Daily International Headlines

On Monday, the euro has exceeded a threshold important to the dollar. Crossing $ 1.32 per euro, the European currency has confirmed that his movement assessment started in June was solid. According to technical analysis, once reached this milestone, "there should be a rally towards $ 1.34."

The explanations are manifold, since by definition, when the exchange rate Euro / Dollar rises, it may come from a strong euro, but also a weaker dollar. In this case, currently, the two factors at play.

The euro rises

First, the rise of the euro reflects a growing confidence in Europe.If the euro has fallen more than 20% in less than six months, overwhelmed by the problems of sovereign debt, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, Irish, etc.. Have even questioned the existence of the euro, European currency recovers while the EU has proven, with the IMF, she was desperate to save a member of the bankruptcy, and it would be tough on states to put in stringent budgetary policies.

The renewed confidence is also bolstered in recent weeks by a series of rather positive economic statistics in Europe. Especially in Germany.

The dollar drops

On the other hand, the dollar decline. First, the inverse relationship between changes in U.S. equity markets and the greenback continues to hold. But Wall Street has recovered well in July (7.18% on the month for the Dow Jones) and the month of August has begun.In reality, investors are becoming more appetite for risk and sell the dollar in favor of assets or currencies more risky.

On the other hand, the economic statistics on U.S. rather disappointed and shed doubt on the strength of the recovery across the Atlantic. Good reasons to abandon the dollar.

The yen is at its highest in fifteen years

The weaker dollar also largely explains the surge in the yen, which reached a higher Wednesday since April 1985. What open competitive Japanese companies, including the key word for success is export.

For three months, the dollar has lost 9.48% against the yen. A worrying trend: according to calculations by the OECD, a 10% appreciation of the yen would cut growth by 0.2 percentage points in the first year and 0.4 the second and third year."The impact is not significant when the forecast is 2-3% growth per annum over the next two years," relativized in a note Takuji Okubo, senior economist at Societe Generale IPC.

According to Raymond Van der Putten, Japan specialist at BNP Paribas, "the yen's appreciation is mainly due to poor growth expectations in the United States."

IN BRIEF – Australian dollar and sterling

The doubling of the surplus balance of trade of Australia and its implications for sustained economic growth, has rekindled hopes of a future market for new rate hike by the Australian central bank, providing support this morning the Australian dollar.

In the United Kingdom, the earnings published by the UK banks have supported the pound sterling, which reached a high of six months against the U.S. dollar.

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The Societe generale de financement du Quebec has acquired a 4.5% stake in the video game publisher Ubisoft for an estimated $ 40 million. "The studio was in Montreal is a globally recognized center of excellence including the creation of game concepts of the most innovative and coveted for the expertise of its employees" justified the CEO of SGF Raymond Bachand said in a statement . Ubisoft employs over 2,700 people in Quebec on a total of 6,300.

The deal also further secures the future capital of Ubisoft, uncertain after the departure of its main shareholder, the American Electronic Arts last week. With the sale of 15% held by the latter is the Guillemot family, which became the largest shareholder with a stake in Ubisoft to 11.3%.The FMS and the Guillemot brothers now control over 25% of voting rights.

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The green will not stay very long on Wall Street Wednesday. After starting up in, carried by companies satisfactory results, the markets fall into the red of -0.57% to 10,172 points for the Dow Jones -1.12% to 2198 points and the Nasdaq – 0.80% in 1075 for the S & P.

A reversal following direct speech, much anticipated, Ben Bernanke. The Fed chairman, who delivered his verdict on the U.S. economy before the Senate Banking Committee, said that the takeover of the U.S. economy "continues at a slow pace" and that "the economic outlook remain unusually uncertain" . If no measure of support is mentioned, the Fed is willing to act.

"The market reaction reflects the caution shown by the markets," notes Nick Kalivas, an analyst at MF Global in Chicago."Yet, to some degree, support annocée the Fed would have meant that things were worse than we thought."

These ads are disturbing in any case overshadowed the results published before market trimestreils …

Record earnings for Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo (4.32% to 27.03 dollars) on Wednesday posted a net profit of the group "record" for the second quarter to 2.787 billion dollars, up 12% over a year and above expectations, and reported an improvement in the credit greater than planned. Based on the number of shares, the benefit amounts to 55 cents, while analysts were only expecting 48.Net revenue (turnover) of the fourth largest U.S. bank stood at 21.394 billion dollars, yielding 5% a year.

