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More than a month after the fiasco of the France team in South Africa, the French professional football is definitely getting worse. While professional football league (LFP) expected at worst to a deficit of 150 million euros, the National Monitoring Directorate Management (DNCG) has recently established its report on the finances of French professional clubs. And the finding is instructive: their accumulated loss stood at 180 million euros for the 2009-2010 season, including 140 million for the Ligue 1 clubs. Record. The precedent dating from the 2002-2003 season with a deficit of 167 million.

And yet, the French professional clubs we were accustomed to much better in recent years. "This deficit is due more to a sharp decline in revenue related to shipments by a sharp increase in spending that we had already seen last year," said Vincent warmShe expert sports Ineum Consulting.Today, the situation is simple, both for small than for large clubs: he must sell players first and then build his team. This is far from easy. Why?

Spanish and English clubs are more buyers

Their main "clients", English and Spanish clubs, bear the brunt of the economic crisis and could not like each year to buy the best French players. And unlike like the French clubs do not hesitate to buy great players, the calculation is done quickly. "This deficit is a matter of timing. French football is constantly lagging behind the economic cycle.The French clubs have spent much of last year through the renegotiation of TV contracts in 2006, and the establishment of the right to collective image (which exempts a portion of payroll taxes to pay athletes, can not exceed 30% of the total, Ed), whose clubs n (were really benefit in 2009, "said Vincent warmShe.

Although we are far from 800 million euros of debt the English club Chelsea in January erased by its Russian owner Roman Abramovich. But the fact that this ad is not necessarily good news when we know that UEFA is planning to launch its draft financial fair play in UEFA's two years at the initiative of … France. Thus, from the 2012-2013 season, clubs will no longer spend more than they earn.Again, the French clubs are not the worst placed in terms of expenditure, but in terms of income, they are far from being the first …

If one were to summarize the 2010 summer transfer window, we would call dull. Like any economic activity, football suffers from the crisis. Marseille and Lyon have already purchased a lot last year and Paris and Bordeaux have had a sporting season 2009-2010 more than complicated. Thus, the OM has bought Andre-Pierre Gignac and Loic Remy because they sold Mamadou Niang (at Turkish club Fenerbahce) and lent Hatem Ben Arfa (at English club Newcastle).

Aulas has made "a little fun"

What about Lyon? Until the "little pleasure" that became Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyon president of purchasing Yoann Gourcuff for $ 22 million last Tuesday, the club Lyon had previously spent only 6 million euros with the former Rennes Jimmy Briand.Far from 82 million spent a year earlier. "Unlike the big Italian clubs, English or Spanish, French clubs can not afford a repeat of" such "transfer window several times. The DNCG requires them to control their spending. And when the crisis gets involved … "Says one expert.

Last year like this year, Lyon as Marseille have sold less and less purchased. But the fact remains the same: they have spent more than sold. The OL has purchased $ 28 million and sold for 3 million in summer 2010 transfer window (82 million against 45.5 million in the transfer window in 2009). For the OM, the losses amount to 13 million euros in the summer 2010 transfer window (about 23 million euros in the transfer window in 2009). For their part, had to sell Gourcuff Bordeaux to balance its accounts and finally Paris Saint Germain all the trouble to sell his "big bucks" to be able to buy a defender. The crisis affects everyone.Relatively speaking …

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What are the main principles of pension reform that will defend from 7 September to the National Assembly?

This reform is reasonable, fair, progressive and effective. It has three main points: a new age of retirement, taking into account the hardship for the first time in France, and a reconciliation between the public and private sectors. Increase to 62 the legal age of retirement is to hold an age of reason, drawing conclusions from the fact that we live longer. Simply increasing the contribution period was rather unreasonable: we should bring to 47 the contribution period to balance the system. By raising the bar to 62 years in 2018, we will remove the pension deficit at that date and until 2020.Afterwards he will talk again, this is normal.

Amendments will be tabled during the parliamentary debate to improve the consideration of the strain at work. What do they consist?

France is the first country to do so the link between pensions and arduous. In the current state of reform, an employee with a disability rating of 20% will retain the right to retire at age 60. I have long listened to the unions and specialists in this question. We need to look if you can better respond to situations of "arduous delayed effect ', that is to say, the case of employees who have had a very exhausting life, but are not medically verifiable when they are retiring. We are also looking at improving the prevention, because the first response to the hardship is to avoid being exposed.We must go further on this issue and improve the traceability of exposure to proven situations of difficulty. We are also considering the organization of occupational medicine for it plays a more important role in this field.

