"Industrializing access to start-up." This is one of the goals sought by Electronova Capital, the investment fund which EDF has announced Tuesday. This new tool will prioritize the "cleantech", these companies specializing in innovative technologies environmentally friendly.

"Our approach is flexible: it can be anything to support a project to take an equity stake," said Bernard Salha, director of research and development of EDF. The electrician tricolor, via an annual budget of 500 million euros, is one of those that invest most heavily in R & D.

Turn to France and Europe

Electronova Capital Fund will have a capacity of 60 million minimum investment, and the envelope will increase to 90 million euros, said Thomas Thornton, chief financial officer of EDF faxless pay day loans. The French group has teamed up for the occasion to Indivest Partners, a recognized specialist in SME financing.

"The launch of this fund is a further step in our policy for innovation. We have already taken similar initiatives in China and Canada, while qu'Electronova Capital will initially intended to turn to France and Europe, "said Thomas Aldridge.

Meanwhile the first operation, areas of intervention should not be missed: "The energy landscape is changing; between issues related to CO2, the development of renewable energy and the desire for improved energy efficiency, we are a turning point, "says Bernard Salha.

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China is becoming the new frontier of Dassault Aviation (whose largest shareholder is the owner of Figaro). "We set up in China where we are creating a subsidiary. By the end of 2012, will employ 25 people, "said Sunday Edelstenne, CEO of the French aircraft manufacturer, on the eve of the opening of the Fair Business Aviation (Ebace), which is held in Geneva until May 16

After opening sales offices in Shanghai and maintenance and Hong Kong two years ago in partnership with Jet Aviation and Hawker Pacific, the manufacturer of Falcon jets dope his device to enjoy a hot market. Given the regulatory constraints in China, "to establish long term, we need a subsidiary," insisted John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. Headquartered in Beijing, will be operational this summer.

China has recently become one of the first customers of Dassault. The group plans to deliver 12 Falcon this year (out of 65 in the world) against 8 in 2011. Last year, half of its orders, or 18 devices, were placed with Chinese customers. This market looks like a pyramid upside down. Customers were immediately turned toward the high end. Dassault has already taken 20 orders of 7X, his flagship, which cost around $ 50 million.

But the market matures. "The number of new customers for our various models in the 2000S 7X is very promising," confirmed Edelstenne. The customer profile is changing China. The primary motivation for buying a jet status has long been a way to show his power and care networks. This is still true. "But the Chinese bosses are increasingly using their planes more for really professional, to save time, improve productivity, said Jean-Michel Jacob, CEO of Dassault Falcon-China. And the fact that Chinese companies increasingly go abroad reinforces this need, this awareness low fee pay day loans. "

Lack of airway

In three years, the business aircraft market has exploded in China. In 2011, "the country became the first market for all manufacturers in terms of sales," says Jean-Noel Robert, who chairs the Asian Business Aviation Association. China would be "third world market, and this share is expected to increase." The scope for growth is huge. Where there are 15,000 private jets in North America, there are fewer than 500 in Asia.

On the Hong Kong airport, the business aviation fleet is already the second and should become the first, before that of Cathay Pacific. "Asia, particularly China, is our main export market," noted Larry Flin recently, President Gulstream, recalling that its fleet, including Hong Kong, had jumped from zero in 2000 to over 80 aircraft today. For its part, Dassault Aviation now holds 30% market share in China, which should account for 20% of its production in the coming years. According to Canada's Bombardier, more than 2,300 business jets will be delivered in China by 2030, for a fleet of 150 aircraft today.

As part of its 12th five year plan, adopted last year, China has included among its objectives the development of business aviation. However, there is still the brakes, such as lack of airways, with a sky very locked and controlled by the military. But the problem is mainly lack of infrastructure and skilled staff. There are only 150 civil airports in China, 1500 against the United States. The number of airports will increase by 27% in China by 2010.

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For the second time since 2009, Spain fell into recession. The Spanish economy has indeed contracted 0.3% in first quarter 2012 compared to end 2011, according to preliminary official figures released Monday. It is however slightly better than expected: the Spanish Central Bank expected a 0.4% decline in activity over the period.

After degradation of the Spanish note by Standard & Poor's, the publication of a record unemployment rate in March and fears more acute in the health of banks, the bad news accumulates in Madrid.

In the first quarter of 2012, only exports and tourism have supported activity. But their strength was more than offset by the effects of the austerity plan introduced by the center-right government of Mariano Rajoy, of unprecedented severity. Moreover, the cleanup of a long over-indebted economy, household businesses through the state, beating down domestic consumption. The proposed increase in VAT, under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, should accentuate this trend.

