Google is preparing to counter Apple in online video - August 30, 2010

Google and Apple do not agree no further time. Already competitors in the mobile and advertising, they prepare to pay back the video on demand (VOD). According to information from the Financial Times, Google "is currently negotiating with major Hollywood studios to launch a video service fee to the card by the end of 2010 the United States. With this enhanced client service, Google would be "neck-and-neck competition with Apple to dominate the digital distribution of films and TV content," the newspaper said.

At Google, renting movies is not entirely new. YouTube has since the beginning of the year. But the catalog is currently comprised mainly of works by independent studios, which attract few users. It should be completed by this time the great successes of the cinema, for rent as they are released on DVD.According to the Financial Times, Hollywood would have been seduced by the arguments of Google, which has a substantial pool of hearing.

Negotiations "in emergency"

These negotiations, which ran for several months, are now conducted "in emergency", as competition increases in the United States. The DVD rental company Netflix has completely redesigned its online service, through a monthly subscription. For its part, Hulu has benefited from the support of its shareholders Disney, News Corp. and NBC Universal to become the number two online video in number of visitors, behind YouTube. The site, which offers since its launch films and series for free, advertising, launched in August a section fee.

Google's main rival in the video rental property remains yet Apple.On Wednesday, Steve Jobs is expected to announce the arrival of television shows on iTunes for rent payday advance. Each episode would be 99 cents suggested by the American press, or the same price as a piece of music, and could be viewed for 24 hours. Until then, Apple proposed that these series as sales, two or three times more expensive. The choice of location, most popular, was reserved for movies.

For both IT groups, the issue is not simply to increase their income with online video, but also to make their devices more attractive to take a position in the salons. The iTunes videos are playable on Mac and PC, iPod, iPhone and iPad. A new version of Apple TV, the box that connects to televisions, is also in preparation.In front, Google is also preparing a range of appliances connected to TVs, with the help of Sony and Logitech.

"It's hard to convince the French suppliers'

According to the Financial Times, the Google service "would probably be launched first in the United States before being extended gradually to other countries. Negotiations abroad take effect in time. Apple has more than two years before proposing, in April, a few thousand movies for sale and rent in France.

Unlike music, Internet rights are often held by television stations and local media. "By outsourcing their content to Apple channels lose the freedom to set their prices and the relationship with their customers.Difficult to convince the French suppliers, "said Frederic Sitterlé, former Director of New Media and founder of the Figaro service VOD MySkreen independent. Conservative channels have preferred to have their VOD services. While discussing the opening of a joint French platform.

Under cash advance loan facility borrowers are not required to fulfill tedious faxing process.

The construction sector in deep trouble - August 25, 2010

While the European equity markets are struggling. But the values related to the construction sector underperforming the broad market on Tuesday. In case, a warning from the Irish group CRH: the largest producer of asphalt in the United States said it expected eventually to a 10% drop in profits for the year 2010 due to the fragility of the U.S. economic recovery.

Obviously, the penalty was not built until the stock market: shares tumble 16% HRA on the square in Dublin. And in its wake, Saint-Gobain and Lafarge, respectively dropping 5.43% and 4.94% and position themselves behind the curve on the CAC 40. Bouygues sold him, 3.65%. In Switzerland, Holcim loose 2.3%, while the pan-European Stoxx 600 index sector yield 4.2%.

Tough competition

Myles Lee, the CEO of HRA, said that the performance of the U.S. economy are "not good", but anticipate relapse into recession. "The economic news from the United States are disappointing and below expectations. It now seems clear that the economic recovery there, even if it occurs, will not be as strong than expected, "he said on Irish TV channel RTE.

Its chief financial officer, Albert Manifold, said his side as the weakness of the commercial construction activity and delayed investments of state and local governments in the United States had generated sales below expectations July and August, usually two months porters.

In addition, pressure on margins is increasing, so that several competitors are trying to reduce their prices, "said HRC.