You're not afraid to create a new gas plant?

We will do everything to avoid it as too complex creates injustice. The common law, it will be 62 in 2018. Devices to keep the retirement age to 60 will be fair and operational. About 700,000 people retiring each year, 100,000 will retain the right to leave at 60 when our reform passed through the devices' hardship 'and' long careers.

Do you lower the threshold of 20% disability rate for the consideration of the hardship?

I think that this threshold is realistic.

And for polypensionnés, what do you do?

40% of employees who liquidate their retirement have contributed to several schemes. It is a question more complex than it seems. Some polypensionnés have interest to be because they have such validate more than four quarters per year. We are looking for greater consistency between pension plans, but we want to look at the issue from both sides: the losers of the current system, but also its winners.

When do you intend to publish these amendments?

Nothing is off but probably in the days following the opening of the debate at the meeting. Besides, by then I continue my consultations with Georges Tron.

Bernard Thibault began to worry that the debate on pensions is overshadowed by these cases. Do you see an attack against you?

No.I welcome the attitude of unions who have not howled with the wolves and do not participate in the hunt for the man I'm costs. Bernard Thibault do regret that the controversy overshadowed the debate on the merits of the reform. I think this results from the Socialist Party will do everything to avoid talking about a subject that divides them: the pensions.

Do you fear the mobilization of Sept. 7?

A significant reform, significant mobilization. But the French know that they live longer, it makes sense to share the extra time between work and retirement.

Are you afraid of being targeted by demonstrators on September 7?

That there are banners in my name or my image, I expect, since the opposition instrumentalist my name to caricature the debate on pensions.

Do you remain Minister of Labour after the pension reform or after the redesign?

I will do what the president wants me to do. But I feel very good in this department where I still have many projects to bear.

Which?

Once the pension law passed, we will undertake consultations on the reform of dependence. With Nora Berra we have made great progress on technical solutions but it is still too early to prejudge the financial terms of this reform. I intend, moreover, to resume with Nadine Morano the issue of inequality between men and women who did not sufficiently advanced, despite the many laws passed during the last fifteen years. I will also work on the topic of workplace violence. I have not forgotten the policy of the city.We need to support experiments in a pool of fifty jobs with Fadela Amara.

"Segolene Royal is poorly placed to give me a moral lesson"

Do you fear one day be referred to the Court of Justice of the Republic about the case Bettencourt?

I am very serene. I have nothing to reproach myself in this case, I am guilty of any conflict of interest and have already had occasion to explain in detail each of the charges which I have been .

Why then the Attorney General of the Court of Appeal considered there this solution?

I have not read that he was considering! He simply, if I understand correctly, responded to a letter which was sent. It examines the issues that are submitted before a decision is his role. I did not comment.However, I can only wonder at the letter sent by Corinne Lepage, who is a political process. I see that right now many are looking to be taking me as a scapegoat. But it's still a shame to receive lessons in morality from someone like her! What was her husband when she was Minister of the Environment? Do not he headed a law firm, specifically in the environment?

You speak of "stoning political" about you. Who are you targeting?

When I hear Ségolène Royal to denounce France 2 20 hours of the "billionaires of the UMP," I say we're living in delirium. The "billionaires UMP" as she says, have given a maximum of 7,500 euros, transparently, under control of the commission of the campaign accounts, in strict compliance with the rules of financing of political life.And at the same time, Ms. Royal is funded by Pierre Bergé. She was sentenced by the court for the conditions under which it has paid two former collaborators, is poorly placed to give me a moral lesson. I have nothing to reproach myself, and I am sure that the judicial process, whatever the judge, will prove it.

Aim to highlight you still not back so weakened that?

It seeks to weaken me! But I do not feel at all weakened. Throughout the summer there has been a little game of trying to prove so-called affairs on my municipal campaign, the sale of land at Compiegne … Every time, everything has deflated half a day. An accumulation of rumors and slander is not a truth. What sites are seeking to do business commercial on my back does not make me guilty.

Your absence from the meeting Brégançon around the head of state, last week, is it not a denial?

The meeting focused on fiscal deficits and budget preparation. I just remember that I am no longer Minister of Budget. Therefore my presence was not normal.

