Samsung does not want to depend on Apple

 

Action Samsung lost nearly 18% in three trading days. Involved? A decision by Apple. The U.S. has chosen to change supplier for certain processors. Moreover, according to many rumors, Apple, which is the largest customer of Samsung is reportedly soliciting Taiwanese companies to further diversify its sources of supply. Bad news for Korean, a measure of wisdom for the American who does not want to depend on its main competitor. Samsung and Apple combine the trial, thirty between them in the world. They accuse each other of copying or infringement of patents. Both companies also try to end the dispute by signing an agreement that they would not divorce. Paradoxically because Apple is more dependent than the other Samsung. The U.S. represents 5% of sales of its competitor, while Samsung is about 25% of the production cost of an iPhone, according to Citigroup check cash advance.

In addition, the two groups are fighting to win the leadership in the smartphone market. For now, Samsung is leading. It should maintain its lead with the launch of Galaxy SIII, its flagship terminal, unveiled in early May. Source of satisfaction, Korean has recorded 9 million pre-orders for the SIII. A victory for any advise him "enjoy". Already last year, Samsung was gone very quickly, before their hair done on the wire by Apple and its iPhone 4S. However, the firm at the apple should market its next iPhone next fall. What boost its sales.

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Until recently, searching for health insurance quotes was a rare occurrence, not only in the online world of private coverage providers but also among their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

Aviva's CEO resigns

 

The "Spring of shareholders" in the City made a victim. Andrew Moss, head of the British insurer Aviva, resigned Tuesday after suffering a historic setback against his compensation during the general assembly of the firm last week. He might himself have abandoned a planned increase of 4.6% of annual salary of 960,000 pounds (1.2 million), shareholders with 54% disavowed his remuneration package. Taking note of this humiliation, he chose to retire to try to appease the revolt. Aviva's action was immediately flown more than 5% at the London Stock Exchange.

The fat cats ("fat cats"), as they are called here, hug the walls in the European capital of finance. For months, wages at six or seven zeros and their bonuses are exponential in the hot seat. Shareholder activism, biased against remuneration unrelated to performance in crisis, the disapproval of public opinion and government voluntarism in this area combine to send the message to the bosses Taking arrived.

In the same day on Tuesday, the Chief of the bookmaker William Hill, Ralph Topping, has narrowly escaped facing a turbulent AG which voted 49.8% against the salary increase of 8.3% and a bonus of 1.2 million pounds. A small carrier angrily denounced "the feast of the last chance for CEOs who try to take as much as possible while there is still time."  

Last week, Sly Bailey, the leader of the newspaper group Trinity Mirror, has also resigned rather than having to face this Thursday the shareholder revolt over his salary of 1.7 million pounds, while the action of the company lost 90% of its value since she took control.

Bill

Friday, it was the turn of the leaders of energy giant Centrica to face the challenge of a package of 4.3 million pounds intended for his boss, Sam Laidlaw. This agitation is not the fact of radical activist shareholders. Large institutional investors now lead the protest. 32% of those of Barclays Bank have opposed or abstained on the 17 million pounds of CEO Bob Diamond and 2.1 billion of bonuses distributed in the house, three times the amount of dividends paid.

"The shareholders have lost patience exasperated, says Sarah Wilson, leader of the association of small shareholders Manifest. This is not a political movement but the requirement for better business performance. The occupation movement of the London Stock Exchange has legitimized the need for state regulation since the boards were not able to regulate itself. "

A bill will be presented precisely this Wednesday's Speech from the Throne. One of its most controversial provisions, however, may be abandoned: it planned to require the approval of compensation plans for a three-fourths majority of shareholders. But the law should make the vote binding general meetings so far merely advisory.

Meanwhile, the "Spring of the shareholders' only budding. The association of retired FairPensions has launched a campaign for all retirees, widows Scottish kind, make their voices heard against excessive compensation. English executive salaries jumped 49% in one year.

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• Pepy, "pope" of the rail?

