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Despite the erosion of its earnings, life insurance remains the preferred placement of the French. In 2010, they placed 133.8 billion euros (gross inflows in late November) on these contracts, or 6% from a year earlier. Cautious since the 2008 crisis, investors still prefer funds in euro (87%) contracts in units of account (UA), invested in shares. The deal could change. "The decline in compensation funds in euro should dampen the collection," says Cyril Blesson, co-founder of Cahiers de l'Epargne. However, "life insurance will this year again, the preferred placement of households," he says.

Possible increase in the rate of the Livret A

Also very popular Livret A could he, more attractive for savers in 2011. His rates could in fact go from 1.75% (since August) at 2% net tax on February 1.Everything will depend on the evolution of inflation in December (to be published tomorrow by INSEE). Banque de France uses a mathematical formula that takes into account money market rates and inflation excluding tobacco to calculate twice a year (August 1 and February 1) pay the Livret A. However, if the short-term rates have remained low, the index of consumer prices would have risen 1.6% to 1.7% in December. "The Livret A rate increase to 2% if inflation excluding tobacco is greater than or equal to 1.65%," says Cyril Blesson. Generally, higher wage rates encouraged investors to fuel their booklets. This was the case in 2010. Despite a slump in the fall, the French have placed 4.09 billion euros on their books in 2010 (through November). "Taking into account the interest capitalized late December.Net inflows of 2010 should be around 8.2 billion euros. Which is pretty high, "Cyril Blesson advance.

Investors are so allergic to risk taking. They removed 7 billion of their stock and bond mutual funds in 2010.

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Winter sales start on Wednesday. With this period of debate resurfaces bargain prices on many brands use interns as sellers. The collective Precarious Generation alarmed again this phenomenon, citing the low pay for trainees. They are paid "on average six times less" than the employee, the group calculates. In addition, these courses are often precarious, with no contract to boot.

"These are clearly disguised employment", says Julien Boucher, an activist in Precarious Generation, a movement born in September 2005, following a strike call and webcast spontaneous. "Teachers prefer to use this option during rush periods such as Christmas or year-end balances, rather than hiring temporary or CSD, they remained on the benches of employment center," laments he said.A trend that has accelerated in recent years.

Companies have "benefited from the crisis"

According to Julien Boucher, "companies have benefited from the massive crisis in recruiting trainees. The number of stagaires would be spent in France and 800,000 in 2006 to 1,200,000 in 2010. An increase of 50% in four years. Since its inception, Precarious Generation campaigns for a stricter training courses and in particular for increasing the salaries of trainees. For its part, the CFDT, which has made youth employment a priority for 2011, proposes to improve the lives of students, said its secretary general Francois Chereque, when presenting his greetings on Monday.

Article 9 of the Act of March 31, 2006 on Equal Opportunity oversees the conduct of business internships.Admittedly, it was amended by Law of November 24, 2009 which established the principle of compensation and minimum mandatory internships for a period greater than or equal to two months instead of three months previously provided by the decree of 31 January 2008. "But nothing is settled. It's always the level of remuneration is the rub, "Julien Boucher shade. If no collective bargaining agreement more favorable, the student must collect at least 12.5% of the maximum hourly rate of social security, equal to 22 euros in 2010. Is 417.09 euros per month for 35 hours weekly attendance of the trainee in the company."The whole, without contributing to retirement or unemployment insurance," said a member of the collective.

A new operation "punch"

This year again, Generation Precarious therefore benefit from the symbolic period balances to publicly denounce "deals made on wages through the misuse of training" and promises a "blitz" on Saturday. At the last such event, held on the opening day of sales in January 2008, members of the group gathered outside the Parisian department stores, Boulevard Haussmann, to distribute leaflets to customers and the Galeries Lafayette spring.

wmode = "opaque"

Singled out, signs are defending themselves contribute to an increase in placements abusive, reports Le Parisien / Today in France in a survey on this subject. "The students represent only 0.68% of our workforce.Their number is steady throughout the year, it does not increase during the sales or parties, "says a spokesman at Fnac daily. "We offer them at the end of their internship, and if they wish, paid positions when we can," says one at the Gap. Finally, Decathlon stresses that students recruited by the group are "compensated".

