Wall Street should still brooding - September 12, 2011

The U.S. stock markets, should re-open in sharp decline on Monday. Future of Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively, in fact, retreating from 1.58% to 1134.10 points from 1.32% to 2135.75 points. Friday, Wall Street closed lower for the second straight session, giving back to concerns about the debt of several countries deemed weak in the euro area and undermined by doubts about the strength of growth in the U.S. .

U.S. markets were particularly accentuated their losses Friday after the announcement of the resignation of Jürgen Stark of the European Central Bank (ECB).Initially considered a symptom of divisions in Europe on how to overcome the crisis, the markets will interpret signs from Germany suggesting that Berlin no longer a failure to exclude Greece.

This morning the Asian markets all ended down sharply and European stock markets are displayed in red.

Investors in Europe, in Asia and the United States fear that Greece is not able to meet these budget commitments, which threaten to bankrupt the country and aggravate the crisis in Europe. The German Minister of Economy Philipp Rösler has also not ruled out a bankruptcy ordered Greece to save the euro.

These uncertainties weigh heavily on European banking stocks, weighed down by their exposure to sovereign debt but also by fears about their solvency and funding.Specialists in Harbor Advisory today "Wall Street will evolve with European banks, whose main problem is exposure to sovereign debt."

United States, Barack Obama will submit to Congress today plan to revive the economy and jobs announced Thursday, said on Sunday a senior White House. The President will renew his call "to Congress to adopt this bill, which contains the kind of proposals to grow the economy and create jobs."

Week is low in business results – the retailer Best Buy and diverse manufacturing Pall is the only component of the S & P 500 to publish figures – investors will focus primarily on a series of macroeconomic indicators.The latter include retail sales, the producer prices and consumption as well as statistics on the manufacturing sector.

Note, however, leading indicators of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published this morning, reporting a "slowdown" of the world's major economies.

The euro and oil fall

In the wake of renewed tensions, the euro fell against the dollar, the euro remained sharply lower against the greenback Monday, falling below $ 1.35 even briefly, as a result of a new access market panic response to the crisis in Europe. Mid-session in Paris, the single European currency was worth 1.3603 dollars against 1.3649 dollars on Friday night. Earlier, the euro fell to 1.3495 dollars, its lowest level since Feb. 16. The euro also fell to its lowest level in a decade against the yen.The euro bought 104.64 yen against 105.91 yen Friday. In the early morning, the euro fell to 103.90 yen, its lowest level since June 2001.

Under pressure from a stronger dollar, a barrel of oil has also dropped on the ground. In electronic trading in the morning, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for October delivery lost 1.23 dollars to 86.01 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery at $ 1.02 111 $ 75.

The side of values, the French group Technip Engineering said Monday the acquisition of the entire capital of the U.S. Global Industries, a specialist oil services submarines, based on a valuation of 1.07 billion dollars (770 million).Technip will pay $ 8 cash per share, Global Industries, a premium of 55% over the closing price of its prey Friday night on Wall Street.

For its part, the online retailer Amazon is in talks with publishers to launch a book rental service digital subscription, said Sunday the Wall Street Journal in its online edition.

After the unexpected departure of the patron saint of Internet giant Yahoo!, Carol Bartz, rumors of a union between Yahoo! and AOL have resurfaced. The CEO of the Internet service provider America, Tim Armstrong, have consulted with investment companies to test investor appetite for a reconciliation between the two groups advance Bloomberg.Tim Armstrong become the leader of the group.

For his part, extended the Hertz Global date of its offer for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group (DTG) until November 1.

Wynn Resorts, Wynn Macau via its subsidiary announced the acquisition of land over 20 hectares to the government of Macau for approximately $ 193 million. The plot, located on the Cotai area, should allow the development of a resort and recreation.

Concern about banks penalize the Paris Bourse - September 5, 2011

The CAC 40 plunges into the red Monday. The benchmark index of the Paris Stock Exchange, which closed Friday on the day of a severe fall of 3.6%, falling 3.64% to 3037.72 points in mid-session after opening down 2.41% to 3072.51 points. The movement is the same in the rest of Europe in London, the FTSE-100 index lost 1.90%, in Frankfurt the Dax was down 2.96%. Madrid and Milan unleash respectively 3.09% and 3.04%.

