Jean-Paul Chifflet: "We have no difficulty in funding us"

LE FIGARO – Your share price has marked a record low 10 August, worse than worst days of 2009. What's going on?

Jean-Paul CHIFFLET – We are in paradox. You mention the low of the action but at the same time, the Crédit Agricole group in the first half net banking record since its inception! We are not the only ones to be attacked on the stock exchange, the whole financial sector is affected (banking and insurance) and even beyond all publicly traded securities.

So why this near-panic investors?

The world is experiencing a structural crisis that has three components: economic, financial and political. This is the first time they are collected and their entanglement makes the situation even more complex. In 2007-2008, the difficulties relating solely to the financial sphere.Today, investor concerns about the economy and growth are strong, with the feeling now that the recovery will be forthcoming in the United States. Then there are doubts about the European sovereign debt and U.S. policy of rigor to establish, particularly in Europe, and the governance of the euro area.

Given the effects of contagion, some raise the specter of a liquidity crisis for banks. Feel the French worried? The are you yourself?

No. Crédit Agricole we have not seen any concern from our customers. In all respects, including liquidity, our situation is good. Crédit Agricole is one of the banks rated by rating agencies in the world. We are the first custodian bank in France, which gives us a significant advantage in terms of liquidity.We have no difficulty in funding us.

U.S. money market funds, however, withdrew funding for European banks …

European banks, and French in particular, must adapt to this new situation. These funds will not be around for two or three months at least. But there are other sources of funding. Based on its treasuries in 25 countries, Crédit Agricole has direct access to central banks, companies or asset managers in Europe, Asia or the Middle East. Our financing program and long-term market was carried out at 90% at end-July. We also have available cash reserves of more than 120 billion euros. I am perfectly calm.

Have you been asked by the New York Fed on your cash?

No.Each controller on every continent requires banks to be mindful of their liquidity. It is a measure of attention that seems normal.

Why the French banks were they stigmatized?

French banks have been more battered by the markets than their European counterparts. The fears that we faced were related to our exposure to sovereign debt and doubts concerning reports of France. Add to this the fact that French banks capture a significant portion of funds from money market funds U.S. $ 200 billion on 800 billion allocated to European banks. This has raised specific questions about the ability of our banks to adjust.

Have you read this summer fiction of Le Monde, which envisioned a nightmare scenario for your group?

This did not please me, I did know.But I respect the freedom of the press.

How do you change the economy?

The recovery will be slow, slower than expected. But so far, we do not get a second recession.

This degradation should it encourage regulators to soften their demands on the banks?

I have only one message: we will adapt to the regulations. However, it would be nice if regulators take the time to add the impact on banks of all the new requirements, capital liquidity, through taxes and surcharges for systemic institutions. Banks are the sherpas of the economy. If their backpack is too heavy and that the oxygen is reduced, it will mechanically eventually impact on growth.It is ultimately the competitiveness of the European economy, these reforms threaten.

Are you going to trim down for credit offered?

Crédit Agricole is the main partner of the French economy. We are the largest financier in France with 471 billion euros of outstanding loans. They have always grown and we want to enroll in a sustainable way in supporting growth. But of course we will have to adapt according to the real economy and the requirements of regular lators.

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Wall Street offers a strong rebound

The rebound was confirmed on Tuesday on Wall Street after two weeks of choppy stock markets worldwide. The New York indexes opened higher in small (0.22% for the Dow, 0.36% for the Nasdaq), after a session very agitated. But they gradually accelerated their progress. Only the earthquake of magnitude 6 that shook the East Coast of the United States shortly before 20h (French time) slightly slowed the increase without transactions are disrupted. The Dow Jones gained 2.95% to close at 11,175.10 points and the Nasdaq dominated by technology wins at 4.29% to 2446.06 points.The broader index S & P 500 finished its part of a gain of 3.43% (38.53 points) to 1162.35 points.