Commodity prices and budgetary discipline

Harry Sebag, an analyst at Saxo Bank, explains that "businesses have impacted their margins and cut prices to gain market share." Already weakened, companies are also facing the weaker euro and higher commodity prices, driven by demand from emerging countries, which darken the outlook for the sector. Fiscal rectitude who moved to Europe and hence lower investment in construction, does shoved a bit more nail.

For the construction specialist in Europe, Euroconstruct, the sector should not resume until 2012.Particularly affected by the gloomy atmosphere, Ireland, Spain, and Portugal.

In France, since the beginning of the year, Lafarge has won over 37% in stock, Saint-Gobain, 24%, French Cement declined 19%, Vinci, Bouygues 14% and 12%.

A monitor, tomorrow, Wednesday, sales of new homes in the United States, which fall in the afternoon. On Tuesday, the bad news on the front sales of existing homes of great concern.

ALSO READ:

"The recovery in the construction ran out of steam

"The austerity weakens the construction sector

"No recovery in construction before 2012

Stress testing: the markets set the tone - July 26, 2010

On Monday, the opening of stock markets in Europe, banking stocks will be the center of attention. While Friday night, 18 o'clock – evening after the close of stock markets in Europe – results of stress tests reported only seven failures out of 91. That is to say that 92% of the banks examined have managed to maintain a solvency ratio of at least 6% by simulating economic conditions deteriorated.

But among them, banks posted September 10 called Tier One ratios between 6% and 7%. It's like having a BA of 10-11 overall average. Deutsche Postbank, Piraeus Bank, Allied Irish Banks, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Banca UBI, Bankinter and eight small Spanish settlements are on the list, which will be closely monitored by investors.The four French banks surveyed, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole and BPCE have all scored honorable.

On Monday, central bank governors and heads of Supervisors will meet in Switzerland to discuss the reform proposals on the strengthening of bank capital.

But after their success in tests of strength, European banks may find it difficult to argue that they can not apply a stricter financial regulation.

"Banks are ready to begin implementing the new rules are needed to strengthen the capital reserves and liquidity management of banks," also provided Vitor Constancio, Vice-President of the ECB. Basel III could thus move at a good pace.

Europe suspended the medical reports of its banks - July 19, 2010

There is a little over a year, the United States 19 U.S. banks subjected to stringent medical examinations. The release of the stress tests were then allowed to restore confidence in the U.S. banking system. Europe, undermined by the suspicion surrounding its banks, hoping to achieve the same success this week. Friday evening, 91 European financial institutions, including 27 Spanish, 14 German and four French, will unveil the results of "stress tests" concocted by the Committee of European Banking Supervisors. This measure of bank capital in the light of deteriorating economic environment. "We will see that all major European banks are in fact strong enough to withstand any earthquake either," Dominique Strauss-Kahn predicts.The director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) does not, however, that the tests reveal "by here and there, small financial institutions in trouble." Black spots are expected in the German Landesbanken, the cajas Spanish or Greek banks.

Operation Truth

Already, the fact that Europe agrees to engage in this exercise in transparency has alleviated some pressure on the markets in recent weeks. Especially after a shaky start, the finance ministers meeting in Brussels last week, promised to act "in a coordinated manner and with greater transparency that is, by Belgian Didier Reynders No fax cash advances .

Just stay to confirm. For this, two opposite pitfalls are avoided. The first is that everybody is received.These days, voices were raised across Europe to ensure that Irish banks here in Portuguese, there, or even the Belgian KBC and Dexia, had passed their entrance exam. If all European banks triumphed over the obstacles set by supervisors, this would destroy any credibility to the operation truth. At this stage, the discounts applied in testing the debt of peripheral countries like Greece or Portugal, have not been disclosed. Their severity will be watched closely.

Second risk, in contrast, the health bulletin proves very alarming. Analysts at Credit Suisse, amounting to 90 billion euros for recapitalization requirements, a level below the capacity of public funding available in Germany or Spain.In the end, "stress tests" are designed to prove that European banks hold the shock but rather that governments, even the new European support fund, are capable of supporting them. First answer Friday.

