- 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).

Android dethrones Apple application downloads - October 26, 2011

It's the end of a reign without sharing. Android has become the leading provider of applications, thus dethroning Apple. In the second quarter 2011, the interface for mobile and Google has granted 44% market share against 31% for iOS, passing the 500,000 mark downloaded applications.

Android benefits from the significant increase in the number of users, which has increased significantly over the observation period, while the followers of the Apple brand awaiting the launch of the iPhone 4GS in early October. A study by ABI Research, there are now 2.4 Android users for a user to iOS in the world no fax pay day loan. It will be three to one in 2016. However, the number of applications downloaded per capita is higher among Apple fans, who download almost twice as those of Google.

Booming, the market for applications whets the appetite.Analysts forecast 29 billion downloads this year, against only 9 billion last year. Growth related to the use of smartphones, which grow exponentially. Holders of such smartphones are expected to grow 46% in 2011.

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Nikkei up, confident in the euro area - October 24, 2011

After finishing the week on his guard, down 0.04% to 8,678.89 points last Friday, the index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange is in pressed green area on Monday, gaining 1.69% just prior to closing. The markets reacted positively after the summit in the euro area this weekend, to put an end to the debt crisis. Meeting in Brussels, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel Sunday near their positions on the fateful question of European bailout fund and its clout in the marketplace. However, on request of Germany, the final decision will be taken until the night of Wednesday to Thursday, after another conclave of crisis.

Other Asian markets followed the upward trend in the Nikkei.The Hang Seng index of Hong Kong Stock Exchange rose 3.92% to 18,731.70 points, the CSI 300 Shanghai 0.66% to 2524.45 points, the Kospi index in Shanghai 2.86% to 1891 points, the BSE Sensex 30 in Mumbai 1.76% to 17,080.30 points the FTSE Straits Times of Singapore 1.95% to 2765.21 points and the S & P / ASX 200 Index 2.65% 4251.80 points Sydney.

Considering the situation "very complex", Nicolas Sarkozy has sought reassurance "negotiations progress on the issue of banks on the issue of Greece, things are progressing," he said. Selun President of the Republic, "a broad agreement is emerging on strengthening the EFSF." For its part, Angela Merkel added that the proposed model does not imply the ECB, as advocated by France.Clearly, the European bailout fund (EFSF) leverage its resources, but no new States' contribution of the euro, or use means unlimited in principle of the ECB. With leverage, the EFSF-today with $ 440 billion, and could see his strike force raised in 1000 or € 1500 billion.

The euro against the dollar stable

In addition, the euro area is considering creating a special fund that could be echoed by emerging countries to stem the debt crisis payday loans. China has expressed particular the possibility of financial support.Still, this idea is controversial, some states are reluctant to explicitly request the help of Beijing, according to diplomatic sources cited by AFP.

Until particularly critical of the slow pace until the EU to manage the crisis, the IMF, through its Executive Director Christine Lagarde, immediately praised the "very good progress" on Sunday. "It was really an effective meeting, and I hope it is really in the right direction for Wednesday," she insisted.

In addition, manufacturing activity in China rebounded in October after three successive months of contraction, according to preliminary PMI HSBC on Monday.The PMI purchasing managers calculated by the Bank rose to 51.1 in October, against 49.9 in September.

The hope of ending the crisis in Europe supports banking stocks

As a result of signals in the euro zone considered good, banking stocks rose. In Japan, Nomura Holdings gained 2.47% to 291 yen. While in Australia, Commonwealth Bank of Australia rose by 2.69% to 48.83 yen.

Also note that the Renault-Nissan hopes to sell 1.5 million electric cars in the world within five years, said Nissan (0.58% at 696 yen to the Tokyo Stock Exchange) on Monday in the part of a respect for the environment.

Oil prices were up in early trade Monday morning in Asia in electronic trading in the morning, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for December delivery gained 8 cents to 87.48 dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange .Hand currency, the euro is stable against the dollar on Monday, the single currency displayed in the balance dollars 1.389 (-0.02%).

Sony creates a helmet for movies and 3D games - October 23, 2011

The immersion is total. Sony caused a sensation at the Salon of video games Porte de Versailles in Paris, showing for the first time in France, his helmet virtual reality video games and movies in 3D.