The only macroeconomic indicator on the agenda on Tuesday, however, was likely to reinforce fears of the market: sales of new housing in the United States have in fact declined by 0.7% in July, following declines of 2 9% in June, according to the Commerce Department. On an annual basis, the sales trend to 298,000 units (300,000 in June after), while analysts on average had forecast 310,000. If other indicators will be announced in the coming days, investor caution, but market volatility, however, should remain in force throughout the week until Friday.

That day, in fact, speak the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke.Speculation is rife, some still hoping that it will decide a third monetary easing to support the U.S. economy. Will also be unveiled for the second estimate of U.S. GDP for the second quarter.

Banks and investment funds turbulent agitated

Oil markets, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October closed up 1.02 dollars to 85.44 dollars in New York. As for gold, it never ceases to reach new records: the precious metal has reached this morning for the first time in its history to 1900 dollars quick payday loan.

As for values, the securities of the banking sector managed to recover. Monday, banks have suffered a lot and have weighed most heavily on the Dow. On Tuesday, Bank of America finally finished down 1.87% to 6.30 dollars.The bank, however, lost up to 6% to 6.01 dollars after losing 7.9% Wednesday on rumors of capital increases.

UBS gained 5.23% to 13.64 dollars, while Goldman Sachs ahead of 0.33% to 106.86 dollars, a government source who reported that the bank had hired Reid Weingarten, a lawyer of reputation, that markets see as the harbinger of a tough legal battle over the role of the bank in the financial crisis of 2008-2009.

News is expanded on the side of investment funds. The fund Cerberus and its partner Chatham Lodging Trust and have informed the United States real estate company Innkeepers Trust (Marriott franchise) they did not buy the walls of 64 of its hotels in the United States.The transaction, amounting to $ 1.1 billion, was announced in May.

The investment fund Jana Partners in New York and the pension fund Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, shareholders of the publisher McGraw-Hill (4.45% to 38.69 dollars), for their part stated the recommended separation group's activities. The two investors, who had announced in early August have acquired a total of 5.2% of the capital, advocated in a paper presented to the authority of the U.S. equity markets (SEC) that the group split its divisions Education, Information and Media and stock index Standard & Poor's.

Finally, on the front of mergers over the world stock markets, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved on Tuesday the merger of NYSE Euronext (5.17% to 26.23 dollars) and Deutsche Börse (-0.67% to 56.52 dollars) that should give birth to the first global exchange operator.

The ECB tries to curb the contagion in the euro zone

The European Central Bank (ECB), despite her savior. The guardian of the euro is forced on Monday to intervene in markets to prevent contagion from the crisis of debt to two heavyweights in the euro area as are Spain and Italy. As she had said on Sunday, she started to redeem debt securities of these countries at the opening of stock exchanges in order to lower interest rates.

The effect of this action, has long been demanded by the markets was immediate. At 9:15, interest rates fell back to 10 years at 5.417% against 6.189% Friday. The cost of credit to ten years on the Spanish debt followed the same path, to 5.285% against 6.271% at the end of last week. The agents of the ECB "operations are 20 to 25 million euros over the entire market.We expect that interventions will reach one billion in the order of the day, "said one trader.

For now, the ECB does not need to intervene heavily to turn the trend. "The rates were very high last week, there was little trading volume. So when the ECB came into action, it does not take much to return to the market, "said Cyril Beuzit. "If this continues, the ECB would have to increase the volume of its purchases until the States of the euro take over, to the best end of September."

If the ECB has reluctantly restarted its buyback program, it is against the involvement of European capitals to accelerate the implementation of the reform adopted at the last summit in late July fast cash loans. Friday night, Rome decided to accelerate its austerity plan.The ECB have also sent a list of conditions to the Italian government to help him. Sunday, Paris and Berlin and had to reaffirm that States would take over from the ECB by the end of September. At that time, the new version of the European financial stability to intervene in the markets, should be passed by national parliaments. In the best case.

Divisions within the ECB?

"Certainly, the markets will test the will by then the ECB warns Cyril Beuzit. We think it may surprise by intervening massively, even if the tools are not cut out for that. "Still, the central bank is torn internally. Thursday, representatives of the Netherlands, Finland, Austria and Germany at the ECB executive board voted against any intervention in favor of Italy and Spain.