"The austerity trap"

So much so that the International Labor Organization (ILO), in its report published on Monday, sets up Spain as an example not to follow a policy solely focused on rigor. She stressed that "the deficit was reduced by just over 9% of GDP in 2010 to 8.5% of GDP in 2011: a very small reduction after a drastic austerity program." For 2012, the government had to moderate its deficit reduction target, it expects to either 4.4% but 5.3% of GDP, given the deteriorating situation. For the ILO, "the trap of austerity is being shut down."

The Spanish economy should continue to suffer, economists fear. "We expect an acceleration of the recession in the coming quarters, in parallel with the rise of austerity measures," said Evelyn Herrmann, economist at BNP Paribas. "Things should get worse before it gets better," says Martin van Vliet, of ING Bank.

Unemployment, already at a record level of 24.44%, should continue to climb. It should eventually reach more of an asset over four in Spain, provides the analyst consensus. Symbol of the Spanish slump, the construction industry, long time driver of the economy because of swelling of the housing bubble, should continue to lay off. It accounts for another 9% of employment, against 6% on average in the eurozone.  

Fears on banks

"The worsening situation on the labor market will have a particularly negative impact on banks," notes Ricardo Santos, an expert in Southern Europe at BNP Paribas. "The share of loans" non-performing "(that is to say, threatening never to be repaid, Ed) is expected to increase and represent 9% in late 2012." To which are added 176 billion euros inventory of buildings and land "problem", that is to say to the uncertain value, as counted from the Spanish Central Bank. Country's only hope in the short term, the "Marshall Plan" for growth in project and unveiled in Brussels on Saturday by the daily El Pais. According to him, he is expected to reach 200 billion euros, or 4% of GDP of the European Union. But Brussels has denied, insisting that these figures "had no basis."  

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The conservative party of Angela Merkel (CDU) just make a new turn to conquer the center-left electorate for the election scheduled next year. Once he was fiercely opposed for several years, the union of conservative Chancellor has finally decided to support the introduction of a minimum wage in Germany.

Holding that the adoption of a "generalized minimum wage" in German might undermine negotiations between industry by industry employers, unions and employees, the CDU had long opposed the project.

But the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced the development of a bill going in this direction. According to his plan, an apolitical committee comprising representatives of employers and employees will be trained to fix a minimum wage at the federal level. This committee will reassess the amount of income each year. Industrial areas that have already negotiated a minimum wage, will not be affected by the introduction of national minimum wage, even if its level is lower. It remains to convince liberal allies of the Chancellor. Advocate for the Mittelstand, the SME network which is the strength of German industry, the FDP strongly opposes the minimum wage.

Centrist electorate

By offering a new bone of contention with the FDP, the Chancellor has again demonstrated that it has no intention of taking gloves with the Liberals in disarray. Her greatest hope is to cut the grass under the feet of his rival Social Democrats and environmentalists, who planned to make the minimum wage one of their main proposals for the parliamentary elections in September 2013. Since coming to power in 2005, Angela Merkel has pushed his party to focus on issues traditionally left – environmental issues, education and child protection – to seduce the centrist electorate. The Chancellor made his most dramatic turnaround last year after the disaster of Fukushima, deciding in the closure of German nuclear power stations and programming for 2022 abandonment of atomic energy. Von der Leyen hopes his proposal will offer a minimum wage "huge boost" to the CDU at the regional elections scheduled May 13 in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous regional state of Germany.

The CDU, however, risk of alienating some of its traditional supporters. "The disastrous consequences of such solutions can be found in European countries that have adopted similar rules, and judge Dieter Hundt, president of German Employers (BDA). Once again it is the weakest who suffer from these measures, because this will complicate their entry into the labor market. "The unions believe instead that the shortage of manpower across the Rhine to help negotiate end of the precariousness of wages.

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A textile company, for lack of sewers it needs for its plant in Quimper, creates a pathway of learning to train its future recruits? The SME Armor Lux, well known for its white wine, made the headlines this week, at a time when all candidates for president are the re-industrialization of the country one of their campaign themes.

