Barack Obama's Energy Revolution

 

The price of a gallon of gasoline at the pump exceeded $ 4 in many parts of the United States. It is a trauma for Americans who drive a lot and often in vehicles big bike.

Pay more than $ 1 per liter, or 17% more than last year, imposed on their budget. The seasonal nature of gasoline demand likely makes one gallon for $ 5 by summer.

54% of Americans believe that their president could do much to combat this trend trim their buying power and weakening growth. The popularity of Barack Obama suffers 65% of voters are unhappy with how it handles this issue. In this busy electoral context, the presidential candidate began a two-day tour in Nevada and New Mexico. His message: "We operate oil fields everywhere: this is why our dependence on imported energy has fallen every year since I was in power."

Barack Obama has abandoned the slogan that has long repeated: "Oil is the energy of the past." It now claims to support all forms of energy production, not just renewables.

"As long as I am president, I will not give the promise of clean energy," he said Wednesday in Nevada on the occasion of his visit to a field of solar panels. Bankruptcy Solyndra, a manufacturer of solar panels, which received $ 535 million of subsidies, however, undermined the credibility of the presidential message. His promises of thousands of jobs created by "green energy" were not held cheap payday advance.

600,000 jobs created

However, the boom hydraulic fracturing since 2008 has pushed gas production in the United States and depressing prices. Applying this technique to oil shale helps boost crude output at its highest in eight years. Manufacturers responsible for these innovations feel they owe anything to Obama.

Instead, they feel unfairly targeted by the White House. "The Obama administration says it supports the increased production of oil and gas. But it blocked the Keystone XL (which was to supply the Gulf of Mexico oil shale Canadian). It claims to boost domestic production, but permits drilling in federal areas have plunged 44%, "says Jack N. Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute. "Many more jobs have been created by the boom in oil and gas as" green economy, '"says Daniel Yergin, head of Cambridge Energy Research Associates. It amounts to 600,000 the number of jobs created by this revolution. These figures are echoed by Obama today, marking a dramatic conversion of the President of the benefits of a sector that has long disdained.

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In crisp TNT, UPS requires a leader

 

It only took a month of discussions that management of TNT Express, a former subsidiary of the Dutch post, accept the proposed UPS. The American giant of more than 400,000 employees whose turnover in 2011 exceeded more than $ 50 billion has evolved its offering at a time when TNT Express through a bad patch. This has indeed posted a net loss of 270 million euros in 2011 against a profit of 66 million euros in 2010.

UPS approached by mid-February, leaders of TNT Express had rejected an offer that valued the company 4.9 billion euros. But to 5.16 billion euros, UPS was unanimous. This acquisition will enable the U.S. group found mainly across the Atlantic to catch up. In the business of courier, transporting small packages, UPS accounted for only 7.7% of the European market against 9.6% for TNT Express, Fedex and 3.3% to 17.6% for DHL, a subsidiary Deutsche Post, according to figures from Transport Intelligence firm.

While approaching, the two biggest names in express transportation become a European leader in size to cross swords with DHL and especially a world champion since their continental positions complement each other. An asset to get the green light from competition authorities even if Deutsche Post yesterday estimated that the European Commission would consider merging with caution.

The new group formed should weigh a turnover of $ 60 billion and 477,000 employees. By comparison, another U.S. giant, Fedex, achieved a turnover of $ 41 billion in 2011 and employs 290,000 people.

Target: 50% of international sales

The presence of UPS TNT in different regions of the world should stabilize as sales in the U payday loans online.S. will increase from 74% to 64% UPS only for the new group and Europe will reach 22% after the operation against 14% for the only American group.

"Why TNT is it very attractive?" Asked Kurt Kuehn, UPS's chief financial officer, during a press conference in Amsterdam: "Because he manages operations in areas of the world that were unserved: Brazil, Australia, Middle East, the road and rail networks in Europe. "The objective announced by UPS is to reach 50% of sales overseas in the next five years against 26% at present. 

Financially, the acquisition should help to achieve one billion euros in savings, once the integration of TNT Express will be accomplished. Clearly, the group provides $ 400 to 550 million euros in savings per year from 2015 through improved efficiency of logistics platforms, an optimization of aircraft fleets, purchasing … However, the CFO UPS declined to answer questions on possible job cuts among the ranks of TNT. The transaction, which must be profitable within the first year, could be completed in the third quarter of the year.

It is likely that the competitor UPS, Fedex, will not thwart the hostile bid. Especially since the competitor UPS does not have $ 3 billion in cash.

