School insurance: competition hardens

Just two days after classes begin, the war is on in student insurance. Like last year, Carrefour offers free insurance to customers who hold loyalty card (17 million cards). As in 2009, the MFA, which holds one third of this market, defends itself.

Last year the mutual had filed an interlocutory order that the sign continues to broadcast its offer, but had been unsuccessful. This time, the MFA has assigned Carrefour before the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Evry for "unfair trade practices. 'We want to try the case on its merits. Beyond the financial loss, there is especially harm the image, justifies Edgar Mathias, president of the MFA."We hope the court understands that one can not, for insurance and child, treat things lightly," he says.

Between 10 and 30 euros

The mutual claims 350,000 euros in damages. An amount calculated on the basis of figures provided by Carrefour at the interlocutory hearing in 2009, then assuming the distributor on the underwriting of insurance 20000-25000 school. Friday, Carrefour said "regretted" the action of justice waged by the MFA. With its free offer, the distributor intends to "meet the expectations of its customers. In today's economy, purchasing power is at the heart of the concerns of families, "says one at Carrefour.

However, since ten years, traditional insurers, banks and stores of the retail market also interested in the school insurance.Their interest is simple: to win new customers to offer them then other products. In this highly competitive environment, the MFA loses many policyholders. After counting up to 7 million members in the 1970s, the insurer only has 3.3. However, the MFA is the only MMA can distribute its products in the public schools (about 10 million children) through agreements decades ago with federations of parents. What some see as a "privilege" is "between 15 and 20% of members of the MFA," according to its chairman.

The strong competition between different actors of good for parents. The school insurance prices should remain stable this year (between 10 and 30 euros per year on average).This should encourage them to subscribe to this optional activities taking place within the school. But that is required for extracurricular activities offered by schools (out, discovery classes …).

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The Paris Bourse is expected to continue its downward

The macroeconomic announcements from the U.S. weighed heavily on the Paris Stock Exchange in August. The poor sales figures for housing (the lowest since 1995) have hit the Cac 40, which has plunged Tuesday on the 3500 points with a drop of 1.75%. Return to the Green should be difficult on Wednesday. Especially as new indicators are expected in the U.S., in addition to the unemployment figures in France in July. The real estate overseas, thermometer world's largest economy, will still be in the spotlight with the publication of the FHFA index of house prices and numbers of new home sales for July. Before the opening of Wall Street, markets will also monitor the numbers of orders for durable goods last month.

This Wednesday in Asia, fears of a relapse of the new global economy have sealed the evidence.Wall Street had already set the tone with a fence net decrease of 1.32%.

As for currencies, the euro traded at 1.2638 in the morning the dollar.

Publications resume

In terms of values, many trucks will publish their results quarterly and half in this weekend.

Today before the market opens, Edenred, the old branch of prepaid services group Accor became autonomous, has reported an operating income of 155 million euros in the first six months of the year, down 7.1%. Turnover rose 3.8% to 461 million.But the group is very conservative forecasts, the growth in issuance volume yet to be affected by rising unemployment in Europe.

L'Oreal and Sperian publish their half year results after market close.

The Polish government has short listed five offers to buy the 51% stake in state power company Enea on Tuesday said the Treasury Department, without specifying the identity of Suez and GDF would candidats.EDF on ranks according to media reports. Only EDF confirmed it had made a preliminary offer.

Scor has been a change of recommendation by Fitch. The broker has raised its outlook on Tuesday its debt rating of reinsurance group to "positive" cons "stable" and kept at "A" rating from its long-term debt of the group.Fitch said the decision including the prudent investment policy conducted by SCOR and the diversification of its risks.

Large labs scramble biotechs

Without biotech, no future for pharmacy? You might think so, judging by the proliferation of mergers and alliances between biotechs and large laboratories, those companies that manufacture drugs from living organisms. Last transaction date, redemption, announced Tuesday, the small American biotech Spoiler Therapeutics by Roche. The Swiss laboratory would cost initially $ 25 million to access the expertise of spoiler, an innovative technique allows the insertion of active ingredients targeted at the heart cells. If the results are inconclusive and that the products are finally sold, Roche may pay up to 1.1 billion dollars.

