"The mother of all strikes" paralyze Greece

A country paralyzed, a city under siege. While millions of Greeks are called to go on strike for 48 hours, 10 police squads have erected fences riot around the place of parliament in central Athens. The movement must be "the mother of all strikes," warned Tuesday the leftist daily Ta Nea.

Nearly 20,000 protesters began to march at 9 am Wednesday in the capital to converge to the emblematic Syntagma Square, political heart of the country. In June, violent clashes with security forces had driven the rally.

"We will send a strong message to the government and political system," promised Tsikritas Costas, head of the ADEDY union representing public service. "We believe that the mobilization will be huge." The general strike could indeed be the largest since a long time.Administrations, public transportation, businesses, and even bakers are required to stop work and march against the rigor introduced by the Socialist government.

This is putting pressure on MPs to discuss for three days from Thursday, new austerity measures. The consideration for the payment of the next $ 8 billion euros, as part of the plan of 110 billion granted by the EU and the IMF in spring 2010.

"Blackmail"

Prime Minister George Papandreou has been determined: "All these people who blackmail and take the country hostage, occupying buildings, leaving garbage piled in the streets, closing ports and the Parthenon, must explain how this will help us get back on our feet Payday Loan for Bad Credit. "

He also called for unity."We must continue this war, as a people, as a government, as a caucus to enable the country to win it, he argued. We will win for the country, we will continue. That's why I'm here. "The head of government has a narrow majority of four seats in Parliament.

However, concerns remain on the eve of the vote of austerity on the discipline of PASOK. A member of the Socialist Group has resigned in protest Monday. Two others have threatened to vote against it. A small opposition party could come in and vote for reinforcement.

The new austerity measures, which account for 6.6 billion euros, include reductions in wages and pensions, designed to place laid off 30,000 employees and to establish a single salary scale in the public .The government also wants to lower the threshold of annual taxable income to 5,000 euros.

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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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Action Housing continues the state court

Having long raged about the punctures of the State Budget, Action Housing, the former 1% housing, just go on the offensive. Reportedly, the joint body attacked last Friday before the Paris Administrative Court of the State's decision to withdraw 3.7 billion euros between 2009 and 2011. These funds are used to finance the Anah (National Housing) and ANRU (National Renewal). "We made an informal appeal with the government against the decree fixing the puncture but we never received a reply, said Jean-Pierre Guillon, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Action Housing. We decided to attack the government for abuse of power. "

Smart devices

If Action Housing is the case in court today is with an idea behind the head.Last July, the government has said that he would collect 3.25 billion euros over the period 2012-2014. To sweeten the pill, the Secretary of State for Housing, Benoist Appeared, has committed to implement clever financial engineering to boost the cash flow of Action Housing. "But we have no documents indicating that commitment forward Jean-Pierre Guillon. If the minister changed, the following may not feel bound by that promise. "More generally, Action Housing, which collects 0.45% of payroll companies, believes that this aspiration will prevent it from fulfilling its mission . For example, he does not see how it could fund 45,000 homes for young people as he had promised a few months ago.

With this lawsuit, it seeks to pressure the state to be released in the coming weeks the decree laying down the drain of 3.25 billion between 2012 and 2014.

A gold coin for sale 200 euros

She has it all in these turbulent times. The piece that sells for 200 euros on Monday, the Monnaie de Paris is solid gold. A metal sought by individuals particularly since the financial turmoil. The 50,000 copies (999 per thousand of gold) are sold on the website of the Paris Mint www.monnaiedeparis.fr at its headquarters in Paris and in 1000 post offices.

For collectors, it is a copy of most in the series of Euro regions (silver coins with a face containing the names of 27 French regions). "This piece represents a safe investment, since it still be worth at least face value," it says to the Monnaie de Paris. An argument that has more weight than other investments are sad mine.

When she threw parts of the regions 10 euros in cash (one model per region), the Monnaie de Paris had found at his door in the morning thousands of individuals. And the quota available on the Internet had passed in less than a morning on a one-piece per second. Fans will do so many this time? Gold is the ultimate safe haven, but today it is no longer 10, but 200 euros to be paid to pocket a new gold coin. Verdict noon.

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The CAC 40 falls through its

The days are not alike on the financial markets. The past three days, the CAC 40 has continued to flirt with the bar of 3000 points. This Friday, the stock index closed down 1.51% at 2981.96. Thursday reassured by indicators of employment growth and U.S. financial markets this time had a difficult session after disappointing statistics from the United States, China and Europe. Thanks to a good start to the week, however, the CAC 40 gained more than 5% this week.

