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Stock Exchange: luxury won by Hong Kong
"Asia, the Mecca of luxury groups. This could be the slogan applied to Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Hermes, Dior and others at the end of the financial and economic crisis that has shaken the past three years the global economy. For all these companies, if they were not spared by the crisis, have largely absorbed the shock by taking advantage of the growing appetite of Asian markets for luxury, chic, and know-how almost craft of some European countries.
This appetite, the luxury sector was well integrated, making the Asian market including China and Japan, their main growth drivers. For example, the French LVMH in 2010 from nearly 35% of its turnover in Asia (25% excluding Japan).In the first quarter 2011, excluding sales of the Japanese archipelago (affected by the tsunami on 11 March), billings Asian group Bernard Arnault grew 24% and 30% on the only Chinese territory.
Finally, by 2015, China should be the first global luxury goods market in all sectors according to consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers. And to develop there, Western societies today are choosing bulk of trading in Hong Kong, the gateway to become known in China. "With its historical heritage, the Hong Kong is much more attractive than that of Shanghai, details of William Corbiac, emerging equities manager at Axa IM. It is much more liquid, accounting standards are long Anglo-Saxon, there are many financial analysts, fewer permissions and cheaper.In Hong Kong, Western investors feel almost like home. "
Making a name
This is the typical case of American Coach, specializing in accessories (shoes, bags, sunglasses, jewelry …) who announced in early May will be doubling its side by the end of the year, Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and its place of origin, New York. For all the luxury groups, for historical reasons or qualitative, not in Asia have the notoriety of LVMH or Hermes. The goal of Coach is clearly stated: "better brand awareness among consumers and investors in the Chinese market and throughout Asia," according to its CEO Lew Frankfort said in a statement.
This Friday, the luxury goods group Burberry has come to swell the ranks of contenders.Already present in London Stock Exchange, the British group would try to seek a listing in Hong Kong by Hong Kong Economic Journal, to "increase the interest of Asian investors."
The idea is not new. "Many Chinese entrepreneurial companies, including Internet companies and in renewable energy, are parties in the 2000s to seek a listing on Wall Street to take advantage of both technologies and to conquer the U.S. market, said William of Corbiac. We can now do the exact parallel with these Western groups visionary who want to be closer to the markets they want to grow cash advance loan no fax. " A listed company must indeed comply with the requirements of disclosure and / or related to its activity, which increases its exposure to the media and therefore the general public.What support development activity in new geographical area. A strategy that seems to have also adopted in another sector, BNP Paribas. Initially, the French bank will not undertake a capital increase at its eventual listing and just want to "enjoy a better visibility in China."
A significant influx of capital
But watch it only as a matter of image. For BNP Paribas may, in a second time, make an appeal for funds on the Hong Kong site, thus killing two birds with one stone. For their part, the intruding Western luxury brands in Hong Kong are also looking to take advantage of capital and investors who flock to this place. In 2010, according to data from PricewatershouseCoopers, nearly 45 billion euros have been raised, an increase of almost 80% over one year.And for 2011, the firm estimated 30 billion funds in Hong Kong through introductions. A total of one hundred companies are entering the stock each year, more than half are Chinese.
This is the case of the Italian Prada, which recently received the green light from authorities in Hong Kong market. Pending the final IPO price (June 16) and the introduction scheduled for 24 June, the Italian company hopes to raise about 2 billion dollars (1.4 billion euros). After three failed attempts, Prada therefore preferred to Hong Kong to Milan, saying "better" opportunities offered by the international capital market.
Before her, and with the same motivations, the French L'Occitane has chosen Hong Kong to make his first public offering, there is just one year.One way for the group operating on the cosmetics market is very dynamic in Asia and almost treated as a luxury brand, to raise 532 million euros. What repay debt and finance part of its development. This gamble on the brand image now appears successful, while Reinold Geiger, President of L'Occitane, explained that he initially had great difficulty to prevail in Taiwan and Hong Kong. And for investors who subscribed to the introduction, the operation has also been very positive, because despite the turbulent early sessions, the stock rose over 30% year on year.
