At The Core
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The loss of triple-A does not interfere with management
The downgrade of France by Standard & Poors on January 13 did not have the effect feared. Markets do not collapse, the lending rates did not explode … And executives do not seem affected. According to the latest barometer of Eco-ViaVoice, only 29% of them think that the loss of triple-A will impact their business. Surprising but positive, this result illustrates the gap between the hype and the consequences of lowering "The financial situation of a company, not the triple A which is," says François Miquet-Marty, president of ViaVoice , before adding, however, "this reduction is not confirmed by other agencies, it remains in perspective."
Ineffectiveness of political discourse
Beyond the triple A, the composite index of moral frameworks rose slightly for the second consecutive month at – 48 after – especially in January and 52 – 56 in December, its lowest level since the barometer in 2004. However, for François Miquet-Marty, "it is difficult to talk of improvement, all the remaining indicators, sobering …" For if the frames, as the markets seem less concerned, they are generally pessimistic about the economic activity . For 69% of them, the standard of living in France will deteriorate over the years, where 10% think it will improve, an increase of 5 points. On employment, 82% expect an increase in the number of unemployed.
"At three months of presidential executives do not perceive the candidates' speeches, possible improvement levers on the issue of unemployment," worries Francois Miquet-Marty, noting that "they place little hope in politics. "
About their financial prospects, they remain grim: 41% of executives expect a deterioration of their financial situation in the coming months. Career opportunities remain "weak" for 78% of them. Finally, motivation, stagnant, with 40% of executives reported that their employees are being motivated.
Flat in this context, only a takeoff of the presidential campaign could cause a rise of the honest moral frameworks.
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A subway project in the Channel
Do we take the subway to Calais soon the morning to work in 25 minutes on the other side of the Channel in Ashford, and go home at night by the same means? This is the project defended tooth and nail by an association of French entrepreneurs in southern England. The Union of French Citizens Abroad organized Thursday a day of employment and business in the region where the project was presented shuttle Channel.
Olivier Cadic, an entrepreneur of 49 years, Councillor elected to the Assembly of French abroad, moved to Ashford fifteen years ago "because it was the first stop on the Eurostar," to escape the French tax burden, creating a media outcry.It was followed by other entrepreneurs from ready to provide many jobs.
"It's hard to recruit because the high cost of real estate in Kent do not allow employees to set up small, explains Olivier Cadic. An electronics company came along with me, which now employs 1,500 people, would be willing to offer 100 jobs immediately. Or just on the other side of the Channel to Calais, there is 25% unemployment. The TER of the Pas de Calais stops at the entrance of the tunnel. It's absurd. "
For 2012 Olympics
For its proponents, the metro project under the English Channel would be easily achievable. Eight TER trains purchased by the Nord-Pas de Calais originally for a project linking Lille-Manchester, could very well use the tunnel to get to Ashford in less than half an hour cash advance now.Eurotunnel, used only 55% of its capacity, is all for this binding would increase its revenues. SNCF, partner Southeastern Railway on the other side of the Channel, did not object either.
Consul General of France in London, Edouard Braine, is optimistic. "It's a certainty it will happen. Just look at a map and see that there is full complementarity between the two regions. Cross-border workers are already doing this ride by carpooling Eurotunnel but that's not very practical. And this is not the business of Eurostar to the local service. "The high speed train between Paris and Ashford has phased out most of his stops at Calais and London to optimize speed between the two capitals.In addition, its prices are prohibitive for commuting.
The ball is in the camp of the Nord-Pas de Calais, which seems to drag to decide. One question: is there a sufficiently large market to recoup such an operation? The members of the association believe that the London Olympics in 2012 would be a great opportunity to launch the line.
