- November 26, 2011

No change of course. With the crisis, Geox, the brand of shoes and comfortable clothing, has a small air pocket. In the first nine months of the year, profit (63 million) were down almost 13%. Its products that breathe a little less appealing to consumers after two years of slipping revenues (850 million in 2010, -2%).

But Mario Moretti Polegato, president and founder of the Italian group, is convinced he has the magic potion to leave his company the right foot. Its number one priority: grooming claw stores where sales increased when they regress in 10,000 retail outlets distributing multi Geox.

"In the world capitals, we have significant retail space in prestigious places, he says. We already have a flagship store in Paris, Milan and Frankfurt.And we identified locations to open in Beijing and Shanghai. "

Symbol of this evolution: Geox opened three weeks ago a 300 m2 flagship Oxford Street in the heart of London. Outside the cities, the company, which already has a network thus stores (1099 stores worldwide), still wants the flesh: this year it will open 100 new outlets. And in 2012, it plans to add another hundred. In France, where it already has 75 stores, five openings are planned in the coming months. Particularly in Lyon, Toulouse and Marseille.

Cox signed a collection

"Furthermore, we will increase the average size of our stores and to increase from 120 m2 to 180 m2, detailing Mario Moretti Polegato.

- November 16, 2011

The European Commission on Tuesday launched its third offensive regulatory three years to reduce the power of rating agencies, suspected of fanning the debt crisis. Hardening through the option of civil action for misconduct or neglect, and a tight control of conflicts of interest.

The blunder of Standard & Poor's, mistakenly announcing the loss of the prestigious AAA of France, may have facilitated the political work of Michel Barnier."We need to ensure themselves of the risk we take," says Michel Barnier.

To achieve this, Brussels lists practical steps payday loans in 1 hour. Any investor can sue for damages "for serious misconduct or gross negligence" of a rating agency. A state will have a period of 24 hours to respond to a rating before it is published. Agencies should be transparency in their methodology.

A special chapter is intended to reduce conflicts of interest. It limits cross-ownership between the agencies and their clients. It also introduces the requirement for a borrower to change the agency after three years (or six if two competing uses).

Philips eliminates 4,500 jobs - October 18, 2011

"Unfortunate but inevitable to become a company agile and competitive," with these words that Franz Van Houten, CEO of Philips since last April, has justified the 4500 job cuts (about 140,000 worldwide) announced Monday by the group. These job cuts are the result of a plan to reduce the cost of 800 million euros that the Grupe has put in place.

During the third quarter, Philips saw net profit of 85% melting, falling to 76 million euros, sales almost stable at 5.3 billion euros.

The decrease results from Philips is attributable to a decline in margins in almost all its businesses, affected by higher raw material prices and a loss of 54 million euros in the only television division.

The Netherlands announced in April the creation of a joint venture with Chinese TPV, which was to hold 70%. The operation is more complicated and time than expected to implement. Philips announced on Monday again consider all options for this activity, including abandonment, in the event that negotiations with TPV unsuccessful.

Conservative prospects

Among the plus side, the management has sought to highlight the sales growth in developing countries and the good of his health and Lighting divisions. The turnover of the latter rose by 8% over the period, including one worn by 32% growth in sales of LED. But as for the rest of the group, margins were sealed by higher raw material costs.

The group is also very prudent for future prospects.Thus, sales of its health division, specializing particularly in medical imaging, depend largely on government decisions for Buget hospitals.

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The Asian market takes hope - October 11, 2011

Asian stock markets on Tuesday were in turn carried by the optimism that won the scholarships in Europe and the United States yesterday. The promise, made Sunday in Berlin speaks French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are bearing fruit. Hopeful, investors await the answers to the debt crisis in the euro area are expected before early November. They also expect to learn more about the plan to recapitalize weak banks in the region.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Nikkei sets the tone. At the end, he won 1.95% to 8773.68 points. The Topix, broader, took 1.81% to 755 points. The Tokyo Stock Exchange was closed yesterday because of a holiday and had not yet responded to the ads of the Franco-German. The Nikkei is notably supported by exporters who find the values ​​of the force with the weaker yen against the euro.The single currency is changing around 104.50 yen this morning, well above its record low in a decade reached on October 4, at 100.76 yen. Sony gained 5.58%, 5.64% Ricoh, Sharp and Toshiba 3.44% 5.55%. The automotive sector is doing well also: Honda Motor rising from 6.03% Hyundai 3.6% and 2.12% of Toyota.