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ICL plans to enter free
LCI she will soon be a free DTT channel? The matter is under study in TF1 wants to preserve one of its jewels. The first group of private television has quietly begun consulting the public to know under what conditions this could be changing.
The proposed solution is the demand in good and due form the High Council of Audiovisual (CSA) changes of the Convention on LCI pay channel free channel. What embarrasses the regulator, because the operation is not without risk and "give rise to litigation," promises an expert of the file.
TF1 pleads for the public interest and diversity of information in television. But critics denounce them, "a substantial modification if it completely changes the LCI media landscape." And everybody will go before the State Council.Government side, we observe with interest the maneuver. The State has to settle the sensitive issue of bonus channels, the passage of free LCI could be a good way to calm the war between TF1, M6 and Canal + since it unveiled its draft Canal20 free channel. In exchange for the rescue of LCI, TF1 calm his opposition to the arrival of new competitors.
Finding new advertising revenue
Canal + has been very clear. This is not about to pay 15 million euros per year for LCI is only CanalSat. Bertrand Meheut, CEO of Canal + 'the info is now free. " Canal + in fact no longer wants to put money on the table to distribute news channel competing with its own channel i-Tele. According to observers, Canal + could just pay 2 million euros per year. This will leave a hole in the finances of LCI.Especially as Numericable is preparing, in turn, reduce by half the fee of 5 million. Consequently, LCI, which is already losing 5.8 million euros for a turnover of 42.7 million must find the money. The news channel is currently negotiating distribution for all IPTV operators but this is not enough to offset the loss of the amount of Canal +.
If LCI chooses to stay free, we must find twenty million of additional advertising revenue to balance its accounts. But the market is crowded by BFM TV which has a total turnover of 34.5 million euros and i-Tele.
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Carrefour success of the strike, the talks will resume
Unions are rather relieved. After fears Friday that their call for the strike falls flat, following the announcement last minute by the management to reopen salary negotiations, they have welcomed a widely followed mobilization Saturday. Employees hypermarket distribution group were in fact called by four unions to strike on April 9 to protest among other things against salary increases for 2011, considered insufficient. The appeal was launched in late March by the FGTA-FP, the majority union at Carrefour (with more than 45% representation), and supported by the CGT, CFDT and CGC.
In total, employees of French retail group came to mass protest around the shops in this traditional day of great crowds in hypermarkets.According to estimates by trade unions, the movement has been widely followed (50 to 85% of striking workers) in 130 of 203 hypermarkets in the group. Over thirty sites have been completely blocked, preventing access of employees supermarkets. Even when they were not completely blocked, the strike rate has varied between 30% to 85% as estimated by Dejan Terglav, general secretary of the FO-FGTA reported by AFP. "The regions have been mobilized over the North Brittany and the Centre", said the unionist. When contacted, the management of Carrefour has not confirmed those numbers, ensuring that all supermarkets remained open and were greeted customers.
Union representatives Friday morning anticipating a high rate of mobilization of employees. A rare occurrence in a group unaccustomed to large-scale social movements."Especially since the announcement of the reopening of Carrefour wage negotiations Wednesday could deter some people from coming forward. But reopening negotiations, it does not mean to succeed "insisted Dejan Terglav.
"It's a movement that looks pretty memorable," confirmed Frank Gaulin, Steward central CGT. For his part Frank Gaulin central CGT union representative called the move "memorable" and hoped that "management sees fit." Jean-Claude Mailly, secretary general of the Workers' Force (FOR), came Saturday to support the movement at the site of Le Mans, on strike for 80%. "People want a redistribution within companies.When they are unwilling to do that, there is a strike, "said union leader, also claims that" a device to make compulsory the transport allowance in all enterprises. "
Insufficient wage increase
While management offers its employees a 1% increase in wages to March 1 and another 1% increase on 1 October, union officials estimate that these proposals do not cover inflation announced by 2% instant payday loans. "I do not really represents only 1% over the year," says a leaflet distributed by the FGTA-FO, which requests that the increases are decided once a year. The promise of recovery to 10% (against 7% previously) discounts on purchases of stores, and the announcement of the reopening of negotiations next Wednesday, will not suffice to bring back the union leaders on their decision.