The health of European banks up to the center of attention. The President of the French Banking Federation (FBF), François Perol, recognizes this Monday, in an interview with Les Echos, that if "bank liquidity in euro is not a problem," "the dollar is more refinancing tense. "Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, in turn repeats, in an interview published Monday in Germany, criticized the request of a European bank recapitalization. "We think in general it is necessary to recapitalize European banks so that they are strong enough to withstand the risks associated with the debt crisis and low growth," she told the weekly Der Spiegel.

The chief executive of Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann, in turn, poured oil on the fire by saying that some European banks would not survive if they were to reassess the sovereign debt of their accounts at market price.Recapitalization forced the European banking sector could in turn send the wrong signal to markets, in this case the loss of faith on the part of authorities in the ability of measures to succeed, however, said Josef Ackermann .

Societe Generale lost 7.96% to 20.40 euros (largest decrease in the ACC). The bank is also penalized by the U.S. federal agency oversight of mortgage that has filed a complaint Friday against 17 major international financial institutions which include the French bank, for a total loss of $ 41 billion in bonds linked to subprime .

In its wake, BNP Paribas lost 7.33% to 30.97 euros, Crédit Agricole 6.22% to 5.80 euros and 4.85% at Axa 10.01 euros. Natixis lost 5.05% to 2.57 euros.The aerospace equipment Safran (-2.78% to 26.25 euros) will make its entry into the CAC 40 index, while the bank Natixis is about to leave, said Friday the Scientific Council of the indices of NYSE Euronext. The changes take effect Sept. 19.

Bad signals on growth

In addition to banking problems, the first global economy has fueled fears of a global slowdown by announcing Friday it had no jobs created in August. Following this announcement, Wall Street closed on a sharp drop of more than 2%. U.S. markets will do on Monday with European stock any procedure they will remain closed for Labor Day (Labor Day observed every first Monday of September)."Wall Street remains closed doors, it seems unlikely that operators take the slightest risk," said Chris Weston, an analyst at IG Markets.

In China, HSBC index of purchasing managers in the Chinese sector services slowed to an unprecedented low in August. Seasonally adjusted and calculated by the Institute Markit, it fell to 50.6 after 53.5 in July

No other indicator may move the indices are expected on Monday. One highlight of the week will be the release of the Beige Book Fed on Wednesday night, which will be the summary of economic conditions in regions in the United States no fax payday advance.

No recession expected in Europe

The side of the euro area, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, has tried to reassure investors.Traveling in Australia, he said that the European economy would experience in the coming months a "moderate growth" without going into recession. "We do not anticipate a recession in Europe. The latest forecasts from the European Commission show that the growth will be at the meeting, although this growth will be moderate, it is true, "he said in Sydney.

Markit, the company that carries out the PMI, however, said on Monday that growth in private activity in the euro area slowed more than expected in August, falling to its lowest level in two years, reinforcing fears of a return to recession by the end of 2011. The composite index, which summarizes the activity in the service sector and manufacturing fell to 50.7 points against 51.1 points in July, according to a second estimate.

For his part, Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank said it is "imperative" to implement the decisions taken by Heads of State and Government of the euro zone in July to resolve the debt crisis.

The euro fell to 1.4127 dollars, its lowest level in three weeks. For their part, oil prices were down in electronic trading in Asia, depressed by the poor figures on employment in the United States. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October lost 59 cents to 85.86 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery 74 cents to 111.59 dollars.Saft takes off

EDF: -2.77% to 20.37 euros

The Italian Minister of Industry, Paolo Romani, said Sunday he would meet Monday Proglio about the power company Edison.

ArcelorMittal: -4.67% to 13.46 euros

Peabody Energy and ArcelorMittal announced Monday it had extended until September 27, the period during which the short bid for $ 5 billion (3.53 billion euros) on the Australian Macarthur Coal.

