6 Mar
Alstom! President Nicolas Sarkozy will never tire of telling Sarkozy the Minister of Finance in 2004. Whoever saved Alstom decommissioning by the German Siemens. He never ceased to recall this episode, during countless visits to factories. It is true that the rescue of Alstom was the founding act of Sarkozy statist. Finally, more along the lines of Napoleon III and Saint-Simonian as laissez-faire and ultraliberalism which accused his opponents.
During the 2007 campaign, the candidate Sarkozy has never released this theme. He was seen walking the plant "more than all the candidates from left, like he repeats, in criticizing the years Jospin, when the Socialists attempted to explain that" the State can not do everything " . This direct contact, rough, with workers in their production sites became "the" visual signature of the candidate in 2007, and the new president.
So much for the rhetoric and symbols. Regarding acts, the Elysee said that the States General of the industry are a step in a long list of initiatives that have already been implemented. Since four billion research tax credit (CIR) voted in 2007, affecting 80% industry, until the reform of business tax – offset by the Parliament – through the great debt, and creation of a Strategic Investment Fund (ISF), excluding the merger of GDF with Suez. Sarkozy believes that it has twice as hard on the industry since his election. And if the results are awaited crisis requires, the Elysee said that "for the first time, the market share of French exporters in the euro area began to recover after more than ten years of decline" payday advance lenders . The first agreement concluded in August 2009 set out the penalties owed by Bank of America to 33 million.
The SEC alleges that BofA for hiding its shareholders having authorized its future subsidiary Merrill Lynch $ 3.6 billion in bonuses despite losses of the latter in 2008.
The new deal announced Thursday provides for further measures to strengthen the bank's procedures, including the stipulation that shareholders will now have their say on remuneration of the management team. It must still be approved by Judge Jed Rakoff, who had refused last summer how the first agreement.
The SEC also announced that the proceeds of the fine will be distributed to shareholders penalized by the actions of the bank.
ALSO READ:
Merrill Lynch boosts the results of Bank of America
11 Jan
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.
23 Dec
As the situation worsens indebted French, Crédit Municipal de Paris offers a new personal loan that will follow the fluctuations of the budget of a borrower. "This loan applies for the first time consumer credit adapts to clients' lives that evolves over time," explains the Figaro.fr Emmanuel Bouriez, Director General of Crédit Municipal de Paris. The institution with a social means product support vulnerable people, particularly those that feed on a new project but who have already contracted one or more revolving loans. This new offset their loan reduces the amount of monthly payments when their incomes fall and to revise upwards if they were to increase.To sum borrowed less than 20,000 euros, no guarantee is requested to the borrower and ultimately, the loan will cost "up to three times cheaper" than a revolving credit "classical" says Crédit Municipal de Paris . Proposed by many specialized credit institutions, revolving funds are to make available to the consumer a sum of money on a particular account permanently but whose interest rates very high, usually ranging from 16 to 22%. The phrase "Reducto-flex" as proposed in January by Crédit Municipal de Paris, will match the interest rate personal loans, a rate between 6% and 7%.
ALSO READ
"Housing loans: rates still declining
"Over-indebtedness: what will change
2 Nov
The Public Utilities Commission of Maryland announced Friday that it allowed the joint venture with Constellation Energy, EDF Group conditionally. Among these, Constellation must provide 250 million dollars in cash to its subsidiary Baltimore Gas & Electric by the end of June
Constellation Energy and EDF said Friday they were reviewing the decision of Maryland, authorities imposing the two groups said in writing before November 6 if they wish to conclude the agreement and when.
"We consulted with our Board and received approval. We will now conclude the transaction as quickly as possible, "said the American group on Monday.
"EDF will therefore initiate the process for financial closure of the transaction for which he has already received authorization from its Board of Directors," said the French reaction to the decision of its U.S. counterpart.
EDF, which has disbursed 4.5 billion dollars to acquire 49.99% of the nuclear activities of the American plans to build four nuclear reactors of third generation (EPR) in the United States through a joint venture with Constellation.
