Carrefour and Auchan bet on the return

The new school year has begun. The shelves of supermarkets anyway. Intersection and Auchan hypermarkets which have lost market share since early January, play their all to save the year. Their goal: to take advantage of this period, the largest in terms of sales after Christmas, to bring back customers and especially to force them to remain faithful to the brand.

Carrefour, the worst off of two, decided to strike hard, even if release into the wild to 1.3 billion euros of gift vouchers. The never-seen! "Our premium of 100 euros back complements the allowance paid back Friday by the government," said Noël Prioux, executive director of Carrefour France. The group breaks new ground by distributing 13 million in its hypermarkets checkbooks containing 10 vouchers of 10 Euro, valid for 5 weeks and from 30 euros to buy.The customer can not spend only 2 per week, in two predefined rays associated with the start, the traditional paper products and linens to leather, textile (women, men, baby) and electricity and the tooling. "We make a significant investment to support our customers in a key moment when they are faced with many expenses in a difficult environment," says Noel Prioux, which must succeed this time, after a failed September 2010 and the beginning of year catastrophic. The poor performance of the domestic market have already caused the departure of its CEO, James McCann, and sealed half-year results of the group.

Increase traffic

In addition to the premium back promotions in other departments. Carrefour also has finally increased the share of its own brand.When performing these three devices, the reductions can approach 80% back on the shelves, supports the group. If the brand has loyal customers and win back others with this, it has also not forgotten the food department. "As for offering toys at the end of year deals on the products at the start of school is only profitable for the traffic they bring," says one consultant. And provided that once in-store customers take the opportunity to make further purchases. "We've lowered our prices in August 1000 on food references: the effort for the products most frequently purchased by our customers, everyday products (dairy products and desserts, for example), and the products popular with families, "said Noël Prioux, which means" to rediscover Carrefour. "The objective is clear: "re strong business momentum in the last quarter."

Auchan and Système U have introduced similar devices. Thursday and Friday, customers who buy 23 items in the school are being taught northerner all of the purchase paid in vouchers to spend in the entire store … next week. In addition, the company offers a special on the shelf textiles from there too in addition to its promotional programs most common in the food department.

"The deteriorating U.S. puts enormous pressure on Europe"

In the night from Friday to Saturday, S & P downgraded the rating of the United States, from "AAA" to "AA +". This historic announcement, which comes as the markets have closed a black week, plunged the financial world into the unknown. Munis Hassim, professor at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, explains why such degradation threatens the U.S. economy, the first world power, and identifies the situation to that of Japan in the 1990s.

Is the degradation of the notes of the United States plunges us into a new crisis?

The fact that the United States lose their triple-A means that they have a slightly higher probability of defaulting. But by switching to "AA +", this probability is very low. Moreover, experts and analysts do not believe at all a failure to pay the largest economy in the world. So there is no reason to panic.However, the multiple consequences which such degradation can they prove to be very disturbing.

For example?

The fact that S & P has dared to sacrifice the American note puts enormous pressure on other countries rated AAA, particularly in Europe as the UK or even France. This announcement will fuel fears of a contagion of degradation of notes, when the markets seemed to panic this week. In Italy and Spain (already degraded) in particular, tensions are rising, although they seem to be the new target markets. Moreover, the impact on the banks direct. They will have to review their capital allocation taking into account the appearance of more risky U.S. bonds they hold, as they impose the new international regulations, to strengthen the solvency of banks (Basel III).The recent bank stress tests, whose results were given there only three weeks, have already lost all credibility because they did not include either a restructuring of the Greek debt, or a deterioration note the United States.

Why such a lowering of note can threaten the global economy?

When the debt rating of long-term decline in the U.S., this means that more may not be refunded if the creditor is. However, the markets, the risk is remunerated by interest rates: if I am less sure of being repaid, so I request a higher rate. Thus, losing the "AAA", the U.S. interest rates at 5 years, 10, 20, 30, will mechanically increase.And if rates rise, it's a downward spiral of investment and consumption that will engage, which produces more unemployment, less tax revenue and public expenditure. This government deficits widen further, and sovereign debt. But during the past two weeks very turbulent markets, the U.S. long rates remained very low. There have never been so low, a sign of investor confidence.