The U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley (8.05% to $ 24.25) Wednesday announced a net profit group share of $ 1.578 billion in the second quarter, much better than expected, with a turnover also exceeding analysts' forecasts. Per share, net income totaled $ 1.09 and 80 cents without considering the integration of brokerage Smith Barney Citi bought instant credit report.Analysts had expected 46 cents per share excluding special items.

The U.S. giant soft drink Coca-Cola (+2.05% to 54.32 dollars) net earnings up over 16% to $ 2.37 billion in the second quarter, slightly less than expected thanks to higher sales volumes internationally. Reported per share, current earnings is $ 1.02, slightly less than the $ 1.03 expected by analysts, but better than the 92 cents recorded a year earlier.

Apple has released its quarterly after the close of Wall Street. The firm at the apple once again exceeded market expectations in the third quarter of fiscal offset with net income up 78% year on year to 3.253 billion dollars, and sales far beyond forecasts.The securities earn 3.81% to 261.48 dollars.

The U.S. Internet portal Yahoo! posted a group net profit up 51% year on year to 213.32 million dollars in the second quarter, better than expected by analysts, but its sales came out virtually unchanged. The shares dive: -8.88% to 13.85 dollars.

Moreover, the oil giant BP traded on Wall Street Tuesday concluded an agreement with U.S. rival Apache to sell him to seven billion dollars in assets, making a sudden the majority of assignments to which he had hired to offset the cost of the spill. The news was welcomed: securities rise of 3.35% to 36.38 dollars.

Note that the foreign exchange market, the euro retreated against the dollar, traders were playing the card of caution before the release Friday of the results of resistance testing of the 91 largest European banks. In the morning, the euro was at 1.2867 dollars against 1.2881 dollars the previous day.

Growth accelerated to Edenred. The former branch of prepaid group Accor said Monday in a statement up 4.7% of its turnover in the second quarter after increasing 2.9% in the first. The income thus reach the entire first half to 461 million euros, an increase of 3.8%.

The issuance volume of prepaid titles, the key measures for the sector, up by 7.5% to 6.615 billion euros in the first half, in line with the annual target growth of 6% to 14% in the medium term set by the group.

The activity was led by Latin America region, which posts revenue up 4.9% to 181 million euros. "The strong growth in operational activity in Latin America offsets an economic environment still difficult in Europe," notes the group.This region is indeed a cash decrease of 5.3% to 79 million euros over the same period.

The turnover of the financial group fell from 25.6% to 39 million euros, weighed down by "the low level of interest rates," according Edenred.

Chouchou brokers

Edenred, which develops on land Sodexo, Compass Group or Mastercard and Visa, should still jump on the stock exchange after advertising 100% free credit report. Introduced last July 2 at a reference price of 11.40 euros, still have won titles this Monday 1.37% to 13.30 euros, giving a market capitalization of around three billion euros.

The new entity has the benefit of brokers. Most recently, Goldman Sachs who recommends buying the title with a target price of 18 euros."Edenred should long-term growth and profitability linkage, analysts also noted the CM-CIC Securities. The broker Aurel bgc, hailed for its part "the potential for development" on the market for vouchers.

For the second half, Edenred does not change in sight. "It follows the same trend. In Europe, we do not see the restart of employment, which is a trigger of our volumes, "said CEO Jacques Stern during a conference call.

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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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A little respite on Friday in Asian markets. After more than five consecutive days of decline, the most important place on the continent Asia-Pacific represents a reversal of trend. The Nikkei started Friday's session up 0.47% earning 43 points to 9234 points. An advance that the Tokyo market has struggled to keep since mid-session, the majority of gains were erased.

In contrast, Hong Kong, the trend is clearly down because the benchmark Hang Seng yield 1.38%. In Australia, the Sydney Stock Exchange ahead slightly (+0.1%).

The mining stocks rose

In Tokyo, the market is mainly guided by higher mining shares following the downward revision of tax on the profits of these companies decided by the Australian government. This has encouraged new JX Holdings Inc., an oil refiner and producer of copper jumped 3.5%.Inpex, oil explorer, rose 3.2%. Komatsu, the largest manufacturer of earthmoving Asia, gaining 1.5%.