This situation is not isolated and number of industrial jobs – welders, boilermakers, milling … – are pulling their hair to find candidates and encourage vocations. "There is a real paradox between a high level of unemployment in France and companies who are not candidates for positions in recruitment, whether welders, millers, coppersmiths, payroll technicians, seamstresses …. In total we estimate that roughly fifty so-called shortage occupations. In our business we miss about 30% of requests from our customers because we do not have the resources and this situation has been deteriorating for a decade, notes François Beharel, group president of Randstad and staffing agencies. Concretely, this means that our group could generate 30% of turnover and more. "

For him, the problem is essentially related to the collective image What these professions in public opinion. "We imagine that in the textile industry and is like 50 years ago, while the environment has changed, that wages were revised upwards and that career paths are possible." "We have to get into people's heads, and young people in particular, that the industry is clean and not necessarily noisy. In this regard, the construction was successful for several years to reverse its bad image, "says Anne-Marie Bjornson, Director of Transitions AFPA.

Develop learning

A UIMM, Joel Mendez, Director Employment and Training, said that one communicates primarily on job losses. Yet in all sectors of metallurgy, the recruitment needs estimated over the period 2007-2015 are always evaluated. Between 60,000 and 80,000 jobs per year, including 30 to 40% reserved for graduates, according to a study by the study-which will be updated in early 2012 over a 2013 to 2020 -. "There is a big educational effort and support to achieve with the companies to become more involved in processes of looking management of jobs and skills (GPEC) and assessing their future needs" says he.

According to Anne-Marie Bjornson Afpa transitions, there are ways to mount training particularly in the context of operational readiness to employment (job center) or as part of training contracts. "We are also working on the issue of transferable skills, which allow for example to a textile worker to work in the weld or a working precision to go in the car." But anticipating needs is a prerequisite and essential step, she insists.

For Joel Mendez, it is also essential to adapt the training devices to the needs, both in initial training in continuing education. And take the example of learning where the numbers in the branch of metallurgy grew 6% in 2011 (with a total of 26 000 apprentices). "At the last school year, nearly a thousand offers of learning could not be met and at the same time, the same volume of young people did not find any company. This shows that learning can be further developed and the various mechanisms put in place recently should help solve these problems. "

A situation that in any case, Francis led Beharel hammering: "stop sending generations of young people in jobs without opportunities. Spend money to know that jobs are to be filled with real careers, especially if the areas are not attractive. "

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A report to simplify life in rural areas and make them more attractive. "Currently there are 9000 400 000 laws and regulatory standards that apply interchangeably in rural areas or urban! It's too, should be appropriate standards, "Storm-A-Pierre Morel The Bailiff, MP for Lozere, at the head of a report co-authored with three other rural UMP parliamentarians, whose elected mayennais Yannick Favennec.

Rural areas, it is 80% of the territory, and nearly a quarter of the French population lives there. Water, urban planning, health, education, digital, public services, all sectors of everyday rural life have been scrutinized by the authors. They interviewed 4,000 people during their investigation.

Among the hundreds of measures recommended in this 280-page report commissioned by the President in October to calm the revolt of rural representatives of the UMP, after the defeat of a majority in the Senate, eight draw particular attention . "The first demand of rural residents is access to high speed, said Pierre Morel-A-The Bailiff. We must ensure, through the process of deploying high-speed Internet, a balance between dense and sparse areas across the country. "Meanwhile, the mission says it takes" expand the service to Wi-Fi in the contact points of the Post Office working closely with local authorities who find themselves in white areas. "

Medical deserts

Regarding the best water management, the mission recommends that for "every individual and group reservations hill with a capacity less than 50,000 m3, a simplified procedure is implemented." The water law codes apply where 7, discourages such projects. "But the real usefulness appears both in agriculture and the public authorities (fire reserves, protection …)."

To enhance access to care and fight against deserts medical, the authors recommend such "compulsory internship for interns in rural areas, enough times to encourage customers during retirement."

To strengthen the utility grid, "we must set up kiosks type video, with a scanner to facilitate all the steps with an official or government and 18 companies such as EDF, GDF, DDT or employment center."

It is also proposed to extend the network of bank ATMs in the territories under-equipped. To keep more rural schools, elected officials indicate that it would "account for children from 2 years and not three years." Urban planning, the authors recommend "provide prior notification of buildings less than 8 m2 5 m2 cons now." Still, the MP Pierre Morel-A-The Bailiff is confident that these measures are applied regardless of the next tenant of the Elysee. He worked with his colleague PS, Michel VERGNIER, the Rural Committee of the Association of Mayors of France.

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Zadig & Voltaire is poised to succeed his conquest of the West. Not only the French glam rock label founded in 1995 multiplies the openings across the Atlantic, where it already 8% of sales: in the end, she will inaugurate its eighth shop, 200 square meters on the prestigious Madison Avenue.