By this headset, the viewer looks at the images as if they were in the middle of a movie theater in front "of a screen 19 feet wide and 20 meters away," providing its designers. Perception is indeed surprising. Two small screens (in the technology known as OLED, the most advanced flat panel displays) replace the glass of each pair of glasses. As each screen projects an image of the other complementary to each eye, the viewer has the perception of stereoscopic vision. Refreshing images done in record time (0.01 seconds), giving an impression of fluidity. Immersion increases when the music and the sounds coming out of headphones.Better than a stereo sound quality was improved (as 5.1, for the purists). Suitable for a game console PlayStation 3, Sony headphones, codenamed HMZ-T1, provides a home theater guaranteed approval cash advance loans.

Price from 800 euros

Technology has made progress since the first generation of virtual reality goggles in the late 1990s, designed by the American group including Silicon Graphics.

In the show, to demonstrate the immersion in video games, Sony has coupled his special helmet to the video game Uncharted 3: the illusion of Drake, launched exclusively for the PS3. With a gesture of the hand on the joystick, and the gun is triggered, another movement, the landscape of the game is running.

This revolutionary headset will be sold in mid-November. But technology has a price, very high in this case: 800 euros.What Sony does not expect to sell hundreds of thousands on the occasion of Christmas.

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Post will host mini-markets Petit Casino - October 19, 2011

Post mail, package and fill out the refrigerator in one place. This is the idea of ​​the Post Office, which seeks to exploit its unused surfaces since the closure of distribution centers mail. Casino won the tender and signed a five-year contract with the real estate subsidiary of La Poste, Poste Immo. Fifty convenience stores Petit Casino will open in early 2012 adjacent to the local post offices, in municipalities with fewer than 12,000 inhabitants.

The Petit Casino will have a separate entrance and will be approximately 200 square meters. Their selection will be tailored to local customers, "he will propose a point of warm bread if the village does not have a bakery, and salads to eat on the run over pedestrians in places," said Jean-Pierre Lanzetti, who heads the branch close to Casino.

The distributor further strengthens its leadership in the food trade of proximity.A total of 6700 stores Petit Casino, Casino shopping, shop Casino, Spar and Vival exist in France.

Post this partnership ensures that help to lower its real estate costs and that can "boost territories and improve service provision and attractiveness of city centers."

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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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Europe prepares its banks to a shock on Greek debt - October 13, 2011

European politicians finally seem on the verge of their act together on the Greek case and the measures to try to resist contagion. The prospect of a consensus at the summit of October 23 has heightened expectations of financial marcéhs Wednesday.

The signal came from Paris, where the government is out of the woods on the delicate issue of recapitalizing banks with public funds. "We have no doubt about the strength of French banks but there is turbulence in financial markets that cause the increase of capital of European banks has become a necessity," conceded Valérie Pécresse, Minister for the Budget and is speaking for the government.

If Bercy always prefers a recapitalization by the "private capital", the Minister acknowledged that France was willing to inject itself of public money to support its banks.But only "if necessary, ultimately," insists on all sides. Still, Paris is on the side of Germany, who suspected her of wanting rather to apply the European Stability Fund (EFSF), to avoid jeopardizing its AAA. Now for Berlin, there is no question that States have the means to put themselves out to the pocket have had recourse to the help system mutusalisée what the Fund. "The EFSF can lend to some countries who need loans to recapitalize their banking system, France will not appeal there," committed Valérie Pécresse. If banks do not hammer need to be recapitalized, the French government, however, stand ready, in case …

Paris is therefore close to Berlin. And position strangely similar to that outlined Wednesday by José Manuel Barroso.Calling for a "fully coordinated approach," the President of the European Commission has called on banks to beef up their capital "temporarily" but "emergency". Private funds, public money or relief of EFSF, that each country is doing: Europe is the strength of its banking system can no longer be doubted.

30% to 60% discount

For this, the European banking supervisor is the maneuver. According to the Financial Times, the European Banking Authority will impose a hard capital ratio of 9%, a considerable jump from 5% who had served as a reference during stress tests in July. All, by mid-2012. But the effort goes further. The supervisor collects the latest encryption on sovereign debt portfolios of the banks to deduct equity securities on these discounts applied by the markets.

