International News

The general crisis of confidence in the financial system can benefit the socially responsible investment (SRI), this offer of investment products which, in the traditional financial measures, add the dimensions called ESG (environmental, social / societal, governance) ? At first glance, yes. Assets invested in SRI in France have soared in recent years. End of 2010, they reached 68.3 billion euros, against 50.7 billion in late 2009, an increase of 35%. And the year 2011 looks very good. According Novethic, a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts, which publishes research and analysis on the SRI market since 2001, these assets had already reached 47 billion euros at the end of June.

Small flat, struggling to win these investments from individuals.Institutional clients (pension and insurance plans, public pension funds, private insurance companies, mutual companies, etc..) Still accounted for 70% of SRI assets in late 2010. A study conducted by Ipsos agency for non-financial rating Eiris * 60% of French investors, however, now give prominence to environmental, social and ethical issues in their investment decisions. But 64% of respondents have never heard of SRI, and only 9% are on the page.

Latent demand unsatisfied

"There is a latent demand unmet in a number of individual investors now significant," says Marion de Marcillac, responsible for developing the French office of EIRIS.This view is shared Bertrand Fournier, president of the Forum for Responsible Investment (FIR): "The offer is not visible and distribution networks do not talk about SRI." For Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Minister Ecology and Sustainable Development, however, the context is conducive to flight. "SRI is probably an answer to the financial and banking crisis we are experiencing," said the minister during the presentation of the study, on October 6. "Reconnect citizens with finance is a vast undertaking, which requires industrial issues to reconnect with the financial issues and give concrete meaning to financial products," she said.

Therefore Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet calls to market players, foremost among banks and insurers, to commit themselves to "promote a responsible offer of financial investments."She stressed the need to provide transparent information to individuals, especially as the multiplicity of approaches to SRI in Europe scrambles some tracks. In France, the multi-criteria approach called "Best in Class" prevails. This is to select the best companies in each sector according to the famous ESG. Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians, in turn, prefer a strategy of exclusion. In this case, certain industries such as armaments or tobacco, are simply discarded SRI funds.

The French approach in question

According to EIRIS survey, 36% of French investors said they were very tempted by an approach that would exclude certain companies because of the nature of their activities or practices such as child labor. Only 19% of respondents say they are, however, very tempted by the method of "Best in Class".Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, "no subject is taboo. The 'Week of SRI' * is an opportunity to initiate discussions, particularly on the definition of criteria for responsible investing. "

* Survey conducted among a sample of 1040 French adults aged 16-64 years from 16 to 19 September 2011.

* The second edition of the "Week of the Socially Responsible Investment" will run from October 10 to 16, under the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development.

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Febrile atmosphere around Dexia announced the dismantling of which is to organize. On Thursday afternoon, the rating on the stock exchange was suspended at the request of the Belgian regulator: the action was losing more than 17% amid rumors that many French-Belgian bank was forced each time to confirm or to reverse. It will again be listed on Monday.

Dexia has confirmed to be entered into exclusive negotiations "with a group of international investors that the government of Luxembourg will attend" to sell its subsidiary private bank, the BIL (Banque Internationale à Luxembourg). This discussion has actually been mainly engaged with the sovereign fund of Qatar, several sources indicate.The Luxembourg Finance Minister, Luc Frieden, for his part justified the participation of the Grand Duchy as a "minority shareholder" in the name of "systemic" to his country of BIL's 12 billion euros of deposits and forty traditional bank branches.

The first assignment could be raised on Saturday by the Board of Directors of Dexia, intended, according to a close case, to "calibrate the overall strategy of the division of Dexia."

This strategy is already known in outline. This is to sell every major business or large branch. Dexia will gradually emptied of its substance and its assets down to the most difficult to sell, mainly the bond portfolio of 95 billion euros and a life of thirteen years.The State guarantee French and Belgian finance Dexia and ultimately apply to "cantonment" business card templates.

On this basis, negotiations, under pressure from the markets and financial authorities who fear a confusion between the case of Dexia and the rest of the European banking sector are extremely complex: in addition to buyers interested in a particular asset, discussion involving the management of Dexia, its shareholders and the Belgian side the French side, and the states.

Mutual distrust

However, the pattern holds only insofar as the current shareholders of Dexia are collectively responsible. The centrifugal forces exerted, especially in Belgium, must be curbed. Thursday, pushing the Belgian regions, according to local press, a scheme of demerger of the retail DBB (Dexia Bank Belgium).