Sarkozy says his firm on pensions - July 14, 2010

"This is not my five-year reform, but reform is essential," says President of the Republic, during a television interview aired on France 2 Monday night. He has shown determination to stand firm on its positions to the point he claimed that the events planned in September "will not affect pension reform."

An overview of various issues discussed with the President of the Republic.

• Pensions: "Our system is a system breakdown. By definition, all the French are concerned, "said Nicolas Sarkozy in the introduction to his remarks on France 2 and retreats on the eve of the presentation of the bill put together by Eric Woerth in the Council of Ministers.

"I tell the 15 million retirees that will not affect their pension," he said beforehand.The Head of State said that 'those who started work before age 18 will retire at 60 "and defends its reform:" I try to be someone just is not easy " .

Nicolas Sarkozy also states that "any person who has a disability working at least 20% will leave at 60. And he concluded: "The 62 years we would not disturb the alignment of pension contributions public / private either. Of the rest, we will listen.

"L'Oreal does not move to another country"

• Tax Shield: Nicolas Sarkozy has again defended the tax shield system, which allows a taxpayer to pay not more than 50% of his earnings in taxes. "The tax shield is not an idea that I was like that when I woke up one morning. Our main competitor, customer and neighbor is Germany. I admire the German economic model.The shield has existed for over twenty years in Germany. I will do the same thing in France. "

He has claimed that Liliane Bettencourt "do not start in another country." According to the website Mediapart, the tax has paid 30 million euros to the billionaire Liliane Bettencourt in March 2008 under the tax shield.

Nicolas Sarkozy has also repeated that he would not abolish the wealth tax (ISF). "I believe that when you have money, it's okay to pay taxes," he said, recalling that "every country in the world, France is the most taxing the wealthy " free credit report and score.

Sarkozy refuses rigor and prefers "to be tough"

• Economic Policy: "We must restore the competitiveness of France.For this, we must work harder and catch up on investment, "said President of the Republic.

Asked about the rigorous measures taken by France to reduce the deficit, the President of the Republic has yet shown ambiguous. "The word is strictly neutral. That means lower wages and higher taxes. I will not do. However, I prefer to be tough for France to return to equilibrium.

• Deficit: The government has set targets to reduce the budget deficit in 2011 to 6% and 3% in 2013. "We'll get there," says Nicolas Sarkozy. "We have eliminated 100,000 employees in three years and remove additional 34,000 in 2011. I urge the community to do likewise. I call them to accountability.It is not normal that while the state made efforts in this area, they increase the number of their 34,000 employees.

While some economists believe that to achieve these objectives, a tax increase is necessary, the President of the Republic confirmed and signed. "I refuse to raise taxes because that would mean less investment by companies and less consumption by individuals," says the president.

• G20: The town of Evian (Haute-Savoie) will receive the next G20 Finance to be held in February 2011. "I have three goals. First, establish a new international monetary order. Businesses must compete on equal terms. Secondly, regulate the commodities market and especially in agriculture. And thirdly, change in global governance.Africa and Latin America should have a permanent seat on the Security Council of the UN. "

ALSO READ:

"Pensions: unions still oppose the reform

"SPECIAL REPORT – The challenges of pension reform" Sarkozy Woerth advised to leave the cash of the UMP

The government will not retreat on pension reform - June 26, 2010

If certain points of the pension reform remain "open to discussion" with the unions, the government will not go back. This was the message from Francois Fillon on Friday at a press conference at Matignon. After the day of action which drew between 797 000 and 2 million people across France, the Prime Minister is out of the reserve to a "front stage".

"Whatever the opposition, whatever their strength, we have a duty to ensure the funding of pensions for French", said François Fillon. According to him, longer working hours, and thus, delaying the age of retirement at age 62, is "the only truly effective parameter to avoid bankruptcy.""No engagement will not solve the demographic problem," still insisted the prime minister, noting that previous pension reforms of 1993 and 2003 had been "challenged" and "are now accepted by everyone."