There is still a little time, no one imagined the United States lose their AAA. How did they get there?

The problem the U.S. is that they have more flexibility, or a monetary point of view, or budget.On the one hand, monetary policy can not be more accommodating, having pumped billions and billions of dollars of liquidity into the markets and set the interest rate floor (they are between 0% and 0.5 %) to restore the U.S. economy weighed down by the subprime crisis that has capitulated Lehman Brothers, three years ago. On the other, public spending has been poorly controlled, while the U.S. tax burden is already high. Difficult in these conditions for fiscal consolidation.

It is like in Japan twenty years ago …

Exactly, you are right in the Japanese-style scenario. The United States could enter a situation of liquidity trap in which Japan was mired in the 1990s, but never really escape. Rates were zero and sluggish growth, while prices fell, leaving Japan trapped.United States, the U.S. central bank, the Fed is now more capable of supporting the U.S. economy, which has not really recovered from the crisis, according to the latest statistics. Growth for 2011 looks less than expected, despite the monetary support giant that has been deployed. It remains to be seen whether this will result in deflation (lower prices) or if inflation will return. The best case scenario would be the second, to prevent the United States is experiencing a "lost decade" in Japan.

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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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The Paris Bourse down

Back in the red for the Paris Bourse. At the opening on Monday, the CAC 40 index drops 0.76% to 3813.50 points. Just relieved by Greece, where the leaders of the euro area have managed to agree on a rescue plan, investors are concerned about the United States. The elected representatives of the U.S. Congress again tried Sunday to reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling, but without success.

While the Speaker of the House John Boehner had slammed the door to negotiations with the White House on Friday night, negotiations continued behind the scenes throughout the weekend between the Democratic allies of President Barack Obama, the Senate majority and their Republican opponents, who control the House of Representatives. But John Boehner told his troops on Sunday night that no breakthrough had yet been obtained.The head of the Republican majority in the House, Eric Cantor, considered the arguments of President Barack Obama "politics and indefensible."

The situation becomes very tense nine days of the deadline mentioned by the Treasury before a default. This morning, this concern has led to a relapse of the Asian markets. For their part, the U.S. markets, which had already ended Friday without direction, were on the downside Sunday night in electronic trading at the end of the weekend.

Greece is also in the news: Moody's today lowered the country's sovereign rating of "Caa1" from "It" with a development, saying the country was still facing major challenges medium-term credit.

Oil down

On the currency side, the dollar is penalized. The euro is rising against the greenback at 1.4367 dollar.Oil is also down. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for August delivery lost 1.08 dollars to 98.79 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery lost 60 cents to 118.07 dollars.

The American situation is also the only concern when no market indicator is expected on Monday.

Values ​​to follow

Areva: -1.83% to 24.88 euros, EDF: 0.28% to 27.24 euros

The new president of Areva, Luc Oursel, who succeeded Anne Lauvergeon end of June, will make his first official Monday by hosting one of its plants EDF's CEO Henri Proglio, showing the warming of relations between the two groups. EDF and Areva have signed an agreement at that time technically and commercially, prior to a more ambitious partnership signed in September low fee cash advance.

Banking

Crédit Agricole (-1.87% to 9.25 euros), BNP Paribas (-1.75% to 47.96 euros), Societe Generale (-1.75% to 37.41 euros), Axa (-1, 60% to 14.10 euros) suffer from degradation of the note of Greece by Moody's.

Axa, while welcoming the agreement reached by EU leaders on Greece, the insurers of the French Federation of Insurance Companies (FFSA) said they consider positively their participation in the project initiative of private investors in As part of the options.

Score: -0.24% to 18.50 euros

The reinsurer Scor said on Monday a 22% growth in constant currencies, the treaty renewals in non-life and specialties of the 320 million of premiums up for renewal in mid-year.

Saint-Gobain: -0.69% to 42.18 euros

The group will buy the network and Brossette Build Center in Wolseley.

Unibail-Rodamco: 0.51% to 158.30 euros; Klépierre: -0.13% to 27.14 euros

HSBC has initiated coverage of Unibail-Rodamco to "overweight" with a target price of 175 euros and raised its recommendation on Klépierre to "underweight" to "neutral."

