Lafarge expects to reduce its debt

Unsurprisingly, Lafarge announced on Friday a further increase in its results last year, as expected. Net income, group share, has increased 12% to 827 million over the past year. Similarly, the EBIT (ROC) is no surprise to 2.4 billion, down slightly by 1%. As for turnover, it was up 2% to 16.2 billion euros, again in line with the expectations of analysts, who were banking on 16.1 billion euros.

Above all, the French cement manufacturer wants to decrease its debt. And this indicator is particularly monitored by the markets since the acquisition of the Egyptian Orascom in 2007. In 2010, the group has already reduced its structural costs of 220 million euros, 50 million in the fourth quarter, "reducing its structural costs above target," says management.

And building materials giant expects to reduce debt this year. It expects an acceleration of net debt reduction of at least two billion euros via a "reduced cost base, the startup of new capacities and the implementation of measures to limit the effects of cost inflation low interest personal loan." At December 31, 2010, net debt stood at 13.993 billion Lafarge euros.

More broadly, the group posted a positive outlook for the current year. Lafarge "anticipates its market growth in demand for cement between 3% and 6%." And the group chaired by Bruno Lafont expects prices rose on the year with an amplitude varying from one market to another. Thus, management expects "growth in its results in 2011 in a context of rising volumes. Emerging markets remain the main driver of demand growth.For developed countries, demand should continue to recover gradually, said Lafarge.

In addition, the group will propose a dividend cut in half to one euro.

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The CAC 40 returns to the 4000 points

In Paris the CAC 40 has remained in limbo (-0.30% to 3964.84 points) yesterday, Thursday. But this Friday, the index resumed height: the gains are highlighted throughout the mtinée developed to find the famous psychological barrier of 4000 points. Around noon, he climbed from 1.09% to 4008.24 points.

Factor supporting this day, the morale of French manufacturers, which continued its gradual rise in January, with a sharp jump of six points from the previous month to 108 points, the sentiment index of all the winning business it a point to 106 points, Insee said Friday.

But also and above all, good news from Germany has added some balm to the hearts of investors.The barometer of the Ifo business climate, leading confidence index in Germany has reached a new record in January at 110.3 points against 109.8 points in December.

This morning, Asian stock markets overall declined sustained change, and yesterday afternoon, Wall Street has ended at equilibrium, as investors opted for caution amid speculation about new Chinese measures to prevent overheating of the second world economy .

The appointment on Friday, the monthly business survey in industry and services by INSEE. Then 10 hours, the German Ifo index will be monitored.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro is trading above $ 1.35 on Friday. The euro has gained strength this week against a background of successful bond issued by European countries like Spain and Greece.In front, the dollar depreciated while Barack Obama has welcomed Tuesday its Chinese counterpart and called for yuan appreciation.

Sanofi-Aventis is expected to extend its offer for Genzyme

Genzyme's offer to come to an end this Friday, January 21.

Vivendi balance to 21.56 euro Judgement of the Criminal Court of Paris in the trial of Jean-Marie Messier.

Renault: 0.75% to 47.22 euros The three executives in question have filed a complaint and will vigorously defend. The doubt settles. Renault's CEO will speak Sunday evening.

Kaufman & Broad: 0.62% to 24.40 euros The group announced on Thursday night have returned to profitability in 2010 and 21% had reduced its debt after a year marked by an upturn commercial guaranteed approval cash loans.

Somfy: 1.57% to 185.90 euros The shutters specialist announced a revenue increase of 12.1% for its fiscal 2010 to 852.6 million euros. Sales have benefited from buoyant activity in Germany, Central Europe and East and France. They have offset lower sales in Northern Europe.

Damartex: -3.40% to 23.04 euros The apparel retailer reported Thursday evening sales up 3.8% in the first half of its fiscal year 2010-2011, 385.3 million euros.The group, which owns the brand Damart, has not made a forecast for the coming quarters.

Schneider Electric (+1% to 111.10 euros) on Thursday confirmed the closure of its plant in St. Pryvé St. Memin (Loiret) managed by one of its subsidiaries.