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Barroso wants to recapitalize "emergency" banks
"The speed of the European Union should not be that of its slowest member," hammered José Manuel Barroso on Tuesday before the European Parliament. In the aftermath of the rejection of strengthening the European Fund for assistance to indebted countries (EFSF) by the Slovak Parliament, the President of the European Commission urged member countries to continue efforts to stop the contagion of sovereign debt crisis in the area euro. Jose Manuel Barroso called for a recapitalization "emergency" banks as part of a "roadmap" gathering proposals from the Commission to support the banking sector.The latter, weakened by the debt crisis, is under pressure from the collapse of the Franco-Belgian Dexia facility.
Bank recapitalization should be conducted in a "coordinated" by members of the euro area to counter "the threat of systemic crisis that is taking shape," said José Manuel Barroso. Specifically, it proposes to raise the minimum capital "hard" of banks, without giving precise figures. To achieve this, banks must first use of private sources of funding and, if necessary, seek the support of the national authority. If the state is not able to provide the necessary assistance to the bank, a loan will be contracted by the EFSF.
In the absence of recapitalization, the banks should not pay bonuses or dividends, said Jose Manuel Barroso.Their exposure to sovereign debt should be evaluated "in a transparent manner overnight pay day loans."
The EFSF, rose to be replaced mid-2012
In addition, the sixth tranche of aid to Greece must be paid, said the President of the Commission. The country should also get a second loan that would be based on "sufficient funding for the participation of public and private sectors."
Other Commission proposals: the EFSF must be increased to "maximize" his strike force. This must be done through a "leveraged" with no financial guarantees for new states. In addition, Jose Manuel Barroso called again to accelerate the establishment of permanent mechanism should succeed the EFSF. The "European Financial Stability Mechanism" (MES) is projected by the President of the Commission, to take effect mid-2012, not mid-2013 as planned.With 500 billion euros of lending capacity, this mechanism would directly buy the debt of the states in the primary market, not like today only in loans.
Finally, José Manuel Barroso is also income, without naming them, the "Eurobonds", or "Eurobonds", mentioned as a solution to the debt crisis. The Commission will present by the end of the year, a proposal to allow the creation of the "obligations of stability."
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Wall Street should once again move
The U.S. stock market should open up again on Tuesday. Future of Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 advance at 1.35% to 1174 points and 2255 points to 1.33%. Monday, Wall Street had already finished in the green.
Since the beginning of the week, investors in Europe and the United States, is won over by a wave of optimism about the outcome of the crisis of sovereign debt. "The beginning of the week is placed under the sign of hope. Investors have decided to give credit to European policy makers and international willingness to find ways to resolve the sovereign debt crisis, "economists observe in Paris broker Aurel BGC. There are "high hopes that one is engaged in the right direction towards resolving the debt crisis in Europe," say experts on their side LBBW.Other analysts, however, want to caution. The strategists of the Crédit Mutuel-CIC believe that "the improvement should not last as rumors seem exaggerated. The expansion of EFSF does not solve the structural problems in Europe, while the challenge is there. "
The spokesperson of European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Olli Rehn, Europe is considering strengthening the capacity of the European support fund for countries in trouble (EFSF). Rumors press also reported a proposed quadrupling of the Fund's lending capacity to 2000 billion euros. In turn, an official of the ECB, the Austrian Ewald Nowotny, did not rule out declines in interest rates in the euro area.But soon, the German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble assured that Europeans had "no intention of bailing out" the EFSF.
Political leaders are still clearly divided on the responses to the debt crisis, while discussions on the payment of a new international loan to Greece, vital to enable it to avoid bankruptcy dragged on. At the same time discontent rises and Athens was again paralyzed Tuesday by a wave of strikes in public transport.
The euro relapse
The euro was weakening on Tuesday to below $ 1.35. Mileu in the day, the euro stood at 1.3496 dollars, against 1.3523 dollars late Monday.He had fallen in session Monday to 1.3363 dollars, its lowest level since mid-January, prior to recover.