LVMH: 0.08% to 129.35 euros

Consob is considering a complaint from an investment fund over the price offered to pay the French to buy the balance of Bulgari, confirmed Sunday a spokesman for the Italian stock market.

Total: -0.11% to 39.41 euros

The oil amounts to ten billion dollars (seven billion euros) of investment needed to develop the oil field north of Moho Bilondo off the coast of the Republic of Congo, said its CEO, Christophe de Margerie.

Valeo: -3.94% to 45.35 euros

The group announced Friday that its U.S. subsidiary Valeo Inc., based in Troy, Michigan, had received a request for information from the U.S. court as part of an antitrust investigation.

Fimalac: 0.29% to 27.90 euros

The group announced a sales increase of 11.9% on a comparable basis to 515.8 million euros in the first nine months of fiscal year 2010-2011.Its subsidiary, the rating agency Fitch Ratings has led to an increase of 11.7% of its turnover over the same period to 401.5 million euros.

After market, Seb and Klépierre publish their half year results, April Group will announce its earnings for the second quarter, Faiveley the first quarter. Mercialys and STMicroelectronics will publish their results for the second quarter.

Paris and Berlin agreed before the summit on the euro

A first relief is visible on Thursday morning in the euro area, a few hours of the meeting of European heads of state in 13 hours, which is to lay the foundations for the rescue of Greece. Indeed, after a marathon meeting more than seven hours, which ended the night in Berlin, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have agreed on a "common position". The head of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet joined the French president and German Chancellor later in the evening, he joined the discussions.

No tax on banks in the European level

Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel did not present the details of the compromise. They prefer to reserve the premiere of the content of this agreement for seventeen countries of the monetary union when they meet in Brussels. The Franco-German consensus as a basis for negotiations between the countries of the eurozone.

Still, the Franco-German snatched in the night is "a prerequisite" to a European compromise in Brussels, said this morning on France 2 Valérie Pécresse, budget minister and spokesman of the French government. "We must find a way to stop international speculation and stabilize the euro area", had said his side in the evening the French Foreign Minister, Alain Juppe, in Madrid. He added: "If the euro broke out, it would be a catastrophe." If not addressed on Greece "the consequences will be felt throughout Europe and beyond," stated yesterday the President of the European executive, Jose Manuel Barroso, calling the situation "very serious". "Borrowing 30 years "

The plan under discussion would be based in part on a private sector contribution of 32 billion euros over three years no credit check payday loans.It would ease the debt of Athens and would extend the term of the loans (up to thirty years), while remaining sustainable for the Greek economy. Along the lines of this project, private creditors would participate actively in the rescue of Greece, but each of these banks would remain free to choose the terms of its contribution from three possibilities.

Moreover, the German daily Bild reported that several leaders of major European banks will be involved in discussions. Josef Ackermann, the influential head of the first German bank Deutsche Bank, will include some of the participants in the summit, said the newspaper.

Diversification and increase in Fund resources Stability

In addition, the amount allocated to the European financial stability, currently 440 billion euros, should be raised. Europeans could also expand its missions.The latter lend in Athens what buy its own debt in the market for a price usually mentioned by 60% of their face value. Such an option would have the advantage of reducing the debt burden of the country to enable it to regain growth and ultimately solvency. The fund could also reduce the interest rate and lengthen the maturity of its loans to Greece, flexibility Ireland and Portugal could then benefit.

The suspense will last a few hours, the agreement between the countries of the eurozone is expected in the evening. But now, after the meeting between France and Germany, the euro is slightly redrese 1.4254 dollars.

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A crucial summit on the future of the euro

With the crisis of sovereign debt markets do not stop to test the strength of character of the leaders of the euro area. For fifteen months, each meeting a European success patching, without warning the next stroke. Greece. Ireland. Portugal. Save the euro? This issue will again this week for an emergency summit. This time with a difference: everyone, or nearly so, may feel targeted.

When seventeen heads of state and government will meet Thursday at noon, it is not the technical options that were missing.Bail increased, lower interest rates, longer maturities, to the private sector or restructuring in good and due form, all solutions are on the table since that Greece came close to bankruptcy for the first time in spring 2010 .