Appointed in 2008 as head of the SNCF which he was number two, Guillaume Pepy has since opening figure of ultimate boss of office of Nicolas Sarkozy. The former chief of staff of Martine Aubry has nothing to fear from the change of head of state. And, except to be appointed to another position, it should not only complete his term as CEO of SNCF, scheduled until February 2013, but re-enlist at the head of a company where he spent most of his career and he seems happy to embody.

Everything will depend on the host that the Government will make available to the rail reform projects driven by Guillaume Pepy well in advance of the election. It was he who suggested to his minister, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, to open a "Grenelle of the rail," a broad debate that ended this winter.

The head of the SNCF has two great ideas in mind overnight pay day loans. The first involves a major reorganization of the French rail, bringing Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), the manager of the railway network in the lap of the SNCF. Objective: To terminate an organization considered grotesque and expensive. But neither competitors nor RFF of SNCF do not hear it that way. The battle will be fierce between Guillaume Pepy and Hubert du Mesnil, the boss of RFF.

Second site, sensitivity: the creation of a "social framework harmonized" for SNCF workers and new entrants on the French market being opened to competition. Beyond this global negotiation, Guillaume Pepy wants to get the right to hire out the status of a railway station. One way of playing field with its powerful rival, Deutsche Bahn.

• Proglio frontline

Proglio. Photo credits: ALBERT FACELLY / Le Figaro

Unemployment: Brussels launches stir

 

European capitals have asked the Commission to bone up on the fight against unemployment, but many probably not appreciate his advice: the lowering of wage costs to the free movement of labor across the EU through a minimum wage "modular", Brussels risk of setting fire to the powder to the left and right.

The document, which will be released Wednesday, could also ignite the French debate around employment and Europe, with five days of the first round of presidential elections. As Nicolas Sarkozy, Brussels appears for a lower wage cost burden on businesses. It is a "privileged instrument to strengthen the labor supply," says the latest version of the text obtained by Le Figaro. The Commission suggests alternative resources as VAT, taxes "green" and property taxes.

Another proposal leading risks in contrast to spark outcry among conservatives, echoing an old controversy about the "Polish plumber". This is to overcome the final obstacles to a single labor market in Europe, the U.S. model. "Labour mobility is not sufficient in the EU (…) In order to exploit all the possibilities, it is crucial to ensure a balance between demand and supply of jobs" at European level , the authors note.

Red cloth

On this front, the Commission advances two tracks dangerously undermined. The first is the end of restrictions on employment of Romanians and Bulgarians, programmed by treaty by the end of 2013 but refused by nine countries, including France. The second is the opening of national public employment to all EU nationals, except as validated by the sovereignty of Justice high risk personal loans.

Finally, Brussels waving a red rag in front of the entire European left: that of a national minimum wage that could be differentiated by industry professional, provides a way she, "to support the provision of employment ". The authors do not specify the model. But they ensure that wage floors should be discussed "in consultation with unions and depending on economic developments."

The contribution of the Commission is only prospective. It is unlikely that the communication "Towards an employment-intensive growth 'lead in the state. But it looks quite controversial for the twenty-seven Commissioners wish to review it one last time with the college in full force Wednesday in Strasbourg. Against the backdrop of elections in France and Greece, José Manuel Barroso will leave the public presentation in Hungarian Laszlo Andor, Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs.

For Brussels, it is clear that the challenge of unemployment requires bold solutions. Lagging behind the emerging powers but also the U.S., the EU has lost 4.5 million net new jobs since 2008. Since January, a second recession in three years has increased the average unemployment rate above 10%. And restarted at the same time a growth debate that nobody has yet really convincing answer

.

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Retirees continue Greece

 

Two Greek citizens seeking nothing less than the cancellation of the debt exchange transaction completed on March 12, which allowed Greece to considerably lighten his burden. A wealthy widow of 76 years and a retired undertook to continue the Greek state court, aggrieved by the restructuring of sovereign debt to their country, they held bonds. The widow puts its losses at around 200,000 euros and 4000 euros retired, or about half of their initial investment. "This is the first time that Greek investors take legal action against the state by asking the court to declare illegal and unconstitutional the decree implementing the debt exchange," said a source at Reuters court.

