Wall Street started the week on a negative note

Posted by admin on July 25th, 2011

Concerned about the lack of progress in negotiations on the ceiling of U.S. debt, equity markets began the session in the red. After completing the session Friday without any real conviction, the Dow Jones lost 0.51% to 12,616.64 points, the Standard & Poor's 500 index 0.84% ​​to 1333.72 points and the Nasdaq 0.94% in 2832 , 06 points on Monday at the opening.

If the euro reached an agreement, the United States they still fail to agree on the ceiling of the debt. Crucial negotiations remain stalled between the Democratic allies of President Barack Obama, the Senate majority and their Republican opponents, who control the House of Representatives.If politicians on both sides do not agree by August 2, the maximum allowed rise of U.S. debts, the government of the world's largest economy may be in default.

In Europe, since the announcement of a new device to try to save Greece and avoid contagion of debt to other countries considered fragile in the euro area, the rating agencies make known their position on the plan, the highly anticipated reactions, since some aspects of the agreement threatens to put Greece under default. According to Fitch, as of Friday, decided that Greece was in partial default, Moody's downgraded three notches this morning note the country of Caa1 to Ca, one notch from the default.

New pressures on gold

Sign of renewed concern about the market, gold, traditional safe haven climbs to new highs.The ounce has risen to over 1620 dollars, while the stalled discussions on the United States raising the ceiling of U.S. debt exacerbated the nervousness of the markets. The price of an ounce of gold rose to 1624.07 dollars on the spot market in early Asian trade, a new record.

On the foreign exchange market, the dollar is penalized. The euro is rising against the greenback to 1.4375 dollars in late morning. Oil is also down. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for August delivery lost 1.08 dollars to 98.79 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery lost 60 cents to 118.07 dollars.

First estimate of GDP for the second quarter Friday

On the macroeconomic front there is no any major indicator on the agenda of U.S. investors on Monday.Things should accelerate in the coming days with the highlight of Friday, the publication of a first estimate of growth in the United States for the second quarter, the analysts of the firm IHS Global Insight provides "very disappointing" .

Other statistics will punctuate the week.Tomorrow investors monitor the index of consumer confidence and new home sales and durable goods orders Wednesday and the economic report of the Central Bank (Beige Book) and Thursday the promise of home sales and last Friday of industrial activity in the Chicago area.

Another wave of corporate results to follow

The side of values, the U.S. conglomerate United Technologies is planning a partial sale or other "strategic options" for a subsidiary specializing in rocket engines, Rocketdyne, according to the pattern of this activity, Jim Maser, interviewed by the Wall Street Journal .

Citigrop announced the sale of Egg Banking subsidiary, specializes in mortgages and savings, UK Yorkshire Building Society, announced last Monday.

Dow Chemical has announced its formation of a joint venture named "Sadar Chemical Company" with Saudi Aramco.

For its part, Netflix is ​​in talks with DreamWorks Animation to obtain exclusive rights to its catalog of streaming movies, according to Bloomberg.

Research In Motion plunges him 1.7% after a detailed cost optimization program, which includes 2,000 job cuts.

In addition, financial publications are still very many this week. Kimberly-Clark fell back 0.4% in early trade.The manufacturer of tissue paper, has already announced that its earnings per share for the year could end up in the bottom of the expected range.

Baker Hughes said it more than tripled its earnings in the second quarter due to increased drilling activity in the United States, which has also benefited its two major competitors in the oil services sector, Schlumberger and Halliburton.

Among the values ​​of Dow Jones, the retailer Wal-Mart, the aerospace group Boeing, the consumer group 3M, DuPont chemist, or the oil ExxonMobil and Chevron.

So far, the vast majority of large U.S. companies posted higher profits than expected in the second quarter, particularly in the technology sector.

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Poweo disengages green energy

Posted by admin on July 18th, 2011

Coincidence of timing, when the French government announced the rules for large PV installations, the producer of renewable energy Neoen and private equity investment Axa Private Equity participate in the consolidation of a growing industry but still very scattered. Neoen and Axa PE announced Monday the purchase of renewable Poweo activities. Founded by media Charles Beigbeder, Poweo is controlled by the group since 2009 Austrian Verbund. Its branch renewable 100% controlled by Verbund, is distinct from Poweo SA, the small challenger EDF is for sale. Taking advantage of the confusion, the action Poweo SA rose 18% on the stock market yesterday.