Sunday's decision has probably not been taken unanimously, advance Gilles Moec economist at Deutsche Bank: "It depends how far the opponents of the ECB are ready to go. If they are ready to submit their resignation in the balance, and only in this case, the lack of unanimity may be a problem. "Considered a risk, however small the economist.

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The Cac 40 up sharply after the U.S. agreement

Relief. Is the word that prevails today in all of world stock markets, after U.S. lawmakers passed this night finally put to agree on raising the debt ceiling. In the wake of the Asian stock markets, the benchmark index in Paris advance to its first weekly session of 1.28% to 3718.38 points.

Last week, the inability of the United States to solve the problem of public finances had weighed on investor sentiment. In Paris the CAC 40 was indeed touched its lowest level in session year (3,630.75 points), while Wall Street finished its worst week in a year, despite the intervention of Obama Friday in an attempt to reassure debt.

After the relief 10 days ago on Greek sovereign debt, optimism is therefore in the financial Parisian.After weeks of negotiations, elected Democrats and Republicans have indeed finally found common ground on the amount of new ceiling, avoiding the world's largest economy is in default of payment in the coming days. According to preliminary information provided by the White House, the debt ceiling would be raised to 2.1 trillion dollars, which breathe new life in the United States on the forehead of the debt until 2013, after the presidential elections. This agreement in principle will also enable the countries to continue to borrow on the markets beyond the August 2 deadline set by the Treasury.

The reaction of rating agencies expected

On the other hand, no excessive optimism sustainable are to be expected in financial markets, at least until the U.S. Congress has not ratified the agreement. The first submission is expected to vote that day.Furthermore, few details have yet filtered on measures taken to reduce the deficit in the U.S., which does not exclude the possibility of deterioration in the rating of the sovereign debt of the United States.

For now, the first tranche of spending cuts of $ 1 trillion is expected. Then a bipartisan special committee of Congress will be responsible for finding the end of November additional expenditure cuts amounting to 1.5 trillion dollars. A total of 2.5 trillion dollars in budget cuts, all over 10 years. From this point of view, the reaction of rating agencies in this agreement called the "medium term" should be widely followed by markets in the coming hours.

On the currency front, the dollar has benefited only modestly from the announcement of the night, illustrating the temporary nature of such an agreement.Around 6:00, the euro slipped against the dollar at 1.4385 dollars against 1.4395 on Friday, but climbed against the yen at 111.67 yen against 110.41 Friday. For its part, the dollar set off again up significantly against the yen at 77.63 yen after briefly reached 78 yen, 76.73 yen against Friday night.

In terms of oil prices were up Monday morning in electronic trading in Asia, where the market relieved by this agreement in extremis. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery gained 1.53 dollars to 97.23 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was appreciating $ 1.25 dollar to 117.99.

Macroeconomic side, investors should look carefully at the unemployment figures for the month of June (11am).Overseas are also expected to 16h construction spending for the month of June, the ISM manufacturing index for July.

As for values ​​to follow

Last week, the many semi-annual publications were rather disappointing, adding to the nervousness of investors. The pace slows publications this week, though are expected in the next three days the details of the interim bank shares. After the U.S. agreement, the entire sector was also well oriented (BNP Paribas will publish Tuesday, Wednesday Societe Generale, Natixis and Axa and Thursday).

EADS announced this morning that the takeover from Apax Partners Vizada, a provider of communication services for 673 million euros, the second largest acquisition in its history. The transaction will be financed entirely by cash.

Eiffage reported a slight slowdown in growth in the second quarter despite a sharp rebound from its construction activities, the division of public works who registered a decrease over the period.

Outremer Telecom. A draft tender offer simplified to the telecom operator was introduced by OMT Invest, a structure controlled by Axa Private Equity, according to a notice to the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and released Friday.

EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF ENR) has entered into exclusive negotiations with Capital Perceva to cede control of Supra, the fund feeds the project to file a simplified takeover bid at the end of the process.

General Health issued a sharp drop in operating profit in the first half due to exceptional items, but its revenue rose due to higher acute care stays.