New significant decline in the CAC 40 - June 23, 2010

This Wednesday is a symbol of a further decline in Paris at the opening of U.S. existing-home 40descend 1.07% to 3365.85 points at the gong. The key index had managed to keep the 3,700 points on Tuesday night, but the threshold has not kept in the first exchanges.

In Europe, stock markets have made concessions on Tuesday after nine sessions chained up on. Announcing the easing of exchange rate policy of China, made Saturday, had pushed world stock markets Monday. The first steps in this direction have been given yesterday and Wednesday, with two cuts in a row the central rate against the dollar. But in exchange, the effect was short-lived. And on Wall Street, poor statistics on the front of the immmobilier has cast a chill on the market.So, this morning, the main financial centers of the Asia-Pacific are following suit.

Around 9:00 on Wednesday, the euro is changing in a very slight increase. This rating 1.2285 dollar.

Economic News Authority

In France, the business climate in the French manufacturing industry fell slightly in June, according to the business survey released Wednesday by the INSEE. The synthetic indicator has lost two points to 95, its first decline since February, when economists on average expected stability.

Moreover, the index of activity in services climbed to 61.6 in draft cons 61.4 in May, its highest level since August 2006 and well above the 50 mark, which marks the boundary between expansion and contraction.

At noon, the Court of Auditors present its report on the situation and prospects of public finances.In Germany, the GfK consumer barometer, always watched closely, will be visible at 8:10. In the euro area, the first estimate of the PMI will be unveiled at 10:00.

And the United States, 16 hours, will be made public promises of home sales for the month of May, after a bad real estate statistics published in the ninth Tuesday: – 2.2% in volume last month, to 5.66 million units annualized. The traditional weekly crude inventories will be available at 16:30.

Finally, this evening after 20 hours, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Fed will issue its statement.Highly regarded by investors, note any change in the discourse of the Federal Reserve.

The rate strategists believe that Societe Generale U.S. Federal Reserve will raise its rates faster and stronger than expected by the market and call for caution on U.S. government bonds.

Banks suffer disproportionately

The banking sector remains to be monitored throughout the session. On Tuesday, he suffered a spate of bad news. In addition to degradation of the note in the long-term debt, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole said the cost of risk on its Greek subsidiary Emporiki would weigh 450 million euros more than expected.The BNP Paribas has yielded 1.92% and that of Crédit Agricole SA 4.69% Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the bank stocks sign the worst performance of the CAC 40 Again: Credit Agricole down 1.74%, BNP Paribas 1.54%, 1.5% Societe Generale.

Societe Generale: -1.5% to 36.8 euros Societe Generale will call Wednesday Kerviel just 4.9 billion euros in damages, a record amount corresponding to the loss she attributes to "fraud" its former trader. Yesterday, the former CEO of Societe Generale, Daniel Bouton, has admitted "failures in the control of the bank during his testimony before the Tribunal of Paris.

L'Oreal: -0.73% to 82.9 euros Paul Bulcke, Nestlé CEO, said in an interview with Reuters that his group had no plans to change the status quo in the capital World number one cosmetics, according to the shareholders agreement that binds to the Bettencourt family.

Alstom (-1.13% to 41.45 euros) and Areva (-1.6% 356.7 euros) Alstom no longer wants to marry with Areva. "To dance the tango, it takes two. Areva does not really want to dance. We no longer so eager to dance ourselves, "Patrick said Tuesday Kron, Alstom's Chairman, at the general meeting of shareholders.

GDF Suez: -0.7% to 25.9 euros The group reportedly asked the Commission to regulate the énegie to request a further increase in gas prices by 5%, according to Le Parisien.

Total: -1.25% to 39.6 eurosTotal and oil stocks are worthy of attention.The International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA) publishes 10:30 prospects of markets for oil and gas.