A new request for a hearing she will soon be presented to the Cabinet?

I have no idea. Again, all this, they are rumors spread by some newspapers or sites. I believe in freedom of the press, but I do not believe in freedom to slander.

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LE FIGARO. – Do you double dip scenario?

I believe more in a low growth as a relapse of the activity. There have been a very sharp slowdown, as the pace of growth fell from 5% at end 2009 to 1.6%. These figures, subject to some volatility, however, overstate the true extent of the downturn even if the coming quarters, many uncertainties remain.

Let's start with the volatility …

The restocking of companies boosted the activity at year end, without any increase in imports. The opposite effect has played in the first quarter. Despite the slowdown of GDP, domestic demand excluding inventories accelerated, rising by over 4% annual rate in the second quarter. The latest indicators (monthly or weekly) are obviously more worrying, especially in real estate.However, we do not rely on the construction as an engine of the economy!

What drives the U.S. economy?

Exports are an important driver. They rose 15% between mid-2009 and mid-2010 and continue to grow at a rate of 10% per annum. Investment in equipment has also greatly contributed to the recovery since late 2009.

What can we expect consumption?

Two elements of condition, the rate of savings and disposable income. Households who have seen their assets melt, have sought to rebuild their savings. Their savings rate, which now exceeds 6% – against less than 2% in 2007 – should now be stabilizing. Changes in consumption should therefore, over the next month, depending on that of their disposable income and therefore the payroll.So far, the increase in weekly hours of work allowed a reasonable growth of income despite the weakness in job creation. But after hours of work returned to normal, job creation of about 130,000 each month will be needed to avoid a recurrence of the activity. But the last three months, there was an average of only 50,000 jobs created in the private sector.

Is there any new stimulus package?

Even if they are significantly smaller than before the crisis, the leeway of economic policy are not necessarily zero. Two measures are also to be discreetly passed: an extension of the duration of unemployment benefits and federal funding of $ 26 billion to states. Americans are pragmatic: whether to again support the economy, they will.The Federal Reserve may also help prevent a recession by pushing more time to raise rates and, especially, in announcing a new program of buying shares of Treasury bonds.

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"We are confident in the future," says Olivier Piou, CEO of Gemalto, with BFM Radio, which recently released its results on Thursday for the first half of 2010. So much so that the specialist manufacturer of digital security and smart cards, SIM cards and electronic passports is a turnover of one billion euros in the second half. "The acquisitions made early nosu costs a little money, but we must continue to invest. We can because we are confident, "says CEO of Gemalto. Gemalto has "changed dimension. Now we're a start-up. When I arrived in the company, I do not think I'd still be in office with such a turnover, "he says.

"Lack of communication of the group"

A trust that does not necessarily share the financial markets.At 9:30, the action Gemalto shows a decrease of 4.28% to 28.19 euros in a market up 1.07%, the largest drop in the SRD. "This drop is excessive, an analyst who follows reacts value. The elements that have affected the first half performance was known. The discrepancy between results and expectations of the market indicates a lack of communication from the group. "

Gemalto in line with the consensus

However, the group released under the first-half turnover of 840 million euros, up 5% at current exchange rates. "We accelerated our offers have been very well received, because they correspond to a real need," said Olivier Piou. There is a real market potential of contactless payments, particularly in Africa and South Asia.In France, we are in trouble because we took too far ahead. "

The group's net profit amounted to 63 million euros, down 7.35% from a year earlier. "Today, the consensus of analysts is around 200 million euros profit the year is well within our range," says Olivier Piou. In 2009, the group posted a net profit of 148 million euros.

No new acquisitions

In addition, Gemalto first half operating profit down 15.2% to 67 million euros but he "remains in line with the company plan to increase its result in 2010," the group said in its statement. Gemalto is 300 million euros in income from operating activities in 2013.Of the three main activities of Gemalto, security has the highest increase (+21%) in the first half to 148.2 million euros (17.6% of sales) to the mobile phone (8%) to 451.7 million euros (53.8% of sales) and secure transactions (1%) to 207.4 million euros (24.7% of sales).

After several acquisitions, including the United States and Germany, the group does not provide new acquisitions. Olivier Piou said that Gemalto had to concentrate in the second half on the integration of recent operations.

