Daily International Headlines

The automotive industry has yet taken advantage of the premium for scrap in February. The new car sales rose in February from 3.2% a year, said Tuesday the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA). Just over one million vehicles were registered in Europe (EU and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, but not Cyprus and Malta).

The increase in sales to 7.9% on the first two months of the year, ACEA said. But compared to pre-crisis in January and February 2008, registrations were down by 15% and 16%, said she.

The differences between the different European markets have increased compared to January. Countries like France, Italy and the UK still benefiting from the effects of scrapping bonus with dramatic increases in registrations respectively 18.2%, 20.6% and 26.4%. Spain has seen its sales off by 47%.In contrast, Germany, which has exhausted its position to support the sector, recorded the worst results in Europe, with a fall of 19.5%.

This buoyant market at arm's length by car scrapping has been particularly successful with French brands payday advance lender . Renault (Renault and Dacia brands) has seen its sales jump 30% on a year to 109,663 units, the PSA group (Peugeot and Citroen) of 18.4% to 149,128 units. The Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda), European champion in the sector has recorded its share of sales decreased by 1.7% to 207,969 vehicles.

Renault in third place

Other brands, Fiat sees sales increase of 12.4%. In the high-end, sales of BMW rose 6.3% thanks to the Mini (+22.7%) while those of Daimler sank 9.7%.Among non-European groups, Toyota saw its sales fall by 7.6%, General Motors (Opel, Chevrolet, Saab) of 2.8% and 13% of Suzuki. In contrast, Nissan rose 32.1%, Korean Kya 26.8% and 24.5% of Hyundai.

Vokswagen The group maintains its first place in the European rankings, with 20.1% market share. PSA is in second place (14.4%). In third place, its good results enable Renault (10.8%) than Ford (10.1%).

See also:

"The EU wants to extend the scrapping bonus

Total, Renault and Areva are warned: Nicolas Sarkozy keeps an eye on them special attention. This is the message sent by Nicolas Sarkozy in an interview with Le Figaro Magazine, published on Friday morning. Asked about his plans for the nuclear industry, the President of the Republic has decided: "We will decide in April, when Francois Roussely get me released its report. The Head of State stressed the importance of a complete reorganization of the sector. "At a minimum, requires that the chain is reorganized so that teams of France did not compete do so cons-productive." The lesson of the failure of Abu Dhabi should serve us for the future. "

Nicolas Sarkozy evokes the friction between the two giants of French nuclear, EDF and Areva, vying for leadership of the sector. For him, these "public disputes between the leaders of these companies is unacceptable."The president warned: "The state will place the order."

Nicolas Sarkozy referred to "the question" Areva, which he considers "extremely complex", without mentioning any departure of Anne Lauvergeon, a subject that is the subject of persistent rumors. Not a word, therefore, about the boss of global nuclear leadership. However, the Head of State spoke on Henri Proglio: "We have appointed head of EDF's a very good manufacturer," says he. The CEO of EDF has publicly criticized the strategy of Areva, which does not hide its desire to place EDF as leader of the French nuclear industry internationally.

Renault under pressure from shareholder

The president is very tough on the manufacturer who "has to remember that French was" when the State has paid 3 billion euros "to help end the crisis" .Nicolas Sarkozy denied any policy of relocation efforts "to manufacture outside of the cars we sell in France. A reference to the decision by Renault to produce some of the production of its Clio in Turkey IV.

"This is not the president speaks, the state shareholder holding 15% shares of the group! It is still reassuring for the French taxpayer to know that their money will create jobs in France rather than abroad. "

Reindustrialization forced to Total

The closure of the refinery at Dunkirk by Total also react President of the Republic, while the latter maintains that in the course of 2010, unemployment will fall ( "I am confident that we follow good economic strategy. It will bear fruit this year).Total welcomes Nicolas Sarkozy for his 8 billion euros of profit: "So much the better, and congratulations," he said. But for the Dunkirk refinery, he said: "We could not announce its closure and say to the re-industrialization, we will see later.

Nicolas Sarkozy calls for "respect of persons" and expects "the immediate closure corresponds to a new project of re-industrialization". It thus incorporates the words of his Minister of Industry, Christian Estrosi.

The 35 hours again chipped

These files allow the burning president reaffirmed his rejection of 35 hours, he considers "a very great challenge for our economy." For the past Nicolas Sarkozy had "facilitated the relocation, the deindustrialization and falling wages.He said, "we wanted to destroy the competitiveness of our industry, we did it would not take otherwise."

Hence the need to revive the country's industrial policy. "We are the only country to ask the question of its usefulness" while France "has lost 500,000 manufacturing jobs" from 2000 to 2007.