Zodiac: -1.94% to 54.05 euros

The group said it had completed the acquisition of the American Heath Tecna and have reached an agreement with its banks to raise 300 million euros the amount of an existing credit line.

Schneider Electric: -6.01% to 41.35 euros

The French government intervened with the company to freeze a plan for the removal of one.000 temporary positions, the daily Liberation in its Monday edition, but the group has firmly denied to AFP such a plan.

Saft: 4.81% to 22.87 euros (largest increase in the SBF 120)

The American automotive supplier Johnson Controls will pay $ 145 million (102 million euros) to the French specialist in batteries as part of an amicable agreement ending their joint venture in the automotive industry, announced Friday the two groups in a joint statement.

Alstom: -5.16% to 29.21 euros

The group signed a 66 million euros with Iraq to build a power plant in the province of Nineveh in the north, said the Iraqi Minister of Electricity.

France Telecom: -1.67% to 12.36 euros

TPSA its Polish subsidiary has announced to contest the fine of 128 million euros that inflicted the European Commission.

After market, environment and Dried Assystem unveil their first-half results.

Moody's deteriorating Japan, Tokyo back - August 24, 2011

Despite the strong rebound on Wall Street Tuesday, Asian stock markets are unable to confirm their good performance yesterday morning. Including the Nikkei Stock Exchange Tokyo loose 1.07% to 8639.61 points, after opening up 0.78%.

Moody's has in fact degraded by one notch (to Aa3) Note the long-term debt of Japan due to the massive debt the country, aggravated by the earthquake of March 11. In the process, the U.S. rating agency also lowered the rating of a crazn debt of large Japanese banks (Mizuho Bank, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking).Mizuho lost 0.89% to 111 yen in Tokyo Stock Exchange, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial loose 3.21% to 331 yen and Sumitomo was down 1.67% to 2172 yen.

Tokyo takes steps against the high cost of yen

While the yen regained some ground against the euro (110.52 yen per euro) and was stable against the dollar (76.70 yen to the dollar), the Japanese government also announced a series of measures exceptional to help companies: including facilities will be granted to them by creating a special fund of 100 billion dollars taken on the foreign exchange reserves to encourage them to invest abroad guaranteed approval cash loans.

Despite this, the export value, including automobile manufacturers, continued to decline in stock: Honda lost 2.28% to 2,311 yen and Toyota gave up 2.02% to 2707 points.

Chinese financial markets, the Hang Seng lost 0.81% to 19.714.50 points while the CSI 300 gained 0.35% to 2830.83 points.

As for other Asian financial centers, the trend is also mixed: the Taiwan TAIEX was down 0.11% at 7541.80 points, the Kospi Index in Seoul lost 0.61% to 1765.78 points and the FTSE Straits Times of Singapore gives 0.48% to 2752.01 points. However, the BSE Sensex 30 Bombay is stable at 16,502.90 points and the S & P / ASX 200 advance 0.23% to 4182.80 points.

Oil prices rise

Oil prices were up Wednesday morning during electronic trading in Asia, with Brent who was close to 110 dollars a barrel because of uncertainty about the situation in Libya. In morning trading, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery gained 50 cents to 109.81 dollars. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October was appreciating by 18 cents to 85.61 dollars.

The Paris Bourse rebounded with Total and banks - August 22, 2011

The Paris Bourse was hesitant at first. On Monday, the CAC 40 index opened down 0.85% below 3000 points. But the trend was quickly reversed. The benchmark index in Paris and flew from 1.46% to 3061.08 points in mid-session. 3000 points will retain the objective of the day. This threshold, which had escaped during the meeting with investors last week, was saved at Friday. This did not prevent the CAC 40 to close the day on a sharp drop of 1.92% and losing in five days almost 7%.

Furthermore, volatility is also important. In London, the FTSE-100 index, which started on a decline of 0.82%, now earns a 1.35%. Same movement for the Dax in Frankfurt bouncing 0.10% mid-term after losing more than 1% in the morning.