As for commodities, gold has recovered slightly this morning at 1640 dollars an ounce after declining over the last three sessions. Oil falls sharply higher this morning in Asian trade after having dropped more than eight dollars last week. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in November gained 1 high quality business cards.15 dollars to 81.39 dollars in early trade, having closed up 39 cents Monday.A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery, which ended virtually unchanged Monday (-3 cents), advances, meanwhile, 95 cents to 104.89 dollars.
On the macroeconomic front, investors will monitor the housing price index calculated by S & P / Case-Shiller in the 20 largest cities in the United States, the index of consumer confidence and the Conference Board index of manufacturing activity in the Richmond Fed.
As for values to be followed on Tuesday:
As for values, Goldman Sachs will intensify its restructuring efforts, after a disastrous third quarter, which could be one of the worst ever recorded by the U.S. investment bank since it went public 12 years ago, says the New York Times.Goldman Sachs will be 1.2 billion to $ 1.45 billion savings goal of operation by mid-2012, the paper said on its website, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
The mysterious tablet that the online retailer Amazon.com Wednesday could present promises to be a star among the products' high-tech "of the season, even though the Seattle group has not yet revealed existence.Amazon Wednesday invited reporters to an event which he kept secret the subject, organized in a video production and music in Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.
Motorola Solutions is within the scope of an investigation by U.S. authorities, according to the Wall Street Journal, concerning a possible corruption in the course of its business in Europe.
The Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, listed on Wall Street, announced Tuesday it had increased to 49% its stake in Canada's Ivanhoe Mines, the upper limit is included in an agreement between the two groups that intend to operate an entire mine copper and gold in Mongolia.
ONEOK announced expect to achieve a net profit of between 355 and 400 million in 2012, against 325 to 345,000,000 dollars in 2011.For its part, ONEOK Partners expects a net 740 to $ 800 million for the year 2012 against 630 to 660,000,000 for the year 2011, while natural gas volumes processed are expected to increase more than expected.
Also note, Standard & Poor's is within the scope of an investigation by the SEC, the U.S. stock market regulator, who questioned its rating of an issue of structured securities in 2007 just before the market collapse real estate, announced its parent company McGraw-Hill.
Industry and households demoralized
Optimism has no place in French industry and households. According to the monthly survey published Friday by INSEE, the synthetic indicator of business climate in manufacturing industry fell by six points to 99 points in September, passing below the 100 that corresponds to the average long period for this indicator. "He finds his level of August 2010," INSEE said in a statement.
As for the index of business climate as a whole (including services, construction, wholesale and retail trade), it falls along eight points to 97 points. Clearly, "the economic climate deteriorated in all sectors except construction," says INSEE.
In detail, the entrepreneurs of the manufacturing industry believe that their past activity slows again.They are particularly concerned to see their order books, global and foreign, are down. The situation is similar in both food processing, electrical, electronic and computer in the car, where the activity is expected in sharp decline in the coming months.
Confirming this gloom, the turning point indicator of INSEE has clearly shifted in the red. If it is not necessarily synonymous with recession, "the index is in all cases the echo of a deceleration of growth in all sectors," explains Sandrine Duchêne, head of the department of economic INSEE.
The financial situation of the French deteriorates
Even pessimistic side of French households, whose confidence index has lost five points to 80 points in September, according to data from the institute poor credit personal loans. This is its lowest level since February 2009.This indicator had a slight gain in July (three points) after months of stability. But in September, households appear significantly higher than in July to anticipate an increase in unemployment (23 points).
To this must be added the concerns of their income: between July and September, the opinion of households on their personal financial situation has deteriorated further, the balance corresponding dropping six points. Thus, the French are less numerous than in July to consider appropriate to make major purchases (-5 points). About their nest egg, they also feel that the time is not conducive to spare, the balance being lost 8 points in its long-term average.
According to Sandrine Duchêne, growth forecasts of 0.5% set in June for the third and fourth quarters will soon be downgraded."Since mid-2009, we tablions on a scenario of sluggish growth," said she. But the accumulation of adverse factors, "as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, or concerns about the economic situation in the United States and China," cloud the prospects for a real recovery in the Hexagon.