If the bank building is now consensus among European politicians is that a taboo is jumping, that of non-payment of Greece. Of course, nothing is official act. But when Barroso calls for "decisive action on Greece" to qd'assurer the viability of the Greek economy is emerging between the lines a massive debt waiver. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou does not hide the power struggle in which he was hired: "We negotiate every day to reduce this debt." Of "responsible for the euro area" quoted by Reuters are considering the possibility of a cross on 30% to 50% of Greek debt.The President of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, has even mentioned a discount of more than 60% earlier in the week before his entourage back-pedal.

For now, banks consider in their accounts that they must give up 21% of their claims of Athens, in accordance with the agreement of July 21. It is to be able to take the shock of restructuring more violent they are asked to display ratios above reproach.

Meeting turned to Merkel and Sarkozy - October 10, 2011

Faced with the fear of a general banking collapse, the Franco-German couple is once again under the spotlight. And once again, things are not simple. Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday in the German capital to "speed up" with Angela Merkel the implementation of the bailout of a Euro still full turbulence. The urgent need for the French president and German chancellor, is to flatten their differences on the use of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) and reach a tentative agreement on the thorny issue of the recapitalization of banks.

Angela Merkel ruled Thursday that "there was a need to recapitalize, it would be reasonable to invest money" in terms of what could cost an emergency rescue industry.But she insists on the fact that the Fund will be used to bail out financial institutions on the condition that states can not themselves "to support the recapitalization of their banks' and it puts" endangered the euro area as a whole. "

In fact, Paris Berlin suspected of wanting to directly use the emergency fund to recapitalize banks weakened by the prospect of a debt reduction Greek. "The French have misunderstood the EFSF, decrypts it does in Berlin. Our position is that banks must first seek funding markets, and the side of the national public authorities. Only when there is no money available comes the European level. The EFSF is a tool for countries like Greece or Portugal.If a country like France – among the strongest financially of the euro area – wants to appeal, then this is the door open for all members of the area had ro dig into the fund. "

Berlin suspects Paris

An over-interpretation, says it does on the French side. "We have not yet begun to discuss that!" Do we wonder at the Elysee. At Bercy, it ensures not see fundamental differences with Berlin. "We agree with Germany, said the entourage of the Minister of Economy, Baroin, the fact that more capital into banks, including French," even if only to meet new international standards of Basel III in 2013.Whenever possible, the French banks also plan to comply with without recourse to the capital, let alone the U.S. – by separating certain activities if necessary, by distributing fewer profits to build equity .

But if there had to be re-capitalization, especially to reassure investors, "the sources must first be private," insists one at Bercy. "Ultimately, this should be to rely on injections of public capital." According to Paris, "a European coordination is essential to determine the amount of capital to meet the deadline by which this capital is to be achieved, and the tools for that. " It is on these criteria that France and Germany could agree this weekend.For its part, Brussels will make proposals for a coordinated recapitalization "in the coming days."

Moreover, given the deepening crisis, Angela Merkel has gradually accepted the idea of ​​economic governance of the European Union, defended by Nicolas Sarkozy. Expanding the powers of EFSF part of this process. However, the Chancellor – who imposed hard fought his troops to ratify the Bundestag building – is faced with a majority crossed by a strong current Eurosceptic.

Markets would also like to know more about the technical means to leverage the clout of EFSF. These contain the spread of the crisis heavyweight like Italy, Spain, and Portugal, while the levees are still weak.Should we go further and erase a more substantial part of the Greek debt? Should we consider that the Fund provides guarantees? The German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, at least possible that Germany spends more money than EFSF the 211 billion passed by the Bundestag.

These tensions, it is now the standard mode of operation between Paris and Berlin. Pressure mounts on both sides of the Rhine, until a compromise emerges in a head-to-head at the highest level. Given their respective domestic political weakness or Merkel or Sarkozy can not afford a failure.

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Why Kindle Fire is so cheap - September 29, 2011

Since the presentation of the tablet from Amazon on Wednesday night, no one talking about it: price, so aggressive. At $ 199, Kindle the Fire will be 60% cheaper than the first of the iPad, sold to 499 dollars (489 euros in France). If the surprise is – analysts had expected, at best, at a rate of $ 249 – Tablet Amazon profits actually a series of well thought out choices that contribute to get its costs down without crop quality business

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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