State intervention with Chinese banks

The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and Shanghai are also in the green bad credit pay day loans. At 7:00, they earn 3.26% respectively to 18,287 points and 0.72% at 2361 points. Financial stocks pull the score up after a share buyback of the main state banks by sovereign wealth fund China Huijin. According to brokers, this operation is to stabilize the financial system in China.In Hong Kong, around 7:15, the actions of the banks concerned fly: Agricultural Bank of China jumped 15.09% so, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China of 7.92%, China Construction Bank gained 7.04% and of China 8.94%.

Other markets in the region are also in good spirits. The Korean Kospi gained 1.89% to 1799 points, the S & P Australian advance of 0.47% to 4220 points and the Indian Sensex climbed 0.86% to 16,699 points.

Oil stabilizes

Oil was steady Tuesday in Asia, maintaining its gains made the previous day, in a market supported by the will of France and Germany to resolve the crisis of government debt in Europe and disruptions in oil exports to Kuwait due to a strike by customs officials who demanded an increase in their wages.

A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in November gained 18 cents to 85.59 dollars.A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery gave a small 14 cents to 108.81 dollars.

A turbulent stock market history for Dexia - October 5, 2011

In recent years, Dexia has moved from an institution offering a regular dividend to a penny stock that ruined its shareholders. The action is worth more than 1.06 euro on Tuesday, down 94% in five years. Until 2010, Dexia was part of the CAC 40 after entering in 1999. We now know the epilogue of a story that could be summed up in three parts: the time of ambitions, a last-minute rescue and collapse.

In 1996, the marriage of Credit Local de France and Credit Communal de Belgique is celebrated with great pomp. It gives birth to a bank player in the financing of local authorities in both France and Belgium. Rather than focus on this specialty, the leaders will demonstrate a burning ambition in the years that follow. The acquisitions will increase. Nothing is too good for executives who leave the checkbook repeatedly.No matter if capital does not follow. Access to liquidity seems unlimited and redemptions can be easily financed. Dexia is the time highly rated by rating agencies.

In 1997, Dexia is a 40% stake in the Italian specialist of financing local authorities. Units held will be brought to 60% in 1998. Especially in 2000, Dexia made two acquisitions that will prove disastrous. The property bought FSA in the United States for 2.7 billion euros. This company called credit enhancer has become over the years one of the insurance behemoth of financial securities. Moreover, again in 2000, Dexia bought Bank Labouchere. A few years later, a scandal will cost several hundred billion euros to Dexia. It turns out that customers of Labouchere bought shares on credit, the establishment of incentive. The crash of 2001-2002 and ruined.

Payment of a dividend is known to be regular and copious

At the time, financial analysts and portfolio managers criticize little Dexia. The bank made steady progress in earnings per share. It pays a dividend is known to be regular and plentiful. Many individual shareholders, entered the capital of Crédit Local in 1991 and have remained loyal to Dexia. No one really makes the fact that the risk profile of the bank has been completely changed.

In 2004-2005, Dexia is the subject of many rumors of marriage. Pierre Richard, the head of the bank, Dexia is that merged with the Italian Sanpaolo. He turned down its directors and officers in Italy. In September 2005, leaders refuse to merge with Dexia Fortis. Rumors of an alliance with Societe Generale also circulating, but nothing concrete emerges from the noise corridor.At the end of 2005, the action is close to 20 euros.

In 2006, is welcomed. It enables Dexia to enter the promising market of the local retail banking. In late April 2007, Dexia's most button above historical 24.51 euros.