ArcelorMittal the world's number one steel company, announced Tuesday that the apparent demand and actual demand for steel would remain positive in the second half of the year, even if they should show a slowdown during this period. Lakshmi Mittal, the CEO that the slowdown in demand was due to seasonal reasons. The boss also said he did not think the steel industry return to its pre-crisis level until 2012.

EADS: -0.22% to 17.9 euros Airbus forecasts a near-doubling of its production of A320 aircraft in China, 48 aircraft in 2012, said Zhao Haishan, an official of the manufacturer in Tianjin in northern countries, quoted by the Xinhua news agency.

Vivendi: -1.56% to 17.71 euros The group has denied an Indian newspaper Economic Information Times that he would be in talks with Reliance Communications to take a 26% in the second mobile operator in India. [

Axa Insurance (-2%), CNP (-0.6%), Scor (balance) …: Values of insurance will also be regarded as the French Federation of Insurance Companies (FFSA) releases on the market situation and its prospects.

Renault-Nissan: -1.5% 33.34 euros The automaker Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, said he received 890 million yen (8 million euros at current exchange rates) for 2009 – 2010, making him one of the best paid bosses in Japan. Carlos Ghosn made the announcement at the annual general meeting of shareholders of the Japanese group, held Wednesday in Yokohama (Tokyo area).This does not include fees paid 1.24 million euros in 2009 he has received as CEO of the automaker Renault, Nissan's largest shareholder with 45.7% of the securities.

PSA Peugeot: -1.25% to 22.5 euros Peugeot Italy announced Tuesday it had signed an agreement with Sorgenia first private operator in the Italian electricity market created and controlled by Rodolfo De Benedetti, to launch its vehicle Electric Ion Italy.

France Telecom: -0.4% to 15.1 euros, the company announced Tuesday it would invest about 515 million euros over the next five years in its network in Switzerland a few weeks after abandoning its planned merger with Sunrise, blocked by the competition authority of the country.

Nexity: -2.35% to 22.4 euros The group announced the launch of its buyback program of up to 4.5% of its share capital, which will be followed by cancellation of shares they will be well acquired. This operation is designed to optimize the management of the group's balance sheet.

Switzerland refuses to give the U.S. the names of UBS clients - June 9, 2010

The Swiss parliament on Tuesday rejected the agreement for transmission to the United States of thousands of names of UBS clients suspected of tax evasion. Signed in August 2009 between Berne and Washington, the agreement had been challenged in January by the Swiss courts. Members of the National Council (lower house) spoke to 104 vote against the request for information from U.S. on a 4450 American clients suspected of having escaped from their taxes.

Several parliamentarians have yet tried to defend the agreement, citing the urgency of closing a thorny issue for the Swiss government and UBS. "With the uncertainty of a referendum, we extend a risky situation (and) put at risk cooperation with one of the most important economic partners" of Switzerland, the United States, has launched Hans Grunder (bourgeois Democratic Party Swiss center-right).

The Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf for his part called in vain to "close this painful chapter and resolve problems" of the Swiss financial center. The 76 votes cast in favor of the agreement have not made the weight. And because of disagreement between members, the document must pass before the Council of States (upper house) for a new vote. it should be held on Wednesday, the summer session ending June 18

Referendum

Elected officials have also decided to submit the agreement to hold a referendum. Under Swiss law, any citizen may indeed ask, if it meets 50,000 signatures in 100 days, the holding of a referendum on a bill. The people having the last word, any outcome of the vote is final and binding.

A delay or a final refusal, Bern that UBS could put as much in a difficult situation.it might first be seriously tarnished relations between Switzerland and the United States. For the first Swiss bank, a final rejection would be more harmful because it might again confront the prosecution in the United States, while still recovering from losses sustained during the astronomical financial crisis.