ALSO READ:
"Constellation: final green light to the acquisition by EDF
20 Oct
The upturn could be short lived. The rise of European registrations in September (+6.3%) explained by the fact scrap premiums up on most of the Old Continent. However, for reasons of public finances, these devices will be interrupted in many countries. This is particularly the case already in Germany (21% in volume last month), where a bonus of 2,500 euros has led to the sale of 2 million vehicles. They will however be delivered, so registered and, until early next year. For its part, Britain has extended this premium should stop soon for 100,000 vehicles, a few months. La France, for his part said that the amounts of the premium would be reduced by breaking twice in 2010, from 1,000 to 700 euros from 1 January, then 500 euros on 1 July.
Second reason not to give in to optimism, the September 2009 figures compare to a low in September 2008 when sales had fallen by 8.1%. The volumes slumped further thereafter, the comparison with 2008 may be further supported by the end of the year.
With the effect of scrap premiums, manufacturers have continued throughout the year to revise upward their forecasts for 2009, having anticipated in early declines of about 20%. In July, Renault expecting a market decline this year by 8% compared to 2008. Philippe Varin, the boss of PSA Peugeot Citroen, was estimated at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September that the decline would be "approximately 10%. In the first 9 months of the year it stood at 6.6%.
Next year could prove equally difficult.According to Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault, the real recovery will occur on the continent as late 2010 or early 2011. The group expects next year to a market downturn between -8 and -10% compared to 2009. The diagnosis is similar to Jean-Marc Gales, director of Peugeot and Citroen. According to experts, Germany alone could lose 1 million car sales next year compared to 2009. You'll then have several years to recover. According to the firm Alix Partners, Europe did not return until 2014 its 2007 volumes.
Offensive Ford, Renault and Fiat
For now, some manufacturers are spared, the game is the case by Ford (17.8% in September), thanks to its new Fiesta, a small model. In late September, its market share reached 8.9% against 8.4% over the same period last year.Another winner last month, the Renault brand, which jumped by 21.1% (however, she recoils of 11.3% over 9 months), with a wide "very young", according to the manufacturer. The Fiat group is also shaped commercially, with an increase in registrations by 13.7% in September and 2.5% since the beginning of the year.
ALSO READ
The premium breaks supports the auto market in Europe
20 Oct
Not that Renault suffering in Russia. The French retailer Carrefour, the world, announced Thursday its intention to sell its activities in Russia "in the absence of sufficient growth prospects." Carrefour is present in Russia since 2008 and operates two supermarkets in Moscow and Krasnodar, the statement said.
Carrefour had last week denied press reports that he was considering "the sale of its business in growth markets," noting that Brazil and China in particular remained a priority.The daily Le Monde had said that "the sale of implantations in Latin America" was "seriously considered a track" and the "bulk sale of emerging countries," the newspaper had mentioned initially, was "dismissed".
This will leave the Russian market comes as Carrefour announced disappointing sales in the third quarter. Lars Olofsson had not hidden earlier this week that the situation was difficult in a Interveiw The Wall Street Journal.
Indeed, the turnover of the group is down, but the group was "on track to achieve the 2009 targets."Operating profit before non-recurring items would still be in the lower range of 2.7 to 2.8 billion euros announced June 30
In the third quarter, the group recorded a turnover of 24.018 billion euros, down 3.8% in comparable stores, slightly less than expected by analysts (24.29 billion euros average).
Gain market share
In a statement, Lars Olofsson, the CEO of Carrefour, said that "in an environment that remains challenging, particularly in our markets of Western Europe, (the group) continues to gain market share in France, reflecting the success of Carrefour Market, which compensates for the disappointing performance of hypermarkets in the third quarter.
Carrefour reiterated its priorities for 2009 to invest 600 million euros to support sales and market share and reach at least 500 million of savings in operational costs.
In France, sales between June and September were down 4.2% in comparable stores to 10.400 billion euros (10.398 million consensus) with 5.292 billion euros in hypermarkets a decrease of 8% in comparable stores. Supermarket sales rose 1% to 2.292 million. In the hard discount they show a decrease of 7% on a comparable basis to 641 million.
Moreover, the group plans to change the pattern of its hypermarkets. According to the site of Les Echos, William Vicar will replace Alain Souillard, less than two years after his appointment as head of the 200 stores of the French number two worldwide distribution.
Internationally, Carrefour has achieved in Western Europe a turnover of 6.346 billion (-6.5%) while they increased in Latin America by 5% in the third quarter same-store sales at 3.368 billion. In Brazil, they rose by 14.2% at constant exchange rates, of which 3.9% in comparable stores. In Asia the turnover has however declined by 6.4% to 1.787 million in the third quarter.