In contrast, the values are auto oriented down significantly, especially for Honda (-1.89%) and Toyota (-2.27%), after the monthly statistics considered disappointing sales in the United States.

Evolution contrast to oil

On the oil market, crude prices were mixed in electronic trading. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for August delivery gained 18 cents to 73.13 dollars a barrel, while Brent North Sea for delivery in August, yielding six cents to 72.28 dollars. Oil prices fell Thursday in New York on a market worried that sent the barrel under $ 73.

Volatility remains high on the market

Investors remain nervous about the possibility that the slower recovery of the global economy becomes more pronounced. On Friday afternoon will be known monthly unemployment statistics in the United States before the opening of Wall Street. They could reflect a deterioration of the labor market for the first time since December, according to economists.

The indicators Thursday were accentuated anxieties of investors. The ISM index of activity in the manufacturing sector declined more than expected to 56.2%. On the front real estate, the promise of selling homes fell more than expected in May (-30%). In China also, the two indices of purchasing managers showed a slowdown in manufacturing activity in June

The credit rating of BP continues to tumble with the rating agencies. Moody's downgraded the rating on Friday, the oil company three notches, from A2 to Aa2, "to reflect the worsening of the expected impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico."

The agency explains reflect the strong upward revision of the volume of oil spills every day in the Gulf of Mexico, the persistent failure to seal the well and the staggering costs associated with damage from the disaster."The oil spill will have a lasting negative impact on cash flow generation of the company and its financial position for a number of years," the agency said in a note.

Moody's believes that the creation of a fund by BP of estimates of 20 billion dollars to compensate victims of the disaster is "a moderately positive development": the pressure of U.S. government could indeed become more flexible but the substance is in no If an expenditure ceiling of BP.

The agency states that all notes of the group remains under surveillance.

The three rating agencies have become so degraded the note of the oil company is the largest British company listed on the London Stock Exchange.Last week, Fitch downgraded BP six notches, to BBB (cons AA), Thursday, Standard & Poor's downgraded two notches, from A to AA-.

Nevertheless, BP wins the title at 2.45% 368.50 pence shortly before 15:30 at the London Stock Exchange. In New York, where the group is also listed, the share was up 3.12% to 32.70 dollars.

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The World Cup soccer does it threaten the global productivity? It is a question that may arise after the publication of a survey conducted by Monster in early April: according to the specialist in career management and online recruitment, 19% of French workers say they are watching the World at their place of work, a little less than the global average (21%). The enthusiasm is even sharper in some of our neighbors: 25% of British and over 27% of Spaniards and Italians will follow the games while working. The number of survey participants, however, show large differences across countries: the UK (457 people) and Spanish (407) are nearly three times less likely to have responded that the French (1194).

Ultra-mediated, the World Cup is one of the most watched sporting events on the planet.Fanatical football fans and casual parties are before the football games the most essential. "I'm not a football fan, said Arnaud, network engineer for 24 years, but I'll watch the matches of the France team and the greatest teams like Spain and Brazil. But if the blow of sending many matches will be whistled at 20:30, other meetings will take place during the day. So, how employees will organize themselves to watch the highly anticipated match between France to South Africa and will be held June 22 … 16 hours?

Sites streaming and mobile phone

Fortunately, new technology makes it easy to watch the games away from home. After radio and television screens, salvation will come from streaming websites and mobile phones."I think working together to turn the match back on the computer, and I'll have a look occasionally," says Sebastian, a Marseille football addict who nevertheless adds that his "priority is work." "We will release the iPhone," says his side an employee of a company of mutual fund also defends his dedication: "we have the right to play it if everyone does his job." His team has even organized together to bet on the outcome of games.

For football fans are lucky, their boss shares the same passion (or includes) and installed a screen in the office. "We bought a TV for Roland Garros, the World Cup and also for the financial news networks anyway," says Bruno, an analyst in a asset management company, "we will light according to general opinion, and it will mute the sound, as Roland Garros.

Productivity in danger?

In these circumstances, the World Cup could have an impact on global productivity? Yes, according to the company Blue Coat Systems specializes in security and networking applications that points to the bandwidth consumed by access to streaming soccer matches, to the detriment of professional priorities bad credit pay day loans.