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Your money is of interest to banks and the State
"Frankly speaking, I am interested in your money." All those who lived through the 1970s and 1980s remember the shock of the BNP slogan, which even then was nationalized. No bank would dare to go now so funny and cynical investors. Yet that is what is happening in practice. While the international financial markets flageolent, banks have flared up the race for deposits in the Hexagon.Are there in fact more convenient way to strengthen its balance sheet to use the savings of the French? Crédit Agricole and Crédit Mutuel, among others, have increased their advertising in favor of ELP, the savings plan housing new way: these deposits are considered by the now famous Basel Committee, responsible for defining prudential norms – as quasi-equity for financial institutions.
Banks are not the only ones eyeing the nest egg lights. The state is known, has an unquenchable thirst for money. The temptation is great to draw from as well. Jérôme Chartier, MP Val-d'Oise, has proposed that individuals have the opportunity to subscribe directly to the obligations of the State, Treasury bonds (OAT). "We could start with finance and 10% of total annual loan of 220 billion euros," he suggests.It envisages a system of subscription on the Internet to avoid the costs inherent in banking networks, including management fees may represent an additional 1% (plus interest).
The project is not entirely new. It was piloted in 1994 by the Balladur government: the Treasury reserving a specific tranche "OAT individual" in its broadcasts. This financial instrument was abandoned in 2006 due to attract customers. The "widow of Carpentras" (the small investor) preferred then feed the bubble stock exchanges, judging the performance of OAT profitable enough, recalls one at Bercy.For its part, the Treasury was less expensive to seek international investors.
In the red for nine years
Change of scenery in 2011: local savings find the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie when the foreign markets on which the Agency France Trésor is currently funding two-thirds of the debt of the State, may be closed like an oyster. "In Italy and Japan, the holding of public debt by individuals is important, between 10% and 15% of their financial wealth, whereas in France it is ridiculous," said Professor André Babeau, which publishes this week his new book (the financial behavior of the French by Editions Economica) business card.However, he rejects the proposal made by Edouard Balladur last spring to create a sinking fund debt based on perpetual bonds placed in the public and paid at the rate of A booklet with the same tax exemption. "Will he go to the forced loan, a formula that had not even been used in three major loans from the First World War?" He quips.
The French are often presented as a nation of ants with a sense of the economy, but it is largely an illusion. Their financial wealth is certainly valued by the Bank of France in 3643 billion (31 December 2010), more than twice the amount of the debt.Better last year households "putting money left" to the tune of 207 billion euros, according to the INSEE (the savings is the difference between disposable income, after tax, and what is spent on consumption).
The gross saving rate of individuals is thus one of the world's highest (15.1% of their income) while the State and other jurisdictions have charged at the same time an overall deficit of 136.5 billion francs (in 2010). The contrast is striking. The French seem virtuous individual, when it comes to managing their own money. But it is brought to vice, in any case the prodigal when he is in the community and the public finances are."The State, this great social fiction through which everyone endeavors to live at the expense of others," concluded the polemicist already Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850), apostle of liberalism.
Should be taken into account simultaneously all these elements to assess the situation. It appears that "France is not a global investor," says André Babeau. When calculating the surplus individuals, public sector deficits and financing needs of businesses, the House France has a deficit of 42 billion external euros (in 2010). And for nine years, the country continues to be in red.
The deposit within the French savings banks look at him with lust and the state could make a guarantee of national independence and the markets stateless. But clearly, the jackpot can not be used twice.Even banks and insurance companies are fighting to capture the windfall, where the ebb of life insurance in recent months. The State will be there the third robber in the story?