Seen from France, the idea goes wrong, since the ultimate goal of the operation is that the sale of assets – DBB is a price – reported enough money to build the hive and absorb as much as possible losses that would otherwise eventually be collected by the states.

The mistrust is mutual. On the Belgian side, Prime Minister Yves Leterme has hammered yesterday that his country did not intend to be alone with Dexia on the arms. "We must continue to fund all the past, and we will not do it alone," said the Finance Minister Didier Reynders. On this side of the border, negotiations continue on the transfer of the portfolio and lending activities to local authorities in the Deposit and La Banque Postale.

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The entrance to the rugby in the professional world is not always without its pitfalls, far away … Proof of this is the last statement from Steve Tew, the CEO of the Federation of New Zealand rugby. Wednesday, the leader has put his foot in it by suggesting that his selection would be deprived of the next World Cup in 2015 in England. A heresy in the land of rugby!

Bluff or not, this threat reveals the uneasiness of the Federation kiwi affected financially by the organization of the current World Cup. Certainly, the event is almost historic land of the long white cloud. But the financial benefits expected from this great mass of world rugby is limited. In the end, New Zealand will lose even money (about 39 million New Zealand dollars, or 22.33 million euros).The New Zealand government will pay part of the losses, but the federation itself will also put their hands in the pocket to the tune of two thirds of the money lost.

Shortfall of 7.5 million euros

However, these losses are organizing a one-time difficulties. Because the real malaise lies elsewhere. Steve Tew, it's participation in the competition itself that is the problem. Every 4 years, federations qualified in the northern hemisphere and the south need to change their schedule (suppression test matches, shortening the Tri Nations tournament …). What cause a shortfall in terms of result and television advertising revenue and ticket sales. This year's Tri-Nations tournament, in which compete each year in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, for example, was reduced from nine to six games due to World Cup.In Europe, the fall tours were also canceled.

In a World trade rules of the International Rugby Board (IRB) also prohibit the presence of the sponsors of the national federations. This accentuates the downward pressure on commercial benefits. In the end, the Federation of New Zealand (NZRU) said the shortfall related to participation in a 13 million New Zealand dollars (7.5 million). Great on a budget of around 55 million euros. A price she can afford all four years, according to Steve Tew.

If they win the All-Blacks, the players would receive such a bonus of 55,000 euros, depending on the site sportune.fr. Barely more than the French players to touch the earth just move in New Zealand (45,000 euros).If they win the XV of France, the French would also reward of 180,000 euros extra.

Australia to support

In his threat to boycott, leaders of New Zealand have received support from their neighbor Australia. For its part, the Australian Federation (ARU) said the losses associated with participation in the World Cup to 16 million Australian dollars (about 11.5 million euros). All federations combined, the overall shortfall would reach between 35 and 40 million pounds (40 to 16 million euros). "As noted by Steve Tew, the current economic model is unacceptable and can not be encouraged," said the general manager of the ARU, John O'Neill.We ask the IRB to resolve the problem quickly, because as a national federation, the ARU can not afford to have huge losses every four years. "

For many, the threat of New Zealand is not serious, its national team can not really do without the visibility provided by the participation in the World Cup. But the argument did fly, the IRB had promised the opening of discussions after the World Cup to avoid a radical decision.

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Barack Obama has heard Warren Buffett. One month after the American billionaire's call to raise taxes of the richest in the United States, Barack Obama will propose on Monday during a speech at the White House – expected at 16:30 French time – a special tax on the income of taxpayers earning over a million dollars a year (about 725,000 euros). The U.S. president should not indicate the precise tax rate that it intends to apply or the amount it hoped to achieve by this. But according to The New York Times, the tax on millionaires only for 0.3% of taxpayers, less than 450,000 of the 144 million returns recorded in 2010.

Dubbed the "rule Buffett," this tax is in terms of reducing the budget deficit that the U.S. president must explain to Congress Monday.Its goal? Ensure that the wealthiest taxpayers pay at least as much taxes as middle-class homes. This is not the case, as pointed out by Warren Buffett this summer, because of certain provisions of the Tax Code.

1200 billion dollars in savings to find

Thus, capital income such as dividends or interest earned by the fund managers are taxed at 15%, while labor incomes are between 10 to 35%. "While the poorer classes and middle classes are fighting for us in Afghanistan, while most Americans struggle to make ends meet month we mega-wealthy continue to benefit from special tax exemptions," wrote Warren Buffett in an article published last month in The New York Times.