Nicolas Sarkozy is optimistic for this year: "If we are not yet out of the crisis, the recession is over" and "growth exceeding 1.5% in 2010 is expected. So far, the latest forecast Bercy had forecast a rise of 1.4% PIBB.

ALSO READ:

"Nuclear: Sarkozy calls for cooperation

"Sarkozy: no reshuffle before the pension reform

U.S. operators could choose to pocket a share of the gains made last week by caution before a salvo of indicators in the coming days. But it was not including the announcement on Tuesday launched by Cisco Systems for a new ultra-powerful router, which mulitiple twelve Internet capabilities.

At the close, the Dow Jones, Nasdaq 100 and S & P 500 climbed 0.11%, respectively, to 10,564 points, from 0.36% to 2341 points and 0.17% to 1,140 points. Cisco's announcement boosted the Nasdaq, which connects the tenth consecutive increase.

There is exactly one year, March 9, 2009, the major stock indexes have hit a "low point". Since the S & P 500 has started the largest rally in history. In one year, the U.S. index has increased by almost 70%!

The next U.S. statistics are expected tomorrow with the traditional weekly report on unemployment.Weekly Market in the United States, will then be placed under the sign consumer. The two major economic indicators this week, published Friday, will be the sales details for the month of February and the preliminary estimate of consumer confidence.

Oil prices retreated Tuesday in New York, a barrel of reference giving 38 cents to 81.49 dollars, penalized by the strengthening of the dollar.

Cisco will revolutionize Internet

The values listed, Cisco Systems (the balance at the close at 26.13 dollars) today announced a new bid to speed internet connections bad credit payday advance .Analysts said the group could announce as Google, investments in new broadband network.

In the wake of this news, AT & T, a major customer of Cisco rose 1.15% to 25.57 dollars, and Apple rose 1.8% to 223.02 dollars.

Also in the technology sector, the U.S. manufacturer of electronic components, Texas Instruments (2.27% to 24.13 dollars) has revised upward its earnings forecast for the first quarter.

AIG has flown Boeing format

AIG. The shares jumped 13% in session amid optimism (+11.9% at closing): investors reacting to efforts by the insurer to sell its assets and repay billions of dollars to the state shareholders to 80%. The group published a series of announcement that it will bring back some 25 billion dollars in cash in his accounts.

Same with Citigroup, which soared 7.58% to 3.83 dollars. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have also grown strongly, respectively 10 and 11% during the session.

After the withdrawal of EADS and its U.S. partner Northrop's tanker contract to the Pentagon, whose first installment is only valued at 35 billion dollars, Boeing remains alone lice.Les Boeing shares advanced 0.82 % to 67.79 dollars and Northrop Grumman declined him, from 0.25% to $ 64.

UAL shares have appreciated by 3.6% (18,16 dollars) after announcing profits in February increased by 17% in one year.

Operation siphoning. Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways increasing flights to Europe. Their goal? Bringing their clients to their hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, before sending them to distant destinations, more and more numerous.

Emirates has increased its frequency this year in Nice and open lines on Amsterdam, Madrid and Prague, Qatar Airways has launched Barcelona and has strengthened Paris, Athens and Madrid; Ethiad has multiplied its rotations on Dublin, Frankfurt and Athens.

Meanwhile, 12 new international destinations outside Europe appeared in the list of three companies of the Gulf, including Tokyo, Seoul, Melbourne, Goa and Bangalore.To go to Japan, a client of Lufthansa or Air France has a choice between going through Paris or Frankfurt and transit through Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

In this battle, Gulf companies have strong points to make: their hubs have the best possible geographical position between the U.S. and Asia, and have unit costs of staff 50% lower than those of Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways. "They also have a very good product recognizes a part of an EU airline. They all have strengths to further participate in industry growth than we are. "

Orders for Airbus A380 should also provide them with an armada of large aircraft instant payday loan .While Air France and Lufthansa 27 total orders for the new jumbo Airbus, the three companies in the Gulf will eventually 72.

Competitors very annoying

The subject is considered sensitive by European airlines. It has even been mentioned before Tuesday elected staff at the surveillance committee of the CCE Air France. Lufthansa said that its offer seat on intercontinental flights the group should grow by 4% from 2009 to 2012, against 12% for companies in the Gulf.

These competitors are now considered more annoying than low-costs addressing some profitable lines. This time, it is a battle between European airports to those in the Gulf."For now, we have a better mesh of Europe they, believes the framework of an EU airline, but they are very difficult to prevent, where they arrive."