These policy changes reflect the concerns of investors about the state of the global economy.The United States also focused all fears with the publication of indicators increasingly mixed. This weekend, President Barack Obama admitted that his country was experiencing "a difficult, frightening recession." This should not reassure. He also accused the Congress to halt the reforms he wants to put in place to revive the economy. For his part, Vice President Joe Biden tried to reassure global stock markets and especially the Chinese, the first creditor of Americans saying the country would "never" by default.

Side the euro area, the problems of sovereign debt persist. As the political stalemate. Sunday, the German government has stepped up interventions in the media to reaffirm its opposition to European obligations, yet solution desired by the markets."The Eurobonds are quite the wrong response to the crisis of the moment. They would lead us to a union of debt and not a union of stability, "said Chancellor Angela Merkel who judges the cost of this mechanism is too high for the economy of his country.

Libya move

As in Asia this morning, so caution prevails, especially since no major indicator is in the program. Germany has lowered its forecast of budget deficit to 1.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011, in a monthly report of the Ministry of Finance released Monday.

Growth is slowing for the fourth consecutive quarter in rich countries, that appears to + 0.2% from April to June compared to the previous three months, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)."The gross domestic product (GDP) in the OECD area slowed to 0.2% in the second quarter of 2011, against 0.3% last quarter," said the organization in a statement Monday.

But investors expect a battery of statistics in the rest of the week including the manufacturing PMI for the euro area (Tuesday), the German IFO index (Wednesday), the weekly jobless claims in the U.S. (Thursday). Wednesday will be marked in France by the presentation of new conservation measures for the country to retain investor confidence and the "triple A".

Friday will be the busiest day with the second reading of U.S. GDP in the second quarter and the index of consumer sentiment.Another highlight of the week: the president's speech to the U.S. Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke, scheduled for Friday.

As for currencies, the euro rose slightly against the greenback. The single currency is worth 1.4419 dollars this morning. Oil markets, traders are watching to Libya where the rebels have entered in Tripoli. If pro-Gaddafi still resisting in the capital, rebel fighters have reached the Green Square, symbol of the regime. The fate of Colonel Gaddafi and therefore the oil-producing country seems uncertain. Seif al-Islam, presented in the past as the future successor of his father, was arrested.In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in September gained 0.84% ​​to 82.95 dollars while that of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery of the territory ceded.

Values ​​to follow

Banking

The AMF may decide Friday, after the close of European stock exchanges, to renew its ban on short selling on financial stocks, but this time for three months. The sector also bounced unevenly on Monday after sharp declines last week, Credit Agricole gained 2.76% this morning before falling back slightly in mid-session (-0.29% to 6.10 euros).BNP Paribas gained 0.95% to 33.06 euros, however Natixis crumbles from 0.76% to 2.86 euros, and Axa, from 0.34% to 10.24 euros.

For his part, Frédéric Oudéa, CEO of Societe Generale (1.34% to 21.15 euros), said Sunday that the nervousness that penalizes banks Scholarships could last "at least until early November."

Paris airport: + 0.73% to 54.17 euros

ADP has registered a record passenger traffic in July, with 8.9 million passengers, an increase of 4.6% over the same period in 2010.

France Telecom (1.04% to 12.68 euros), Vivendi (0.69% to 15.39 euros), Bouygues (0.97% to 21.92 euros) Iliad (1.39% to 80.70 euros)

Some operators are preparing for the end of unlimited Internet access in homes for some clients.

Total: + 3.36% to 33.065 euros

Leading the CAC40, the title has hopes of a quick change of regime in Libya that would allow a reopening of the country's oil installations.

MTV, transgressive for 30 years - August 9, 2011

Thirty years and not a wrinkle. MTV has reached a venerable age but decided not to grow old with those who, on 1 August 1981, discovered amazed the first television channel dedicated to music. A pioneer, she said that day, not only by imposing as a signature image of an astronaut planting a flag alum and weapons of MTV but also by spreading the first music video in the history of television, Video Killed the Radio Star of Bugglers. Created by Warner and American Express, American chain invented at the time, "the first form of synchronization between picture and sound," but also popularized "the phenomenon of DJs who will push to the extreme contextualization of the music. "In short, MTV is a string subversive.