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Revolution to the incomes of pharmacists

 

Health professionals, yes; traders, no. Traditionally, pharmacists refuse to be mistaken for "grocers". Yet their compensation depends only on the amount of drugs they deliver: a fixed sum per box, plus a percentage of the sales price. But that should change soon. Unions of pharmacists and Medicare are conducting a negotiation whose term is scheduled for March 28 and whose objective is to diversify their earnings. They should soon receive a "fee" valuing their missions of prevention, screening and support for patients in their treatment.

While pushing the profession to move in that direction. Looking for savings to Social Security, the State declining year by year the prices of reimbursed medicines. This is the pharmaceutical industry is concerned, but pharmacies are affected indirectly. Meanwhile, the volumes go up more slowly than in the past, indirect consequence of the case Mediator, who chipped patients' confidence in medicines.

Pharmacists work so many years to expand their role, or indeed, to recognize and pay duties they already perform more or less informal. Governments are receptive, because they see a partial solution to the deserts medical (drug stores are well distributed across the country) and the size of firms. The law "Bachelot" of 2009 formalized these missions. The 2012 budget of the Safely authorized their remuneration. The current negotiations must make it happen.

Two types of innovations are planned. Of "dispensing fee", first, that rémunéreront the advice given by the pharmacist when dispensing drugs. Magnitude discussed: 1 euro or 1.50 euro for each prescription. The sum could be modulated, for example by age of patient (an increase for the elderly or babies, often complex cases).

Then, a compensation of each pharmacy on efficiency targets (issued by generic) or public health. This is probably clarify the terms of this last part that the majority of work still lies ahead. A bonus could be given to pharmacies that always deliver the same brand of generic chronic, especially seniors, to avoid confusion in the treatments.

Pharmacists could also meet regularly with patients taking anticoagulants, which are at risk of serious interactions with other drugs, or treated with Subutex (substitute for heroin), to adjust their dosages. These "interviews pharmaceuticals" – no question of using the word "consultation" so as not to upset the doctors – would be paid to the unit or by an annual amount per patient monitoring. They would take place as part of a treatment protocol, a contract for three, doctor, patient and pharmacist.

Purpose of trade unions of pharmacists and FSPF USPO: 25% of revenues from these new compounds remuneration within five years. The negotiation will determine the share of these amounts between Medicare and complementary, participating in discussions. Above all they must fix the total amount of the budget allocated to pharmacies. Medicare, with limited financial margins, would the same. The unions are demanding an increase comparable to that of total health expenditure, or 2.5%. Essential, they argue, because there will be Winners and Losers in pharmacies. But their situation has weakened in recent years. One hundred pharmacies close every 22,000 years: a marginal phenomenon but unpublished.

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The puzzle dental fee

Friday, dentists Liberals, too, began a negotiation with Medicare. The CNSD majority union, hopes to pay for guards Sunday and alignment of the consultation fee to that of physicians (23 euros against 21).

But both parties are under no illusions: because of the leeway of Social Security, they will not solve the main problem for patients, yet they admit both. For decades, the rates for conservative treatment (caries, scaling …) and surgical (extractions …), set by Medicare, are undervalued. Dentists to "catch up" on bridges and crowns, to free prices but poorly reimbursed.

They are happy to try to establish a finer grid tariffs, which will allow the social security and complementary to better understand the activity of dentists … and perhaps to adjust rates during the following convention. They also specify the quote must present dentists, distinguishing manufacturing cost of the prosthesis and other charges, on the one hand, and amount of benefit, on the other.

Reunion: the measures announced

 

The price of gas and electricity for low incomes will fall in Reunion, and those of 40 essential commodities will be frozen at least from March 1 through the efforts of local communities, said Friday the prefect, Michel Lalande. A series of measures taken after a round table of five thirty gathering around him the chairmen of local councils, chambers, representatives of consumer associations, oil companies and professional drivers payday loans guaranteed no fax. All participants in the roundtable have finally launched a "solemn appeal" to calm the population.

Greece: into an agreement Monday with the Eurogroup

 

White smoke comes not yet held Monday in Brussels, where a decisive meeting of the Eurogroup on Greece. It comes from the Italian Presidency in Rome, and the headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

After a phone conversation with Angela Merkel and Prime Minister of Greece Lucas Papademos, Friday, Mario Monti issued a statement encouraging: "At the end of this conversation, which came in the details and which was conducted in a constructive spirit, three participants were confident that an agreement on Greece can be reached Monday, the Eurogroup. "

So far, mistrust prevailed. Especially since the previous Eurogroup, on Greece, was canceled Wednesday. "This time, an agreement is likely," said Jean Pisani-Ferry, director of the Bruegel think-tank in Brussels. "Otherwise it's too late, there will master more technical details …", he adds.