Crucial week for banks
The week promises to open high risk for the European banking sector in general and French institutions in particular. Literally slaughtered on the stock market since the beginning of the summer, the banks are preparing to face new headwinds. While the Europeans this week to finalize the second bailout of Greece, the rating agency Moody's might, according to some rumors, lower the credit rating of three French banks, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Societe Generale. June 15, the agency had placed under "surveillance" for three months, with "negative outlook" because of their exposure to Greece. If she sticks to what she had said before the summer, Moody's lowered by one notch notes BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole and two notches that of Societe Generale.During the weekend, Moody's and the three banks involved have declined to make any comment.
The Perfect Storm market, this change of note, even anticipated, will be a blow to those banks seeking to reassure investors about their ability to refinance. The climate is harmful: the action of Societe Generale, the most attacked by the markets, has lost 56% since January 1, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and 37%, 43%. The European banking index at the same time dropped by 35%.
Troika in Athens
The tension is escalated Friday when the very orthodox chief economist at the European Central Bank (ECB), the German Jürgen Stark, resigned to show his disagreement with the assistance provided by the Mint of the fragile the euro area, including Italy and Spain, as a redemption of their bonds on the market.To make matters worse, banks are reluctant to lend to each other. Deposits from day to day banking in the euro area with the European Central Bank (ECB) are at record levels.
This week, representatives of the troika (EU, IMF and ECB), to oversee the accounts of Greece, it will return. They had left unexpectedly in early September, saying that Athens had not fulfilled its promises in terms of privatization and economic reforms. The Greek government has given additional pledges Sunday and EU Commissioner Olli Rehn said he was confident in the prospect of an agreement by the end of the month. Time is short indeed: Greece is in dire need of approval from the troika to receive a new tranche of EUR 8 billion taken from the first aid plan in 2010. A refusal would mean the default.Banks that have lent money, would suffer, while heavy losses.
In this context, the debate rages about whether European banks, which hold their balance sheets in packages of loans to countries in fragile states in the euro area are adequately capitalized.
August 27, Christine Lagarde, the executive director of the IMF, had felt it was "urgent" that the European financial institutions reinforce with new capital. Saturday, it reduced his remarks, adding that the figure of 200 billion euro recapitalization needs of European banks was only a preliminary estimate "under discussion" …
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The Paris stock exchange plunges into the red
The Paris Bourse widening its losses. After an opening down 1.19%, the CAC 40 drops 2.43% to 3186.47 points in mid-session and switches under the 3200 points. In Frankfurt, the Dax lost 2.07% while in London, the FTSE loose 1.68%.
The day after a volatile session, which however ended with a small increase, investors are very cautious. On Friday, early afternoon is indeed expected U.S. monthly report on employment. This will be the only highlight of the day."There is not a measure of uncertainty before the employment figures to be published, while the fact that U.S. markets are preparing for a long weekend encourages traders to reduce their short positions," Camron says Peacock, an analyst at IG Markets.
As on Wall Street, who finished the day sharply lower yesterday, as investors take profits after four sessions of consecutive increases. This morning, Asian markets also followed this trend.
In addition to wait before the report was released, traders were disappointed by U.S. indexes mixed. The weekly jobless claims have fallen and certainly the contraction was avoided in the manufacturing sector, but construction costs and productivity plummeted.In addition, the White House confirmed the pessimism about the weakness of the recovery across the Atlantic in scaling back its growth forecasts.
Hesitation in oil markets
As for the oil markets, prices causes a wait of a dispersed way. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October lost 2 cents to 88.91 dollars a barrel while Brent North Sea crude for October delivery gained 19 cents to 114.48 dollars. In addition to the jobs report, investors feared the consequences of the violent disruption Katia approaching the U.S. coast. In the Gulf of Mexico, BP, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell began evacuating their staff from oil platforms. The Gulf of Mexico provides a quarter of the production of black gold in the United States.
On the foreign exchange market, the euro has stabilized at 1.4238 dollar.Yesterday, the European single currency fell sharply against the dollar, within the scope of renewed concerns vis-à-vis the health of the euro area, where industrial activity contracted in August, contrary to United States.
