At The Core
World News
Loss history published Monday by the German manufacturer Q-Cells solar panels, receivership last week to the French pioneer Photowatt, bankruptcy of the American Solyndra, despite a half-billion dollars in loans guaranteed by the Obama administration … The horizon of the PV industry seems to have dimmed in recent weeks.
Last date black cloud, so the results of Q-Cells, which Monday posted a quarterly net loss of EUR 57 million, a quarter of sales, itself down 43% year on year cash advance to savings account. The bad news have plunged the action Q-Cells up to 30% on Monday in Frankfurt. The German company cited "market environment significantly more difficult than expected."
End of Mission Didier Quillot. The Chairman of Lagardère Active, the branch of Lagardère Media, is leaving the group he joined in 2006. It will be replaced by Denis Olivennes, who now heads the information hub of Lagardère Active (Europe 1, Le Journal du Dimanche, Paris Match and Newsweb). Arnaud Lagardère person has informed its employees on Monday at the headquarters of Lagardère Active, in Levallois-Perret.
Didier Quillot has carried out a dual mission: first sell the regional daily press (Provence and Nice Matin) Hersant Media Group, then the international press, including international editions of Elle magazine, to 651 million euros, the American Hearst. It also comes to sell the 34% that held in the Lagardere Interactive World, the Internet subsidiary of the group Le Monde. Only in control
Denis Olivennes, who continue to steer Europe1, takes over to a new stage.Upon his arrival in September 2006, Didier Quillot, former head of Orange, was primarily to Lagardère Active, ex-Hachette Filipacchi Media, "a leading international publisher of multimedia content in the markets and multigéographie" . The group was then "not good enough," the admission of the new boss. On a turnover estimated at 2.2 billion euros, Web activities weighed only a few percent. The other part of his mission was to change the group "a strategy of alliances and acquisitions in the digital."
This is the case with several operations "structuring" the redemption of the end of 2006 Newsweb (sports.fr, boursier.com, autonews.fr) for 75 million euros, then Jumpstart Automation, an online advertising in the U.S. United paid 60 to 80 million.
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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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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Bid rates on bank books
The French, who have cash to invest are spoiled for choice. Since early September, the war of books has flared up: banks, especially those dedicated to the Internet, engaging in a battle of promotional offers to attract home savers' deposits. They need the cash to finance themselves with it.
Some institutions are content, as in the past, offering a promotional rate of 4.5% or 5% (3 to 3.3% after tax) for two or three months for the opening of a new booklet . The good thing is short lived as the remuneration then falls to 1.75% or 2%. This string – display a high rate for a short time – is well known to subscribers.
Other institutions so attempting to stand out by offering lower rates, but longer guaranteed.This is for example the strategy of Cortal Consors (BNP Paribas), initiated by the summer. The property offers on new books 3.25% gross, but for 12 months (up to fifty million). Another subsidiary of BNP Paribas, Cetelem, also puts forward a savings account strictly identical conditions.
Rates guaranteed for one year
A fixed fee for one year is attractive for investors tired of "doing bounty hunting", that is to say, to transfer their capital from one institution to another and from one book to another, to take advantage of new offers short term personal loans. Other institutions are on the same register, even more cleverly. BforBank, a subsidiary of Credit Agricole, has revived some of its customers by promising 3% guaranteed, again for a year.But unlike other promotional offers reserved for the opening of a new book (or new installments of a book already exists), BforBank promises to serve this rate on any outstanding, that is to say also to amounts already invested in the booklet provided only "activate" the promotional offer.
That all customers BforBank not rejoice too quickly! The promotion was targeted: only those whose libretto is not too BforBank garni – and do not cost too much in interest to the bank – received the proposal. BforBank wishes to draw the subscriptions, but not at any price ….
The war is won booklets also in the field of customer segmentation. Like passengers on a plane, none of which paid for his ticket at the same price, investors who subscribed have the same book – a few months later – at all the same pay.Those who wanted to transfer their money have sometimes been offered to extend more interesting than those who leave the bed.
And those who have transferred their capital elsewhere without closing the book are offered more attractive rates for recharging …
Canal + TV enters the plain by buying Direct 8
Canal + has crossed the Rubicon and wants to become a major player in free television in France. Thursday, the group led by Bertrand Meheut announced the takeover of Direct 8 Direct and Star, two DTT channels free of the Bolloré Group. Initially, Canal + buys 60% stake in the TV division of Bolloré Media and awards it operational control. In three years, he may redeem the remaining shares. The operation was buckled in 48 hours! "I know and appreciate for a long time the leaders of Vivendi, Jean-René Fourtou and Jean-Bernard Levy, and Bertrand Meheut, CEO of Canal +.I am very pleased to be associated with such a good team, "said Vincent Bollore, Bollore Group CEO.