Better yet, Thierry Gillier, founder, owner and patron, comes to do business with a prestigious U.S. investment fund, TA Associates. After five months of negotiations, he signed on March 30 a memorandum of understanding, under which TA Associates will take 30% stake in Zadig & Voltaire. Reportedly, the agreement, which should be completed and made public in the next few days, values ​​the company 380 million euros. For its last fiscal year, ended July 31, Zadig & Voltaire has indeed achieved a turnover of 130.6 million euros and an Ebitda (EBITDA) of 34.2 million.

The investment firm TA Associates who invested since 1968 in hundreds of medium-sized enterprises with high growth in finance and the Internet, the bank was advised by Rothschild & Company for the operation. It will pay 11 times earnings of Zadig & Voltaire to diversify into ready-to-wear clothing. A multiple close to that achieved at the entrance to the capital of Eurazeo Moncler, last June.

Professionalise the governance of society

For Thierry Gillier, advised by Laurence Danon, Edmond de Rothschild Corporate Finance, this operation is the culmination of a long reflection no faxing payday loan. The contractor pushes for four years because of advances investment funds, as TowerBrook Capital and L Capital, and large banks. HSBC has thus approached several months ago for an introduction to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. But it was too early to Thierry Gillier, because the claw is not yet established in China.

In addition, Zadig & Voltaire, little debt and very profitable, does not need money. His boss has always maintained that it had enough cash to open 30-40 new stores worldwide this year. Zadig & Voltaire, which already has 70 outlets in France and 75 abroad (including booths in department stores, shops and franchised malls in Dubai, Moscow and Casablanca), will open this year a third store in Hong Kong, shops in Barcelona, ​​Moscow and in Germany, and a dozen corners in department stores like Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom in the U.S.. The transaction with TA Associates allows one hand to Thierry Gillier to achieve part of its capital and the other at Zadig & Voltaire entered a new stage of its growth and move beyond small family . The company may professionalize its governance, improve its financial structures and especially benefit from the expertise of TA Associates in the International Markets.

Thierry Gillier wants Zadig & Voltaire makes this year half of its sales overseas. Reportedly, he aims for the fiscal year began in early August up 19% of consolidated sales and an even more rapid Ebitda.

Cemented over the Internet and social networks, legends are built today at full speed. Especially in the "global village" of finance. Demonstrated experience in recent days by crossing Iksil Bruno, senior trader but anonymous until last Friday the bank JP Morgan in London.

The man remains discreet, understandably. Within days, he became the "whale of London", or "the Thames", or "white" – we do not know too much – or Voldemort, the terrible witch of the Harry Potter … The number of nicknames given to it becomes suspect. The story is told that then took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that the banker in question was French, a fact which would be enough to make a "trader crazy," Kerviel in a power nap.

This trader is part of the Chief Investment Office of JP Morgan in London. Mission: to cover the global credit risk of the bank. A bank, remember, which is one of the first in the world with some 2.3 trillion dollars in assets, including nearly 1 trillion of bank loans or bond companies.

Cover such a balance, that is to say smooth risk, entails putting a lot of money in the balance. And that's what the CIO of JP Morgan in London: its positions would reach $ 350 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. A figure which should not be misunderstood. Within this volume, the positions that bet on the rise of a particular index are largely offset by positions that bet on a decline, leaving the final few tens of millions of dollars, still in danger Loss … or possibility of gain.

An aberration of market

Why the activity of this team of JP Morgan is she suddenly appeared in full light? Bruno Iksil would take very large positions on a particular index, a derivative that replicates the behavior of CDS (credit default swaps) of some 121 companies short term personal loans. Such large positions that its movements can only move the value of this product, regardless of the price of 121 CDSs that compose it. A market aberration which obviously was not without consequences on some hedge funds, put in losses by the orders of the influential CIO JP Morgan. It is in this context it seems that some seem to have wanted to settle accounts in the press intermediary.

Behind "the matter of the whale in London," we therefore call one of those pretty poker games including financial traders have the secret. JP Morgan, who has not the reputation of being a bank-casino chooses to treat it with discretion. She is content to know that the activities of its London office are intended to cover its loan portfolio, and that the positions taken are knowingly.

The story may therefore be short-lived. Even if it raises real questions about the functioning of finance today. The first key of course the lack of market transparency of derivatives products, and in particular credit derivatives, whose gross volume reached tens of billions of dollars worldwide. The second, current, examines the nature of transactions. When these volumes are involved, is it still just hedging strategy or can we not think that JP Morgan also plays some of his capital? Soon, this question is no longer just theoretical: under Volcker rule that will apply to U.S. banks that collect deposits, such as JP Morgan, will no longer have the right to make the proprietary trading .

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