What has been lacking, however, is the political will and responsibility in a Europe that receive capital not as a common project, but as a domestic policy variable. In contrast, the contagion effect can lead to collective reaction. With Italy last week, found himself the danger of a sudden the heart of the euro.

Rome is also dropped two warnings the most striking. "The creditworthiness of sovereign states is no longer a given," said Mario Draghi, the future President of the ECB at the address of the seventeen cities.And "like the Titanic, the first-class passengers themselves can not cope", predicted the finance minister, Giulio Tremonti.

Greek debt buyback

The warning covered Alps. For the first time, the finance ministers of the euro come to accept that markets and financial experts claim for months no fax payday advances. Yes, Greece, diving in the austerity and recession, may find themselves unable to pay on its debt maturities or interest. And no, a default is not to be excluded in the euro area. Only the ECB still refuses to admit it.

Under this constraint, but also recognized virtual summit Thursday that will tie up a second bailout of Greece. "The key is to improve the ability of Greece to support and pay down debt," insists the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble.In all cases, private creditors – banks and investment funds – will have to fire from, or participate in the effort.

The easiest is to help Greece to repurchase some of its debt through loans from the EFSF the bailout funds in the euro area. Germany has long opposed it in the name of financial orthodoxy. But the accelerated depreciation of Greek securities on the secondary market allows Athens to reduce debt on the cheap, which meets the stated objective in Berlin. The other option would be to exchange the securities for longer maturities.

The plan should cover the needs of public financing of Athens until 2014, some 100 billion euros.He may doubt that Dublin, Lisbon and other capital assisted want to enjoy the same flexibility in time.

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Sony will reopen Wednesday its PlayStation Network in Japan

Sony will begin a new chapter Wednesday. Services PlayStation Network (PSN) for online games, and Qriocity for video, will reopen Wednesday in Japan. This is the last country in which Sony has to return to work "normal". Mid-June, the NSP has opened in South Korea and Hong Kong. The group was waiting for the approval of the "authorities" after hackers suffered since early April that forced him to interrupt his service. "We will restore the entire PSN as soon as possible, as soon as the national authorities will be comfortable with the protections we have put in place," explained the beginning of June, Le Figaro, Kaz Hirai, who became president last week Sony games division. He left his position as general manager Andrew House, Welsh origin, like Howard Stringer, the chairman of the Sony Group.

The matter is serious.More than 100 million accounts were hacked Sony, whose 77 million just for the PSN. The data on 23 million credit cards in use were recovered by "hackers" Pirates of the Internet. The group's data center in Tokyo, located in San Diego, has been more than a dozen attacks.

The origin of piracy, according to Kaz Hirai spoke with Le Figaro, at the show for video games? "I do not know who the pirates who want the Sony group as a whole. Individuals or groups of "hackers" are attacking us to tell the world that they were able to pass our security checkpoints. We have suffered denial of service from a group of hackers known as Anonymous, related to the fact that we have tried to protect the intellectual property of the PlayStation 3. But it does not seem that there is a link between the group Anonymous and piracy.It does not appear that there is an increase in fraud since the breach in the PSN. We have not been contacted by consumers who have complained of the misuse of their personal information. Or personal data were not stolen, the target of hackers did not use the information, but to tell the world that the FBI, Sony or another company were attacked. "

The investigation is ongoing. The group of pirates "Lulz Security", which has decided to disband, has posted online more than 2 million customer names from Sony. One of its alleged members was recently arrested by Scotland Yard.

Faced with these attacks, Sony has taken in May, a provision of 14 billion yen (120 million euros). This amount should be reassessed after the latest attacks? "No, says Kaz Hirai.The biggest potential risk was the breach of the PlayStation Network. Thus, the estimate is based on the attack. But we are not sure what information is taken or the potential misuse of data could be made pirated. Our service was closed and we made an offer to return to clients who have returned over the network online. That's why we made this estimate. "

The injury picture is not yet rated. But Sony is comforted by explaining that "customer loyalty is incredible." For "where we have restored the PSN service, 90% of the activity returned to normal. This is the case in the United States and in most countries where we have restored. Less than 1% of customers ask to close their account on PSN. That's why we are very grateful to them.We can not thank them enough. This incident would not have happened, "admits the president of the division games.