March 12, Greece is indeed managed to finalize the largest debt restructuring in history. 85% of private creditors – mainly banks, insurance companies and funds – have agreed to exchange their obligations under Greek law against new longer maturity bonds, and a value less than half. A massive turnout, which allowed Greece to force reluctant investors to participate in turn in the exchange, that is to say to make losses. With this agreement, Greece has reduced its debt by 107 billion euros, a total of 350 billion euros installment payday loans. A prerequisite to payment of a new international aid, totaling 130 billion euros, of which Greece was badly needed to meet its deadlines. This debt forgiveness can also expect the country to achieve a ratio of debt to GDP from 120.5% in 2020.

This is the start of "collective action clauses", by which Greece has forced investors reluctant to join the exchange, which is currently being challenged by some of its creditors. 110 of them, a German national, had already announced, following the restructuring, they had hired a law firm to seek redress. This is not so much the outbreak of collective action clauses is disputed, the fact that these clauses have been introduced retroactively. Some creditors believe that the rules were changed along the way, illegally. The judicial process may however take several years. Argentina, who also conducted a decade ago to a partial restructuring of its debt is still within the scope of prosecution.

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Customers Free forgive "errors of youth"

 

Free Mobile customers retain a large majority, confident in their new operator. This is what spring launched a call for evidence on lefigaro.fr, which raised last week over 500 comments.

Two major trends. There are those for which the passage went smoothly and that no difficulty to make calls. "In Grenoble, it captures nickel without using the Orange network," says Andrei. "In some places, the coverage SFR does not allow me to capture correctly and to Free, in the same places, I get the network" welcomes Jules.

"Between 17 and 20 hours, it's hell"

Then there are those, more numerous, who see recurrent problems call for the evening, as well as cuts. "Between 17 and 20 hours, it's hell for making a call. It always fails on "network busy" and you have to try again twenty times to make a call, "says Emily. "Since March 5, the flow of Free Mobile 3G has enormously weakened and is very unstable", complete a resident of Lille.

Yet these customers often forgive the "teething problems" Free Mobile. "When I chose to come to Free, I knew there would be concerns, but I trust the professionalism of Free to solve these problems quickly," says Guy, Internet subscriber for ten years at Free. "At that price, I agree to some problems of network", abounds Paulo, who has spent her entire family at Free Mobile. Anthony, He remembers the difficulties encountered by the first mobile operators. "I suppose we must give some time to Free to upgrade," he considers.

Other customers are less forgiving. "I regret that I spent at Free! Customer service is saturated with calls. This is not a serious operator who was obviously not prepared enough to get into the mobile, "says Vince. "I just changed to B & You (the low-cost brand of Bouygues Telecom, Ed). There's no commitment so, who knows, I may come back when they are at Free at the point, "says Jordan.

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Barack Obama's Energy Revolution

 

The price of a gallon of gasoline at the pump exceeded $ 4 in many parts of the United States. It is a trauma for Americans who drive a lot and often in vehicles big bike.

Pay more than $ 1 per liter, or 17% more than last year, imposed on their budget. The seasonal nature of gasoline demand likely makes one gallon for $ 5 by summer.

54% of Americans believe that their president could do much to combat this trend trim their buying power and weakening growth. The popularity of Barack Obama suffers 65% of voters are unhappy with how it handles this issue. In this busy electoral context, the presidential candidate began a two-day tour in Nevada and New Mexico. His message: "We operate oil fields everywhere: this is why our dependence on imported energy has fallen every year since I was in power."

Barack Obama has abandoned the slogan that has long repeated: "Oil is the energy of the past." It now claims to support all forms of energy production, not just renewables.

"As long as I am president, I will not give the promise of clean energy," he said Wednesday in Nevada on the occasion of his visit to a field of solar panels. Bankruptcy Solyndra, a manufacturer of solar panels, which received $ 535 million of subsidies, however, undermined the credibility of the presidential message. His promises of thousands of jobs created by "green energy" were not held cheap payday advance.

600,000 jobs created

However, the boom hydraulic fracturing since 2008 has pushed gas production in the United States and depressing prices. Applying this technique to oil shale helps boost crude output at its highest in eight years. Manufacturers responsible for these innovations feel they owe anything to Obama.