Recylex published Friday sales for the second quarter increased significantly, from 32% to 125.34 million euros, supported by an increase of 48% of its business in recycling lead thanks to rising 16 % of lead prices and increased sales volumes.

Air Liquide. The gas giant reported Monday a 11% increase in net profit in the first half, to 750 million euros.It maintained its forecast a "steady increase" in net profit for the year.

Note that Gameloft will publish its interim results after market close, while Le Noble Age unveil at the same time state sales for the same period. The British bank HSBC, which is listed in Paris, finally published its results for the first six months of the year.

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Air France: conflicts threaten three departures on holiday

While looming two weekends among the busiest in passenger of the year, Air France warned of now-already-and its passengers that they may have to be patient. If the airline has reached an agreement with the seven unions of Stewart and hostesses, thus avoiding a first strike scheduled for July 29 and August 1, she still faces other threats to social movements.

Two pilots notice

The first is the drivers. Tuesday, three minority unions – the SPAF, the Alter and R'Ways – have in fact filed a strike notice for the same July 29 to August 1. As the crew before them, the drivers are protesting against the offensive "anti-low cost" Air France plans to launch in its databases province. The new operation is expected to result, according to the drivers, an increase in the number of hours worked and trips a day.

For now, this movement somewhat worried the company, which does not anticipate any disruption in traffic this particular weekend. She feared much more the second notice, filed for the weekend of August 5 to 8, by the powerful pilots' union SNPL. Especially since the solutions to this conflict then escape it, since it is the government that is directly targeted. The pilots claim in fact the culmination of the reform of the Pension Fund of seafarers, which began three years ago. This morning, Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand told Europe 1 radio he was "hopeful" of finding a solution to the conflict. A mediator was appointed in early July to resolve this issue, which divides pilots and cabin crew.Raphael Hadas-Lebel, who assumes the function of mediator in addition to the Chairman of the Board of Retirement Guidance (NRC) "shall make its findings in the coming hours," said Xavier Bertrand this morning payday loans for bad credit.

The mechanics harden the tone

But at the same time, the management of Air France must also manage a third conflict, less publicized than those of pilots and aircrew, but highly impacting: some 4000 engineers responsible for maintenance of 260 units of the company practice of walkouts, for seven weeks.

If the company minimizes the facts explaining that stoppages of one or more hours that are 50 to 100 people, the impact on traffic is nonetheless real. According to Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, long flights and medium-haul flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle accuse each day delays of 15 to 20 minutes.Management also recognizes that it is obliged to postpone the launch of a two-plane in the evening to morning. Orly airport and Toulouse are also affected.

And before the stalled negotiations on wage demands, the engineers are threatening to get tough tonight at 22 hours. "Delays are possible and we do not exclude some cancellations," said Air France AFP. Alert bulletins on traffic conditions are published to the attention of travelers on the website of the company.

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Italy adopts final plan of austerity

The Italian Parliament has given its final green light Friday to a strengthened austerity plan to bring the country away from the debt crisis and attack markets awaiting test results of resistance experienced by 91 banks Europe.

After being passed to the charge Thursday by the Senate, the austerity plan of nearly 48 billion euros has been voted permanently in the afternoon by the Chamber of Deputies with 316 votes to 284 against and two abstentions, a speed unprecedented in the history of Italy, and suggestive of a "miracle" to the President of the Republic the former communist Giorgio Napolitano.

Italy, attacked by the markets last week, had to accelerate the adoption of this plan as a spread of the debt crisis in the country could kneel throughout the euro area including the Peninsula is the third largest economy.

Uproar inside the country

The austerity plan, however, raised a storm of protest within the country. "This plan is yet another crap, it affects poor people," denounced Friday in an interview with Corriere della Sera Antonio Martino, former minister Defense of Silvio Berlusconi. The president of the employers' association Confindustria, Emma Marcegaglia, for his part denounced a plan "based on substantially higher taxes."