So investors remained pessimistic before the meeting between President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou that began at 17 hours, to "take stock of the situation with him that is currently in Greece."

More than 18% increase for the banking week

Across the Atlantic, consumer spending has slowed sharply in August, while household incomes have in turn declined for the first time since October 2009. Were also more bad news from China where activity contracted slightly in September for the third consecutive month as Germany, which saw its retail sales fall 2.9% on month in August .Sign of the resurgence of pessimism, the euro resumed its decline against the dollar at 1.3456 dollars (-0.96%) and oil is about to go under 80 dollars to 80.082 dollars exactly (-1, 61%).

On the corporate side, banking stocks were again weighed on the Paris stock exchange, but this time negatively. Societe Generale lost 7.31% to 19.54 euros, Crédit Agricole has sold 3.17% to 5.23 euros and BNP Paribas dropped 3.50% to 30.05 euros. Week, however, was very positive for the French banks as they have won between 18% and 20% in stock. Most cyclical stocks, the more dependent the economy, also rose in the image of Lafarge (10.40% for the week) and ArcelorMittal (4.93%). However, the luxury sector has suffered: the last five sessions, lost 5.50% LVMH and PPR was down 7.88%.Vallourec, which suffers from the slowdown in the sectors of mechanical engineering, gives up almost 9% for the week.

Refinery strike threat to hard Berre and elsewhere …

As soon as the announcement by LyondellBasell Tuesday in council, the forthcoming closure of the Berre refinery, which employs 370 people, of all 1270 employees of a petrochemical site voted renewed strike of 24 hours. "More than a thousand employees, including much of the leadership, voted to stop all of the site, that is to say the refinery, but also units of petrochemical and oil depots, and blocking of entrances and exits, "said Patrick Sciurca, spokesman of the Inter (CGT, CFDT, CFE-CGC, FOR, CFTC). "We're dealing with rogue bosses. They force us to take tough positions that we can further tighten, "says the union.CGT announced yesterday that the general meetings will be held in all French refineries this morning.

In 2010, the area was paralyzed by a social movement in response to the announcement of the closure of the Flanders refinery, operated by Total in Dunkirk freecreditscore. At the time, the conflict had disrupted fuel distribution in France.

At Berre, the sale of the refinery achieved no result, LyondellBasell prefer to stop the costs: it has indeed lost 400 million euros since its acquisition in 2008 and is expected to be € 120 million deficit in 2012 . "It's the only number that management has given us. They are unable to tell us what results come out the whole site with or without the refinery while a McKinsey study estimated that closing the refinery would deprive downstream from the site of 80 million margin of integration " , Patrick gets upset Sciurca.

Banks: State ready to inject funds

French banks are they as strong as they claim? While Baroin, Minister of Finance, was the United States this week to reassure Americans about the health of European banks, Bercy is yet ready to draw a rescue plan, according to the Journal du Dimanche. Citing sources close to the bank and Elysium, the weekly reports that a secret crisis meeting was held in the Treasury Department Sunday, September 11. The leaders of BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole, Banque Populaire, Caisse d'Epargne and Crédit mutuel have attended.

On the agenda, the capital of these institutions. While the debt crisis spreads, Europe wonders if its banks could absorb the shock of a default of Greece. Especially since the hypothesis of a failure of Athens is no longer taboo.This is why the French government is proposing to inject 10 to 15 billion euros of public money to strengthen bank capital.

Several forms of intervention would be considered, since the loan to the simple issue of preference shares (private equity voting rights) with options to purchase, understands the JDD. The initiative comes as the Bercy banks are suffering on the stock market. This week, bank stocks have suffered losses of more than 10%. Since July 1, the Societe Generale shares tumbled 61%, 58% of Crédit Agricole and BNP Paribas 53%. Aggravate the climate of distrust surrounding the French banks, groups such as Siemens or Meetic, decided to limit their exposure to these institutions payday loans. As the major U.S. money market funds.

The Elysee and the Bank of France belie

According to the JDD, Societe Generale would have accepted the plan, subject to conditions. CEO Frederic Oudéa, would have liked all the French banks are concerned to avoid pointing the weaknesses of the one or the other in particular. But Baudoin Prot, CEO of BNP Paribas, had initially refused this rescue group, burying the coup the project. It must be said that he repeats everything is that BNP Paribas does not need a capital increase. Last week, it was stepped into the breach to deny information from the Financial Times that the group was looking for a new shareholder in Qatar.