This competition, hitherto confined to flights to Asia and the United States extends to Africa, far backyard of Air France and Lufthansa. Emirates already offers 16 destinations in Africa, 7 Etihad and Qatar Airways 13. "Gulf companies are even more threatening than their owners are not obsessed with profitability, said a European competitor. They invest a lot and are a showcase for the UAE. "

Finance ministers and central bankers of the G7 (U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom) are found on Friday and Saturday in northern Canada (see below). As Barack Obama lashed out Wednesday at the undervaluation of the yuan, "matters relating to the Chinese currency (are) in all minds," said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, suggesting that the subject would be treated by the G7.

Officially there is indeed no agenda, and contrary to tradition will be no statement issued after the meeting. "We want to rediscover the" spirit of Rambouillet "historic first G7 in 1975, and have a" chat by the fireside "freer," says one does in Paris.

There is also evidence that the G7 keeps all its usefulness, although the creation of the G20 seems to have finally stole the palm as an instance of global economic governance. The G7 countries are convinced that they have specific interests in common, as explained by a European central banker. "Our currencies are the only ones to be truly flexible, and also we can not forget that our economies have pushed capitalism to the brink!" Quipped the great European treasury.

Debt relief in Haiti

The G7 countries recognize the need to reorganize their respective banking systems, which – and alone! – Were behind the financial crisis of 2008.Mario Draghi, participate in debates with his two hats as governor of the Bank of Italy and Director of the Financial Stability Board, the international body created by the G20 to coordinate international regulation of all financial institutions, and not Only banks.

As for currencies, it is true that the G7 currencies are virtually alone, with few exceptions including the Swiss franc, which float freely, for better or for worse. The remarks made Wednesday by Barack Obama against the yuan, strangely overlapping language of Nicolas Sarkozy vis-à-vis the dollar. "The price of currencies and their accuracy is one of the challenges we face on the international level to ensure that the prices of our products are not artificially inflated and those of their equally artificially lowered," said U.S. President.

Even if the G7 should lead to no decision, according to a spokesman for the German Finance Ministry, announcements could be made regarding Haiti. The U.S. Treasury first raised the issue of debt relief for Haiti. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the IMF managing director and Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank participate in the Canadian meeting.

ALSO READ

"China is" ready "to monetary policy adaptersa

"China limits its credit, finance reacts

"The Fed has left interest rates low for much longer

"Down by the euro:" China is central "

The British bride is more beautiful. British Airways, which should finalize during 2010 his marriage with Iberia, said Friday it had halved its operating loss in the third quarter.

"We still expect to lose money records this year," warned Willie Walsh, its director general. Due to a disastrous start to the year, the company has doubled its losses in the first nine months of its fiscal year. But saving measures taken upon entry into the crisis begins to pay. They have reduced operating costs by 10.5%.

To achieve this, the company has taken most of its competitors' revenues low costs. Starting with one of the keys to their model: a homogeneous fleet of aircraft, which reduces maintenance costs.On its base from London Gatwick, British Airways is gradually increased to a single type of aircraft (Boeing 777) for its long-haul flights and two models (Airbus A 320 and A 319) for its medium-haul flights.

All departments of the company have also made efforts. British Airways has cut staffing in its ground staff. A voluntary separation scheme and the non-renewal of retirements have to spend the staff of the London Heathrow Airport from 7 000 to 6 000 employees.

The operation of the hub has been completely redesigned. The development of online registration and training for staff to become versatile allowed both increase productivity and improve the punctuality of aircraft easy payday loans .

Last summer, finally, employees of support functions had to take leave without pay."Everyone had made efforts, but the sailors, summarizes a part of British Airways. We decided to make some changes so authoritarian. "

"Ability to react quickly"

Since the fall, steps have been taken to reduce the rest stops and to enhance the productivity of crews. The rest in Los Angeles after a flight from London for example is increased from two to one night.

A voluntary retirement plan was established to 1 000 cabin crew. 3 000 sailors have agreed to move to part time. This change has saved the equivalent of 700 employees at the company. British Airways has also offered its pilots a pay cut 6 to 7% against shares. This will allow the company to achieve 300 million pounds of savings this year."These reforms demonstrate our ability to react quickly, welcomes a part of the company. Our competitors have thought that we overreact. "

These drastic measures have however led social movements. The crew of the company and to vote February 22 on organizing a strike to oppose these measures, calling the union Unite.

ALSO READ

"Air France and Lufthansa, two opposing strategies against crisis

During the worst crisis in the global economy since 1929, electronic commerce has continued to grow. The turnover posted by online merchants reached 25 billion euros, up 26% in one year. Growth continues at a speed so rampant: the activity has increased tenfold since 2002. Electronic commerce now weighs just over 4% of retail sales (excluding food and pharmaceuticals) business cards . And projections are optimistic, according to the Federation of e-commerce and distance selling (Fevad), who presented the results Tuesday, the amount could reach 46 billion by 2012. The increase in 2009 was fueled in particular the creation of 17,000 new commercial sites, two every hour!

