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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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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.

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 U.S. stock market should be reluctant to take on the leadership on Monday. The index futures are predicting a slight decline in opening of U.S. markets. The index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 fell back in effect respectively by 0.13% to 1099.50 points from 0.04% to 1873.10 points.

On Friday, the NYSE has ended sharply higher, buoyed by another round of quarterly results from U.S. companies of good quality and were reassured on the results of resistance testing in European banks. The Dow Jones gained 0.99% and the Nasdaq 1.05%. On the whole last week, the Dow Jones gained 3.23% and the Nasdaq rose 4.15%.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro steadied against the dollar. In the morning, it was worth 1.2901 dollars against 1.2906 dollars on Friday.

A busy week on the macroeconomic level.Today investors expect the sales figures for new housing. Another highlight, the U.S. central bank should publish its Beige Book Wednesday on the economic conditions. It will be very guarded while the president of the institution, Ben Bernanke said Wednesday before Congress the slow recovery, with no announcement of new funding in the economy.

On Tuesday, it is the Standard & Poor's / Case Schiller home prices and consumer confidence, which will be followed, before investors only look the next day on orders of durable goods. But it was the day Friday with the first estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) U.S. second quarter to be expected this week.This new burst of publications should be followed especially when investors are questioning the strength of new U.S. economic recovery No fax pay day loans.

U.S. companies are still likely to take stock in their accounts this week, including the program six companies forming part of Dow Jones. Tomorrow investors expect such figures CIT and Lockheed Martin and those sitting in the middle of DuPont.

To follow today the title of BP traded on Wall Street. The British press refers to a departure from the CEO of BP, before tomorrow, the date of publication of interim results of the oil giant.

Always on the side of values, General Electric said Friday its increased dividend of 20%, the quarterly dividend from 10 cents to 12 cents.GE also announced a resumption of its share repurchase programs. He had stopped this practice in September 2008. The board gave its approval for an additional $ 11.6 billion. "GE hopes to finish the year with $ 25 billion in cash, including proceeds from the sale of a majority stake in its subsidiary NBC Universal to Comcast" say the analysts at Aurel BGC. Some of this money will be used to buy three billion dollars in preferred shares that the group has sold to the holding company Berkshire Hathaway of Warren Buffett in October 2008.

Also note Friday night, the FDIC, the federal agency whose primary responsibility is to guarantee bank deposits, announced the bankruptcy of six new American banks, bringing to 102 the number of closing establishments since the beginning of year.These six failures will cost about 394 million dollars to its compensation fund the FDIC.

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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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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Fourth day up to the Paris Bourse. This Friday, the CAC 40 has continued to rise started Tuesday and continued Wednesday and Thursday. The key index in Paris was up 0.46% at closing.

At the end of the week, and the CAC 40 gained 5.8%, from around 3360 points to 3554.48 points exactly at the close on Friday.

Elsewhere in Europe, the LSE has been 0.54%, to 5132.94 points while the German Dax rose 0.49% to 6065.24 points.

Yesterday, the index in Paris had passed the milestone of 3,500 points, reassured by U.S. data entries weekly unemployment benefits.

The euro has weakened a bit about him on Friday, while European ald evisa Thursday passed up the psychological and technical $ 1.27.

In France, French investors have learned that before the opening of the Hexagon industrial production had rebounded strongly in May rising 1.7% after falling 0.5% the previous month, according to Insee. Economists had expected an average growth of 0.4% of industrial production in May

EADS tanker of the series continues

EADS (0.53% to 17.01 euros) said it had responded to the call for tenders for tanker aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, on the eve of the deadline for the takeover bids . In addition, the World Trade Organization announced the postponement of the publication of a report on an action by the EU against the United States regarding subsidies granted to Boeing.

Kaufman and Broad (2.23% to 18.14 euros) issued a revenue down 7.6% to 385.7 million euros in the first half, below expectations.But reservations are up 55% to 675 million euros and the property portfolio is up 50% over one year.The gross margin reached 17.1% against 12.9% in the first half of 2009.

Areva (5.11% to 347.55 euros) announced Thursday it would investigate the possibility of building a second nuclear reactor in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

Mestrallet, CEO of GDF Suez (+0.4% to 24.96 euros), confirmed Wednesday that negotiations with suppliers in Norway, Holland and Russia to obtain lower prices.

The German utility E. ON has indicated in an interview with Les Echos on Friday that he would be "very interested" in acquiring a stake in EDF reactors (-0.91% to 31 euros) to help extending their lifespan.

Moreover, the banking sector with the exception of BNP Paribas (+1.05% to 50.09 euros) suffered some profit-taking, like Credit Agricole (-1.13%) or Societe Generale ( -0.98%).

Similarly, the automotive sector should still react to earnings announcements commercial Renault and Peugeot this week. Titles manufacturers earn 1.13% respectively to 33.45 euros and 1.94% to 23.09 euros.