Indeed, beyond wages, discomfort is increasingly strong-side conditions of use and new methods of work since arriving at the head of the group of Swedish Lars Olofsson, in January 2009. In total, FGTA-FO amounted to 10,000 the number of jobs cut since 5 years, and denounced a "new business model based on night work generalized ultra simplified workflow and increased employee stress .
The union also stipulates that future negotiations with management will not only wages and, even in case of high wage increase, it will not bend on the claims concerning the improvement of working conditions.
Opposition to the plans of division
While President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday expressed its willingness to link salaries to dividends, the unions could ask for more support for their speeches. For the third and final major demand, workers are opposed to the division by trading in the subsidiary Dia hard discount and the 25% of the land Carrefour Property. According to unions, these purely financial transactions would bring six billion euros to the two main shareholders, Bernard Arnault and Colony Capital (14% stake and 20% of voting rights between them).
In the words of Dejan Terglav in Les Echos reported on Friday, the organization also wants the Mutual Fund Business (CIPF) 'vote against the division (at the next general meeting of June 21 ed.)CIPF owns approximately 1.33% of the shares but the double voting rights "said the union leader. Bringing to nearly 4% the number of shareholders opposed the project, with the fund Knight Vinke (more than 1% of capital). But for now insufficient to meet a third of votes needed to derail the project.
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The Cac 40 advances
In the wake of a meeting of the rise in Japan, the Paris Bourse displayed in the green Friday. The Cac 40 gained 0.48% at the opening at 4047.54 points. INSEE and Bercy have improved their outlook for the French economy.
The National Institute of Statistics noted yesterday its growth forecast for the Hexagon in the first quarter. INSEE now expects a GDP increase of 0.6% over the period, and maintained its growth forecast of 0.4% for the second quarter. More good news: the Minister of Economy said Thursday night that the forecast deficit of France for 2011 is reduced to 5.7% of GDP as against 6% previously.The FO-FGTA whose representation rate exceeds 40% was followed by the CFDT, CGT and CGC.
The quotation of the EDF and EDF EN flilière (EDF EN) is suspended Friday pending a statement Payday advance.
The Lafarge Group (+1.64%) has resumed the sale of its "cast" Lafarge Gypsum, valued at 1.5 billion euros. Private equity funds are interested in taking over the division of "plaster" of cement, but are reluctant to bid for the entire division.
Walt Disney must hold a ceremony for the foundation stone of its theme park in Shanghai. This is a group of first park in mainland China.
Expedia, the online travel company announced Thursday its intention to split into two publicly traded companies, separating its activities Expedia and TripAdvisor.
Also expected today, the traffic figures for Air France (-0.52%) for the month of March.
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Energy saddled banks and the Cac 40
Despite the return of large mergers and acquisitions, the CAC 40 remains in the red, while the growing concern over Portugal after ratings agency Moody's has further worsened the country score. At mid session, it loses 0.62% to 4017.94 points.
At the Stock Exchange Frankfurt, the DAX 30 lost 0.36% to 7149.51 points, for its part, the Footsie-100 from the London Stock Exchange was down 0.32% to 5997.69 points.
With the exception of the Nikkei, which lost just over 1%, most Asian stock indices move in the green. On Monday, the Dow finished at its highest closing level since early June 2008, at 12,400.03 points.
On the macroeconomic front, growth in activity in the services sector accelerated further in March to its fastest pace since last August. The services PMI rose to 60.4 against 59.7 in February. An initial estimate had been given to 60.7 on March 24.
For the euro area, this index stood at 57.2 against 56.8 in February, its highest level since August 2007. It is superior to the flash estimate of 56.9.
Also for the euro area, retail sales came out slightly down from 0.1% in February compared to the previous month after rising 0.2% in Jan.