"Many employees are unaware of the effect of video streaming over a network, said Nigel Hawthorn of Blue Coat Systems. This is the first World Cup where there are as many opportunities to watch the games online and interact with our friends and colleagues on social networking sites.Knowing that a football match watched streaming consumes about 750MB of bandwidth – is sending more than a dozen copies of Tolstoy's War and Peace – it is important that IT professionals and human resources to communicate employees clear rules.

"A question full of traps"

But Didier Primault, economist at the Center for Law and Economics of Sports, the Economic Impact of the World Cup is a particularly complicated problem to solve. "The impact may even be positive, he notes, there is more enthusiasm when France wins after a joke among colleagues!". We can actually remember the wave of enthusiasm generated by the victory of the Blues in 1998.In general, the economist points out that many professions do not allow access to a screen to watch the game and the duration of the competition is too short, just over a month to have a real impact on economy.

"It comes full of traps" answers Didier Primault, referring to "substitution effects" that allow some sectors to benefit from slowing further. And, even noting a change in productivity during the World Cup, there is no evidence that the sporting event is the cause. Many other factors must indeed be factored into the calculation of productivity, such as unemployment or even the climate situation.

But historically, the economist says, despite the impact of the 98 World Cup, "France has a lower demand for sports entertainment" than other countries like Great Britain.Moreover, according to the poll by Monster, 61% of French respondents say they are not interested in the World Cup, the world average but well behind the Italians (39%), Irish (40%), British ( 53 %)… and especially the few hundred Malaysians who participated in the survey: 85% of them are excited by the adventures of South African players and loans to 44% to defy a ban on employers to watch the games. Beyond cultural differences, doubts about the 2010 vintage lights may prevent the French workers to dissipate this year …

"We are resigned to the fact that there may be a suspension of the dividend," said Tony Shepard, an analyst at Charles Stanley, quoted by Reuters. After many setbacks experienced by BP for almost two months and the explosion of the drilling platform, the oil group could suspend payment of its dividend this year. Anticipating that caused a fall of 4.24% to 391.55 pence on BP's share price at the close of the London Stock Exchange, while the British FTSE gained 1.15%.

On Friday, BP has reaffirmed its intention to announce to its shareholders on July 27 the amount of its interim dividend by way of the second quarter.Dividends paid by the group representing some 10.5 billion dollars (8.7 billion euros) per year.

Yet another bad news for the oil group that is not due to his inability to pay, but the fact that the U.S. authorities there are not favorable. "It does me no problem that BP complies with its legal obligations (to its shareholders, Ed), but I want them to know they have a moral and legal obligations here in the Gulf, warned Tuesday Barack Obama.

The U.S. authorities have also sent an ultimatum to compel them to BP by unveiling its plans to 72 hours to stop the leak.

"BP must state its plans for its parallel initiatives ongoing and alternative oil recovery, including establishing a timetable within 72 hours after receipt of this letter," says the letter from the admiral-cons Coastguard James Watson chief operating officer of BP, Doug Suttles, and dated Tuesday.

With the installation of a funnel, BP has accelerated since last week the recovery of oil leaking from the wells to 1,500 meters below the surface of the water for more than seven weeks. But the water continues to move towards the U.S. coast and crude oil continues to flow.

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On Tuesday morning, the euro symbol still under $ 1.2 preprend but a little and gold is more than 10 points of its record high of 1,238 dollars an ounce. The CAC 40 ended the session just above 3400 points, down 1.21%, the benchmark index of Paris opened up slightly in the wake of the Asian stock markets this morning.

At the opening, the CAC 40 rose 0.58% to 3433 points, and other European markets were also in the green. The stock reacted quite favorably to the words of Ben Bernanke, the Fed chief, interviewed on ABC, ensuring that there will be no double economic believed.

But about 10 hours, the red again invaded the index, investor sentiment remains fragile. Since the ACC slipped further into negative territory. Around 11:30 am, he fell from 1.7% to 3356 points.BNP Paribas (-3.03%), AXA (-2.31%) and Total (-2.07%) are the main contributors to the decline in the index in Paris.

Other major European stock markets also erased their initial gains and the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was down 1.57%.