Instead, they feel unfairly targeted by the White House. "The Obama administration says it supports the increased production of oil and gas. But it blocked the Keystone XL (which was to supply the Gulf of Mexico oil shale Canadian). It claims to boost domestic production, but permits drilling in federal areas have plunged 44%, "says Jack N. Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute. "Many more jobs have been created by the boom in oil and gas as" green economy, '"says Daniel Yergin, head of Cambridge Energy Research Associates. It amounts to 600,000 the number of jobs created by this revolution. These figures are echoed by Obama today, marking a dramatic conversion of the President of the benefits of a sector that has long disdained.

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In crisp TNT, UPS requires a leader

 

It only took a month of discussions that management of TNT Express, a former subsidiary of the Dutch post, accept the proposed UPS. The American giant of more than 400,000 employees whose turnover in 2011 exceeded more than $ 50 billion has evolved its offering at a time when TNT Express through a bad patch. This has indeed posted a net loss of 270 million euros in 2011 against a profit of 66 million euros in 2010.

UPS approached by mid-February, leaders of TNT Express had rejected an offer that valued the company 4.9 billion euros. But to 5.16 billion euros, UPS was unanimous. This acquisition will enable the U.S. group found mainly across the Atlantic to catch up. In the business of courier, transporting small packages, UPS accounted for only 7.7% of the European market against 9.6% for TNT Express, Fedex and 3.3% to 17.6% for DHL, a subsidiary Deutsche Post, according to figures from Transport Intelligence firm.

While approaching, the two biggest names in express transportation become a European leader in size to cross swords with DHL and especially a world champion since their continental positions complement each other. An asset to get the green light from competition authorities even if Deutsche Post yesterday estimated that the European Commission would consider merging with caution.

The new group formed should weigh a turnover of $ 60 billion and 477,000 employees. By comparison, another U.S. giant, Fedex, achieved a turnover of $ 41 billion in 2011 and employs 290,000 people.

Target: 50% of international sales

The presence of UPS TNT in different regions of the world should stabilize as sales in the U payday loans online.S. will increase from 74% to 64% UPS only for the new group and Europe will reach 22% after the operation against 14% for the only American group.

"Why TNT is it very attractive?" Asked Kurt Kuehn, UPS's chief financial officer, during a press conference in Amsterdam: "Because he manages operations in areas of the world that were unserved: Brazil, Australia, Middle East, the road and rail networks in Europe. "The objective announced by UPS is to reach 50% of sales overseas in the next five years against 26% at present. 

Financially, the acquisition should help to achieve one billion euros in savings, once the integration of TNT Express will be accomplished. Clearly, the group provides $ 400 to 550 million euros in savings per year from 2015 through improved efficiency of logistics platforms, an optimization of aircraft fleets, purchasing … However, the CFO UPS declined to answer questions on possible job cuts among the ranks of TNT. The transaction, which must be profitable within the first year, could be completed in the third quarter of the year.

It is likely that the competitor UPS, Fedex, will not thwart the hostile bid. Especially since the competitor UPS does not have $ 3 billion in cash.

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Presidential: spending cuts in sham

 

So far, Francois Hollande was very talkative on controlling public spending. To prove his seriousness in budgetary matters, the PS argued the EUR 49 billion of tax increases planned – both graded increases to fund new measures and to reduce the public deficit to 3% in 2013. Change in tone Thursday on France 2. The Socialist candidate was more explicit result: the return to balance accounts in 2017 will also "by 50 billion savings on public spending," he said, highlighting a point that appears from the origin, but discreetly, in its program.

In fact, in a country where public expenditure accounts for 56.6% of GDP, while fiscal consolidation achieved through an action on the charges. Except as we stay in France. Unlike the choices made in the UK and measures imposed in Portugal or Greece, or Francois Hollande nor Nicolas Sarkozy proposed to actually reduce government spending, that is to say, the return of 100 euros a year to 95 next year. The two main candidates simply promise to slow the rise.