Active in offshore wind

The operation mounted by Neoen and AXA PE is around 50 million euros, according to Xavier Barbaro, CEO Neoen. The two buyers will share the assets of Green Poweo.Neoen take possession of 14 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic systems in operation in France and a portfolio of projects. Totaling 50 MW in solar and wind power and 70 MW biomass project in the state approved.

Neoen also retrieves the trash from Poweo installed in the consortium recently with EDF to meet the tender of the State on the first offshore wind

This young company, founded in 2008 in the lap of Direct Energy, is now a "sister company", sharing the same shareholder, namely Jacques Veyrat.As part of his departure on June 30 of the Louis Dreyfus, one that Robert Louis-Dreyfus regarded as his spiritual son got in exchange of its shares in the group of trading, more active and which Neoen 39 2% of Direct Energy.

Supported by its new shareholder, the small Neoen sees far. With the acquisition announced Monday, "we will double our sales power," said Xavier Barbaro. And "it is only a first step," said the leader of this company recently opened an office in Portugal for investment in solar.

Xavier Barbaro time opportunists in photovoltaics in France is over. To evolve and grow in the highly capital-intensive renewable energy, whether solar or wind, "you have to reach critical mass."

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Greece rejects the "partial failure"

Posted by admin on July 13th, 2011

While markets plunged Monday on fears of contagion from the debt crisis in Europe, central bankers in the euro area have attempted to reassure financial markets. "This is to resist the risk of contagion" in Italy, which seems to be the new target markets, or to Spain, and "maintain financial stability in the euro area," said the head of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Junker.

Europe and the tent she set up a second country assistance plan, and in this context, the working group to find a solution to save the country from bankruptcy does no longer a " partial default "of Greece. A possibility ruled out by the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos. "We want full coverage of our borrowing needs and the Greek financial system, which is part of the European financial system, he says.This coverage must be offered either by the ECB or by the Eurozone and the member states, other agencies such as the support fund. There is no alternative. "

European leaders have failed to completely reassure the financial markets. The slopes of measures that finance ministers of the euro area, launched on Monday night, increasing the size of the Emergency Fund Financial (440 billion euros) and longer-maturity loans have not convinced investors the opening of the Paris Bourse, the CAC 40 was down over 2% overnight pay day loans.

However, after announcing a special summit could take place Friday, financial markets have recovered somewhat. And the CAC 40 closed down 0.98% to 3770.21 points. "More than numbers, investors especially need a specific timetable," said Franklin Pichard, Director Barclays stock.The new Executive Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, has reminded European leaders the importance of early implementation of the measures promised.

The international community "can not save Spain"

The Spanish Minister of Economic Affairs, Elena Salgado, said Tuesday he was "not logical" that Spain and Italy are "affected by market volatility," because their economies are "strong and diversified. ""If we are able to transmit the determination that we all, markets should reasonably calm down," she said.

But markets, they do not see things this way: "While the international community can save Greece, Ireland and Portugal, it will not save Spain, too important contributor to the euro area" , said Monday Laurent Geronimi, director of rate management at Swiss Life Private Banking.

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Business Tapie: Lagarde postponed the decision on

Posted by admin on July 8th, 2011

The Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) announced Friday it had postponed to August 4 decision to initiate or not an investigation of the role played by Christine Lagarde in the case Tapie.

"One of the members of the commission has indicated that he was later forced to recuse himself," said Gerard Palisse, president of the petitions committee of the Court. "The alternate member of the Court which could have us make up for his part that he himself was unable to do so immediately without prior knowledge of the case. The Committee decided to defer consideration of this matter Thursday, August 4, "he added.

The former French Minister of Economy and current executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is suspected of "abuse of authority" in the arbitration in July 2008 on the case Tapie, Credit Lyonnais faxless cash advance.The businessman, who felt cheated after the sale of Adidas in 1993 with Credit Lyonnais, had obtained 285 million euros of public funds.

In May, the Attorney General of the Supreme Court, Jean-Louis Nadal, asked the petitions committee of the RGC to investigate the matter. If the Court decides to initiate the investigation, it should be long and Christine Lagarde would not be considered for several years. The new leader denies IMF, meanwhile, abuse of authority in this matter and have provided "clear conscience".

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Offshore wind: EDF partners with DONG Energy

Posted by admin on July 4th, 2011

The battle to win the big contract from the French offshore wind organized. After Areva, which has partnered with the Spanish Iberdrola last week, it was the turn of EDF Energies Nouvelles to partner with a foreign group specializes in offshore wind, according to Les Echos. A subsidiary of EDF should indeed unveil Monday morning a partnership with Danish DONG Energy to meet the tender to be published July 11, the newspaper said. The tandem will try to get hold of the entire order worth a total of 10 billion euros.