The challenge of this size Eurogroup is: give Greece its private creditors and the green light to launch the second bailout of Greece, estimated at 130 billion euros, to avoid a default in Greek debt falls from 14.5 billion euros on March 20.

That Greece is committed to the reforms demanded by the troika, beyond the April elections, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands had planned mid-week to split the bailout to not pay, firstly, that the sum needed to rescue private, or 30 billion euros payday loans. 

Exchange of debt

But this scenario is complicated, difficult to read for the markets, has been criticized by the IMF and European lawyers, who see it as a source of additional blocking with private creditors, asked to relinquish 70% of the value of their securities. "This option is no longer on the table," said Deputy German Finance Minister, Thomas Steffen. "We are ready to have a solid basis for a decision Monday," says the German Finance Ministry in Berlin.

The European Central Bank has brought his stone to an eventual agreement. Its chairman, Mario Draghi, submitted Thursday night, the vote of the Governors, the exchange of 50 billion euros of Greek bonds, which should allow eventually to redistribute 12 billion euros to Greece, which allocated to debt repayment countries.

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A few weeks before Christmas, a doll sold by the chain Toys "R" Us "wreaks havoc across the Atlantic to the point that offended parents rushed to the site of the company to request that it be removed at the earliest of the sale. For, they say, the doll that is part of a set of triplets do not babble as usual by spelling his name does not twitters saying hello, do not cry when she feels lonely. No, this doll … jure. And what rough way!

To listen go to a child who takes her in his arms, is believed to actually hear the words crazy bitch (bitch sort of) in his babbling. Enough to jump to the families who let go on the website of the company and called for a boycott!

"Do not buy!"

"Return the dolls, boycott Toys" R "Us, outraged Sue, of Tulsa (Oklahoma, south) on the website of the chain of toys under the picture of the doll."I'm outraged," exclaims also a grandmother of triplets from Boise (Idaho, north-west). "My girls were 2 and a half years, I do not want her to hear such language,".

"Do not buy," recommends his side Danyelle, Fayetteville (North Carolina, South East) who said he checked with six different people that the doll angelic promise indeed.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Toys "R" Us, said the doll is sold in the United States did not swear, and it was only a "babbling." "We will not sell obviously not a doll swear, "said Jennifer Albano, adding that the brand of toys did not intend to withdraw from the sale.

This is not the first time that toys are controversial within days of Christmas.

The high yields are sought by individuals

The increased volatility in equity markets and the low pay of traditional investments (2% on average for tax-advantaged bank books, money market investments 0.7% and around 2% for bond funds invested in conventional bonds) to encourage More and more investors to find the funds to share so-called "high yield" or directly select actions with good yields.

The temptation is great indeed try to take advantage of very high salaries offered by many CAC 40 stocks: 11% more than expected this year surFrance Telecom, Vivendi 9.6%, 6.9% of GDF Suez and Total and 6.5% of Suez Environnement. These attractive rates are much higher than the average of the CAC 40, which is already high at 4.8%.Level itself almost twice the performance of government bonds to 10 years.

The promise of return is high, but these values ​​traditionally considered defensive have been unable to withstand the market downturn. All titles in the list of the highest yields in the CAC 40 fell in the same proportions as the index. After sharp declines occurred in recent months, however, many experts believe that the values ​​of performance should begin to put up a good resistance in the event of further decline. It would be a good time to get involved.

Stocks or mutual funds

There are two ways to play the performance faxless cash advances. The first is to buy direct from companies offering high dividend.But instead of seeking the largest dividend, better focus its durability, good visibility on the evolution of profits and growth prospects minimum without which no development of the company is possible. Therefore rather than focusing only on the most spectacular returns, such as France Telecom, it is better to diversify its choice of titles, such as GDF Suez, Total, Suez Environnement, Vinci, EDF, and Sanofi. Many companies that offer potential returns of 6.5 to 5%.

The alternative is to opt for funds that specialize in this type of security. During the last few months none of them has survived the market downturn, but the restoring force that is the prospect of good pay should start playing in their favor.Many French funds have over the years specialized in actions "high performance". Among these are: Habs return, Ecofi Performance Shares, Performance Oddo, LFP Performance Shares Growth, growth yield values ​​(find details of all these funds Star.fr Morning) or a new fund under Luxembourg law Groupama AM G Fund European Equity High Dividend.

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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.

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

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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