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Oil plays yoyo

The start of the year was heckled for oil. The latter, who finished 2010 at a highest in two years, failed to remain at that level on a regular basis. On Monday, the euphoria of earlier this year, which affected the stock market, spread the oil, allowing the barrel of light sweet crude for February delivery finished at 91.55 dollars. "The economic indicators, but not overwhelmingly positive, continue to be encouraging and investor appetite is confirmed in respect of raw materials and energy" in particular, explained Antoine Halff, of Newedge Group.

But the rest of the week was marked by doubt. Profit taking and have been falling heavily barrel last Tuesday, to below 90 dollars to 89.38 in New York."We approached the year with speculative positions rising to a record" on the market, "said John Kilduff, of Capital Again. "I think many expected a strong wave of purchases with the start of the new year, which did not happen."

On Wednesday, the barrel is increased again (to 90.30 dollars), driven by good figures on the weekly U.S. oil and gas reserves and good figures ADP private employment, published that day in the United States. But this weekend, prices have relapsed. At issue: the sharp rise in the dollar and bad employment figures in the United States in décembre.L euro has indeed fallen below $ 1.30 for the first time since Dec. 1. Crude prices have dropped to 88.03 dollars Friday in New York. "It's a strange start to the year for crude," said Matt Smith of Summit Energy."Because of concerns surrounding the euro, investors are returning to the dollar is really affecting crude prices." "The courses met with some resistance between 92 and 95 dollars, the market is still not comfortable with the idea of a barrel to over $ 90," said Tom Bentz of BNP Paribas.

Copper, always higher

In the market for base metals, copper has started the year as he finished 2010 on a record. That which is considered a barometer of the market has hit during the week the 9754 dollars per tonne. Unheard of. The supply pressures remain the main explanation for the runaway. Investors anticipate a rapid increase in demand in a context of global economic recovery this year no faxing payday loans.

These same reasons have pushed other metals up.Aluminium rose Friday to 2531 dollars per tonne, its highest for two years, lead has reached $ 2700 per tonne for the first time since 2008, nickel was trading at 25,300 dollars per tonne, the lowest seen since May 2010. Tin and zinc have also fallen to levels not seen for several months.

The weekend was more complicated following the publication of the monthly U.S. employment and boost the dollar. But bargain hunting to quickly regained the lead, allowing the metals on the LME to close the week in green.

The gold ran out of steam

When expectations are more optimistic about the global recovery, precious metals are suffering. Gold, a refuge par excellence, has been shown. Investors feel ready again to take risks.Result: The yellow metal fell Friday to 1,352.50 dollars per ounce, its lowest since November 2010. The rising dollar has also contributed to this decline. Far from its previous record of 1431.25 dollars, gold closed Friday at 1367 dollars an ounce.

In the fall, the precious metal led to the money. The latter finished Friday at 28.39 dollars per ounce against 30.63 dollars a week earlier. Palladium has followed suit, ending at 754 dollars against 791 dollars a week earlier. Only the platinum remained almost unchanged at 1735 dollars.

Mixed week for soft commodities

This week on Liffe shortened due to a holiday Monday in London ended on a note to the dispersed agricultural materials. Cocoa fell despite political tensions still present in Cote d'Ivoire.Tonne of cocoa for delivery in March 1913 was worth £ 2013 pounds on Friday against the previous Friday.

The cafe has stabilized to 2028 dollars, just like sugar. The latter has experienced a correction earlier this week before rebounding, driven by concern about supply suiteaux floods in Australia. On Liffe in London, a tonne of white sugar for March delivery was worth 777.20 pounds on Friday.

As for cereals, the increase was required. A bushel of soybeans for March delivery traded at 13.71 dollars. The contract was worth 6.01 dollars of corn and a bushel of wheat amounted to 7.87 dollars

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

This is a crucial visit to the French presidency of the G20. Nicolas Sarkozy will confront this Monday at the White House, his proposed "new international monetary order," with Barack Obama, without whose approval nothing will happen. The two presidents will discuss for an hour of detailed program of the G20, before a luncheon devoted to foreign policy issues.