Air France-KLM The company goes from 1.84% to 13.56 euros after posting seven consecutive sessions of decline with a drop of more than 4% Thursday evening after closing the warning on the results of EasyJet yesterday.

Scor (balance) announced Thursday it had successfully placed 400 million Swiss francs of perpetual subordinated securities.

CGG Veritas (1.49% to 24.41 euros) announced that it has finally issued 360 million euros in convertible bonds after exercising the over-allotment option.The group had initially planned to issue 315 million euros.

APRR: +0.10% to 51.38 euros The motorway company has reported a traffic increase of 1.3% in the fourth quarter, offsetting heavy traffic traffic light vehicles affected by snowfall and shortages of gasoline in the early fall.

Compagnie des Alpes The leisure group said sales growth of 1.41% in the first quarter of its fiscal year 2010-2011 supported by a good attendance of its ski areas through early snowfall observed in late 2010.

Veolia Environnement Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault, the holding of the Dassault family, announced December 31, 2010 hold at 5.37% of share capital and voting rights of society in environmental services.

Cegid reported Tuesday a turnover up 0.4% for 2010 and expects a net profit increase for its entire fiscal year.

Technip announced Friday it had won a contract refinery in Bulgaria worth 70 million euros.

New sales record for that mimics PSA Renault

And Renault now! PSA Peugeot Citroen announced last week a record 3.6 million vehicles sold worldwide in 2010 (+13%), the Renault was 2.6 million, an increase of 14% over 2009 (2.3 million). The last record of the mark in diamond was achieved in 2005, the group had now sold 2.5 million vehicles. Suddenly, the Renault was around back to balance in stock, gaining 0.03% to 47.26 euros in a market down sharply from 1.42%. For his part, Peugeot remains mired in the depths of the ranking of the best performances of the CAC 40 on Monday, losing 1.71% to 30.97 euros.

Furthermore, the manufacturer owns 3.7% of world market which itself marked an increase of 11.8%. All regions where the group is now progressing in volume and market share, says in a statement.

Renault, Dacia and Samsung Motors are progressing

The three brands Renault, Dacia and Samsung Motors have increased in volume, according to Renault "to take second place in Europe the market for passenger and commercial vehicles, with an increase of 0.8 percentage points in market share."

"We welcome the results of the group's record sales in 2010, surpassing the 2005 record", says Jerome Stoll, Deputy Director General Trade and Commercial Vehicle Group, said in the statement.

In Europe, the group as a whole rose by 1.1 point in market share and increased its sales by 7.4% to 1.6 million vehicles in a market down 3.6%.

Outside Europe, the manufacturer continues its growth with a 26% increase in sales volumes, nearly 983,000 vehicles sold.These sales represent 37% of the total volume internationally, against 34% in 2009.

Xavier de Moulins leaves Paris Premiere

Xavier de Moulins host of the weekly political show "My handsome mirror on Paris Premiere, has decided to stop the cooperation from Sunday, December 19.

M6 Group, owner of the channel Paris Première, asked him to devote himself full time to the presentation of JT from 19:45 M6 whose audience has exceeded twice the 3 million viewers. In July 2010 that Xavier de Moulins had taken control of JT, which was launched by Claire Barsacq in September 2009.

Xavier de Moulins Paris last long presented on cable channel TNT and pay.

China challenge Boeing and Airbus

The star at the Zhuhai Airshow, which opened its doors on Tuesday in southern China, is an aircraft that does not fly! Dozens of Chinese officials, surrounded by a myriad of bodyguards, converged on the lounge where was announced with great fanfare the first order for a hundred C 919, the future Chinese airliner. In honor guard, models with different dresses buyers everything about the pioneers, four major Chinese airlines (Air China, China Eastern, China Southern Airlines and Hainan) and two leasing companies, one Chinese, Guoyin Financial, and one American, GE Capital Aviation Services.