Google sued in the Commercial Court in Paris

The blows rained down from all sides on Google. Friday, the U.S. competition has announced the opening of an investigation into the Internet group. Today was the turn of French society 1PlusV attack. Editor of topics such as search engines ejustice.fr, Google it assigns to the court of commerce of Paris to seek redress for damages caused by anticompetitive practices of the American giant. 1PlusV assesses his damages at 290 million euros, corresponding to the lost revenue (74 million) and potential revenue lost since the establishment of its business in 2007. The company also claims the publication of the disputed practices on the home page of the famous search engine.

"Unfair Competition"

This assignment in Paris in addition to two cases brought against Google by 1PlusV in Brussels.The first complaint, filed in February 2010, led the European Commission to investigate Google in November 2010. A few months later, in February 2011, filed a complaint 1PlusV further to extend the complaint to all of its search engines. It accuses two things at Google. First, the search engine "rigged" results in both favoring its own thematic search engines (called "vertical"), as in the book, video, maps, and feeding its index data Public collected without the consent of the site publishers guaranteed high risk personal loans. On the other hand, Google would have prevented 1PlusV to monetize their sites with advertising by conditioning access to its advertising to the use of its search technology (tying).

"We launched search engine in 2007, but they could not develop because of discriminatory practices of Google.Our company was nipped in the bud, "said Bruno Guillard, founder of 1PlusV. He now believes it has evidence, found by a bailiff, on practices that dereferencing Google was guilty. "There is unfair competition to the extent that Google gives the impression that their engine is more powerful than us. This assignment, which is intended to redress, the complaint does not stop Europe, covering an injunction to stop these practices, says Bruno Guillard. We believe that Google has answers to give. "

The Commercial Court of Paris could take from 16 to 24 months to rule on this complaint. Brussels, meanwhile, is in the process of peeling the replies to questionnaires sent to various European actors in the Web in early January as part of its investigation.While the debate over Net neutrality has been raging, it could well be extended to search neutrality.

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Monaco placed on the royal wedding to revive its economy

The figures speak for themselves. In anticipation of the royal wedding of July 1 and 2, the National Council of Monaco, the equivalent of our Parliament, has allocated a budget of 4 million euros. Almost as much as the 4.4 million spent by the principality in 2010 to launch its corporate campaign in the French magazine and on the web. This shows the importance for the Rock the marriage of Prince Albert of Monaco and the former champion South African swimmer, Charlene Wittstock. Both in economic terms and in media coverage.

From next Friday, when the celebration of the civil union, Monaco looks indeed more than 200,000 visitors. A golden opportunity to restore a spotlight on the micro state of 35,881 inhabitants.Still considered a haven for billionaires, Monaco has indeed not escaped the crisis in recent years, in 2009 recording a decline of 9% of its tourism industry (mainly tourism business), before a resumption of 6 % last year. At issue: the crisis in the "customer proximity" (Italian and French), which became more reasonable.

Although the number of spectators attracted to the wedding should remain three times lower than the 600,000 tourists who traveled to London in April, for the marriage of William and Kate Middleton. But the Rock expects no less favorable economic impact. In anticipation of the weekend, everything was set up to attract maximum visitors: free trial of race cars, train frequency increased, on the big screen broadcast of the festivities, free parking, free admission to most museums … .Beyond the provision of 4 million euros of the National Council, the Centre has also participated in an amount that has not been made public.

Attract new large fortunes

The principality wants to use the event to attract tourists back wealthy, more and more tempted by other destinations. The sector remains in effect in the heart of Monaco's economy, with nearly 500 conventions and meetings a year and distributed 780,000 nights in the 16 luxury hotels. "Monaco must expand, transmit messages incentives to attract large fortunes, talents.It should be under the spotlight at all times, "said Michel Bouquier and the Director of Tourism of the Principality

Operation seduction seems to be working: within a week of marriage, hotels are almost full (2700 rooms, 90% in four stars), and the Rock is an increase of call for cruise ships in recent weeks. Remains to be seen, beyond the one-time event, the mass return of tourists will continue. Especially such an event is not without adverse consequences for the economy.For example, if the marriage of William and Kate has resulted in more than 570 million pounds (640 million euros) in economic benefits, productivity losses related to the only holiday of marriage (Friday, April 29 ) were valued at 7 billion euros.

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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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