ALSO READ:

"UBS vote on the transfer of data

"UBS: U.S. data

"UBS fails to reassure customers

Tax havens: Ile-de-France attack - June 3, 2010

This is an unprecedented initiative in the world. For the first time, a local authority, Ile-de-France, will require full transparency of banks and other financial institutions with whom she wants to work, and this in the context of the fight against tax havens. More specifically, the regional council asked each year to its financial partners an overview of their activities and their relationship with the 18 non-cooperative states listed by the government. So far, only the city of Helsinki had thought about such an initiative without ever materialize.This election promise, launched by Europe Ecologie then taken up by the regional president Jean-Paul Huchon, was confirmed Wednesday, and will vote at the next plenary session of June 17

The resolution provides that before proceeding with financial institutions to borrow money or to arrange a bond issue, the Regional Council will ask them to clarify their relationships with states that refuse to sign agreements of transparency and exchange of information.The first Vice-President of the Regional Council of Marie-Pierre Gontrie (SP) said that "if some banks are choosing to continue their activities in these countries, these items are taken into account in our decision," No fax pay day loans .

The idea could swarm

The regional council "will reserve the right to modify and extend this mechanism, each year, given a report monitoring its application," explains Cecile Duflot, President of European Group Ecology and Robert Leo, new regional adviser Greens -EE and former CEO of Caisse des Depots et Consignations."These elements constitute a criterion for the decision to continue or begin to use the services of these banks," they said.

During the campaign, regional, Cecile Duflot was particularly criticized for BNP Paribas' main lender of the regional council ", to" work in many tax havens like the Cayman Islands, Jersey and Guernsey and Hong Kong. "

This innovative device could make small: other regions have expressed interest as the Champagne-Ardenne, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur or the Midi-Pyrénées.

ALSO READ:

"Tax havens: OECD new offensive

Bluefin tuna: tension in the Mediterranean - May 15, 2010

The French fleet of purse seiners in the Mediterranean ready to run the campaign the smallest in its history. From midnight Saturday, they have thirty days to collect more than 1 700 tonnes of bluefin tuna, cons 3000 tonnes in 2009 and 4500 tonnes in 2008.

Since Wednesday, the departure of vessels, mainly from the port of Sete, carried out under tension after the blockade organized by Greenpeace in the port of Frontignan (H?rault). "Their action is in response to concerns especially media and certainly not economic or environmental. Scientific reports write black on white that the bluefin tuna population is being rebuilt. And this year, the owners have made a huge effort to fit in the strictly legal framework enacted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).Fishermen are tired of being stigmatized as exterminators and thieves, "said Bertrand Wendling, director general of the fishing cooperative S?te (Sathoan). This year, fishermen in the Eastern Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean should not exceed 13 500 tonnes of sampling with equal quotas between Spain, Italy and France.

1500 affected families

The decision to reduce the fleet in 2010 (17 ships against 28 in 2009 and 32 in 2008) was dictated by a concern for profitability and demonstrate the willingness of fishermen. "Every fishing boat could therefore 100 tonnes this year, and we need a sample of 130-140 tons to balance expenses and depreciation. The financial sacrifice is a bet on the future.Because we believe the future of the bluefin tuna fishery, "said Jean-Marie Avallone, owner S?te history of tuna, which bind only three of its four boats manufactured in France since 2002 in the campaign, on board a auditor accredited by ICCAT.

For the weapons of Rosina Arthur Marseille, the sacrifice is even more eloquent: a four tuna catch. "The French fishermen from Mediterranean will be kept under strict surveillance for this campaign. By Will it be the same for illegal fishing vessels that will continue to take, without control, limitation or quota? "Annoyed Henry Square, the National Committee of Fisheries. The stakes are high for Mediterranean ports: "1500 families live in this fishery," according to Bertrand Wendling.This, despite the reduction of the "wing" and the price of tuna leveled between 5 and 8 euros per kilo (out of the boat).

ALSO READ:

"Controversy over the status of bluefin tuna

"The French fishermen plunged into anxiety

"Paris wants to ban tuna fishing