On Monday, the Swiss lab had already announced the purchase of another biotech, the California BioImagene for about 100 million dollars. And the other major labs are no exception.Sanofi-Aventis has announced the July 1 takeover of the U.S. biotech TargeGen. That's about the 25th agreement reached by the French laboratory with a biotech since arriving at his head Chris Viehbacher in December 2008. These alliances are not confined to Europe and the United States. Earlier this year, bioMérieux has acquired, for 10 to 15 million euros, a Chinese group, Meikang Biotech specializes in the manufacture of rapid tests.

"The major laboratories multiply this kind of agreement from two to three years to overcome a deficit increasing need for innovation in-house and access to proprietary technology platforms," said Vincent Genet, director of the activity of the firm Alcimed health."Smaller biotechs, in turn, can not afford to assume alone the costs of development of their drug candidates."

Progressive Funding

But it is rare that manufacturers take immediately all the risk. Most operations are based on incremental funding. Paid as and drug development, they can be supplemented by royalties on the commercialization of products.

These operations, which often have no impact on buyers for several years, have "nothing to do with mergers with large biopharma," says Vincent Genet. After the acquisition of Genentech by Roche last year for $ 47 billion, Sanofi-Aventis discussed today a merger with Genzyme. The operation seems to stumble on the price.According to the American press, Genzyme seeks in effect more than 18.4 billion dollars (14 billion euros) that Sanofi would have offered.

These mergers, which provide great laboratories of developing products and marketed drugs, may provide access to "a very different economic model," said Vincent Genet. This changes the perception of the laboratory, giving it a more focused biotech. This may also contribute favorably to income through sales made. A biotech can also expand the universe of which seizes lab. This is the case of the manufacturer of Botox, Allergan, valued near $ 20-billion. It would give the buyer access to the cosmetics market and emerging countries.

Brussels doubt that Free has received state aid

Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom, who have each paid 619 million euros to the state for their 3G mobile phone license in the early 2000s, still have not digested their rival Free Mobile gets in early license for 240 million euros. Note that for this price, Free holds three times less frequency than its competitors.

But the complaint to state aid once they have lodged in Brussels could well be rejected. The competition offices of the Commission have sent a letter on June 28 called "administrative discharge" to the three operators and the French state, said La Tribune.

"I confirm that the Commission has informed the companies of its preliminary analysis and thus of its intention not to pursue the matter," said the spokesman for the European Commission for competition issues, Amelia Torres."We look at the present time the answer has been obtained from the companies involved to see if it causes us to change your mind or if it confirms that there is nothing to investigate "she added.

Background

Brussels wonders, is a fact. They requested further information No fax payday loans. This is perhaps not ideal, but there is no time for decision, "says a trader who insists the length and complexity of applications for state aid. Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom, them, do not démordent: the rebate received by Free Mobile akin to them in state aid and distorts competition.Consequently, they claim that the amount of their 3G license or subsequently revised downwards to 240 million euros.

In 2002, Orange and SFR had already obtained the price of their license is comparable to that accorded to Bouygues: 619 million euros, against 4.95 billion originally planned.

Along with this complaint in Brussels for aid, Orange, SFR and Bouygues have also seized the State Council, the highest administrative court in France. They attack the one hand, the decree fixing the amount of the fee, on the other hand, the decree gives the license to Free Mobile. The Council of State could make its decision by the end of the year. But the operators themselves are hardly any illusions.

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Sanofi-Aventis lowered its forecast for 2010

The pharmaceutical group Sanofi-Aventis, seeking a major acquisition, had approached the U.S. biotech Genzyme understands the Wall Street Journal on its website. In early July, the French had been the subject of market rumors about a proposed acquisition of U.S. $ 20 billion.

"Discussions are still in their infancy and there is no agreement expected in the immediate future. Issues such as price and management have not yet been addressed. " Both groups refuse to aAny comment.

According to the U.S. daily, officials from Genzyme, which specializes in products for the treatment of orphan diseases, are studying the amount that Sanofi would pay.In Stock, Genzyme capitalization stood at 14 billion dollars (10.8 billion euros) but the group can require a significant premium given its portfolio of drugs. "If we take as a starting point around the 20 billion dollars that has been discussed before, this puts Genzyme to $ 75 (per share)," said Michael Yee, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets.