The economic result of the interview where he discussed the role of the dollar, the volatility of commodity prices and a tax to finance development, infuse the roadmap of the Elysee for the G8 and G20, to be presented by the President on January 24 in Paris.

Although it has sweetened its way, Nicolas Sarkozy has not abandoned the idea, launched two years ago, a "new Bretton Woods."The taunts of the Anglo-Saxon led him to change his expression to adopt the more sober 'new international monetary order. " But the target set by the very restricted circle of the president is just as bold.

For the Elysee, he is bringing order into the "current monetary mess," characterized by excessive volatility in exchange rates and capital inflows to emerging disruptive that multiply unilateral initiatives to curb the appreciation of their currencies.

The present monetary disorder is due, according to Paris, the decline of "King Dollar", faces growing competition from other currencies, the yen, the euro, the yuan soon, a trend that has increased since the end Bretton Woods in 1971."China has emerged stronger from the crisis, we must adapt the new world monetary order to the new economic order," says one as president pay day loans. "We want to encourage the development of other international currencies, including the yuan," insists the president's entourage.

"Our currency, your problem!"

A very sensitive issue for Washington. "This is not to diminish the role of the dollar," Does it invokes in Paris. "The dollar is a major currency, and we hope it continues to play a major role, but the relative strengths of currencies will change, which will cause increasing tensions, which the G20 should meet," said the entourage President, anxious not to turn the Americans.

To ease the "transition to a more diversified monetary terms," the French presidency of the G20 suggests strengthening the IMF's role in liquidity crises, strengthen coordination of economic policies and adopt a framework for response to sudden movements of capital. "Given the current monetary mess we have intuitions, we will compare to those of Americans," said the Elysee, which claims to have the support of Germany, China, Brazil and India.

On the merits, however, France regrets a reality difficult to reverse: the dollar, global currency, remains controlled by the Federal Reserve, without real regard for the rest of the world. "Our currency, your problem!" Had dropped John Connelly, Nixon's Treasury Secretary, when it announced the end of the dollar's convertibility into gold, August 15, 1971.To the chagrin of France who tries unsuccessfully to address this reality for forty years.

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A crop in good and due form. The president, on Thursday at his vows to the social partners, spoke on the 35 hours, while the endless controversy over grow in the majority. The 35 hours' hard 'to' Mrs. Aubry had "consequences éfavorables" to "competitiveness of enterprises, the purchasing power and on public finances," he said. But with the flexibility introduced since then, "the 35 hours, uniform binding, no longer exist," says Nicolas Sarkozy.

So, yes, "there is no taboo subjects." But the head of state borders the debate: no question of "touching the purchasing power of employees" or "influence the competitiveness of enterprises". Include: no increase in expenses, which would put pressure on labor costs, or increase or elimination of the statutory working hours.This would reduce the number of overtime. These have enabled "5.3 million people" through exemptions from charges and income tax, to supplement their monthly in 2010.

"For an average wage worker makes two additional hours per week, the net gain in purchasing power is 150 euros per month, said Nicolas Sarkozy. I do not know how to tell employees to work more without earning more. "Thinly veiled allusion to the boss of the UMP, Jean-Francois Cope, who wants to bring down the 35 hours but acknowledged it would mean "very short term" work longer for the same pay.

Bernard Thibault singled

Nicolas Sarkozy and Jean-Claude Mailly (FOR) during the vows.

Employment center is in the viewfinder of the CFDT. The union has published Thursday in the newspaper La Croix, the results of his great satisfaction survey conducted from 1534 job seekers at the end of last year. Verdict: almost half of them are not satisfied with the services rendered by the employment center to help them find a job. 49.1% of those surveyed said that their agency "takes time for not much" and that they must fend for themselves. "

22.4% feel that employment center "is tedious and complicated, but sometimes helpful, 15.3% consider it" very useful, but really difficult to navigate "and 13.3% found it" indispensable "and "feel properly supported."

While 43% of respondents were satisfied with the welcome center jobs, 31.4% complained of queues "interminable", agencies too distant (25.3%), letters unclear (24.2 %).