Italy is being targeted by the markets because of its huge public debt of 1900 billion euros, representing about 120% of GDP, which is dangerously increase the cost of borrowing for the country.Among the measures to reduce the deficit include the launch of a privatization plan in 2013, the introduction of user fees, freezing salaries and hiring staff, a severe reduction of tax deductions and allocations of local local, as well as more severe conditions for pensions. The Bank of Italy, which has raised slightly its growth forecast for 2011 from 0.9% to 1%, felt that a continuation of the debt crisis would have a "significant cost".

The very large public debt remains the most vulnerable point of the Italian economy, especially in this climate of great uncertainty and fear of the markets, "said in an interview with La Repubblica the EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn.

(With AFP)

Christine Lagarde to the American

From our correspondent in Washington.

America will now discover Christine Lagarde. Despite his six years at the head of the general business law firm Baker & McKenzie in Chicago, the French selected to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not yet a well-known in the United States. The IMF does not enjoy the rest of America is its perceived prestige in Europe.

Those in the world of private finance and business in the United States had the opportunity to listen to Christine Lagarde, for example when she came to New York or Texas, explained the French economy, were impressed by his mastery of English style "professional" and his knowledge of capitalist values ​​cherished by Americans.

Its role in the G20 to build consensus on complex issues is also widely recognized.Including his prowess to have convinced the Chinese to accept the indicators for measuring imbalances that contribute to the weakening global economy. The weekly Bloomberg BusinessWeek points out that the style of Lagarde includes both an original look, built on its French elegance, her athletic figure, his tan, his white hair and a deliberate absence of ego that promotes the combination of points opposing views.

In 2009 the most American of French ministers had dared to participate in the satirical and political cable channel Comedy Channel. With a beret on her head, she had learned to his iconoclastic host, Jon Stewart, pronounced in French "catastrophic economic recession."In the movie produced by HBO about the financial crisis, the American actress Laila Robins plays the role of Christine Lagarde, s is to severely criticize Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson for allowing Lehman Brothers to fail: "This is a horrifying error," said she. This view, popular in Europe in 2008, is now about a real debate: let the shareholders of a bank that does not matter systems suffer all the consequences of errors of its leaders is seen to contrary by many American experts as perfectly justified. Systematic rescue of banks is seen by contrast as a source of distortion that increases the crisis and to encourage risk taking.

Reviews

Nevertheless, many who are familiar with the IMF were against the appointment of Christine Lagarde at the head of the institution. "If Mrs.Lagarde became boss of the IMF, it is likely to continue to dump loans in the euro area mired in its problems. If preventive programs are determined even for Spain, Italy or Belgium, the IMF will need to ask its shareholders at least another 1 trillion dollars in credit lines.Lagarde personifies the strategy of betting the euro area which aims to ensure his resurrection with other people's money, "explained a month ago, Simon Johnson, former chief economist of the IMF faxless cash advance.

One of his predecessors, Raghuram Rajan, argued that the choice of a European political figure would be bad: "The Fund is designed to defend policies hard to countries that have mismanaged their finances, not to win popularity contest "sums up the Indian economist, skeptical about a European is once again chosen to head the IMF.

In addition, Rajan is concerned about the lack of economic training of the French Minister: "We expected the IMF chief that he has opinions … we can not ask the staff to make decisions for you."This is where the boss DSK was ideal for the IMF: it could discuss on equal terms with technocrats Fund fundamental issues such as the relative effectiveness of tools to address a country in dire fiscal situation, or how best to control fickle capital flows without distorting market trends. Christine Lagarde does not have the technical knowledge to win such debates, very important in the IMF.

The most scathing anti-position Lagarde came from Sebastian Mallaby, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, "Lagarde is the latest person to whom he must look for a new approach and independent advice."Like many, the author of several books on multilateral institutions, Christine Lagarde believes that is partly responsible for the current crisis of the euro and therefore can not act with credibility to change the way it should be managed.

Mohamed El-Erian, head of the largest bond fund in the world, PIMCO, has taken some of these arguments. A former senior official of the IMF had proposed that it be called once just to finish the term of DSK, ie until November 2012. Beyond that, it could be renewed if it had been proven.