Blow to Lovenox that will have to battle against a generic

In exchange, the action Genzyme has skyrocketed 15% to 62.52 dollars at the close of Wall Street. And during transactions unofficial title continued to grow.

Faced with competition from generic drugs, many pharmaceutical companies are looking for external growth.And the more that Sanofi-Aventis has paid this Friday a blow, with the approval by U.S. health officials the first of its generic anti-coagulant Lovenox star, his second top-selling drug in the world. "The FDA today approved the Administrationa first generic version of Lovenox, the FDA announced in a statement posted on its website.

This product is developed by the Swiss Sandoz, the generic arm of Novartis, Momenta and American society.Sales of Lovenox, a drug derived from heparin and more complex to copy a traditional chemical molecule had reached 3 billion euros worldwide in 2009, including $ 1.8 billion in the United States.

Sanofi-Aventis revised downwards its forecast 2010

In the first quarter 2010, sales of this drug was 769 million euros, which was still the second largest group of drugs sold worldwide. The FDA's decision also forced to Sanofi-Aventis to reduce its forecast for earnings per share for the year 2010. Sanofi has not waited for the publication of its results on July 29 to do to the markets. "At this stage, the group plans an evolution of the EPS (earnings per share, editor's note) activities for 2010 of between 0% and -4% compared to 2009 at constant exchange rates," says Sanofi- Aventis said in a statement issued late Friday.

In April, the group had confirmed capitalize on growth in earnings per share from 2 to 5% (at constant exchange rates). But this prediction was made without taking into account competition "potential" of a generic Lovenox.

In the longer term, Sanofi-Aventis said in its statement that it "renews its objectives for 2013, as was disclosed in July 2009. At this point the focus group said two billion euros in savings in 2013 compared to 2008, to prepare for the scheduled loss of patent protecting its key drugs in favor of generic manufacturers.

The sales of Sanofi made in the USA by its anticancer Eloxin fell sharply after the launch of generic versions, while its other cancer drugs, Taxotere, will drop its patent to the public in November in Europe and United States.

In late June, Sanofi announced the acquisition of American TargeGen for 560 million dollars (458.5 million euros) in order to strengthen the fight against cancer.

Three finalists for the ISP

Since announcing the departure of Gilles Michel DG Strategic Investment Fund (ISF), a few weeks ago, its main shareholder, the Caisse des Depots, is activated to find a replacement. Brigitte Lemercier, the headhunter mandated, would have considered up to 80 sheets grantee, including nearly half of unsolicited applications.

The Board of Directors of the ISP has agreed on a list of finalists. According to several sources, the CDC and the State will have to decide between Thierry Moulonguet, former CFO of Renault, now special advisor to Carlos Ghosn, Jean-Yves Gilet, CEO of Arcelor's stainless steel industry while Bruno Deschamps, who has just left the venture capital company 3i low rates payday advance.Until recently, the name of Jean-Dominique Comolli, former chairman of Altadis, was on that list, reduced to three names recently. If the timetable is respected, the verdict must fall next week.

The Paris Bourse is limping along

After a pause Wednesday after six consecutive sessions of gains, the CAC 40 has clearly accused the coup on Thursday. The benchmark index of the Paris Stock Exchange lost 1.41% to close at 3 581.82 points. In London, the Footsie loose 0.88% to 5 207.50 points. The German Dax was down 1.10% to 6 141.52 points.

After dégradaton U.S. growth prospects announced by the Fed and the slowdown in Chinese growth in the second quarter, mixed economic indicators from the United States have significantly penalized equity markets in France.

Indicators mixed U.S.

The jobless claims fell to their lowest level since August 2008, during the week ended July 10.

The producer prices fell in June for the second case consecutive month according to figures published by the Department of Labor.After adjustment for seasonal variations, prices for finished goods charged by producers fell 0.5% from the previous month, having already fallen by 0.3% in May and 0.1% in April. Analysts had expected a decline, but much less marked (0.1%).

Finally, industrial production in the United States in June posted its twelfth consecutive month of rise, increasing by 0.1% according to figures released Thursday by the U.S. central bank.