This tax should allow Barack Obama to approach a little more of his electoral base of the Democratic Party criticized him his "gifts" to tax the wealthiest people. The Republican majority in the House of Representatives have already announced that he would vote no tax increase.

While the United States must find 1.2 trillion dollars in savings by the end of the year, Barack Obama warned on Saturday the Americans that they would provide "pull their weight" to reduce the budget deficit. And pressed again, the Congress, including Republicans, to adopt his plan for the use of 447 billion dollars. "More games or impasses. More division or delay, "he said during his weekly radio address.

After launching its offer in May with mobile calls, text messages and unlimited internet for 24.90 euros monthly subscribers to its box (and 49.90 euro for non-subscribers), Numericable goes further. Reportedly, the operator will now enable call abroad from the mobile unlimited. An option to pay 10 euros per month, which will be available as of September 19 for all.

"This is a world first, exclusive service and unprecedented," enthuses Jerome Yomtov, general secretary of Numericable. "We want to bring all the mobile services already on the box at home, at home or abroad called unlimited," he says. Over 100 countries are included in this offer, including most major destinations throughout Europe, the DOM, the United States, Canada, Asia.It is extended to calls to Morocco and Algeria for Numericable subscribers who have subscribed to the "Maghreb More" on the NCbox.

This new offering "world" not only to make calls to landlines abroad, but also to the Chinese mobile, U.S. and Canada. And supply expected to be enriched in the coming months. "You can call the U.S. since its unlimited mobile to 34.90 euros a month. United States, to call a mobile to mobile unlimited is $ 70. In short, it will be cheaper to call the U.S. from France, than to be there! "Said Jérôme Yomtov.

Numericable says the offer will be profitable.While the cost of communications decline in Europe and the world, he found a business model by negotiating agreements with major international operators such as Verizon, Telefonica, Cable and Wireless, Tata Communications.

One way to cut the grass under the feet of Free which means lower prices but also change the mobile uses. "This is the mobile revolution continues," trumpets for days on Numericable Tweeter … which led to his being sued by Free, which considers the term as its slogan identity. Atmosphere!

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An uncompromising report. For over a year, dozens of officials, led by the Audit Office, analyzed the tax and social niches, as a result of a mission request François Fillon. "The total amount of tax expenditures and social niches weighs heavily on public finances. Their development can also affect the readability of the tax and benefit system, and the fair distribution of public office, "wrote the Prime Minister.

In full the debt crisis, Joe Biden is timely in its largest creditor. The U.S. vice president hopes to strengthen ties with China, where he now starts an Asian tour that will take him then in Mongolia and Japan. This is the first official visit to Beijing the number two in the Obama administration since taking office. It is particularly meet the new generation of leaders, particularly Xi Jinping, tipped to succeed Hu Jintao in 2013, and will seek to reassure his counterparts about the destiny of the world's leading power.

Despite the rants of some official media who had called the United States to "live within their means" and the thrust carried by the rating agency Dagong Chinese, who, too, degraded the U.S. sovereign rating, the central seems to keep his confidence in the economy of the United States, it continues to bear. Between April and June, far from giving his titles like other countries, China has not slowed the pace of its purchases of Treasury bills. And in late June, Beijing held 1.17 trillion dollars of U.S. debt.

Investor confidence in Asia

Despite these reassurances, it is clear that the Middle Kingdom has more top in its bilateral relations with Washington us fast cash. As the world worries about the future U.S. investors place their trust in contrast to Asia, particularly China.Foreign direct investment (FDI) have increased by 19.83% in July compared to the same period in 2010. During the first seven months of the year, the People's Republic attracted 69.19 billion dollars in FDI. The business seems to rely in part on sustained growth, despite the weight on the economy of the tightening of Chinese monetary policy, and partly on a strong yuan. For the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Beijing enjoys the disaffection of investors in Europe and the United States.

As for U.S. criticism that Joe Biden will take over on the low level of the Chinese currency, they may be blank. The yuan, also considered undervalued Washington, hit record highs Tuesday.The central bank, which sets every morning during a pivot around which the yuan can fluctuate by 0.5% above or below, identified Tuesday as the low point, the level of one dollar for 6.3925. In other words, the Chinese currency has appreciated by 7% since dropping the dollar in June 2010. But some investors are betting on the inflationary pressure to force Beijing to let its currency move more.