Its subsidiary FSA is vulnerable

When the subprime crisis broke, the bank is discreet. She knows that its subsidiary FSA is vulnerable. The leaders tried to reassure but the 2008 financial crisis and the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers will put the institution to its knees. In autumn 2008, the CDC, the State and the Belgian regions implement a capital increase of EUR 6.4 billion. In addition, the Belgian, French and Luxembourg governments were forced to implement security to enable the bank to borrow again.

Despite reduction measures and restructuring the balance sheet, and his teams have not managed to recover the bank.The task was daunting given a totally unbalanced balance sheet. The latest figures, Dexia had 6.9 billion euros of capital to 517 billion euros of assets. Shareholders are ruined and no one said that the action could still have value in the coming months. As for local governments, many of them are dissatisfied because the Dexia led to raise loans in Swiss francs to take advantage of the difference in interest rates. Only the value of the Swiss franc has soared, and the weight of loans proved unbearable for many communities.

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In Marseille, Air France made its "revolution" - October 1, 2011

This Saturday is the big day of the first Air France flight operated since its "base" of Marseille. A double "revolution" for the French company. This, after the creation of Transavia, made a new incursion into the territory of low-cost, with an offer less expensive than its usual rates. Low prices made possible by an innovative organization that plans to base in Marseille to Paris and not personnel and aircraft. The flight time of the first will be more concentrated, and rotating equipment more efficient, allowing the company to realize operational cost savings estimated at 15%. 130 pilots and 250 flight attendants volunteered.

LE FIGARO. – Air France opens its first base on Saturday from province to Marseille will be followed by Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux.What are your rules for the selection of the fifty new roads you open on the four bases?

Bruno Matheu. – On each base, some of the routes we operate already own and through our regional subsidiaries will see capacity increase as in Marseille and Lille. Due to lower our costs, we can offer a very innovative pricing. In addition, there will be many new destinations: 13 from Marseille. We chose these routes according to their traffic potential, but also their competitive position.We have deliberately avoided the roads on which two low-cost competition or are already in those to the hubs of our main European competitors.

In the current state of reservations, are there any lines that work better than others, especially when they compete with an offer of low-cost companies like Ryanair?

Among the destinations that start strong include new routes to the Middle East (Beirut, Istanbul). We offer "all inclusive", which is not the same as that of a low-cost, has found its place.The many services that are and will remain free: registration, a snack on board, the daily press … make the trip easier and more enjoyable credit score.

What do these bases to Air France?

In addition to new roads, with the creation of databases province is a small revolution that is underway within the company towards more decentralization, towards more accountability. Each base will function like a small company with the Regional Director will be the "boss". Commercial agent of call, hostess, steward or pilot, everyone has a responsibility to Marseille. The objective is to improve responsiveness while being firmly rooted in local life.The strong motivation of our teams will enable us to do.

Lyon Why does it not in your list of bases?

In Lyon, our current operation in place for many years, follows a different logic: the planes converge to Lyon early in the morning to feed a first range of correspondence, while on the bases they make their first step at the start of the base. In addition, our policy is much more focused on business passengers. However, discussions are ongoing and we do not exclude changes in our model Lyon.

Are there mass transport from province to province?

The cross-linking major regional cities without passing through Paris undoubtedly represent a real potential for Air France and its regional subsidiaries. Today the car is our main competitor in this type of lines.To us to convince potential customers of the benefits of air transport. The basics of province should be involved.

Why the market capitalization of major airlines is so low?

Air transport is a cyclical business and sensitive to the economic development because the traffic is directly related to growth. Uncertain times we penalize strongly, especially where oil, which accounts for 30% of our costs, is at levels as high. But our current market capitalization does not reflect the value of our business portfolio or that of our assets.

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The difficult conversion of athletes - September 25, 2011

Leaving a few weeks ago his book "When I was Superman," the former professional rugby player Raphael Poulain thought might not meet such a promotion for his first work. His testimony, however, echoes the experience of dozens of former athletes who have not managed early enough or seriously enough after their career. While attempting an acting career, the former player of the French stage is always at RSA …

Carefree, career fantasy, sports drink business … there are many pitfalls to a successful second career. "The Transformation of an elite athlete must be thought as soon as possible, even if the training choices that we made 18 years are not necessarily the same as the desires of end of career," insists Bruno Martini Former goalkeeper of France handball and now general manager of the Paris Handball.