This command adds body 100 aircraft program Comac (Commercial Aircraft Corp.. Of China), which provides a first test flight in 2014 and the first delivery from 2016.The C 919 is a single-aisle aircraft from 168 to 190 seats, short or medium-haul and, therefore, a direct competitor of the Airbus 320 and Boeing 737. Boss of Airbus China, Laurence Barron wanted yesterday serene face of this threat. And he refused to make the connection between the Chinese orders and more modest than expected signatures harvested during the recent visit of President Hu Jintao in France, 66 new planes including some fifty family A 320.

"For ten years, there is no significant impact to fear. Then, we start by 2025 with innovative products and competitive, "he confided, he takes time to install such a program. If they manage to produce four planes per month in 2018 or 2019, it will already be a performance 100% free credit score.This would represent 48 aircraft per year, whereas in this niche device, needs Chinese are estimated between 150 and 180 aircraft per year. "

Strategic partnership between Saffron and Avic

In 2010, Airbus expects to deliver 111 aircraft in the country representing 20% of its backlog. On Tuesday, the Taiwanese company TransAsia has announced a firm order for two and six A 330 A 321, over $ 1 billion. Chinese air traffic growth continues at breakneck pace of 20% per year. The Chinese fleet, which is still only one third that of the United States, is expected to double by 2020, and 4000 devices may be ordered in the next twenty years.

The rise of command of C 919 is also popular among the French Safran."One hundred aircraft, 200 engines and is an excellent sign," said Marc Ventre, No. 2 in the group that will provide – with its U.S. partner GE – the propulsion system of the aircraft. The creation of a new joint venture for the construction of the engine nacelles was initialed yesterday. Safran has also signed a "strategic partnership" with Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC), which will create a strategic committee shared by the two allies. Turbomeca (SAFRAN Group) has also won a contract for 170 engines.

Other French interest in the takeoff of the C 919, Thales, who announced the creation of a joint venture in China aimed to provide in-flight entertainment system C 919.

Volkswagen dream of an empire in the heavyweights

The appetite of Volkswagen (VW) is insatiable. The number one European car, which seeks to dethrone the Toyota Japanese to head the world rankings, also seeks to create an empire in trucks.

The Swedish truck manufacturer Scania and German MAN, which both belong to the galaxy Volkswagen, and consider merging. The automotive group has at present 45.7% of Scania and nearly 30% of MAN. The latter also owns 13.4% of Scania.

VW wants to increase its share in Scania to 75% or 80%, then give him the 30% stake in MAN, according to the German weekly Der Spiegel, citing internal plans.Scania should then make an offer on the remaining shares of MAN, and then merge with the German, according to the magazine.

Scania said that the two manufacturers for some time studying various industrial projects in order to create synergies in research and development, production and purchases. "This process has shown that the full realization of potential synergies requires closer cooperation, arising from a combination of two groups," confirmed Swedish.MAN, citing economies of scale possible "substantial", also acknowledged that discussions were underway about this.

Scania has however stressed that at this stage "no decision has been taken, because there are many commercial and legal issues outstanding."

Strained Relations

You must read these maneuvers behind the influence of Ferdinand Piech, chairman of the supervisory board of Volkswagen and MAN, and already the architect of the takeover of Volkswagen by Porsche. The little son of the inventor of the Beetle group wants the eleven marks a steamroller, present on all continents and all market segments: the truck to luxury car.

A merger between MAN and Scania would create a giant employing 82,000 people. Together, both companies would have a global market share of 5.9% taking into account the volumes of 2009.They exceed Volvo (5%), but remain behind Daimler (11%), the global leader in the industry. Last year, Scania has achieved a turnover of 6.6 billion euros. MAN that was $ 12 billion. The new flagship truck VW, reducing costs dramatically, would then be better armed to fight against its powerful competitors.

If the new investors rejoiced yesterday, this merger may face some obstacles. The relationship between Scania and MAN have been strained since a failed hostile takeover attempt by Swedish German in 2006. Especially, the powerful German trade union IG Metall has already stated its rejection of a takeover of Scania by MAN.