"Ms. Lagarde was also criticized, like other European political leaders for mishandling the crisis of the euro since its inception and now obliged to be in a hurry to clean the problems they have created" reminds his side a journalist from The New York Times.Far from judging that the triumph of Christine Lagarde is simply the consecration of real qualities, rather than the Americans consider their new responsibility will test his ability to play a role as conciliator not of divergent views, but the substantive decision-maker to decide in both technical issues but also political, forgetting that it is European.

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New suicide attempt at the Ministry of Finance

Ill-being at work does not spare officials. A union representative FO Finance tried to end his day on Friday, in full meeting of the Health and Safety (HSC) on working conditions within the Directorate of Public Finance (DGFIP). Several witnesses reported by AFP, the union is currently under observation in hospital, would have exposed the direction the difficulties encountered in connection with his work, before swallowing the contents of a tube of medicine .An accident that occurs just days after the suicide of another officer DGFIP, and one month after that of a labor inspector of Direccte (Regional Business, competition, consumption, labor and employment).

The report of activity to be examined on Friday at HSC, 27 suicides were reported to the Ministries of Economy and Budget in 2010, against 25 in 2009 and 24 in 2008. The growing number of these tragic events, the unions denounced the growing unease of the staff concerned, who suffer in their ongoing reforms. "Those from the general revision of public policies (RGPP) were a source of tension for the agents. But with the planned job cuts still 3100 jobs this year – working conditions deteriorate significantly, "worries Aubursin Lawrence, General Secretary FO."It comes to not being able to respond appropriately to user requests," says her assistant, Frances Gauchet.

A view shared by the occupational health department. "Problems related to job cuts are being felt throughout the hierarchy. This situation is not unique to the Ministry of Finance is now characteristic of the entire administration, "said one doctor. A fact made more difficult for agents to manage the discomfort in the workplace has long been taboo in the public service. For example it is extremely rare for a suicide to be recognized as an accident, unlike the private sector. But progress has been made so far in recent years. "There is now a real awareness of managers and the top hierarchy, the court doctor.A reflection on the organization is conducted, training frameworks in place … This is progress, even if these efforts are undoubtedly effective forced. "

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Meat: The Mayor wants to renegotiate the price

Facing the worst drought since 1976, farmers have to contend with a rare forage whose cost increases, and meat prices down sharply. An equation that puts some farms in particularly difficult financial situation.

In order to relieve the profession, the Minister of Agriculture Bruno Le Maire today called the various stakeholders in the sector – farmers, manufacturers and distributors – to get around the table to renegotiate the price of meat on the rise, by the end of June FNSEA had claimed last week to hold such negotiations, under an agreement signed in early May under the auspices of the Minister. This agreement, however non-binding plans to open discussions when production costs increase beyond a certain threshold, as is the case today because of rising feed prices business card."Farmers, particularly small meat producers are in a terrible situation. [...] They are tired of seeing prices fall. They need to have a price signal, "held Friday Bruno Le Maire.

Some slaughterhouses have to refuse applications

The red curve represents the evolution of prices in 2011, the blue 2010 prices, the prices in black in 2009, and the dotted black 2008 prices of adult bovine animals at the entrance to the slaughterhouse.

The Ideal City in 2050

Atlanta Barcelona instead. That is the conclusion from the report today entitled "Cities of the future, the future of cities." Barcelona is 26 times less extent that Atlanta, which reduces transportation and therefore energy consumption. "In Barcelona we consume ten times less energy than Atlanta," it said in the report, which draws the portrait of the ideal city by 2050. A city that is sure to play the card of density but without falling into the excesses of Mexico, a "monstruopole" of 22 million people suffocated by its size, which has the largest slum in the world.

To avoid this shift, Shanghai with 17 million inhabitants has a plan: develop nearby cities to ensure that services are not concentrated only in the city world fast payday loans. Another challenge: finding the right level of decision in these cities more and more large.In Toronto, for example, the five municipalities that made up this megalopolis since the early twentieth century were merged in 1995 to save money while making governance more effective. A political choice that has not been successful: the "New Toronto" was still recruited 3,500 people for its operation. And some red tape remains in decision-making.