"As soon as possible"

Do nothing in a hurry: the board is now accepted by all players around athlete (coaches, associations, consulting companies to sports, some agents). Many entities are trying to build bridges between the world of sport and of the company. Renault, official partner of the XV of France, has just launched with Proval (union of professional rugby players), a program offering a career to former professional players. One type of initiative more often the values ​​of the sporting world (fighting spirit, a taste for effort …) are highly valued in the business world.

In fact, the discourse is much more difficult to move among young people, especially in sports most media, such as football."Today a young footballer aged 15-16 in the training center already won 500 to 600 euros per month and turned professional at 18, with a nice salary," explains Sébastien Pampanay, director of the Ecole des sports occupations professional, working with football clubs on the training of young athletes. "Even in lesser-known individual sports such as tennis, table tennis a young age of 16 wins in the good clubs from 3500 to 4000 euros net per month. After that, go ask them to pass the exam! "Adds Thierry Maudet, executive director of the National Sports Institute, expertise and performance (INSEP), which trains and prepares high-level individual sports.

Social responsibility of clubs

The less publicized sports such as handball and volleyball are in turn more favorable to a successful conversion.Less concerned with early and huge income, keep young athletes' head on his shoulders. " Especially as their media visibility weaker does not help sponsors and advertising contracts very generous. "Clubs are beginning to understand they have a social responsibility on the support of their post-professional players," said Bruno Martini, 80% of its players are trained parallel.

In rugby, the professionalisation of sport sometimes lose their heads to the younger generations, but those who experienced the period amateur took the lead. With varying success. Kémana Spa, the spa center of Serge Betsen, former International XV of France, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year for lack of sufficient involvement in the management of his company he acknowledges himself.Not enough to scald his brothers studs, "who do not know offline realities professionalism," said Miguel Fernandez, players' agent. " Of the 30 French rugby parties in New Zealand, 14 have a side like Lionel Nallet (mechanical parts), Imanol Harinordoquy (clothing brand) or Vincent Clerc (Team One Group: event and sports marketing).

However, despite the good will, training remains a matter of priorities, and even sacrifices. His 30-year well underway, Bruno Martini had to change twice before finding a club in Nimes framework laid him to spend his degree club manager.

Fault lines as sports

Overall, fault lines affect the earliness and quality of the preparation of a post-career.Whether you are male or female, international sports or not, and in a team sport or individual management of retirement sports varies widely. However, the main difference between the high-profile sports and the more confidential. In the first case, the financial gains will promote a higher awareness of the athlete against the importance of rapidly forming a capital, and form. "In France, only 150 players on the 2000 working professionals do not have to worry financially for a second life project, warns Sébastien Pampanay. However, thinking of his conversion is still not part of the natural gait of a professional football player, unlike other sports where the mentality is different. "

For example, the judoka Décosse Lucie, triple world champion and European champion four of his discipline follows a parallel training as a journalist with the CFJ. A woman in an individual sport, the economy far less developed than that of football or rugby would be aware of any financial potential of his career. But exceptions exist, such as media Mickaël Landreau, footballer and current goalkeeper of the club Lille LOSC, now in training (master of management).

Ultimately, the issue of supervision and training of the athlete according to his discipline are crucial. "There is not a sport, but sports, with different realities, warns of Insep Thierry Maudet. The current problem is that we have cloned the same mode of organization for all disciplines.A gymnast has a volume of training equal or even greater than that of a footballer, to operate in a sport to the economic model does not exist! ". From this point of view, the family and the maturity of the sport often make the difference. "Too many young athletes are not yet aware of these constraints. They dream to come true in their sport, "career" and to live, says the head of school sport. We must make them understand that their responsibility in the field, it should be taken also in life. "

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3D movies are no longer on the rise - September 21, 2011

A reversal? 3D movies, which have attracted a global craze with the release of Avatar two years ago, no longer win the accession with the French public. This is the conclusion of a survey conducted by the online trade magazine Le Film French, and Allociné UP3D this summer with a sample of 11,867 respondents aged 15 to 64. Against all odds, the audience would have preferred to see 80% 2D 3D movies … because of the price (35%), discomfort glasses (25%), the images are too dark (15%) or the migraine (15%) or simple rejection of the 3D (10%), the study said. Even better, viewers have seen impose regret this format and not being able to only 27% choose to see the film in 2D.