After a terrible year 2009, the market for heavy trucks has taken this year, enabling manufacturers to dramatically improve their financial results.Volvo expects a rise in market heavyweight 10% in 2010 in Europe and an increase of between 20 and 30% in North America.

Le Parisien is no longer for sale

It should be that "an interim update on the strategic review" of the group, under the terms of the agenda. Employees of the group Le Parisien finally learned Friday that the regional newspaper and its national edition, Today in France, would remain in the bosom of family media group Amaury.At a works committee followed by a special group, the direction of the group chaired by Marie-Odile Amaury, indeed, announced it was terminating the sale process of Le Parisien, thus ending a series of nearly six months.

On 7 June, the Amaury group, which also controls The Team and ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation, the Tour de France) announced it had asked the bank Rothschild and Co. to conduct a strategic review to examine all options to contribute to the whole compound of general daily Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, their printers, their distribution system (SDVP) and the advertising.As many press titles, Le Parisien faced a difficult challenge and the need to invest heavily in growth drivers such as new media and online paris.

Marie-Odile Amaury hoped to remove some 200 million euros of its branch Le Parisien, which achieved a turnover of 240 million for a gross operating surplus estimated at 10 million.An amount much higher than only two firm bids filed this week by the Foundation Capital funds associated with the Belgian media group Rossel (Le Soir, La Voix du Nord …) and the Bollore group, which Le Parisien valued between 130 and 150 million.

Further amounts deemed insufficient, Marie-Odile Amaury would have been convinced by its new CEO, Philippe Carli (former President of Siemens France), appointed in September to revive the newspaper by taking advantage of the upswing in advertising and conducting an offensive strategy in the new media.

Savings plans

This reversal of Marie-Odile Amaury does not rise, however, all mortgages. Committed to a policy of cost reduction, the group Le Parisien had submitted a year ago, a voluntary separation plan for 35 employees of the national edition.It was to be followed by two others in early 2010 on departmental editions of Paris and its inner suburbs and the outer suburbs. These plans, according to the director general of the Parisian Jean Hornain, were intended to save 3 to 4 million euros this year were finally suspended.

Finally, the relaunch of the title, which opened a new model in January, has not slowed down sales. After a 2009 down 5.3%, according to OJD, the monitoring body of the press, broadcasting from France paid Parisien sold – 5.1% last September – 3.6% on first nine months of 2010. That of today in France has plummeted – 8.3% in September (- 7.2% from January to September).

The new Director General of Amaury group, Philippe Carli, knows he must act quickly.At the head of the group since the death of her husband, Philip, in 2006, Marie-Odile Amaury has earned a solid reputation as a manager, eager to communicate to his children, Dawn and Jean-Etienne – both in the group – a company in good works and refocused largely on sport, a growing industry.

Audit firms in the sights of Brussels

After the rating agencies, derivatives and hedge funds, it is the turn of the audit to be back on the grill, in Brussels. The European Commission launched on Wednesday a broad public consultation on this industry questioned during the crisis to its high concentration and its potential conflicts of interest. "The fact is that few people had seen this crisis coming, no more audit firms than others, while they were at the forefront as they checked the accounts of the largest banks. Lehman Brothers is not so far away, "said Internal Market Commissioner, Michel Barnier. Brussels and continues its efforts to regulate the financial system. A logical approach to the EU executive, which means that "no actor, no market can not escape an intelligent regulation and effective supervision."

With this open consultation until 8 December, the Commission wishes to deepen the critical issue of auditor independence. "Is it healthy that the same companies make both auditing and consulting? Does this combination does not lead to a confusion of genres and even conflicts of interest? "Asked the French commissioner.

Less than ten years after the collapse of Arthur Andersen guilty of turning a blind eye to "creative accounting" of the Enron group, he said the issue continues to arise. The other major area of investigation will focus on industry concentration, heavy systemic risks.The Commission is concerned to see that indeed the "Big Four" (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers) share over 70% market share.

