The Paris Bourse marked time

The 4,000 points away gradually. The CAC 40 in mid-session, is down 0.71% to 3932 points in a volume of exchanges low of 443 million euros. Other major European markets also receding, with a decrease of 0.5% in London and 0.9% in Frankfurt. As for the European indices, the Euro STOXX 50 yields 0.8%.

After recording several records in closing on the year, the Paris market shows signs of slowing, affected by the slight decline on Wall Street Tuesday night, but especially by the lack of which can give him momentum. The public debt of France has reached a record $ 1457.4 billion at the end of 3rd quarter (29.4 billion compared to end June), or 75.8% of GDP in France.The number of building permits for new buildings has fallen by nearly 18% in one year.

Apart from the index which measures economic activity in the Chicago area, at 14.45 GMT, no statistics would be published before the end of the year.

The euro is almost stable against the dollar (-0.08% to 1.4334 dollars). Gold recorded a second session in a row downward (-0.49% to 1091 dollars per ounce).

The defensive stand out

In France, most CAC 40 values are in red, with the exception of securities considered to be very defensive, like Carrefour (+0.94% at 33.82 euros) and Pernod Ricard (+0.48% at 60 , 28 euros).

The title of Unibail-Rodamco, Europe's leading commercial real estate, was leading the CAC 40 (+1.27% to 151.20 euros).

Conversely, ArcelorMittal (-1.83% to 31.96 euros), biggest drop in the CAC 40, suffered profit-taking.

The cement manufacturer Lafarge lost 0.62% to 57.79 euros.Its Director General, Jean Desazars of Montgailhard, quoted in the Financial Times says the group does not yet feel the effects of rising construction expenditures of U.S. and European governments.

Areva (-0.57%) announced it has signed with Fresno Energy Group, a letter of intent for the construction of one or two EPR nuclear reactors in California.

GDF Suez (-0.38% to 30.10 euros) announces tie at Stord in Norway, a platform for oil and gas field Gjoa in the North Sea, during a complex operation for on behalf of the operator Statoil. The energy group has formalized the signing of the public service contract with the State covering the period 2010-2013.

The offensive line banks

The online banks have attempted an initial foray into the French countryside in the early 2000s with mixed success. Since time has passed, the French are equipped with computers and Internet connections to broadband and have learned to trust online transactions. The market is ripe and actors who want to participate in this new "cake" does not fail.

Click on image to enlarge.

Thomson: the debt restructuring approved

The Thomson group, experiencing great financial difficulties, has obtained the agreement of all its creditors to reduce its debt by nearly half, according to a statement.

After the Committee of suppliers and the Committee of the bank creditors on Monday, the Committee of the bond (bond holders of the Company) has approved almost unanimously the plan released December 9. The plan aims to transform part of the debt capital via a capital increase of 348 million euros – and bonds: the objective is to reduce it to 1.55 billion, a decrease of 45%. The debt of the company amounts to 2.84 billion euros.

But there are still some hurdles for the group. The restructuring plan must be submitted to a vote of shareholders of Thomson at the Annual General Meeting and extraordinary will be held January 27, 2010.

Thomson, which employs some 20,000 employees worldwide, intends to rename the name of one of its subsidiaries, Technicolor, and focus on services for film and television, getting rid of other activities, including its subsidiaries Grass Valley (professional video equipment) and Screenvision (advertising for the film).

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Volatility is back in Stock

The miracle did not happen. The CAC 40 has not yet reached this week the "glass ceiling" of 3850 points on which he stumbled past three months. Same thing on Wall Street for the S & P 500 index off the 500 largest U.S. securities, which stalled again on 1115 points.

Good American statistics which show that the activity distributed gradually across the Atlantic have failed to reassure investors. The gap – more and more important by the European mainland where to pick up much softer – has mainly benefited the dollar has rebounded against the euro, after nine months of almost uninterrupted decline.The rebound in the greenback against the euro has been even stronger than the European currency has weakened for weeks by the financial difficulties of many countries in the eurozone, whose head is Greece.