Moreover, only 20% of viewers are satisfied with the quality of 3D against 57% who are not.Finally, the audience was quick to tell the difference between films shot in 3D directly and adjustments made after a shooting in 2D. 40% of respondents are low marks for quality movies converted to 3D in extremis.

Debate raging in the big Hollywood studios

The Médiamétrie, which just made the trade magazine Cinema side a study on the digitization of cinemas, also notes "that public disaffection for 3D and shortness of admissions." But stresses Aurélie Rix, director of the film to Médiamétrie, "operators are still in the 3D and digital opportunity to bounce back by opening their screens with other forms of entertainment and projections such as concerts or sporting events.Enough to return to the class rooms of viewers who had abandoned the big screen. "

Film Studies and French Médiamétrie fall even more steeply that the debate has raged all summer in the big Hollywood studios face the same public resistance which gradually moving away from 3D screens to return to the conventional screen. In its edition of August 12 the very serious Wall Street Journal noted that if 70% of revenues from Alice in Wonderland 3D projections came in 2010, however, 57% of viewers were content to the 2D projection of the last Harry Potter Business Card Holders. There were only 45% choose the 3D much for The Green Lantern and Kung Fu Panda, and 47% for the last Pirate of the Caribbean.In comparison, Avatar, despite the lack of 3D displays of the time, had achieved 75% of its revenue projections through 3D.

Minimize the reversal of consumers

This loss occurs even Hollywood has doubled its number of 3D productions for 2011 compared to the previous year. As many as 16 films planned for this year. Not least because the three main sponsors of the American cinema – Francis Ford Coppola (Twixt), Martin Scorsese (Hugo) and Steven Spielberg (Tintin and the Secret of the Unicorn) – announced rotate in 3D. Not to mention that Ridley Scott is preparing its new Alien, named Prometheus. They try to minimize this reversal of consumers claiming the quality of films.In essence, they recall that a bad movie is always a bad film and even 3D viewers the sanction as such.

Add to this the fact the United States the number of cinema admissions fell by 9% over the first six months of the year and the animated films, privileged territory of the 3D n ' have much more coast than in the past. Rio de la Fox, Paramount and the Rango Hop Universal have jointly made fewer entries than Shrek 3, four years ago, noted the New York Times last May.

What lead to the skepticism of financial markets, the Wall Street Journal, the stock market would have penalized companies specializing in 3D technology, such as RealD. All indicators that are forcing studios to rethink their strategy for production and slow down.Bad news for manufacturers of 3D TV, 3D content eager to boost their sales to come.

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Lagarde calls for collective action - September 14, 2011

Christine Lagarde calls on rich countries to take action to avoid the risk of recession. "Those who have the fiscal space should support growth," said she, thinking probably in the United States, provided they undertake to reduce their deficits also sustainable in the medium and long term.

But the executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) who received Tuesday in his new office in Washington a few journalists, mainly discussed the situation in Europe. "The time for action, collective action, bold action and immediate action" said the former French Minister. "My role is to ensure that this call to action is heard," an implicit reference to the frustration of many in the IMF, but also in the markets, given the way in which European countries are reluctant to take unpopular measures to save the euro."I can not think that governments do not share my opinion," she says diplomatically.

His call to action includes both the need for countries like Greece and Italy to adopt measures for compelling the markets and stick to it. For some it is better to collect such tax revenues, for others to reform the state to better utilize resources. Announced and voting reform is necessary, but everything is in "implementation, implementation, implementation, she repeated three times, it is only that way that market confidence can return "

Greek sacrifices

But his call is also likely that Germany seems reluctant on the need to persevere in the implementation of plans designed to aid in Athens by the European Union, the ECB and the IMF.The context of the commentary Christine Lagarde, namely the conversation expected in the coming hours between Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy and George Papandreou, is crucial. The IMF wants surely as German pressure on Greece to be productive, so that the deficit reduction commitments are kept. But the IMF also wants the Greek sacrifices and new adjustments decided by George Papandreou will be rewarded with the continued support of the first countries in the euro zone to avoid a default that would have significant systemic implications.