So many ideas are they on their way to Brussels: entrust the appointment and remuneration of the auditor to a third party (the national regulator for example), not the company being audited. Or generalized joint audits, conducted by more than one firm. The idea of a "European passport" should also be thorough, to allow listeners to be active in all EU countries. After analyzing the responses, Brussels will decide next year on the measures to be undertaken.

School insurance: competition hardens

Just two days after classes begin, the war is on in student insurance. Like last year, Carrefour offers free insurance to customers who hold loyalty card (17 million cards). As in 2009, the MFA, which holds one third of this market, defends itself.

Last year the mutual had filed an interlocutory order that the sign continues to broadcast its offer, but had been unsuccessful. This time, the MFA has assigned Carrefour before the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Evry for "unfair trade practices. 'We want to try the case on its merits. Beyond the financial loss, there is especially harm the image, justifies Edgar Mathias, president of the MFA."We hope the court understands that one can not, for insurance and child, treat things lightly," he says.

Between 10 and 30 euros

The mutual claims 350,000 euros in damages. An amount calculated on the basis of figures provided by Carrefour at the interlocutory hearing in 2009, then assuming the distributor on the underwriting of insurance 20000-25000 school. Friday, Carrefour said "regretted" the action of justice waged by the MFA. With its free offer, the distributor intends to "meet the expectations of its customers. In today's economy, purchasing power is at the heart of the concerns of families, "says one at Carrefour.

However, since ten years, traditional insurers, banks and stores of the retail market also interested in the school insurance.Their interest is simple: to win new customers to offer them then other products. In this highly competitive environment, the MFA loses many policyholders. After counting up to 7 million members in the 1970s, the insurer only has 3.3. However, the MFA is the only MMA can distribute its products in the public schools (about 10 million children) through agreements decades ago with federations of parents. What some see as a "privilege" is "between 15 and 20% of members of the MFA," according to its chairman.

The strong competition between different actors of good for parents. The school insurance prices should remain stable this year (between 10 and 30 euros per year on average).This should encourage them to subscribe to this optional activities taking place within the school. But that is required for extracurricular activities offered by schools (out, discovery classes …).

The Paris Bourse is expected to continue its downward

The macroeconomic announcements from the U.S. weighed heavily on the Paris Stock Exchange in August. The poor sales figures for housing (the lowest since 1995) have hit the Cac 40, which has plunged Tuesday on the 3500 points with a drop of 1.75%. Return to the Green should be difficult on Wednesday. Especially as new indicators are expected in the U.S., in addition to the unemployment figures in France in July. The real estate overseas, thermometer world's largest economy, will still be in the spotlight with the publication of the FHFA index of house prices and numbers of new home sales for July. Before the opening of Wall Street, markets will also monitor the numbers of orders for durable goods last month.

This Wednesday in Asia, fears of a relapse of the new global economy have sealed the evidence.Wall Street had already set the tone with a fence net decrease of 1.32%.

As for currencies, the euro traded at 1.2638 in the morning the dollar.

Publications resume

In terms of values, many trucks will publish their results quarterly and half in this weekend.

Today before the market opens, Edenred, the old branch of prepaid services group Accor became autonomous, has reported an operating income of 155 million euros in the first six months of the year, down 7.1%. Turnover rose 3.8% to 461 million.But the group is very conservative forecasts, the growth in issuance volume yet to be affected by rising unemployment in Europe.

L'Oreal and Sperian publish their half year results after market close.

The Polish government has short listed five offers to buy the 51% stake in state power company Enea on Tuesday said the Treasury Department, without specifying the identity of Suez and GDF would candidats.EDF on ranks according to media reports. Only EDF confirmed it had made a preliminary offer.

Scor has been a change of recommendation by Fitch. The broker has raised its outlook on Tuesday its debt rating of reinsurance group to "positive" cons "stable" and kept at "A" rating from its long-term debt of the group.Fitch said the decision including the prudent investment policy conducted by SCOR and the diversification of its risks.