"Music has long been a huge factor for personalization and identification of the artists," says Thierry Camas, president of MTV Networks France. "We got dressed, and adopted the lifestyle of our stars." With MTV, fans no longer confined to the glossy magazines but follow the escapades and the hits of their heroes on TV and live … historical moments. And Michael Jackson invented the moonwalk, virtually live on the chain-y launched its exclusive clip Thriller. A real event that had nothing to envy to the cinema with his unique format of 14 minutes.This video has forever changed the art of music video and assured the heyday of the chain.

Sensor trend and unparalleled observer of the youth which is the heart of business, MTV is probably the first to feel the mid-1990s that music is becoming commonplace in the extreme. Developed in 2010, the words "Music Television" logo. "The accessibility of music on all platforms, sharing it via social networks has introduced a twist that few industries have known," said Thierry Camas.

Teen in all its formats

The chain is reinventing its original format and media proclaims generational and transgressive. In those years, the musical chain accounts for only 50% of the grid. But to counteract this movement, the group creates variations 100% music.MTV puts adolescents at the center of its innovative all-out in terms of formats. It in the headlines by inventing the first two reality shows with "The Real World" in 1992 and later, the controversial "Jackass." The chain has also exported its "Pimp My Ride," the reality show with crazy cars. Bought in 1986 by Viacom, MTV is developing an international and binding on all distribution platforms. It now operates in 160 countries and has 170 variations. For the group, only one word: "preserve the value of content" on all modes of broadcasting, including video on demand.

"We're agnostic in terms of distribution provided that we are paying," insists Thierry Camas.Today, the group derives its income to 60% of the royalties from operators and 40% advertising.

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WTO: "Made in the World" launched - August 7, 2011

The globalization of the industry makes it still relevant national trade statistics? The World Trade Organization (WTO) has been working since October on this issue. "If the needs of the changing social and economic policy, statistics must adapt," said Pascal Lamy, Director General of the WTO.

This thinking has led, in June, the launch of Made in the World Initiative, said MiWi. This project – Made in the world – aims to complement the traditional statistics by providing a new angle of approach to globalization.

The WTO is an example of the manufacture of a Boeing 787 Dragline.Admittedly, this is an American plane produced by Boeing, but the list of international suppliers of parts and components is long: the wings and forward fuselage from Japan, the center fuselage from Italy, the engines of the United Kingdom, brakes, electrical equipment and tools in France.

Boeing included in the export statistics of the United States can also be included in part those of other supplier countries Same day payday loans. Also making a hard drive in Thailand, an input to the composition of the computers, involves components and parts from more than a dozen Asian and American.

Additional data

"It is necessary to better understand the global value chains to better understand the nature of trade and production process.As such it would be useful to have more detailed data on trade in services, "said Jean Arthuis, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The initiative of the WTO is "for the moment, more an aid to understanding a negotiation support," says Christophe flung, one of the project within the organization. The aim is to popularize the measurement of international trade to produce, over time, additional data on foreign trade. If it is completed, MiWi promote a measure of international trade more adapted to reality and offer a new angle of approach flow valuation.

Lagardère: Guy Wyser-Pratte took the AMF - August 5, 2011

American financier Guy Wyser-Pratte does not disarm in the folder Lagardère. Almost eighteen months after the general meeting of 27 April 2010 during which the two resolutions he had proposed were rejected at 76% and 78%, Guy Wyser-Pratte against attack. Wednesday, August 3, he sent a letter to the Financial Markets Authority (AMF), in which he contested the vote count at the meeting of shareholders of the group.

The American activist took some time to gather evidence to support its contention. Today, it provides the AMF documents showing that the ten funds managed by AllianceBernstein (a subsidiary of AXA Group), a leading shareholder group Lagardere with 10% of the shares, would have voted for he had presented two resolutions.