Rising energy costs caused a 0.5% increase in producer prices in July in the euro area, as expected, but overall inflationary pressures subside to the extent that the economy of the skate zone.
Values to follow
France Telecom: -0.96% to 13.36 euros
The operator has received numerous expressions of interest for its Swiss division, told Reuters CEO Stéphane Richard, noting that financial market volatility would not affect projects sales of assets of the group electronic check payday advance.
Bouygues: -1.15% to 25.87 euros
The Standard & Poor's announced that it placed the long-term rating of A-group under review with negative implications following the announcement by him of a proposed acquisition of securities.
Total: -1.83% to 33.74 euros
The oil will extend all over France its network of service stations at low prices, after tests conducted last year in dozens of outlets, according to Les Echos.
Safran: -2.12% to 27.18 euros, Suez Environnement: -4.10% to 11.11 euros
Saffron is the best candidate for an entry in the CAC 40, while Suez Environnement, whose price has fallen heavily since the beginning of the summer, should come out, say professionals in the Paris Bourse.
NYSE Euronext: -1.72% to 18.60 euros
The London Stock Exchange has confirmed a press report that it is discussing a possible settlement with LCH.Clearnet.Discussions are at a preliminary stage and there is no guarantee that it would, he said.
Arcelor-Mittal: -3.84% to 14.51 euros
The group plans to resort to short in the fourth quarter at its plant in Florange (Moselle), and will ask 600 of the 3,000 employees of the plant to take RTT in September, officials said Thursday a union source
Sanofi: -2.28% to 50.25 euros
The group confirmed Thursday it has reached an agreement with Pfizer to produce in France generic versions of Lipitor, the cholesterol featuring the American group.
Neopost: + 8.80% to 55.49 euros
The group raised its forecast of annual sales for the second time, following an accelerated growth in the second quarter, thanks to the dynamics of North America.
As for recommendations:
EDF: -1.89% to 21.24 euros
Goldman Sachs has revised down its price target on the title, which goes from 49 to 31 euros, while remaining for purchase.
Carrefour: -3.60% to 17.52 euros
HSBC lowered its recommendation to "overweight" to "neutral" and target price of 30.50 to 20 euros.
Pernod Ricard: -1.03% to 61.28 euros
Bernstein lowered its price target from 76 to 67 euros.
Stallergenes: + 0.71% to 49.75 euros
The laboratory of immuno-allergic Thursday announced a net profit up 18% in the first half to 23.7 million euros, benefiting from the "business growth" and a "moderate increase spending research and development. " In the process, Oddo is to reduce its recommendation to neutral.
SNCF tariffs: "We want more transparency"
A new decree, issued July 31, should allow the station not to set an annual calendar of dates or normal movement of its trains. The National Federation of Transport Users (FNAUT) will be consulted as the set of consumer groups before the implementation of new measures. Its president, Jean Sivardière explains the consequences of their introduction.
Lefigaro.fr – The decree abolishing the concept of peak or normal was claimed by the SNCF. What benefit the operator does he draw?
Jean Sivardière – SNCF wants more freedom in setting its prices to meet more of its trains reservation is to say mainly the TGV, but also trains Lunéa (night train, Ed) and trains Téoz (Paris-Clermont-Ferrand, Paris-Toulouse and Bordeaux-Nice, Ed).The TER intercity, Coral, are not affected. The absence of a predetermined schedule as it is today will allow it to adjust its prices more freely according to demand and events. This is the generalization of "yield management" pricing based on supply and demand. The benefit for the station is to be better armed against competition from airplanes, cars and eventually other train operators who will come with the opening of the network under EU regulations.
The station will therefore be free to increase prices …
Yes, when demand will be strong. But it can also reduce some of the trains filled to attract travelers. We do not reject the principle of the decree. Unlike other associations, we try to assess the medium-term effects.Of course, they will be positive for the station, but we believe that if the station is in better financial health, the traveler found there too. If the operator performs better trains, the French users should benefit from a tariff acceptable. In Germany, where pricing rules are much more rigid, the prices are also higher.