In the U.S., the ISM index of activity in services is expected in March to 16 hours.
On the currency markets, the euro fell slightly against the dollar at 1.4181 at midday in Paris.
Oil prices retreated Tuesday morning. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for May delivery lost 0.39% to 108.05 dollars.
EDF, the biggest drop Cac 40
The values of energy (EDF, GDF Suez, Total, Air Liquide) are also tracked by investors.EDF lost 3.69% to 28.45 euros, GDF Suez fell by 3.25% to 27.35 euros and Air Liquide was down 0.25% to 95.52 euros, in contrast, loses 0 Total , 20% to 43.29 euros.
The government announced the cancellation of the rising gas prices on 1 July and the study of a new pricing formula. In contrast, electricity prices will rise by 2.9% on 1 July. Matignon has also confirmed that the oil companies will be involved to curb the soaring fuel prices.
Banks battered on Tuesday after Moody's downgraded the rating of Portugal. The rating agency does not lower it again.Societe Generale loose 2.37% to 44.72 euros, BNP Paribas dropped 1.73% to 51.83 euros, Credit Agricole sells 2.73% to 11.39 euros and Natixis was down 0.96% to 4 , 01 euros.
STMicroelectronics: 2.72% to 9.02 euros
STMicroelectronics benefits of the takeover bid by Texas Instruments of National Semiconductor for $ 6.5 billion (4.6 billion euros).
Areva: 2.12% to 31.75 euros
A list of candidates shortlisted by the Supervisory Board of Areva to hold the presidency of the Executive Group was deposited on the office of Nicolas Sarkozy, according to Liberation, citing near the head of state.
L'Oreal: -1.36% to 82.77 euros
According to the daily 20 minutes, the boss of L'Oreal, Lindsay Owen-Jones would be the subject of a complaint filed by Janez Mercun, a Slovenian who had a contract with L'Oreal granting the exclusive distribution market Russia.
PSA Peugeot Citroën: 0.39% to 28.58 euros
Gefco logistics group, a subsidiary of PSA Peugeot Citroën has signed with Italian funds RP3 Venice and a contract to acquire their share of 70% stake in Gruppo Mercurio, an Italian specialist transport and distribution of vehicles .
Cap Gemini, +0.01% at 41.55 euros
Cap Gemini is expected to announce Tuesday the acquisition of two French companies, and Artesys Avantias for $ 40 million, according to Les Echos.
Havas: -1.41% to 3.85 euros
Havas announced the acquisition of the independent agency Farm Strategy, without specifying the amount of the transaction.
Technip: +0.10% to 77.10 euros
Technip awarded a contract by RWE Dea for the development of gas field Clipper South in the North Sea.
Belvedere Trading on shares was suspended on Tuesday at the request of the company after the resolution of the preservation plan of the group of wines and spirits, delivered Monday by the Tribunal de Commerce de Dijon. The stock closed Monday up 8.67% to 66.20 euros.
Lactalis takes more weight in the Italian Parmalat
The General Assembly of shareholders of Parmalat, 12 April looks tense. While the rise in the dairy group Lactalis trans caused a stir in Italy, the company headed by Emmanuel Besnier announcement having captured 29% stake in Parmalat.
Holding 11.42% last week and 13.67% on Monday, Lactalis has indeed reached an agreement with three foreign investment funds Zenit Asset Management AB, Skagen AS and Mackenzie Financial Corporation to redeem their participation by 15.3% . According to the Italian press, the three shareholders would be fiercely opposed to the current chairman, Enrico Bondi, he intends to land.
Anyway, Lactalis is more than ever the majority shareholder of Parmalat.And although the group Laval did not intend to hold more than 30% of Parmalat, which would have to launch a takeover bid in the Italian securities laws, this absolutely does not like the Italian government and in particular Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti. The latter intends to take measures to defend domestic firms when they are considered "strategic payday advance lender."
Italy wants to counter Lactalis
To block the road to Lactalis and funds, the Italian government said "very favorable" to an alliance of investors across the country.Intesa-San Paolo could be the pivot while the dairy group Granarolo and giant chocolate Ferrero (Nutella, Kinder) have expressed their interest.