Gone are the days when the giants were the audiovisual respect the Yalta on TV: TF1 and M6 to the largest piece of the free TV, Canal + in the world of pay-TV and its 11 million subscribers. In France, the two families have substantially the same size: just over 3 billion euros for free TV financed by advertising and about $ 4 billion to pay.
After struggling for years to ensure a near-monopoly on pay TV (up to buy its rival TPS), it will not take long to Bertrand Meheut to tumble into force on the television commercial. Now a subsidiary of Vivendi will have three frequencies of DTT: iTV, Direct 8 Direct and Star.Be as much as TF1 and M6 more than the group which, in addition to the namesake chain, has only W9. For Bertrand Meheut, this operation meets the logic of "creating strong audiovisual groups able to defend themselves both on the live broadcast on the non-linear over the Internet. This will increase the value of our programs will experience an exclusive first exhibition in pay and free TV in a second. And pay-TV business is our heart. "
465 million for Bolloré
If this sounds like a declaration of war groups TF1 and M6, the marginalized, at the same time, the few independent French media landscape, and BFMTV NRJ12. With the launch of DTT in 2005, the Higher Audiovisual Council wanted to bring new players in the PAF: Bolloré Group AB, NextRadioTV and NRJ Group.But since the first two have sold their frequencies. Claude Berda NT1 and TMC has given its ally TF1. Bolloré sells Direct 8 Direct and Star in Canal +. The two remaining independent are the big losers. For its part, Bolloré Media made a good deal. Since 2005 he has invested hundreds of millions of euros in Live 8 and 70 million euros for the acquisition of Direct Star. Five years later, it enhances its flagship TV to 465 million euros! The channel Direct 8, mini-general, would be about 350 to 400 million euros. Direct Star would be a hundred. "We have successfully completed the first phase by creating Direct 8 from scratch and placing it among the first of TNT.But for the second phase, which will see all the media groups to engage in significant competition on the content, we decided to partner with a large broadcasting group, "said Vincent Bolloré. The myth of an audiovisual largely open to competition turns into a clash between three private-TF1, M6 and Canal + – and a public group, France Televisions. With their financial firepower, the first three will fight a war without thank you for the acquisition of content.
Add to this a sharp competition for advertising. Canal + now has a board weighing 400 million. Bertrand Meheut is trying to calm things down by stating that "this partnership does not change the industrial landscape, since we are in the continuity of existing channels. We are small in this market for free TV. "He recalled that "TF1 and M6 are, conversely, present in the pay television." It is unclear whether this is enough to calm things down, because, at the same time, the president of Canal Plus says it does not want to "abandon its free channel Canal 20" under channel offset. In this case, Canal +, which exceeds the number of authorized frequencies (maximum seven), should sell two. "It will sell certain frequencies paying," he says. The chain may be referred planet, present on the DTT.
This comes on the eve of the presentation of the report of Michel Boyon, president of CSA, the future of DTT. It is now a fait accompli. The media landscape is recomposed without him. If Canal + bought Direct 8 Direct and Star, the future of DTT is widely drawn.The TF1 group is in a strong position to demand not only the transfer of its news channel LCI of DTT (where it is marginalized) to DTT. But Nonce Paolini, CEO of TF1, claim compensation as a string, which should be TV Breizh. For its part, the M6, if he will not be weakened, will support its claims. He also wants to transform its pay DTT channel Paris Première chain free. And he also wants compensatory chain among its two projects WikiTV M6 family.
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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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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.
"The deteriorating U.S. puts enormous pressure on Europe"
In the night from Friday to Saturday, S & P downgraded the rating of the United States, from "AAA" to "AA +". This historic announcement, which comes as the markets have closed a black week, plunged the financial world into the unknown. Munis Hassim, professor at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, explains why such degradation threatens the U.S. economy, the first world power, and identifies the situation to that of Japan in the 1990s.
Is the degradation of the notes of the United States plunges us into a new crisis?
The fact that the United States lose their triple-A means that they have a slightly higher probability of defaulting. But by switching to "AA +", this probability is very low. Moreover, experts and analysts do not believe at all a failure to pay the largest economy in the world. So there is no reason to panic.However, the multiple consequences which such degradation can they prove to be very disturbing.