The Federal Reserve has revised the outlook for U.S. growth to decline and now expects growth of between 3% and 3.5% this year, against a range of 3.2% to 3.7% in a previous estimate. The decline in unemployment should also be slower than expected. Further support measures are also envisaged.

Another new arrival is somewhat reassuring to China this morning.The country has announced that the GDP growth amounted to 10.3% from April to June, a slowdown from the first quarter (+11.9%) and the last three months of 2009 (10 , 7%) fast payday loan no faxing.

Several publications in the program

As for results announcements, trucks U.S. could also evolve global ratings: JP Morgan Chase, Google and AMD will lift the veil on their performance in the second quarter.

In Paris, many companies also publish their sales figures this Thursday. This is the case of Carrefour (second quarter), Seb (first quarter), Pierre et Vacances (second quarter), or Stallergenes (second quarter).

The bank suffered

The bad macroeconomic news weigh on the banking sector.This document draws down: Dexia was the biggest drop of ACC (-2.28%). BNP Paribas is also in the red (-2.10%), as Societe Generale (-1.42 %) and Credit Agricole (-1.54%).

The automotive sector resists. The Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA) has announced a 6.9% decline in registrations in June to 1.34 million units sold last month. Advance Peugeot and Renault gleaning 0.39% 0.03% to 34.78 euros. From his side wins Michelin 0.59%.

Moreover, Metabolic Explorer (-3.82% to 5.29 euro) company specializing in production processes by organic industrial chemicals, announced on Thursday before market sales nil.The group reiterated its goal of placing on the market the first products of technology METEX in 2012.

Eurofin explains on its website on Thursday it recorded a strong improvement in its operating performance and profitability in the second quarter. The group will not give more detail before the publication of its results on August 30 next. Titles leap of 12.92% to 37.49 euros.

Resumption of hiring on Wall Street

At the spot where the financial crisis began, the recovery is apparent. Wall Street hiring like crazy in anticipation of better days, according to a study published this weekend by the New York Times.

Nearly two years after the fall of Lehman Brothers and plunging into the worst recession the country since the Great Depression, while the U.S. continues to languish with a persistent unemployment rate to 9.5%, the financial heart of New York recovers to beat him.

It has hired 2,000 people since February. A modest number apparently under the rescue plan 700 billion implemented by the government to save the banks, and 28,000 jobs lost on Wall Street since its peak in 2008 when the industry employed 189 000.

If the sector has hit bottom in terms of job five months ago, hiring is divided since.The pace continues to accelerate, and this recovery is even stronger than the one after the stock market crisis of 2001-2003, according to the New York daily.

This improvement reflects the revival of the New York Stock Exchange, which has made 61.4 billion dollars in profits in 2009, a record high. Deutsche Bank has hired 414 people in New York since the beginning of the year, Credit Suisse hired 600 people in the first quarter worldwide, mostly in New York, Goldman Sachs has created 600 jobs in the first quarter in a global the beginning of the year 2000 and JP Morgan.

Return of the lavish bonuses

At the same time, the copious bonus reappear instant credit report. Despite the recent passage of financial reform, Wall Street returned to "business as usual".Richard Stein, president of Sage Global headhunter, says that a dozen golden boys were offered jobs to more than one million dollars annually.

As jobs continue to disappear or progress to sentences in other sectors such as construction (- 22% since June 2008) or manufacturing (- 14%), the reputation of Wall Street is not close to s' improve nationally.

The recovery of the financial New York nevertheless raises some optimism among economists. When Wall Street goes, America goes well. "Wall Street traditionally hired for a takeover, and it was felt that the economy has hit bottom and it is slowly improving," says Rae Rosen cautiously, an economist at the Federal Reserve of New York .

The health of Wall Street is also great news for the city and the state of New York.20% of tax revenues from the state sector, which contributes 12% of the budget of the city. With wages assumed to average 392,000 dollars a year, against 64,000 for the rest of the workforce in New York, the wealth generated on Wall Street will finance a bloated public sector, with hundreds of thousands of employees in administration of the city, in education and in firefighters …

Why BP is its own insurer

BP has already spent more than three billion dollars to repair the damage from the disaster of the Gulf of Mexico. While adding a little more gets heavier every day, analysts argue the most pessimistic estimates of total bill of 100 billion dollars. The amount is even more impressive that BP is not guaranteed.