For its part, the Elysee denies the existence of a backup plan. "This is absolutely not being prepared," insisted the entourage of the Head of State to the JDD. "Banks have increased their capital by 50 billion euros since 2008.We encourage them to do, but not with public money. "Also interviewed by the Sunday newspaper, Christian Noyer, Governor of the Bank of France said that there was" no plan ". He said French banks have "a substantial capital base, comparable to those of other European banks, and are profitable." Investors would also not fooled. "I see no sign of a run and the very idea seems preposterous."

Player Figaro BFM

Euro: Sarkozy is expected to speak this afternoon

Nicolas Sarkozy could be expressed in the late afternoon, after his meeting with Herman Von Rompuy, confirmed Tuesday morning in his entourage Figaro. It would only be a few minutes of intervention, on the steps of the Elysée with President of the European Council. "Nothing is confirmed yet," says one, however. "It will also depend on market developments in the day," says an adviser.

While a government source announced the "initiatives" to support Franco-German Greece to face serious funding problems of its debt, the Elysee Palace denied."There will be no Franco-German initiative today," said the president requested by the AFP, saying also that no decision had been made about a possible speaking of Nicolas Sarkozy to Following his meeting scheduled at 17 am (Paris time) with the President of the European Union Herman Van Rompuy.

The Elysee was also opposed to a very firm denied rumors that a scenario out of Greece to the euro would be discussed at the Elysee. We emphasized above all the character "drama" of this to the Greeks themselves, but also for the euro area.

"To ensure compliance with the commitments of the July 21"

"This is not a desirable solution, we do nothing to make it desirable," confided a senior official Monday night Elysian following folder every minute."We try to be consistent: we are about to present to Parliament the rescue plan that was decided on 21 July in Brussels. We do not prepare in the wings is another scenario that would offer the exact opposite, "he continues.

The state still remains fragile in which finances are Greek, "We try to convince them to do everything to achieve compliance with the commitments of July 21," says this source. Tuesday evening, the Head of State may wish to print this message in a clear and solemn.

Hotels: 150 euros per night taxed?

The Finance Committee of the National Assembly on Wednesday adopted an amendment removing the increase in the VAT rate in the theme parks to theme. Then Saturday, Jean-Pierre Raffafin said the head of state had waived this. If the professionals, and local elected officials – Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Philippe de Villiers in the lead, have welcomed the government ends up in turn with a hole of 90 million – expected gain with the increase in VAT – in new revenue under the austerity plan. There is indeed little chance that the measure be reinstated Tuesday by the parliament met in extraordinary session.

But the government was clear: any measure removed must be compensated. Asked on Sunday to go to Europe Grand 1-Le Parisien / Today in France-i-Télé, Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand described the week ahead of "week of choice."Present at the close of the Campus UMP Marseille, Prime Minister François Fillon has assured that "nothing is taboo and nothing is left" in the savings plan. "The government is open to criticism and amendments provided they do not involve the amount of effort, nor their balance," he said.

0 to 14%

The general rapporteur of the Budget, the UMP Gilles Carrez therefore working on a measure that would affect this time the luxury hotel, the four, five star and luxury hotels in France. Since the 1960s, the area has a rate of 5.5% VAT. A niche that has cost 930 million euros this year to the state. Hence the idea of ​​submitting the luxury hotel at the standard rate of VAT at 19.6%.

For compatibility reasons, the European creation of a flat tax is now considered. He should table an amendment on Monday late afternoon.It provides that the tax would be due when the room rate exceeds 150 euros per night. It is progressive from 0% to 14% between 150 euros and 300 euros per night and would be fixed at 14%, for a price above 300 euros per night.

Politically interesting

Taxation of luxury hotels is considered politically attractive by some parliamentarians, while the tax on high incomes, which will be discussed in the fall, was ridiculed by the opposition and is not high enough to taste of some big names of the majority. But professionals do not agree. For Jacques Borel, consultant-lobbyist, the measure would be "shooting in the foot."

Secretary of State for Tourism, Frédéric Lefebvre agrees.He told AFP on Friday to be opposed to any measure that overtaxed the luxury hotel, and "deal a blow to the competitiveness" of the French tourism. "I am adverse to anything that overtaxed the luxury hotel business because it is precisely the quality and upmarket who left the area of ​​crisis," he said. As for the Synhorcat, union of the profession, he said that a tax of 33% between 1981 and 1994 on 4-star hotels of the period, against 7.5% for the rest of the hotel, had resulted in what "Many of these hotels" will downgrade "to escape the VAT hike."In Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, director of the Plaza Athénée expressed this weekend's fear of his clients go to other capitals as cheaper in Italy or Spain.

Valérie Pécresse, making his debut as budget minister in the chamber Tuesday, said "respect" the parliamentary debate. But it should not drag on so that everything is completed before the Senate elections of 25 September.

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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.