For investigation

A resolution was to appoint him to the Supervisory Board of Lagardère.Resolution B was to amend the prerogatives of-stock by requesting that the general partners do not vote more consistently before the sponsors. Guy Wyser-Pratte also produces documents from two firms specializing in proxy voting investors (ISS and Broadridge). They would have gathered the voices of various U.S. institutional investors in favor of two resolutions A and B. Finally, he instructed the firm McKenzie to a total of U.S. investors vote in favor.

"In total, we can demonstrate that counting only the votes of shareholders represented by American myself, AllianceBernstein, Broadbridge and ISS, my application to the supervisory board received 44% of the vote of the quorum present at the meeting. In addition, it is likely that other European shareholders have also voted in my favor.I therefore request the AMF to conduct an investigation to understand the origin of the discrepancy between the results of the AG and the counting done by us, "said Guy Wyser-Pratte no faxing 1 hour payday loans. In 2010, the AMF had already audited BNP Paribas, which had been in charge of counting votes at the annual meeting of shareholders.

Returning to the issue today, Guy Wyser-Pratte hopes remobilize American and European shareholders for the next general meeting of 2012.

In March 2010, Guy Wyser-Pratte had burst into the capital of Lagardère by buying up 0.53% of the shares. He then publicly criticized the governance of the group protesting against the existence of a partnership limited by shares and had criticized the lack of strategy of management.The tone was mounted and Philippe Camus, a member of the sponsorship of the Lagardère group, the AMF had seized a few days before the general meeting, marveling at the distortion between saber rattling by Guy Wyser-Pratte and the reality of the impact of the two draft resolutions.

Strategy of focusing

Arnaud Lagardère had benefited from the rostrum of the General Assembly to address the critical Guy Wyser-Pratte. Some time after the general meeting, it had sold substantially all of its shares, pocketing a nice way to gain. Today, he is left only about 100,000 titles.

The tension had fallen, but after this episode heated, the Lagardère Group has implemented a strategy of refocusing on its core businesses – publishing, distribution, media and sport – and the country where he holds a position leadership.Suddenly, the group undertook to sell all of its minority, especially in Canal + France, the Amaury group and the group Marie-Claire. For now, these sales have stalled. However, Lagardère Active has led to the charge of selling most of its international press center to the American group Hearst, to 654 million euros. This represents a hundred titles in a dozen countries.

That markets expect the agreement after the United States - August 1, 2011

On the night of Sunday to Monday, an agreement was reached between Republicans and Democrats to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. A favorable outcome that immediately reassured the markets: when Barack Obama announced the compromise to 2:45 Paris time, Asian stock markets – open to this hour – surged after learning that the failure to pay the United States was avoided. The Nikkei in Tokyo rose 1.7% immediately before finishing up 1.34%. Later, in Europe, major indices also showed the green, like the Cac 40 in Paris, which opened up 1.35%, and the ragagnant 3700 points, the Footsie Londoner, who took 1.07 % and the Dax in Frankfurt (+1.5%).

Safe haven, gold subside sees the outbreak of the course, which showed great concern on the part of investors.The yellow metal, which was still worth almost 1630 dollars per ounce on Friday, and is around 1615 dollars fell on Monday.

Immediate response as the currency market, the dollar has suddenly taken against major world currencies, particularly against the yen (the dollar rose from 77.3 to 78 yen per hour), just after the announcement.

Reassured the markets for a while

But around noon on Monday, the dollar back down a little already, one euro was trading against 1.4437 dollars (0.23%). Same against the Swiss franc, another safe haven, which goes back to full speed against the dollar and finds its historical levels of force, to 0.78 Swiss francs to the dollar.

Thus, if the news is welcome, the markets are not won by the euphoria. They are waiting because the confirmation of the plan by a vote, or some Republicans have expressed strong opposition to the agreement.Already on the European stock markets, the increases are bunched together in mid-day. And on Wall Street indices predicted a future increase in the Dow Jones 1.3%. Not enough to make up for the fall of 4.4% registered in the past week.