Is there not a risk of soaring prices?
The decree provides that the station will make public the amount of the highest rates and that of the lowest rate charged instant payday loan lenders. But we also know that the operator is a state within a state and it is difficult to impose such measures. We have no evidence that the average tariff will not increase, but we nevertheless believe that a surge would mean a loss of customers, and would therefore be against-productive.What we regret is the new benchmark loss arising from the removal of the schedule of dates for users already lost to the variety of tariffs. When we are received by the Advisory Committee of the SNCF, for example, we will request the publication of the quota of seats at reduced rates. Currently, we are not aware of this number. We need more transparency so that travelers know what they pay for. For several years, we also ask for the maintenance of lines parallel to the TGV Corail. This would create a kind of low-cost rail. This line exists in the Rhone Valley. They work very well and does not infect clients of the TGV.
New User Reviews
A survey by the Consumers' Association CLCV last spring and published Monday in Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France testifies to the annoyance of SNCF customers. Chief among complaints: the pricing policy. Nearly 90% of 570 respondents believe that prices are expensive or too expensive. According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, the average price per mile has actually increased by 26.4% between 2002 and 2009, twice as much as inflation. Travelers also denounce the complexity of the fee schedule. Another study conducted by the association CLCV also noted between the discount cards, and offers Prem's and other iDTGV, it was possible to find twenty different prices for the same seat.Finally, the survey raises the issue of timeliness because nearly half of respondents say they regularly experience delays … and poorly compensated. 63.9% of passenger demand and to be systematically compensated for any delays exceeding 30 minutes.
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Wall Street should be on guard before the Fed
Wall Street holds its breath. In the wake of a sharp drop in session, and two hours of opening, the contracts are in equilibrium on the Dow Jones (+0.03% to 11,134 points), Nasdaq (0.09 % to 2113 points) and the S & P (+0.02% to 1157 points).
As in Europe and Asia this morning, the New York Stock Exchange on Friday waiting to learn more about the measures to be taken by the Fed to support the U.S. economy threatened by recession. Ben Bernanke, head of the institution, will speak Friday at 4:00 p.m. (French time) to his counterparts at the traditional central bankers in Jackson Hole Symposium, Wyoming. The Fed could launch a new program of quantitative easing, but many stakeholders are concerned that expectations may be disappointed.However, "if Ben Bernanke said that the need for further action is not obvious, it means that the economic outlook is less black than starting to think many investors, 'the economists broker Aurel BGC.
GDP in the menu
Before this appointment, investors will read the second estimate of GDP for the second quarter (14.30), the first being very disappointed. Growth could however be further revised down 0.2 point to 1.1% annual rate. The second estimate of the index of consumer sentiment in August is also the program cheap credit report.
As for currencies, the euro resumed slightly against the dollar to a few hours of the speech of Ben Bernanke. Around 11 am, the euro was worth 1.4440 dollars against 1.4378 dollars on Thursday in 21 hours. The wait also dominates the side of the oil markets.A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery was trading at 110.25 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London, down 37 cents, while in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" (WTI) for the same maturity lost 35 cents to 84.95 dollars.
Values of the day
On the corporate side, Tiffany, Madison Square Garden, Frontline and Royal Bank of Canada must publish.
HollyFrontier reported a dividend increase of 17% to 8.75 cents.MTS Systems also announced a 25% increase in its quarterly dividend.
Pandora Internet Radio, which made its IPO in June, on Thursday posted a net loss of $ 3.18 million in the second quarter of its fiscal year lag, and a turnover more than doubled, exceeding analysts' expectations.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts has reported a quarterly profit of $ 8.8 million or 12 cents per share against 2.2 million a year earlier. Sales jumped 11% to $ 97.9 million.