After that LVMH has offered the jeweler Bulgari and EDF talks with Italian Edison shareholders to reach agreement on the control of Edison electrician, Italy could see another national treasure in the hands of French companies . Not to mention that Groupama would take a share of the holding Premafin and that the airline Alitalia is 25% owned by Air France KLM since 2009.
In this context, France's ambassador to Italy, Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, was received on Thursday by Minister of Economy Giulio Tremonti and Deputy Secretary of the Presidency Gianni Letta, the right-hand Silvio Berlusconi, to be informed of the position of Rome who wants the "rules of reciprocity."
Japan: the disaster would cost 235 billion
The Washington-based institution publishes a report on Monday, in which it assesses the costs of the earthquake and tsunami at $ 235 billion or 4% of national production of the Archipelago. An amount exceeding the $ 127 billion fund that the government will release to support the recovery and beyond the $ 100 billion disbursed during the Kobe earthquake in 1995.
The World Bank points out, however, that reconstruction efforts should contribute to the rebound of the economy in the longer term."If it is based on past experience, the real GDP growth will be negatively affected by mid-2011," said the institution, adding that growth should resume in the following quarters, "when reconstruction efforts, which could last five years, accelerating ".
The reconstruction will also be longer than in the Kobe earthquake as "the disruption of production networks, particularly in the automotive and electronics industries, could continue to pose a problem" after a year, noted the Bank guaranteed pay day loans. Large groups such as auto giants Toyota and Sony Electronics have suspended production at many sites.
But manufacturers are mobilizing to resume production as soon as possible: Nissan plans to reopen its plants this week. In a few days, it should be Sony's turn to boost his string of rechargeable batteries.Honda and Toyota, in turn, raise the level of production in their plants to compensate for shortages of spare parts, felt by the entire automotive industry.
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The NYSE takes colors
U.S. stock markets opened on a positive note Wednesday, after avoirfini down slightly Tuesday as investors reacted with concern to economic indicators on consumption and inflation in the United States.
Today, the indices leave up: the Dow Jones allows itself to 0.27% 12,260 points, the broader index Standard & Poor's 500 up 0.43% to 1334 points and the Nasdaq 100 advance of 0.47 % at 3817 points.
In the U.S., retail sales rose 0.3% in January, the lowest increase in seven months. Another indicator is bad news, import prices have increased more than expected (+1.5%) in January, because of the strength of oil prices. Inflation stood at 5.3% annual rate (against 4.4% in December).These figures have reinforced concerns that appear in recent weeks on the market caused by soaring prices of many commodities.
On the foreign exchange market, the euro gained ground against dollar on Wednesday bending under the weight of disappointing U.S. figures published yesterday. About 11:00 am in Paris, the euro bought 1.3545 dollars against 1.3488 dollars late Tuesday.
On the macroeconomic front, the news is particularly busy on Wednesday.Included were published before the opening gong, industrial production in the United States has declined (-0.1%) unexpectedly in January, driven by a decline in energy production, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. central bank (Fed) increased the number of housing starts rose more than expected in January, reaching their highest level in four months in seasonally adjusted data 596 000 (+14.6%), against 520,000 the previous month according to the Commerce Department, and the producer prices have increased (+0.8%) more than expected in January, according to figures released Wednesday by the Labor Department in Washington.
The weekly inventory of crude oil will fall to 16.30 and the minutes of the last meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee of the U.S. central bank to 20.30.
Sanofi wins Genzyme
The side of values, Sanofi-Aventis has finally agreed to pay $ 20.1 billion (14.8 billion euros) to acquire Genzyme (1.55% to 75.45 dollars), plus an amount an additional price tied to the success of drugs in American society of biotechnology. After more than seven months of negotiations, the French pharmaceutical group will pay $ 74 in cash per share Genzyme, 1.2 billion more than its original offer. The agreement, unanimously approved by boards of directors of both companies has been concluded with the introduction of a certificate of conditional value (CCV), particularly related to the performance of Lemtrada, Genzyme's experimental treatment in multiple sclerosis sclerosis no faxing payday loan.The value of CVC could reach a maximum of $ 14 if sales of Lemtrada totaled $ 2.8 billion by 2020, had said Wednesday the two companies in a joint statement.