Markets are also wary because the details of the agreement remain unclear. In addition, the debt ceiling would require a new vote in early 2013, after the presidential elections. Now remains to be seen how the rating agencies will react to reductions in planned expenditure, less important than they hoped. However, they have warned: even if the United States are not lacking, this would not prevent the AAA rating of the country may be degraded.In this case, markets may again sink into depression.

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The royal wedding impact growth - July 27, 2011

In London

It would be unfair to put all their back, but the marriage of Kate Middleton and Prince William has indeed drag on growth in the second quarter. The holiday offered to the British for the occasion has led to closures of factories, office buildings, helping to slow growth in the second quarter in Britain: 0.2% GDP growth, whichever comes first estimates published yesterday.

Other factors that have sealed-off growth: the heat of April, which reduced electricity consumption, and the drama of Fukushima, resulting in supply problems in the industry. Without these special events, growth reached 0.7%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The general view of economists, these figures are not brilliant but the disaster that some had predicted did not occur.The Economy Minister George Osborne is relieved: "The good news is that the UK economy continues to create growth and jobs." But the goal of annual growth of 1.7% is particularly difficult. Also believes the opposition does the government needs to soften its austerity policy: "These figures show that the return to growth has been strangled by the increase in VAT set up by George Osborne and lower costs budget, "said Ed Ball, a spokesman for Labour cash advance today.

"There is no plan B"

But it seems unlikely that the government changes its mind. "Our economy is stable right now because the government has taken tough decisions to take over the debt, Osborne continued. If we abandon this policy as some want, we will jeopardize the jobs and growth. "The Chancellor of the Exchequer is supported by the Liberal Democrat Minister of Commerce, that "there is no plan B. We must keep our commitment. " Vince Cable, that the Bank of England to support growth by easing monetary policy again.

Small encouraging sign: the sale of tickets for the Olympics began during the second quarter, but according to international conventions, will be counted in GDP at the time of the Games themselves, in a year. Alone it is 0.1 percentage point of growth, the ONS calculates.

Strike threat dismissed by Air France - July 23, 2011

Much bagaille should be avoided. While seven union stewards and hostesses of Air France had filed a strike notice for the next weekend (July 29 to August 1), the airline has come this Saturday morning to sign the minutes of end of conflict with union representatives. What not to many flight cancellations in the great cross-driven summer from July to August, and escape the nightmare scenario met in mid-July by the customers of Air Algeria. The Algerian company was also affected by a strike of its crews, resulting in the virtual paralysis of European flights to the country.

Whereas yesterday, the agreement has been finally found Saturday afternoon between the airline and the Inter (CGT, CFDT, CFTC, Unac, NPNC and UNSA), resulting in the lifting of the strike notice filed Monday.Only Southern Air has so far not given its approval. The seven organizations representing the commercial crews (PNC) called for the opening of negotiations on the organization of work, especially in the bases in the provinces, but also the medium-haul and long haul. This is now done, the group of Pierre-Henri Gourgeon has agreed to reopen discussions on the new rules of work (rest, compensation) provided to counter competition from low cost carriers.

Reopen negotiations next week

On this point, the flight attendants are opposed to such requirements in the new provincial bases (Marseille and Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux) and denounce the proposed removal of a sailing aboard the Airbus A319 payday advance.They are supported in their claims by two minority unions of pilots (SPAF and Alter) who in turn refused to lift their notice for the next weekend. "The company has agreed to supply four A319 in the PNC until September 15," said Philippe Sport at UNSA. If it is impossible to have this number, the flight attendants should receive compensation (rest or premium). For its part, Air France said that the continuation of strike notice SPAF and Alter would have no significant impact on traffic. The reopening of negotiations with the flight crew should take place in the course of next week.

Still, the difficulties are not entirely discarded the French company, far from it. Management must also deal with Algeria-leAir SNPL resumption of talks, the union super majority in pilots.While the SNPL signed to 54% the proposed new work organization. But this time, the battle moves to the front of pensions. The powerful union remains opposed to the proposed reform of the pension fund additional pilots. Where a notice of strike filed this time from August 5 to 8, another busy weekend on the front of air traffic and going on holiday.

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