The tanker has decided there fifteen years to support himself in a reinsurance subsidiary (a "captive") the management of all of its risks. Given its size, BP did not see the benefit of paying premiums to pool their risks in a relatively small market.

Its subsidiary, Jupiter Insurance, may surrender to its parent up to $ 700 million per event. A rather small amount compared to the competition.For example, Total has a coverage of 1.3 billion dollars for its offshore drilling activity, which 250 million are made with the mutual oil, OIL, born in the early 1970s.

"After a well blowout offshore offshore California and the refusal of the insurance market of the time to cover this risk, tankers have decided to create a mutual dedicated to coverage of risks pollution, explains Gérard Naisse, director risk assessment and insurance group To tal. BP has been a member of OIL before withdrawing. "

Rising premiums

The capacity of offshore insurance is divided between the mutual OIL and Lloyds of London, the first global insurance market absolutely free credit score.In 1988, the explosion of a well off Scotland cost the members of Lloyd's 8 billion pounds. For BP, the amount of the final bill will depend on ongoing legal proceedings and from which he will return.

BP is indeed not the only company involved in the operation of wells. And the big oil struggles to court to best allocate the bill with its partners, which are, themselves, insured market.

Before knowing the exact extent of damage, the insurers have preferred to take the lead, and it shows in their prices. "For renewals of July, there are requests for tariff increases of around 25% for the covers of drilling in deep offshore, notes and Gerard Naisse. It remains to see if oil will agree to pay these prices."Meanwhile, the mutual OIL spark a renewed interest from oil that had opted for self-insurance as BP.

The disaster should not have repercussions beyond this niche of the insurance of offshore drilling. "It's a limited market, rather compartmentalized analysis John Money, head of the energy division of Aon. The accident at BP should not have any impact on other branches of industrial risk. "■

"The accident at BP should have no impact on other branches of industrial hazard"

Brussels limits the traders' bonuses

Bonuses for traders and bankers in Europe, accused of encouraging rampant speculation during the crisis, will be capped for the first time from next year, following the final adoption of a text with meaning Wednesday.

Two years after the outbreak of the financial crisis of 2008-2009, part of the United States with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the European Parliament in Strasbourg approved the text, which was the subject of a June 30 Agreement between the elected and the states of the EU.

In 2011, the bonus must not be disproportionate to the fixed salary and cash bonuses will be capped at 30% of the total premium, or 20% on premiums particularly important.

End outlandish bonuses

Much of the bonus will be paid immediately and will not be after a period of at least three years to allow the employer to recover some cases where investment would not work as expected.

Finally, at least 50% of a total bonus will be paid as contingent capital, which can be recalled in case of banking difficulties, so that taxpayers do not end up in the front line when a bank gets into difficulties.

In the case of banks that receive public subsidies, the text also provides that "no variable compensation should be paid the officers of the institution unless it is justified."

"Europe gets the rules of coaching salaries of bankers and traders with the most aggressive in the world," said a French Green MEP, Canfin Pascal, who negotiated the text. "By limiting the proportion of variable pay in total compensation, this text will finally put an end to extravagant bonuses synonymous with extravagant risks," he added.

A text to the liking of the banking sector

"Two years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, these tough new rules on bonuses will transform the culture of bonuses and incentives to end the excessive risk-taking", claimed that his side the Socialist Arlene McCarthy, parliamentary rapporteur on file at the agreement in principle on June 30

The text is however not to the liking of the banking sector."We believe that the agreement goes too far, because at the international level, there are already some principles" in the form of recommendations that were made including the Financial Stability Board (FSB), had informed the AFP secretary general of the European Banking Federation, Guido Ravoet after the tentative agreement. "We believe that this is not the public authorities to make amounts, percentages," he added, saying that this responsibility should be left to banks.

"If the international level, it does not follow Europe, European banks have a competitive disadvantage," says Guido Ravoet, who believes that "financial centers like New York, Singapore and Hong Kong will benefit."