The number two U.S. computer, Dell (6.76% and 14.85 dollars), after-hours trading on Tuesday a net profit almost doubled in 2010 thanks to higher sales and margins, and said that it expected continued strong momentum in sales this year. Over the whole of last year, net income jumped 84% to $ 2.6 billion.Revenues reached $ 61.5 billion, up 16%.
For his part, Analog Devices (-0.66% to 40.73 dollars) recorded in the first quarter of 2010/2011 a profit of 222.1 million dollars or 0.66 dollars per share, against $ 0.65 expected for a turnover of 729 million, in line with analysts' forecasts.For the current quarter, the company aims adjusted EPS in the range 0.65 to $ 0.69.
Also after the close, Air Products (4.37% to 94.16 dollars) announced it would abandon its takeover offer for Airgas following the decision by a Delaware court to maintain the anti-takeover of "Airgas.
Nelson Peltz submitted an offer to buy the company Family Dollar Stores (24.88% to 54.90 dollars) to 7.6 billion, or about 55 to 60 dollars per share.
Moody's raised its outlook for NYSE Euronext (-2.07% to 37.33 dollars), following the merger with Deutsche Börse. The rating agency adopts outlook "positive" cons "stable" before. If the merger is approved, the agency expects a surge in the first note of the future operator of the planet.
United Airlines decided to ground its fleet of Boeing 757, for an unannounced inspection.The U.S. company must perform safety checks on some of the onboard computers. They had to be changed by order of the Board in 2004 and must be re-inspected.
Note also, Madoff, who is serving a sentence of 150 years in prison told the New York Times that a number of banks and investment funds were "necessarily aware" of his fraud. Arrested in late 2008, Dr. Madoff was convicted in June 2009 for organizing a massive Ponzi scheme in which its around 16,000 victims have lost a total of several tens of billions of dollars they had entrusted him. Irving Picard, the attorney appointed to represent the victims of Mr.Madoff, filed a complaint on December 2 against the U.S. bank JPMorgan (1.58% to 47.56 dollars), accusing him of being "fully complicit" of fraud by the former rising star on Wall Street choosing "knowingly", like other financial institutions "look away".
Ports: Bernard Thibault accused the government
This is the first time he speaks in the press since the announcement, denied, he left the CGT. In an interview published Monday in L'Humanite, the secretary general of the CGT said that "the government bears full responsibility" of the conflict that disrupts past several months the French ports.
For the fourth straight weekend, in fact, the dockers and crane crane operators were expected to strike alternately between Friday and Monday. At the center of the standoff between the CGT ports and docks and the government, taking into account the hardship. "There were negotiations between employers and unions to organize and fund early retirement. The government had agreed, "said Bernard Thibault in the daily newspaper. However, after the redesign of November, the government explains that "it is no longer question the grounds of the application of the law on pensions."Bernard Thibault, who spoke after the national confederal committee of the CGT, the "parliament" of the central Montreuil, also finds that for the government to "accept the recognition of the harshness in the ports would be a bad example for the other branches Online payday loans. "
The conflict in ports is born of the government's willingness to review, after the vote on pension reform in November, the tentative agreement a month earlier between the two sides on the recognition of the hardship for some trades port. This conflict would have cost 800 million euros to companies, recently told Le Figaro.
Questioned on the subject Sunday, the secretary general of the CFDT Francois Chereque, regretted the union system "not very democratic" in French ports."Since the liberation, we are in a single trade union, where it is the unions that are hiring, including the CGT," he said, lamenting the absence of the CFDT from Dockers. In the present conflict and as his counterpart of the CGT, Francois Chereque denounced "dysfunction" of the State which is income on a "promise" the previous government.
(With AFP)
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