram Pandit, will not touch a dollar of earnings this year and many executives of Goldman Sachs, another behemoth of American finance, agreed not to receive bonuses cash. Finally, Kenneth Lewis, boss of Bank of America at the outset, it has been pushed by the U.S. Treasury to waive any remuneration for his duties in 2009.

As expected, the government has again decided against increasing the minimum wage above the statutory minimum. According to the opinion of November 30 last by the group of experts chaired by Paul Champsaur, the minimum wage increase will be limited, given the low inflation observed on Tuesday by INSEE at a rate of 0 , 5%, raising the hourly minimum wage to € 8.86 gross instead of 8.82 or 1343.77 euros gross per month for full time.

Under the reform of the minimum wage passed in late 2008, the adjustment of the minimum wage will apply from 1 January rather than July 1, so as to precede the wage negotiations and corporate sector, which may well occur knowingly.This adjustment should cover some 1.6 million people according to a recent study by the Department of Labor, more than 10% of private sector employees.

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The French specialist travel products and leisure announced Friday a loss of 53 million euros from 1 November 2008 and October 31, 2009 against a profit of 2 million euros a year earlier. The 21 million euros in restructuring costs weighed heavily on the results, detailing the release of the group.

The global economic crisis, which has particularly affected the tourism sector premium has resulted in a decrease in the rag business almost 9% on year to 1.36 billion against 1.48 billion euros last year. Current operating income Villages is nevertheless increased from 35 to 36 million.The group also provides a new line of credit of 120 million euros maturing in December 2012.

"The customer gains the upper end are confirmed despite the crisis, our fundamentals are solid operating profitability of the villages has improved steadily, and financial structure was strengthened," said chief executive Henri Giscard d'Estaing, quoted in the press.

The strategy of moving upmarket Club Méditerranée conducted for several years and translated for the first time by a number of clients 4 and 5 Tridents (669,000) exceeds the number of clients 2 and 3 Tridents (549,000).

China, "a major growth driver, is expected to open the first village (ski) in late 2010 and five more by 2015.This new market could become a "leading markets group" with such future locations, and help Club Med to restore profits.

The concern of markets and European authorities in Greece grew by the hour. Following the surveillance of the negative note of the Greek sovereign debt by the rating agency Standard & Poor's, Fitch is contributing, on Tuesday to increase pressure. The agency lowered the rating it assigns to the country to bring it back to "BBB +" with a negative outlook. "This deterioration reflects our concerns about the medium-term public finances given the low credibility of fiscal institutions and the Greek political context," says the agency is said also very worried as the economic outlook ahead.

This ad has tended to lead to further tension on the bond markets. The loan to ten years of the Greek State has reached the level of 5.33%, the highest since mid-JuneIt operates at 200 basis points above the German debt to ten years. The Athens Stock Exchange has, meanwhile, fell sharply, dropping more than 6.07%. The situation will remain tense today. After the close of markets, Fitch has indeed released a new press release announcing that it degraded to a clan note of the four major financial banks in the country: National Bank of Greece (NBG), Alpha Bank (Alpha) EFG Eurobank Ergasias (Eurobank) and Piraeus Bank (Piraeus). It also lowered to 'BBB -' rating of the Agricultural Bank Of Greece, majority owned by the state. This bank is now in the category known as speculative. "The ability (Greek government) to help banks has been reduced" because of the deterioration of the country's finances, Fitch wrote."Greek banks could eventually be a problem to refinance with the European Central Bank," warns Laurence Boone at Barclays. "If the note of Greece continues to fall, the ECB will no longer accept in exchange for taking securities on deposit bank."

Rare occurrence, this new series has led the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs to publish a statement in the evening. "A difficult situation for a member of the eurozone is a worrying factor for the whole area and it is clear that Greece is facing very big challenges on the economic and fiscal," said Joaquin Almunia. "The Commission stands ready to assist the Greek government in implementing its program of reform and fiscal consolidation." Technical assistance and policy then, but not financial.Last February, when Greece already raised the concern, the German finance minister at the time, Peer Steinbrueck had said explicitly that it was impossible for Germany to leave a member of the eurozone s 'collapse. But since then the situation has changed. Peer Steinbrück has been replaced by a Liberal cabinet minister and the situation of Greek public finances deteriorated sharply. Hence the renewed concern among investors. Especially since the country's social situation, explosive, does not promote major reforms.