In France, the trade deficit was slightly reduced in April to 4.248 billion euros against 4.413 billion the previous month, according to Customs. When the budget deficit, according Bercy, it reached 56.2 billion euros at end-April, against 71.6 billion a year earlier.The Bank of France maintains its forecast of growth of 0.5% in the second quarter in its May business survey released Tuesday.

We will monitor developments at noon monthly industrial production in Germany expected an increase of 0.7% and the sense of optimism (U.S.) in small businesses to 13.30 (expected figure to 90.6) or the sense of optimism U.S. economy at 16:00 (expected number 49.3).

The European plan sealed

Monday evening, the finance ministers of Twenty-Seven were meeting in Luxembourg. They sealed their agreement on the "ease" of 750 billion which should guarantee the eventual bailout of states on the brink of bankruptcy.On one side it is good news for European coordination, but this agreement also shows that European leaders have never had so little confidence.

In Germany, Angela Merkel has decided to cut in government spending, welfare and unemployment benefits while creating specific taxes on aviation and nuclear power. A cure dark record of 80 billion euros by 2014.

Oil side, it goes a bit Tuesday. The black gold will change this week in publication of several important reports on the status of supply and demand, namely the monthly publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA) on Thursday, the Agency American Energy (EIA), Tuesday, and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday.

Partnership between GDF Suez and E. ON

GDF Suez (-0.04% to 24.5 euros) and E. ON (balance) announced Monday the signing of a partnership to explore new opportunities in the area of nuclear power in Italy. The chairman of GDF Suez Energy Europe, Stephane Brimont believes that this agreement represents a first step in the reintroduction of nuclear energy in Italy payday loan lenders. Klaus Schaefer, CEO of E. ON Italy's "cooperation with GDF Suez could contribute to the formation of a new consortium in the future".

Total: 0.22% to 38 euros. Total said Monday night he entered the capital of American society AE Polysilicon up 25.4% through a capital increase reserved.The boss of Total, Christophe de Margerie, said Monday in Montreal that he should continue to explore for oil in the bottom of the sea and agree to pay for security, "even tripled, to avoid repetition of pollution Gulf of Mexico.

Areva: 0.43% to 353 euros. Areva said Monday it has completed the sale of its transmission and distribution division to Alstom and Schneider Electric. According to Les Echos, the group is also preparing to record an allowance of 300 to 450 million euros in its accounts of the first half due to delays in the construction of its EPR reactor in Finland. Moreover, starting the nuclear reactor at Olkiluoto EPR has been postponed for six months. Its commissioning will take effect in 2013.

Schneider: 0.76% to 84.4 euros.The Chief Executive welcomed the fall of the euro and confirms its objective of "organic growth" moderate turnover of his group in 2010. "Mechanically, the decline of the euro has a positive effect when we consolidate our results. When the euro lost 1% against the dollar, our gain is approximately 8 million euros, "said Jean-Pascal Tricoire in an interview with Les Echos.

Klépierre: largest increase of the SBF 120 (EUR 22.12 +2.15%) value is boosted by a good recommendation from UBS, which rose from "neutral" to "buy" with target price maintained at 29 euros.

The trial begins Kerviel

Today begins the trial of Jerome Kerviel, the former trader at Société Générale, sued for a loss, he contests, nearly 5 billion euros in early 2008.

Accor: 0.27% to 39 euros. Separated hotels, Accor Services is renamed Edenred.The owner of Ticket Restaurant changes name before its listing on the Stock Exchange on July 2.

Technip: 1% to 49.64 euros.Le oil group to win Refinery & Petrochemicals Mangalore three turnkey contracts for a fixed price, worth a total of about 25 million euros for phase III project expansion of its refinery located in Mangalore on the west coast of India.

Gemalto 1.23% to 30.5 euros. In turn, the global leader in digital security, today announced that Deutsche Post DHL deploys its innovative card of vegetal origin. Since 1 June 2010, Deutsche Post DHL offers its business customers to adjust Postcard GoGreen sending letters and packages for express delivery.

Online Games At 10:00, the Regulatory Authority online games (Arjel) certified operators present the implementation of paris and online gambling in France, starting this Tuesday.

Electric Other important event of the day, Bill Nome on the organization of the electricity market will be discussed at the National Assembly. EDF fold from 0.86% to 34.5 euros.