Investors are obsessed with the risk

In reality, rather than adopting the positive news, investors have preferred this week yet, focus on risks that could weigh on financial markets. Among them, investors began to fear a return of inflation could lead to a gradual tightening of U.S. monetary policy.

However, until now, low interest rate remains the primary equity market in the world. A risen too fast in the dollar could also influence the competitiveness of U.S. exporters.This time, the reassuring statements of the President of the Federal Reserve, which confirmed that rates would stay low permanently in the United States, have failed to completely reassure the markets.

The accumulation of signs of geopolitical tensions and the deterioration of the financial rating of several states of the euro area also participate in the general climate of anxiety that prevails today in exchange.

Hope to cross the figure of 4,000 points for Christmas

So the indecision that has dominated this week's stock market and even the CAC 40 was unable to cross the smallest step towards the 4,000 points that all fellows dream of showing up on screens for the St. Sylvestre. There are still two weeks, each comprising three sessions and a half trading to achieve.Not impossible, but gradually as time passes the likelihood of finishing the year above that threshold becomes thinner.

This week, the rating was mainly penalized by the decline in bank stocks, as well as by car values, and Total, which stalled Friday after a sell recommendation issued by a broker.

In the final session Friday, the U.S. indices were significantly strengthened, giving hope for early next week over laughing at the Paris Bourse.

The Accor Group will split into two

Nothing will ever be. Directors of Accor approved on Tuesday a proposed split of the group that plans to separate one side hotel, other services (including Ticket Restaurant). The decision was taken unanimously with a vote, the Strategic Investment Fund (ISF). Accor's second largest shareholder with 7.4% of capital, "sovereign wealth fund to the French" had opposed the project, or at least its timing. In our columns, Gilles Michel, CEO of FSI, had deemed "risky". However, it has joined any of the six independent directors on the board (of twelve). A setback for the fledgling fund in the battle that played out behind the scenes.

Accor cut in half, it was the wish expressed long ago by the fund Colony and the investment company Eurazeo, bound by a pact and initial shareholders with about 30% of capital.They say the best way to value the group ending the discount for holding that penalizes the share price. Gilles Pelisson, Accor's CEO, agreed with their opinion in recent months. He will lead the hotel industry (Accor Hospitality). The new entity combining the services will be headed by Jacques Stern. The deputy director general in charge of piloting the project finance division to completion.

"The split does isno job cuts'

An extraordinary general meeting will be convened no earlier than late June to endorse the project to be implemented before the end of 2010. "I said before the group walked on two legs better, but I always said that the subject was not taboo and it would look on a regular basis, was justified Gilles Pelisson, explaining that two looms Accor had profoundly transformed in recent years.He believes that now is in their interest that they become "pure players". "The central scenario, with the final terms will be decided in the coming months, is a split with two listed companies, a detailed Gilles Pelisson. Accor to action today, you have an action Accor Hospitality and action Accor Services. "

On the job – a concern of the unions – he assured that "the division does not create job cuts as there are no synergies between the two professions.

Eurazeo and Colony Capital have agreed to extend to shares of two companies that will arise from the splitting of the provisions of shareholders agreement between them since May 2008 until May 4, 2013. They also extend within the pact until 1 January 2012 the commitment to retain their shares in Accor and entity services.Conversely, the ISP finds his freedom of action vis-?-vis participation inherited from the Deposit.

Studies conducted by management have shown a separation of two Accor would enable it to "accelerate" the development of both trades. Emphasizing the lack of synergy between hospitality and services that evolve "in environments increasingly different," the work of the board have concluded that once separated these two businesses, "with their own business model, attract a greater number of investors. " According to Sebastien Valentin, an analyst at Societe Generale, services should represent 14% of sales this year of Accor, but two-thirds of operating profit."This poses a problem of balance, because culturally Accor remains primarily a hotel company," says he.