Even countries rated frighten markets

"Greece is sure to find a savior who will avoid bankruptcy

Last year, a 16-acre property in Greenwich, Connecticut, containing a Jacobean manor house of 2034 square meters with 14 rooms was sold for 125 million dollars (82.8 million). It was the second most expensive home for sale in the world by its price. Today, it is proposed to only 60 million dollars.

In one year, all owners wishing to sell have decided to reduce their prices by 20% or more. But this phenomenon is changing now as it affects owners of property valued at several tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Last year, the investor Marty Zweig has withdrawn from the market the Pierre Hotel penthouse sale for $ 70 million four years ago. The financier Leonard Ross, who demanded 165 million dollars to the Hearst Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif., has withdrawn from the market in September 2008.A few months later, Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia has withdrawn his ski chalet in Aspen, which he wanted 135 million dollars.

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This year, another victim of the housing market rout is "Hillendale" in Stamford, Connecticut. This property was sold for 95 million dollars. It is not for sale. Others, like the owners of a manor of 85 million dollars created by Wallace Neff, have decided to rent their properties until the market recovers.

These reactions, said Jonathan Miller, CEO of real estate appraisal firm Miller Samuel, are normal. "The market went wild, and has increased the prices of these goods to astronomical levels," said he. "These reductions are less dramatic reflection of the market collapse than the reality. "

While the number of buyers willing to invest in a property worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars has always been low, the lack of availability of financing for mega-loans is a little more decimated their ranks . Finally, some buyers who have the necessary funds are waiting to see if the housing market will regain its stability. And they could take some time.

The market for "ultra-luxury" also suffers

"It's low-end market has suffered in the first," says Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research, a provider of real estate statistics. "Then, the luxury market began to suffer there are only 12 months and is very recently that the market for ultra-luxury was hit. It will take years, many years before the market does recover. At the top, it will take longer for the luxury market as a whole. To attract buyers, owners and their agents use strategies often reserved for sellers in more traditional markets.

This was decided to owners Bootjack Ranch in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. During the year, they reduced their prices by $ 88 million to 68 million.The broker of this property, Bill Fandel of Sotheby's International Realty, hoped that this reduction would generate some interest. He says that it is the foreign billionaires who seem interested.

"Those who can afford to buy a property like this," says he, "want to know they are a wise purchase and they get a lot for these huge price. "Herald Grant, who also works for Sotheby's, has withdrawn from the market a property in Southampton proposed $ 80 million. "When the buyers were willing to spend, prices were emotional," says he, "but now the sellers are more reserved. "

The Villa Leopolda in France

But the general slump has not stopped some to sell their luxury properties.In March, Candy Spelling, wife of the late producer Aaron Spelling, has sold their manor of 150 million dollars in Holmby Hills. Called "The Manor, the residence of 100 rooms topped our list this year. Despite the widespread collapse of property prices, its price is higher than the number 1 last year, "Fleur De Lys", also in Holmby Hills for sale for $ 125 million. This property is inspired by the palace of Louis XIV at Versailles, with an area of nearly 4200 square meters.

Albemarle House, 100 million, an area of Charlottesville, Virginia. At the heart of a park of 120 acres adjacent to Monticello and Ash Lawn-Highland, this Georgian house of eight rooms was designed by architect and designer David Easton.

Owners of homes outside the United States also seem to hope that the unique features of their homes attract buyers. Updown Court, the area of 117 million dollars that they say bigger than Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court, is still on the market. Like'exceptionnelle Villa Leopolda, with its 2700 square meters and 11 rooms, located on the Riviera, which had been proclaimed the most expensive home in the world, and is now offered to 68 million euros . If owners are concerned, they could perhaps see Joel Horowitz, co-founder of Tommy Hilfiger and owner of "Tranquility" at Lake Tahoe. This area of 85 hectares for sale since 2006 at a price of 100 million dollars.