The fall is twice larger than expected. Sales of existing homes in the United States have unscrewed from 27.2% in July compared to June, according to figures released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). A statistic which agrees with the economists providing a relapse of the U.S. economy.

Sales of existing properties and have hit a 15-year low in July. The June sales have they been revised downward to 5.26 million units, against 5.37 previously.

These figures are certainly worse than expected catastrophic but are not a total surprise. They indeed correspond to the decision of the tax credit established by the Federal Government to support sales. "Citizens are very rationally rushed on the market before the expiry of the measure in May," says Laurence Yun, chief economist of the NAR."Since that date, signature of contracts of sale were far less numerous. Expect a break until late September. "Other economists expect a further slide in sales volumes until 2011.

The Paris Bourse is scheduled to open in the green Monday. The market should be supported by the buoyant stock markets in Asia. The Nikkei closed up 0.35%, the Nikkei 225 index of blue chips gaining 33.01 points to 9570.31 points. In Shanghai, the stock opened up 0.39% Monday, as investors were apparently reassured by the slowdown in manufacturing activity in July, which shows that government efforts to cool the economy seem to be working. For its part, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong opened up 1.3%, the Hang Seng index gaining 272.2 points to 21,302.01 points in early trade.

The month of July was favorable to investors in Paris. In July, the CAC 40 was well recovered, compared to a decline in June and a memorable month of May in terms of poor performance.Between 1 July and this July 30, the index rose 9.1%. Since the beginning of the year, it remains a decline of 7.45%. Compared to a year ago, it was up 6.3%.

On the face values, we will monitor:

BNP Paribas announced on Monday its quarterly results before the market in good order. They are far beyond expectations, thanks to lower provisions.

France Telecom has entered into discussions with shareholders Meditel second operator in Morocco, to acquire 40% stake in it, according to the Moroccan weekly News, citing a potential investment of 650 million euros.

Eurazeo announced Saturday that entered into exclusive negotiations with the U.S. fund Carlyle for the sale of the hotel chain B & B.

The construction group Vinci has been chosen Friday by the Government for the concession and the construction of the airport at Notre-Dame-des-Landes, who should take over from the 2017 air services from Nantes-Atlantique.

Areva on Friday, as expected, half results penalized by an additional provision under the Finnish EPR OL3, but it confirmed its targets for 2010.

Eiffage has published a quarterly revenue up 2.2% and said its order book stood at EUR 10.8 billion at July 1 (+4.4% at constant since April 1 2010), more than 11 months of activity.

APRR – Arnaud Montebourg The socialist leader said it had seized the financial markets authority (AMF) to try and block the delisting of Autoroutes Paris Rhin Rhone (APRR) requested by Eiffarie, a joint venture of Eiffage the Australian Macquarie Group

Money does not buy happiness, it is often said. Gallup conducted a global study whose results appear to confirm the adage. According to the study, published in the American Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, whose findings were released by the Christian Science Monitor, the U.S. is perhaps the richest country in the world, but they are far from be the happiest.

The global study was conducted among 136,000 people in 132 countries between 2005 and 2006. His basic premise: there are two definitions of happiness. On the one hand, happiness linked to a sense of well-being. On the other, that which is derived from specific moments of joy.If the first definition depends largely on personal income and wealth of the state in which one lives, the second responds rather to how psychological and social needs of all are met, the researchers said Gallup.

Yet with the highest GDP per capita in the world (46,400 dollars per capita, according to the CIA), the U.S. can only 16th in the ranking prepared by Gallup in regard to the general welfare, and only in 26th position out of 132 in terms of moments of satisfaction. The Americans were upstaged by the Danes, who are happiest with a general point of view, and by New Zealanders, who are champions of the moments of joy. Far from the United States, Denmark is the 31st worldwide in terms of GDP per capita ($ 36,000 in 2009) and New Zealand 51st (to 27,300 dollars), according to CIA data.

The importance of social relationships

"While enriched with a sense of general satisfaction on his life, it is perhaps not as big an impact than we imagine how we appreciate each moment," says Ed Diener, a researcher at the University of Illinois and in Gallup. The researcher stresses the importance of "quality of social relations" in the lives of everyone. He cites, for example, Costa Rica, despite income levels below those of South Korea, would have a population happier.