The damage is limited. After the first weekend after the degradation of the sovereign rating of the United States by Standard's and Poor's, the world was afraid to wake up on Monday on a stock market crash. Certainly, Asian stock markets, first to start the week and give the trend, showing all this morning a marked decline of more than 2%. But the risk of a crash seems for the moment excluded.

More than 48 hours after the announcement that shook the world's largest economy, Asian investors have been partially sensitive to the political mobilization of the weekend, both of European leaders, who called for the adoption by the end of September pland the rescue of Greece on 21 July. But also that of the ECB, on Sunday night discussed a possible acquisition of Italian and Spanish debt, and the White House, which yesterday called for unity among Democrats and Republicans.

The yen is rebounding

Still, if the announcement of the degradation of the United States was somewhat expected in Asia, the timing chosen by Standard & Poor's has caught the markets, even after a weekend of reflection, continuing their descent into hell. In this context of concern about the state of European and American finance, the yen has tended to take some strength vis-à-vis the dollar and euro. Around 4 o'clock, Paris time, the dollar was worth around 78.05 yen and the euro hovered on the other hand around 111.90 yen, the two displayed small decline vis-à-vis the Japanese currency. A phenomenon still unfavorable export values.

In Tokyo, after opening down 1.40%, the Nikkei 225 blue chips of its losses widened in mid-session.The index fell by 2.17% to 9097.90 points, although the statement last night the Japanese Minister of Finance Yoshihiko Noda, who has maintained his confidence in the U.S. Treasury, and emphasized the mobilization of the European central bankers sign of awareness on the efforts to be undertaken.

Same phenomenon in other major Asian markets, but more amplified. China, which was very critical this weekend against the failure of U.S. lawmakers to find a long-term solution to their debt problems, the tooth was also harder on the markets: the Hang Seng Hong Kong picks up 4.12% on Monday morning at 20,082.80 points while the Chinese CSI 300 lost 3.51% to 2795.64 points. Beijing is by far the largest holder of U.S. debt in the world with 1.16 trillion dollars of U.S. Treasury bills in the drawers.

Elsewhere in Asia, all places show a sharp decline. The KRX South Korean loose 3.45% to 7581.86 points, while the S & P / ASX 200 Australian loses 2.14% to 4017.60 points. A Bonbay, the BSE Sensex was down 2.60% to 16,855.60 points. Finally in Singapore, the FTSE Straits shows the largest decline (-4.14%) to 2870.92 points.

Oil continues to tumble

Moreover, in this context very uncertain about the strength of economic recovery, oil prices continued their steep decline on Monday morning in electronic trading in Asia. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery lost 2.59 dollars to 84.29 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery fell by 2.48 dollars to 106.89 dollars.

At the same time, gold has gone through the roof of 1700 dollars to 1704 dollars an ounce on the market in Hong Kong.

The day promises to be very difficult for Societe Generale. The bank released Wednesday morning of the second quarter results affected by Greece, which do not allow it to maintain its forecast for 2011 as a whole.

Indeed, the net profit of Société Générale for the period April to June won by 31% over the same period last year to 747 million euros, due to increased depreciation on Greek government securities of 395 million euros. For his patron, Frederick Oudéa, depreciation Greek "a limited impact, as expected." Note that its rivals Credit Agricole and BNP Paribas have seen the note Greek respectively amount to 850 million and 650 millions of euros. Besides this exceptional item, net income of the bank was in line with analysts' expectations.If the net banking income (equivalent to sales) reached 6.5 billion euros (-2.6%), the net cost of risk has, himself, enjoyed 17.3% year on year.

"While the moderate recovery in developed economies has been confirmed in the second quarter, growing concerns about the European sovereign debt have caused risk aversion and erratic market movements, at the discretion of the political" summarizes the bank in a statement check cash advance.

Still, Societe Generale now seems to give up its goal of net profit of 6 billion euros in 2012, as the group had announced last June as part of its strategic plan called "Ambition 2015" according to CEO the objective "now seems difficult to achieve on time."

In terms of capital ratios, Societe Generale will toe the line: as required by the new regulatory framework for banks known as Basel III, which will be phased in from 2013 and requires banks a capital ratio of hard 7%, the bank expects to achieve an equity ratio of "hard" at least 9% in late 2013.Thus, if the extra layer of 1 to 2.5 percentage points, asked for schools called systemic, that is, those whose failure would threaten to destabilize the entire financial system-was claimed to Societe Generale, the obligations could be met.

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