Similarly, if 56.7% of respondents feel they can explain their difficulties "calm and confidentially with their advisor, they are 33.8% consider that their advisor was" not really the time to take care "of them. 36% even reported that he had "nothing to offer them." For 32%, job offers made to them does not fit their profile.

Rely on yourself

According to the survey, 92.8% rely primarily on themselves to find a job, but 34.8% also expect the internet and the press while 20.3% also cite what they advise Pole emploi.Commentant survey, Lawrence Berger, the national secretary of the CFDT, told La Croix that "the social partners should demand more employment center on the Supporting people."

According to an IPSOS poll conducted for the employment center via the Internet last summer, two-thirds of job seekers (66%) said they were "generally" satisfied with the employment center, but almost half (48%) were dissatisfied services rendered to enable their reintegration into the labor market.

(With AFP)

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Bank of America now seeks to turn the page of the toxic legacy of its acquisition of Countrywide Financial in 2008. The first commercial bank in the United States has agreed to buy nearly $ 3 billion in rotten mortgage loans that Countrywide was sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These two institutions under the supervision of the federal government since September 2008, a mission to buy mortgages from banks and turning them into bonds that they guarantee and then sell to investors.

Now Fannie and Freddie continued Bank of America for months. They argued that Countrywide had sold their loans whose risks were deliberately hidden since they relied on false information.Countrywide, a specialist in subprime, were high on the euphoria of the years 2006-2008 unhealthy inflated property values which served to guarantee its loans. The institution, cartoon institutions negligent in their analysis of real estate risk, had also overstated borrowers' incomes so as to give the illusion that they could afford the monthly payments.

Bank of America, the de facto head of aberrations of Countrywide since the institution was incorporated in California in his empire, has contributed $ 1.28 billion to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to $ 1 cash advance flexible payments.52 billion. These figures are rather lower than expected. The shareholders of Bank of America were relieved by the news yesterday.Bank of America's action ends the session on Monday up 6.30% to 14.18 dollars on a market up 0.81%.

Huge losses

The Bank of Charlotte (North Carolina) anticipates the passage in lost $ 2 billion in the fourth quarter and the establishment of an accounting provision of nearly $ 3 billion. The transaction should not affect its capital ratios. Other institutions such as insurer Allstate Corp., Attacked Countrywide for the same reasons that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It is therefore possible that the agreement with the two mortgage giants set a precedent.

The housing market downturn since 2007 has resulted in huge losses for Fannie and Freddie over 145 billion dollars. They certainly tend to decrease in recent quarters.However, they continue to be regularly covered by the U.S. Treasury.

JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup are also among institutions as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac want to force them to buy tens of billions of toxic loans.

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The snowfall from the end of December he will serve as a lesson for the future? That's what qu'espèrent the Head of State as industry players. Around Christmas time, a third wave of snow that had fallen upon France had strongly disrupted rail and air traffic. At the airport of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, 50% of flights had been canceled and some busy days. The lack of anticipation of this climatic episode, and gaps in information available to passengers include culprit.

Presenting his wishes to the officials, Nicolas Sarkozy said Saturday that such a disruption of transport in France was "not acceptable". And advocated that "to be engaged without delay a study on how to improve crisis management.""When we face such situations, our means of action, our modes of organization are called into question," says the head of state. Nicolas Sarkozy has once again promised "appropriate action" to implement quickly. However, it excludes the possibility of equipping France "in expensive equipment that would be used only on very rare occasions": "We're obviously not a country in the Arctic Circle no credit check payday loans. [...] One can understand that the service be disrupted by the weather, but not that users have the feeling to be abandoned, "he said.

Lack of coordination

Some airlines have also expressed concern on their side this Sunday morning on France Info lack of information available to them during this snowfall.Stressing that it is ultimately the airline is responsible for compensating customers disorders, a senior airline complains that he has not always been able to make an informed case for lack of information Airport from Paris. "There is no real coordination between authorities, airport and airlines, and has been three years since we face this kind of difficulty," says Jean-François and Domaniak, president of Euroaipost.

Another official put even directly involved ADP. "Why, if the responsibility of the airport is in question, does it not pay?" He asks. He was surprised especially because if the European Union requires companies shall bear the costs incurred by delays to passengers, the airport, it "does not pay a dime to compensate the airlines' .