The project, detailed by Nicolas Sarkozy last January after being repeatedly postponed, for the first phase is to establish 600 wind turbines with an installed capacity of 3,000 megawatts (MW) in France. By 2020, the government is a target of 6000 MW of offshore wind, or 1200 units to be built.

In detail, EDF EN and DONG Energy would create a joint venture majority owned by EDF Energies Nouvelles. This new entity will offer a special place in the Danish group in the race to the contract and will allow EDF EN to join a specialist offshore wind. In fact, DONG Energy already operates eleven offshore wind farms in Europe. The Danish group have been very courted, especially by GDF Suez.

In contrast, the subsidiary of EDF is still not present in the field of wind energy at sea, but EDF EN goes into working order. Having established a partnership with Alstom to supply him the offshore wind, he offered the services of three groups who worked on the project.

DONG Energy and EDF EN, associated with Alstom, is positioned on the five areas covered by the tender in competition with Areva / Iberdrola on two areas and three areas with GDF-Suez, Areva Vinci.Other contenders could also decline by 11 July.

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Capgemini will acquire to Apax Partners Prosody

Posted by admin on June 15th, 2011

Capgemini continues its acquisitions in Western countries. After the buyback and Avantias Artesys in France and BI Consulting Group in the United States, the group specializes in IT services and outsourcing is in exclusive negotiations with the investment fund Apax Partners to acquire Operator transactional flow multichannel Prosody, according to a joint statement the two companies on Tuesday.

The operation, which could be finalized by the end of July, valuing the company at around 382 million euros, this amount also includes the acquisition price of Internet-EN LevelIP in France and Italy. Present in France, Spain and Belgium, the company achieved a turnover of 172.3 million euros and an operating margin of 15.3% published.Also specializes in cloud computing (cloud computing) and mobile services, Prosody is currently 97% owned by the fund Apax Partners and the management team guaranteed online personal loans.

Offer services that can complement Prosody Capgemini, particularly in the field of new IT services to its clients financial and public sectors, but also telecom and retail. And for the hosting of websites, the customer portfolio of Capgemini and market knowledge will enable it to continue its international development.

The acquisition, funded from net cash from Capgemini, would be accretive to the group's operating margin. The statement said it would also be accretive to earnings per share excluding operational synergies of at least 3% in 2011 and 4% in 2012.

At 9 pm, at the Paris Bourse, the title of Capgemini gained 2.07% to 38.19 euros. This is the largest increase in the CAC 40 to open Tuesday.

Apple revolution icloud

Posted by admin on June 6th, 2011

Monday night, Steve Jobs must have Apple's service icloud. Using a deal with record companies, the Cupertino company will upgrade its online music service iTunes. Customers can purchase their music from Apple's online store and listen to their wishes, where they are. The service called "cloud computing, or cloud computing, grow fast. This is a new revolution in computing. It is to connect to the Internet to access data and applications. Individuals no longer need to store on their PC or hard drive at home, and businesses no longer need to invest in high-performance computers.

The computer then used to open the application as a water faucet or turn on a light.Apple already offers a first service "cloud" to synchronize the network, contacts, emails and diary, from an iPhone or an iPad. The MobileMe service is very expensive (99 dollars or 79 euros per year from France).

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

Amazon has shown the way

Google will launch this summer the free operating system for PCs, Chrome OS, designed and filmed for the cloud. "The biggest users of cloud services are already without knowing it, individuals using tools such as Gmail or Google pay services data storage from Amazon," said Lew Tucker, Director Technical cloud at Cisco.With his offensive, Apple created a new front against Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

One of the largest global provider of cloud services Amazon is the world leader in cultural services in line with an estimated turnover in this area at one billion dollars in 2010. The original idea of ​​the champion of e-commerce, which has expanded its services to music storage for individuals, was to lease excess capacity of its own "farms" of computers. "It comes down to your apartment when it is empty during the workday and when you go on vacation," says one expert. All the giants of the Web follow the lead of Amazon. In economic terms, the marginal cost is low for providers of computing power and storage capacity pay day advance. The additional revenue generated almost as much profit.For ten years, computer manufacturers, software publishers and computer services companies dream of a paradigm shift.