One issue that has also gained ground in France. To determine the limits of GDP as an indicator of social progress, President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008 mandated a committee chaired by Professor Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel Prize in economics.Its report, delivered in late 2009, believes that there is often "a gap between declared, first, the usual measures of major socio-economic variables such as growth, inflation, unemployment, etc.., And, Moreover, widespread perceptions of these realities. " The Committee also questioned "the relevance of these data as a tool to measure societal well-being."

The adage has limits

For example, northern Europe and Anglo-Saxon beautiful lie on top of the global economic scale, these areas have nothing to envy of Latin America, which is relatively well positioned in the rankings of Gallup . This reasoning, however, limits. "Many if not most people want and run after money for most of their days, in fact, admit the authors of the study.Unsurprisingly, the countries of Africa's poorest arrive back of the pack, and this, in the two rankings of happiness!

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FINANCE

Patrick de Carolis, the outgoing president, had promised to let a house to the square. Despite his best efforts, it is far from having completed the reorganization of France Televisions over the past two years.

Pflimlin Remy, who succeeded him on Aug. 23, has no time to lose as many sensitive issues lie ahead. The new CEO will have to pay, by the fall, the problem of financing of France Televisions. The law provides that advertising screens on the same day of the public channels is halted in November 2011. But many UMP deputies, led by Jean-Francois Cope, argue instead for continued advertising. This would prevent the State to provide 350 million euros in compensation payday loan.In the coming weeks, the new president must deal with these parliamentarians, the President of the Republic who do not wish to give up too quickly for his original project and the competing private channels which require that the law is enforced. If the new CEO gets to keep advertising during the day, it preserves a certain financial autonomy and be less subject to the vagaries of state budget. But behind the advertising file, it opens the privatization of France Televisions governed Advertising. He must choose between following Patrick de Carolis and bury the project, or restart the privatization process.

THE SOCIAL

Nearly a thousand investors will be meeting Tuesday night at the Convention Centre in Strasbourg, for the annual meeting of the Afer. And the board of directors of the most popular savings association in France will work hard to answer their questions. For many subscribers have questioned the compensation they can expect after the conviction for abuse of confidence by the Court of Cassation, the founders of the Afer Gérard Athias and Andre Le Saux. The meeting will Does the opportunity to come out on top and turn the page so nicely That is the question facing those who have trusted to rightly Afer to invest their savings, but are tired of business and financial disputes that threaten the life of the association for years.

In the first letter in mid-May, Gerard Bekerman, the president of the Afer, had laid the groundwork.The association would make every effort to try to help savers to recover 92 million that the court had decided to confiscate the former leaders. But to get more (the total damage is estimated at 250 million euros), investors should only engage the battle in court. Collective actions are not allowed in France, considers Afer being unable to lead the fight to them.

Mediation proposed

But a few days ago, in another letter, the president went further Bekerman. It offers a mediation "under the responsibility of an independent and indisputable," which "could lead to a financial proposal" probably by the end of the year. The association will stop there. Each member will have to act individually whether to be better compensated.

These proposals indignant SOS principles Afer.The latter, led by Francis Nocaudie, would love to take Afer leading the fight shoulder and at least the action of members no fax payday loans. It invites Afer to turn against the insurer of the contract, Aviva believes it civilly liable for the actions of former executives of the association, and more solvent than Gerard Andre Le Saux or Mathias. SOS Principles Afer the opportunity to mention the loss of independence of the association vis-à-vis the insurer. In recent weeks, the tone is mounted between Francis Nocaudie and current leaders Afer. The first, after asking the court to postpone the general meeting, expected to require the cancellation. Motive? The poor presentation of the resolutions announced by his association, while those of Afer were well developed.And most importantly, the difficulty for members to give him authority to vote on their behalf. "If the power is valid, it was necessary to mention the zip code of my home, that few members know," he says.

Still in question, the insurer Aviva remains silent. Even if, for the debates which agitate Afer today, a lawyer for life insurance, Mr. Lecoq Vallon not hesitate to resurface an old case appropriately. It is indeed in conflict about a company's old contract, which permitted to invest in stocks during the previous week. An investment to "known price" that proved a boon for investors, and difficult for the insurer. "Many court decisions have sided with the investors who had signed the contract and can not benefit," explains Mr. Nicolas Lecoq Vallon.He estimated that 34 million euros provisioned by Aviva to address disputes are insufficient given the amounts involved in that case.