On the controversial issue of the urgent need to increase the equity of European banks, Christine Lagarde has wanted to avoid adding fuel to the fire. Distrust of markets that precipitated sharp falls in the prices of banks reflects a serious crisis of confidence."We are close to an open banking crisis" such as Judge Mohamed El-Erian, head of PIMCO, one of the largest investment funds in the world.

Calling Christine Lagarde late August to urgent recapitalization of banks, if necessary with public funds, was poorly received by the European authorities. "I do not back down. But I return to the reasons why the IMF thinks so. We have two objectives: growth and employment. Or to feed growth and create jobs, we need credit … it is necessary that banks' balance sheets are healthy … do not fear the crisis of sovereign debt will result in a too fast and that banks limit their lending to the economy, "said the CEO. This is also now late in the day that the institution will release its persectives the global economy.

Meanwhile, she prepares the next week the annual meetings of IMF member countries and the World Bank. The former French Minister of Economy said "not to have changed since moving to the IMF … but I changed my perspective … I see things differently. Since this post I see more interconnections between countries and I see better what countries have an interest to act collectively in the interest of the economy "rather than strictly individual interest.

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The Vendée Globe skippers looking for sponsors - September 8, 2011

This is unprecedented in the history of the Vendée Globe, which will start the 7th November 10, 2012 from Les Sables d'Olonne. At 14 months of departure, half of the expected plateau of the skippers in this race around the world solo, nonstop and without assistance, has not found sponsors to support them.

In detail, the organizers of the event have so far received confirmation of the participation of twelve sailors, including Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec), Vincent Riou (PRB), Kito de Pavant (Bel) or Armel Le Cléach yet '(Banque Populaire).However skippers also titled (thirteen in all) that Jeremiah Beyou (last winner of the Solitaire du Figaro), Yann Elies, Jean Le Cam, Raphael Dinelli (four Vendée Globe on the clock) or the revelation of the last Vendée, the British Sam Davies, is currently docked for lack of partners.

"You can imagine without the Vendée Globe sailors who all have unique or promising career," says Denid Horeau, Race Director. Given the urgency of the situation the organizers (SAEM Vendée) and its partners (the food company Sodebo, the General Council of Vendée and the town of Les Sables d'Olonne) organized a demonstration on Thursday that aimed to évémentielles agency relationship, prospects and sports."We hope that this current waiting list quickly becomes a list of registered voters," insists Jean-Pierre Champion, President of the FFV (French Sailing Federation).

No need to budget staggering

Although it is difficult now to convince the business community to mobilize in the sports sponsorship budgets in times of economic crisis and financial uncertainty, the race around the world (known as the Everest of the Seas) intends to assert its assets.

They are obviously many: 1.7 million viewers for the start in Les Sables, or the arrival in the village, some 466 hours of television (which highlight the boats and the names of their sponsors), near 59 million Internet users after the race …."Since our commitment to sailing in 1998, media coverage amounted to more than 82 million euros," says Pascal Cadorel, communications director of the family group Sodebo, which also sponsors Thomas Coville. As for his reputation, it was multiplied by 18 over the same period. Return on investment, media coverage, mobilizing tool in-house employees: Vendée Globe partners have increased their arguments persuasive and have wanted to attract new investors.

"No need to get on the Vendée Globe with staggering budgets. Even small projects can impact winning, "repeated Christopher Chabot, CEO of Akena Verandas, which posted 25 million euros in sales when it is committed to sailing in 2004.Today Arnaud Boissières sponsor, the group is No. 1 manufacturer of conservatories from individuals and has 700 employees. "This is the works council who insisted that we continue the adventure in sailing," said he. That's why he campaigned for SMEs to join the adventure and trying experience of sailing sponsorship.

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