Without the hotel, receive services at 100% of the cash they emerge to finance their development. As for the hotel, without the cushion of safety that brought him the services it should expedite the sale of walls.

For the ISP, a division of Accor is too risky

Thales launches a broad economic plan

Thales wants to become more efficient. In a statement released Friday, the electronics group announced a savings plan that should result in a productivity gain of 1.3 billion euros over 5 years. In exchange, the news was very well received by investors. The title jumped 4.6% to 34.36 euros.

This plan consists of three parts. The first is a reduction in costs of non-quality and improved customer satisfaction. The second provides for more effective processes for engineering, industrial and procurement, while increasing the efficiency of information systems. The last aims to reduce operating costs. The statement does not indicate any reduction in workforce.

Organizational change and leadership

The organization of the group will be structured around three main areas and 7 divisions in charge instead of 6, worldwide.Management will also be affected by the changes since it provided a renewal of the team. For now, the group does not specify which leaders are concerned. According to Voices, this would be Olivier Houssin (responsible for division services and security), Quentin (aeronautics), Marc Darmon (naval) and Richard Deakin (Air Systems).

Thales has this plan to improve profitability, affected by the crisis in air traffic, the budget constraints of state and the weak dollar against the euro. In November, the group reported a stable turnover in nine months. In the first half, operating margin was 1.2% emerged as against 6.6% a year earlier at the same time.

Paris wants to regulate CO2

"Whatever the outcome of negotiations in Copenhagen, carbon finance will grow," asserted Friday Augustin de Romanet, director general of the Caisse des Depots (CDC), central player of the CO2 market in France. Europe, pioneer, has held his Fellowship in 2005. Over 62 billion it traded in 2008, three quarters of global transactions. But Japan, Taiwan and South Korea will begin their Fellowships, followed in 2012 by the United States. Three days before the opening of the UN conference on climate change, Ministers of Economy and Ecology, Christine Lagarde and Jean-Louis Borloo, inaugurated on Friday the "Committee established France Carbone" . This instance of consultation will propose rules for the third phase, 2013-2020, to avoid, including the VAT fraud. The Franco-British rivalry also affects the CO2.Bluenext, the platform for exchange of Paris handles 80% of European spot market, but London (platform ECX) dominates the futures market. Pace "our friends across the Channel," says Christine Lagarde, "our intention is to regulate."

A report recommends upgrading a minimum of SMIC

While the government prepares to decide the amount of the revaluation of the SMIC, the expert group meeting in May as part of the reform of the minimum wage has submitted its report Friday to Labor Minister Xavier Darcos. In line with that of June, the five economists unanimously pronounced against a higher minimum wage set to date to 1331 euro gross for a full-time – above the legal minimum, that is to say an equivalent increase half of the purchasing power of average hourly wage recorded by the Department of Labor revealed Monday morning Voices.

Paul Champsaur, Chairman of the Panel, also chairman of the authority of official statistics, justifying this recommendation will "not undermine the economic and financial firms in an economic context remains fragile.An analysis that comes to support from the government, which had refused such an increase in the draft finance law for 2010.

Other devices for more effective fight against poverty

In line with recent studies by the OECD on the fight against poverty, Paul Champsaur, Martine Durand, deputy director of employment in the OECD, Gilbert Cette, chief economist of the Bank of France, Francis Kramarz Director of the Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST) and Etienne Wasmer, professor at Sciences Po, highlight the most effective policies to support labor income, such as RSA or the earned income tax.The latter "have contributed very significantly to the increase in purchasing power of wages paid the minimum wage over the last ten years" noted experts who will decide accordingly to a "prudent management of SMIC articulated in a Master of labor costs and an appropriate policy to support the labor income of poor families.

The government decision that will affect some 2.6 million people currently receiving the minimum wage is expected next December 15.

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