This is a first. Boeing has unveiled Tuesday on the economic impact of its partnership with the French manufacturers. And it is quite significant. In 2008, Boeing had charged for 4 billion worth of contracts to subcontractors lights, representing 9.6% of turnover in the sector. Of this total, 2.8 billion from direct contracts with manufacturers and the balance through the airlines at the head of Boeing fleet. The activity generated by the aircraft manufacturer in France had led to the creation of 23,000 jobs, 11,500 of which direct the total end of 2008.

Statistics mixed and disappointing in November in the United States. Consumer spending rose for the second consecutive month, gaining 0.5% on month, after rising 0.6% in October, according to statistics published Wednesday by the Commerce Department.

Although most economists expecting the continuation of consumption suggests an acceleration of growth on the end of the year, confirming the rebound of 2.2% in the third quarter.

The increase in consumption was accompanied, in November, the fifth consecutive increase in household income at 0.4%. Although this is the largest increase in this indicator since May, it remains below expectations (+0.5%).

Despite this more favorable context, the real estate market continued its descent into hell, touching its lowest level since April.Sales of new homes have plummeted 11.3% in November to 355,000 units annually. A very unpleasant surprise to economists, who expected 440,000 sales. To make matters worse, the figures for October were revised downward, to 400,000 units against 430,000 previously estimated.

The ISP has been created by the government in late 2008. It is owned 49% state and 51% by Caisse des Depots et Consignations. With 20 billion euros of capital, announced its objective is to develop French firms in terms of growth and competitiveness. On this point, some investments are discussed. Its scope is as follows: enter capital firms involved as a minority without trying to take control. Then accompany the medium-long term while seeking profitability to finally get out as soon as the financial health of society will be improved and that its shareholders have been reconstructed. In a year of existence, it became a capital of 14 companies, and promised to take stakes in four other companies.The sequence of dates for achieving such equity.

February 25, 2009:

The ISP has acquired a stake in Valeo to 24 million euros which provides 11% stake in the automotive supplier. He becomes the second largest shareholder.

April 14, 2009:

He completes his entry to the capital of the aerospace supplier Daher up to 65 million euros. Daher, Socata has taken over at Airbus has launched the construction of a new plant in Nantes for the manufacture of advanced aircraft structures.

April 28, 2009:

The FSI between capital Farinia Group, a leading French processing of metals, up to 20 million euros.

02 May 2009:

Between the capital of the company to Led Lite, specializing in the field of lighting based on high brightness LED for 2 million euros.

June 26, 2009:

The ISP releases 10 million euros for the company 3S Photonics, an SME in Ile-de-France is a leading global electronic components for telecommunications networks.

1st June 2009:

He pays 160 million euros to the U.S. TPG Capital to buy him 8% of the French specialist in smart cards, Gemalto.At present, this remains the biggest investment made by the ISP.

July 6, 2009:

It acquires 5% stake in Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry following the acquisition of shares in the market for 58 million euros.

July 20, 2009:

The brand toys Meccano announces fundraising of 4.4 million including 2.2 from the ISP via CDC companies.

July 22, 2009:

Frey News Energy, a company generating electricity from renewable energy sources, announced a fundraising of 15 million euros, of which 7 million euros from the ISP.

09 September 2009:

The ISP has crossed the threshold of 5% stake in Technip following the stock market for 90 million euros.

1st October 2009:

The fund participates in the capital increase Forenap group, specializes in pharmaceutical research in neuroscience, to the tune of 6 million euros.

06 October 2009:

He participated in the recent capital increase of Groupe Carbone Lorraine to now hold more than 5% by injecting 10 million euros.

October 22, 2009:

The ISP is investing 7.5 million euros in Dailymotion, one of the leading sites for sharing videos.

November 18, 2009:

It provides 25 million euros in biotech company NicOx, and thus takes possession of 5.1% of its capital.

In the coming weeks:

The fund will pay 10 million euros in Mecachrome as part of a recovery plan and 10 million euros over the proposed takeover of manufacturer and automotive supplier Heuliez.It will invest a maximum of 117 million euros in capital increase of Cegedim. The ISP will thus have a shareholding of approximately 15%. He is also preparing to inject 6 million euros in Avanquest Software, a French manufacturer of consumer software business and also as part of the capital increase planned for early 2010.

The ISP has also carried out a series of reinvestments in the amount of nearly 10 million euros to accelerate the development of companies of which he became a shareholder in the context of the contributions made by the Caisse des Depots et Consignations.