For example?
The fact that S & P has dared to sacrifice the American note puts enormous pressure on other countries rated AAA, particularly in Europe as the UK or even France. This announcement will fuel fears of a contagion of degradation of notes, when the markets seemed to panic this week. In Italy and Spain (already degraded) in particular, tensions are rising, although they seem to be the new target markets. Moreover, the impact on the banks direct. They will have to review their capital allocation taking into account the appearance of more risky U.S. bonds they hold, as they impose the new international regulations, to strengthen the solvency of banks (Basel III).The recent bank stress tests, whose results were given there only three weeks, have already lost all credibility because they did not include either a restructuring of the Greek debt, or a deterioration note the United States.
Why such a lowering of note can threaten the global economy?
When the debt rating of long-term decline in the U.S., this means that more may not be refunded if the creditor is. However, the markets, the risk is remunerated by interest rates: if I am less sure of being repaid, so I request a higher rate. Thus, losing the "AAA", the U.S. interest rates at 5 years, 10, 20, 30, will mechanically increase.And if rates rise, it's a downward spiral of investment and consumption that will engage, which produces more unemployment, less tax revenue and public expenditure. This government deficits widen further, and sovereign debt. But during the past two weeks very turbulent markets, the U.S. long rates remained very low. There have never been so low, a sign of investor confidence.
There is still a little time, no one imagined the United States lose their AAA. How did they get there?
The problem the U.S. is that they have more flexibility, or a monetary point of view, or budget.On the one hand, monetary policy can not be more accommodating, having pumped billions and billions of dollars of liquidity into the markets and set the interest rate floor (they are between 0% and 0.5 %) to restore the U.S. economy weighed down by the subprime crisis that has capitulated Lehman Brothers, three years ago. On the other, public spending has been poorly controlled, while the U.S. tax burden is already high. Difficult in these conditions for fiscal consolidation.
It is like in Japan twenty years ago …
Exactly, you are right in the Japanese-style scenario. The United States could enter a situation of liquidity trap in which Japan was mired in the 1990s, but never really escape. Rates were zero and sluggish growth, while prices fell, leaving Japan trapped.United States, the U.S. central bank, the Fed is now more capable of supporting the U.S. economy, which has not really recovered from the crisis, according to the latest statistics. Growth for 2011 looks less than expected, despite the monetary support giant that has been deployed. It remains to be seen whether this will result in deflation (lower prices) or if inflation will return. The best case scenario would be the second, to prevent the United States is experiencing a "lost decade" in Japan.
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The display stands up well with JCDecaux Asia
No doubt, the economic model of JCDecaux continues to prove itself. In the first half, sales of the French group, world leader in outdoor advertising, organic growth (excluding acquisitions and currency effects) of 5.8% to 1.17 billion euros, higher than the communication sector, which is between 3 and 4%.
The growth remains strong with a good spread of activities. The dynamism of the Asia-Pacific, representing 19% of sales and grew by almost 20%, but the rest of the world (Middle East and Latin America in particular) helped offset JCDecaux weak activity in France (+0.6%). This is still weighing a quarter of turnover.Similarly, Southern Europe (Portugal, Spain and Italy) continues to suffer.
Among the major activities of JCDecaux, the decline in activity in the display (-3.7% as reported) is offset by the growth of income in airports and public transportation (subway, bus), which jumped nearly 17% over the first six months of the year. A segment of the market in which JCDecaux has invested heavily in recent years.
Stability in third quarter
In total, the group chaired by Jean-Charles Decaux can boast flashing in green. The increase in sales has led to a mechanical increase in the margin, but less than that expected by analysts. Net income group share resort, it, up 46.3% to 95 million euros. The slowdown, however, marked between the first and second quarter.Segment of street furniture (almost half of the activity), growth was almost zero from April to June, a jump of activity against 5% in the first three months of the year. This cons-performance due to the continuing difficulties in Europe and the loss of several concessions to large shopping centers in the United States.
The group gives no margin target. He anticipates only "organic growth of its sales in line with the second quarter. "In other words, we must continue to do with the difficulties in Europe. "Knowing that the bases of comparison are not favorable," argues Jean-Charles Decaux. Organic growth was over 11% in the second quarter of 2010.
"Our media is the one most resistant to the crisis," says the boss.JCDecaux expects the continued urbanization of the planet and the rise of digital (11% of the activity in transport) to continue to grow. Not to mention possible acquisitions.