Good news for residents of 133 communes in the Ile-de-France. The new contract for water distribution unsurprisingly won Thursday by Veolia provides a decrease in the price of water in the order of 6%.

On its website, the union of the waters of Ile-de-France (SEDIF), explained that the tax price per cubic meter fall under the responsibility of end December 2010 from 1.75 to 1.51 euros or 1.41 euros , following the return or not nine municipalities in the SEDIF. A decrease of at least 14% plus taxes, which amounts to 6% taxes, according to Le Parisien on Friday.

The new contract also provides for the creation of a multi-rate habitat option that will allow residents of an apartment building to "benefit from rates close to those living in individual homes. The union figure to 19 cents per cubic meter of savings for consumption of 180 cubic meters.In return, the affected households will pay a quarterly subscription of 5.72 euros on 1 January 2011.

Other measures under the contract, an amount of 2.5 million euros devoted to households in difficulty should be established. 1% of revenue from water sales will be allocated according to the statement from Veolia. Tariff escalation in the volume of water consumed should also be introduced.

A highly concentrated market

According to André Santini, President of SEDIF and deputy mayor of Issy-les-Moulineaux, is "the price" that made the difference in the manager's choice of water in the Ile-de-France for the next twelve years. For this mega-contract that represents a combined turnover of around 3 billion euros, the offer of Suez Environment has been ruled out from the month of May in favor of Veolia Environment.Leading distributor of water in France, with 24.6 million users, Veolia is already holder of the Paris agreement since 1923 and is now committed until 2022.

Lack of competition in the market for water distribution in France is regularly singled out by the Competition Council. Some cities are returned to management in public ownership (without going through a private company), as Paris at the beginning of the year. Yet, according SEDIF is "the direct competition between candidates" who has achieved this "significant decline" in prices.

However, the issue of price allow the investor indifferent. At the Paris Stock Exchange shortly after 9:30 am, the title Veolia Environnement rose 0.46% to 20.955 euros on a market up 0.44%.

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The White House is ready to do battle with BP. Pace in London who tries to minimize the diplomatic chill cast by the ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Barack Obama is stepping up its action against the British group. The U.S. president, criticized for his handling of the spill, went again on the coast on Monday, where he promised to protect the inhabitants of regions affected by the spill, particularly the fishing industry.

In an interview with the Politico newspaper, Bush even mentions a "September 11th green." The environmental disaster in progress "will push us to rethink our energy and environmental policy," he said.The tragedy that is played off the coast shows that it is time "to transition" to new energy sources, "said Obama, whose administration is trying to push through Congress legislation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas emissions.

Sequestration of payment of dividend BP

The president must give a formal speech to the nation Tuesday night, broadcast live from the Oval Office. Such a device intervention is rare. It reflects not only the seriousness of the situation but also the new turn of the screw that the U.S. government wants to give his handling of the disaster.

Thus, the Obama administration requires that the oil put under receivership on payment of its dividend. The goal is to create a fund to pay the damages claimed by the victims of the disaster.Barack Obama said he hoped an agreement with BP on this fund will be concluded by Wednesday. "We have begun preliminary discussions to develop a device that claims to be justified not only presented tomorrow or next week, but over the coming months, to be treated justly, fairly and quickly," said Barack Obama. On Sunday, the adviser to the White House, David Axelrod said "BP has the resources to cover the damage and we will make sure they will do well."

Discussions in BP

The oil group did not show opposition to the creation of such a fund. According to the British press, the English major is preparing to announce a postponement of payment of dividend payable for the second quarter.In addition, BP could lose control of its oil and natural gas in the U.S. and be allowed to have business with the federal government as a penalty. But that does not stop there. BP could also pay a fine of up to $ 8.6 billion under Oil Pollution Act.

This greater commitment of the Obama administration to want to pay BP is poorly perceived by investors. At the London Stock Exchange, the title of the oil finished down 9.30% to 355.45 pence. It is the largest decline in the FTSE, which terminates the session to share up 0.74%. In New York, BP shares are no better. They finished down 9.71% to 31.67 dollars on a market down by 0.2. After sessions particularly volatile oil of the title had already sold nearly 10% last week.Since the beginning of the accident, the market value of BP was reduced by almost 44%.

New Man announced yesterday its acquisition, by the end of the month, the group Morepeace. The latter company's holdings Overall, based in Besançon, a specialist in ready-to-wear and men through its brands and El International Dellalui. The transaction price was not disclosed. Bernard Krief Consultants The company had expressed interest in New Man.

Its owner, the industrialist Leon Cligman, through its group Indreco, trying to sell the brand for a while. He had already surrendered in March its 29 stores in Zannier Group, specialist clothing childish.

This sale is another step in the long agony of the flagship brand of menswear in the 1980s. In its basin of Cholet, New Man at the time employed up to 3,000 people, and yet almost 500 a decade ago.Since then, social plans have succeeded in retaining only forty employees today. Latest figure available, the brand in 2008 achieved more than 45 million euros in turnover.