56 billion market

With the development of the Internet and especially because of the economic crisis, companies have converted to cloud computing. "After years of germination, cloud computing takes off. Partly for macroeconomic reasons. The crisis led all organizations to scrutinize their spending. In this context, a solution which can offer more for less is difficult to ignore, "says Ben Pring, vice president of research firm Gartner. For now, most of the market is done by software. The turnover of the software on demand is estimated around $ 11.7 billion in 2010 by Forrester Research. Today, 60% of worldwide turnover is made in the United States.But the phenomenon should spread to other countries. By 2020, the worldwide market will reach $ 56 billion, says Forrester Research.

With about 3 million business customers worldwide including one million in Europe, Google makes between 500 million and $ 1 billion in sales in the cloud. Finally, Microsoft will invest 90% of its budget on R & D in the cloud this year, said Jean-Philippe Courtois, senior vice president of Microsoft. But its sales in the area is estimated at "several hundred million dollars a year," admits a group leader. Each offers its solution. IBM, HP, Dell, Microsoft and Oracle want to use huge "farms" of servers to store and rent computing power to their customers. To this end, HP and Dell have acquired companies in the storage and data virtualization, in order to compete with VMware, a subsidiary of EMC.The market also attracts telecom giants like Cisco, Ericsson and Huawei, and specific actors, such as Akamai, Rackspace Hosting or Salesforce.

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Unprecedented decline in the number of pharmacists

Posted by admin on June 1st, 2011

It is a trend reversal. With 73,259 enrolled in college, the number of pharmacists in activity fell from 73 people last year. The decline is certainly symbolic, but so far, enrollment proceeded.This change is due to arrive at retirement age (63 years on average) generations of baby-boomers, a numerus clausus remained low until 2004 (2250 persons), and "evaporation" of 20.1% of pharmacy students to other sectors (cosmetics, food …), which worries the Order.

The numerus clausus was gradually recovered to 3090 students per year since 2008 but, given the length of study at least six years-and-baby-boom is not over, the College expects a stabilization of the workforce over the next few years, then a "probable regression" around 2020.

116 pharmacy closures

In detail, in 2010, the number of pharmacists working in the drug industry, from wholesale distributors, hospitals and overseas still rising slightly.It is in pharmacies (pharmacy owners or employees) and biological laboratories that troops are less numerous.

The consequences however are far less worrisome than physicians, who are free to locate wherever they want. This is not the case of pharmacies, subject to a "law of demo-geographical distribution" since Vichy. Admittedly, 116 pharmacies (approximately 22,500) were closed last year, but "mostly in urban areas, where their density remains high." With an average of one pharmacy per 2800 inhabitants, and 43 pharmacies per 1000 square kilometers, "there is no desert or pharmaceuticals in rural areas, or in sensitive areas," says the College.An argument for pharmacists who, faced with the erosion of their margins on the sale of drugs, argue that they may be assigned new missions nearby health, could mitigate the problem of medical deserts.

The College-chaired by a woman, Isabelle is also Adenot-increasing feminization of the profession last year, exactly 66.67% of pharmacists were pharmacists. The proportion rises to 76% for hospital pharmacists and 82% among pharmacists assistants (employees). Finally, increased job insecurity is also reported, with a jump of 9% last year, the number of temporary staff pharmacists in pharmacies: they are now 3700.

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The CAC 40 down heavily with Greece and Italy

Posted by admin on May 23rd, 2011

The CAC 40 dropped to below 4000 points on Monday. It is even more rowdy than last weekend. Halfway through, the Paris index digs its losses and was down 1.82% at 3918.07 points. This morning, Asian stock markets operated in the dark red, especially with the Nikkei falling more than 1.5% and the Shanghai index, which lost more than 2.4%. Friday night, Wall Street also ended in negative territory. Global markets are again worried by the European sovereign debt.

At the end of last week, two bad signals were launched: the degradation of three notches, to note the long-term debt of Greece by Fitch and placed under negative outlook from that of Italy by Standard and Poors.While in Spain, the protests continue for a week and local elections gave the losing party of José Luis Zapatero.

Elsewhere in Europe, still in the middle of the session, the Dax in Frankfurt dropped 1.89%, the FTSE in London, 1.78% and the Milan Mib fall of 2.99%.

A single digit to follow on Monday, the flash PMI for the month of May. The growth of activity in the private sector in France has slowed slightly in May to 60.5 against 62.4 in April, partly due to a slowdown in manufacturing, according to the survey Markit. The rest of the week looks very busy, however, including tomorrow's business survey in industry, employment figures Wednesday and the consumer confidence Friday. The Ifo index in Germany will be known Tuesday.American side, sales of new homes will be followed tomorrow, and the expenses and incomes of households, Michigan index, and promises of sales Friday.