From 1978 to 2008, public spending grew on average by 2.6% per year, plus inflation. "We will limit their increases to 1% per year," said Francois Hollande. Right, this government promised in Brussels an increase of 0.4% per year until 2016. Then where are the savings put forward by both sides? This is actually a smaller increase in expenses, compared to their natural tendency (which is explained by the increase in salaries of civil servants, the increase in health spending, the rising number of retirees, etc.. ). This is supposed to be parallel to that of GDP. Example project with Holland. Without special measures, the approximately 1 trillion of government spending should increase as the national wealth (1.7% per year initially, 2.25% at the end, according to forecasts of the candidate). An average increase of about 2% per year during the future five-year-around 20 billion euros each year free credit report and score. The PS wants to limit their growth to 1% per year. The economy compared to the natural drift is 10 billion per year and $ 50 billion in the five year term. The weight of public expenditure in GDP would decline to 53.9% while in 2017 the government is 52.8% in 2016. In both cases, the action will inevitably unpopular.

Divisive options

Social benefits-health costs, pensions, family allowances or unemployment … – indeed absorb 45% of public expenditure. Just to bring growth in public spending to 0.7% in 2011, the current government had to reform pensions, act on Medicare and not to replace staff on two retiring.

Thursday, Francois Hollande suggested avenues for savings: lower prices and consumption of drugs, focus on health prevention, cuts in aid to enterprises, decentralization. Displaying its objective of stabilizing the size of the public, he admitted that there would be job cuts in all departments except Education, Justice and Home Affairs. "The salary policy will be serious," said Michel Sapin, program officer of the applicant, being careful not to promise any pay rise. And state transfers to local (one hundred billion a year) "will not progress." Not to mention that if economic growth is not at the rendezvous, the scheme collapses. Michel Sapin no plans yet not to intensify efforts in this case: "A real spending cuts could destabilize the economy," he retorts.

Advocating a greater effort, Nicolas Sarkozy announced the continuation of "one in two." The UMP also wants to cut $ 2 billion per year transfers to communities. Magnitude of the cuts, selected sectors: these options are politically divisive. But in a camp like in the other, the information disclosed so far are not enough.

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Google better understand the issues of Internet

 

The Wall Street Journal, Google will soon be able to understand the meaning of the words searched by the user and to provide "direct responses", in addition to the traditional ties linking to other websites. These responses, semantic analysis results, will be displayed directly below the search form, as is already the case during a search on the term "weather" for example.

With Answers service, closed in 2006, Google had already tried to semantic analysis by the only means then available: human responses. People were then paid to answer questions from users. Today, the issues will be analyzed directly by algorithms. To recognize the user's request, Google will index all the information available online, relevant to the topic, rather than just keywords. The Wall Street Journal takes the example of a search for "Lake Tahoe" that will display directly the characteristics of the lake at the top of the results. If the user wishes to know the ten largest lakes in California, Google will display the list of lakes in addition to simple links.

Keep users on Google

By posting relevant content directly on the results page, Google users will no longer need to visit the pages indexed. Specialized site for The Verge, "provide direct answers instead of links to other pages to meet the new Google strategy, which seeks to keep its users within its walls, as it does with Google + quick payday loans." Google's interest is to increase the visibility of ads by keywords on the pages of results. This activity represents "the majority of $ 37 billion in annual revenues of Google," says the Wall Street Journal.

This innovation features reminiscent of Wolfram Alpha, a search engine capable of aggregating and format of information available elsewhere on the Internet. Wolfram Alpha is at the heart of the wizard voice of the iPhone 4S, Siri, who can ask a question to his mobile and get an answer directly, without needing to click a link or to seek self- same information on a web page. To do this, the software combines speech recognition and semantic analysis to recognize the words of the user and the meaning of his question. Recently, Anthony DiClemente, chief of the division of Internet and media research at Barclays Capital was concerned about the impact of the Apple software on Google: "Siri can bypass traditional search engines and provide the user with responses that originally would have necessitated a search online. "

Google could also put this new feature to good use in Android mobile. According to TechCrunch, Google is preparing to launch in fact a competitor of Siri for Android, Google wizard.