In addition, while the battle over the estate of Dominique Strauss-Kahn to head the International Monetary Fund opens on Monday. And a G8 summit will be held Thursday and Friday next, to address among other issues on the major recommendations of the Internet, meeting tomorrow and Wednesday in Paris.

The euro hit by debt

Also concerned by the debts, the euro depreciates. The single currency fell heavily against the dollar Monday, falling below the $ 1.40 for the first time in over two months. About 11:00 am in Paris, the European single currency was worth 1.3982 dollars against 1.4155 dollars on Friday night.

No publication of French company is expected Monday.Veolia mechanically declined from 2.64% amid dividend payment of 1.21 euro.

For his part, Alcatel Lucent yields 2.75% and 2.74% Schneider. The bank is also struggling: Agricultural Credit folds of 2.63% after S & P lowered the ratings of the bank heavily exposed to Greece, Societe Generale, 1.70% and BNP Paribas 1.53% .

Carrefour is the only value of the CAC 40 in green and gleans 0.23% by mid-session. The group has hired investment bank Lazard to consider merging its Brazilian subsidiary Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao with (Grupo Pao de Acucar, GPA), a local leader in distribution, could be read in the Journal du Dimanche.

On the SBF 120, there are three values ​​in the green outside Carrefour: Yellow Pages: + 0.27%, EDF EN, + 0.04%, and Biomerieux: + 1.05%.

Europacorp is 0.94%.The film Tree of Life, which received the Palme d'Or, was produced by William Pohlad, distributed by Fox Searchlight, and Summit Intenrational Europacorp.

Note also, side companies, only four years after his last investigation, the Court of Auditors notes in a report that the financial situation of the social institutions of electricity and gas has further deteriorated. EDF (-1.20% to 28.40 euros) is directly concerned.

Also monitor the values ​​in the aviation sector while another Icelandic volcano woke up this weekend. A cloud of ash could reach France on Thursday.Air France KLM fall of 3.79% after the first information that emerged from the black box flight from Rio to Paris créashé two years ago.

The Malaysian low cost airline AirAsia was ready to order more than 150 Airbus (EADS: -0.62% to 22.58 euros) A320 Neo (re-engined), with new engines more fuel efficient, for $ 13, 6 to 15,900,000,000 dollars, reported Monday the daily Les Echos. Furthermore, side EADS, Daimler hopes that the German state into its capital.

Renault (-1.91% to 38.72 euros): the state could benefit from replacing the number two automaker Patrick Pelata to advocate for reform at the head of the group according to Les Echos.The state would have more influence on the industrial choice and limit the power of Carlos Ghosn in particular through the recruitment of new blood.

If the court gives due Monday at the Association of Defence of Minority Shareholders (Adam), Hermes (-0.88% to 174 euros) could lose control of its general assembly on May 30 in favor of LVMH (-2 52% at 116.0 euros).

Michelin (-0.84% ​​to 62.40 euros) intends to market within three years for a tire which sets itself in the event of a puncture.

A Brazilian group could become a shareholder of Carrefour

Posted by admin on May 22nd, 2011

Carrefour had commissioned this week the bank Lazard to explore the possibility of a merger between its subsidiary and Brazilian Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao (CBD, Pao de Acucar), the local leader. According to the Sunday newspaper, the group led by Lars Olofsson would consider this option due to "disappointment" crossed by the French giant in the country. "In late 2010, the French had provisioned EUR 550 million for inventory write-downs and potential disputes with Brazilian suppliers," says the weekly.

The operation would provide the entrance to the Diniz family, owner of CBD, in the capital of Carrefour. Patriarch Abilio Diniz, 74, is the 8th Brazilian capital with a portfolio of $ 3 billion. The sign CBD has 1500 stores and employs 140,000 employees.His goal of turnover is 30 billion this year.

This entry to the capital is far from won, writes the JDD, for "Casino holds about 35% of CBD at parity with the clan Diniz" and "would oppose the merger with Carrefour to maintain a crucial alliance with CBD instant payday loan lenders. For years the two French retail groups "waging a covert war in the tropics, with rifle purchase signs and opening of stores," the paper said. For the time nor Carrefour or Casino have to comment on information.

The Carrefour group looking for a new director for Carrefour in France, since the thank James McCann – Tesco defector, has also just received a negative response from Serge Papin.The president of U-System has successfully completed a double blow by seizing Coop Atlantic and Telemarket site – would nevertheless have been the ideal candidate.

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