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The Chinese central bank announced this weekend a further increase in reserve requirements of major banks by 0.5%. This level will be 14% for small financial institutions and 17% for large banks. This is the third time that the People's Bank of China raised the reserve this year. The move is seen as a prelude to higher interest rates, much anticipated in 2010, but it is also a way to delay interest rate hikes this by tightening the screws on the credits via the proportion of reserves. This measure will be effective on May 10

Beijing seeks to put a brake, while concerns about overheating and bubbles in real estate including resurfacing.

Most analysts remain confident about the ability of the Chinese government to curb the overheating, but some are sounding the alarm.In an interview with Bloomberg, economist Marc Faber announcement and a possible implosion of the Chinese economy by a year.

While the Tokyo Stock Exchange is closed until Wednesday included due to public holidays in Japan, the Asian markets all move in the red on Monday.

Hong Kong drops 1.36% to 20,821.20 points, 0.91% cedes Taiwan to 7391.74 points, Seoul lost 1.22%, 0.58% in Sydney coward 4779.50 points, fell by Bombay 0 53% to 17,464.90 points and Singapore shows a decrease of 0.98% to 2945.34 points.

Despite the activation of a massive bailout of Greece announced on Sunday by finance ministers of the euro area, markets do not regain confidence. They are worried about further increases in reserve requirements of banks in China, 50 basis points. Banks will therefore retain 14-17% of their loans in chests. This measure, which takes effect next May 10, is supposed to limit loans to individuals and businesses to avoid the overheating of the Chinese economy.This is the third increase since the beginning of the year.

The banking and real estate values at half

Consequently, the evolving Chinese banking stocks down sharply, on Monday, including Bank of China, which fell by 1.72%. Regarding property values, China Resources fell 4.97%, Shimao Property Holdings sells 2.47% Agile Property Holdings or drops 2.17%.

A barrel of oil above $ 86

Crude prices were up Monday in Asia after the announcement of the plan of aid to Greece and because of a probable decline in U.S. production in the wake of the oil spill in the United States.

In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery took 16 cents to 86.31 dollars, while Brent North Sea with identical maturity, gained 13 cents to 87.57 dollars.

LE FIGARO. – Your estate at the head of Generali was held a week ago by Mediobanca, the main shareholder. The agreement was then found that satisfy you?

Antoine Bernheim. – No. Of course I understand that we did not wish to renew for three years president of 85 years. But in this case, it is obvious that age is an excuse. I do not accept the way things have been made against me and against Generali. Me, I was offered an "honorary president", but not at the board of directors! As for the company, its management has been decided from the outside, in Mediobanca. And he provides a board where no one outside the two managing directors (CEOs, Ed) will not know anything for insurance. They even rejected Claude Tendil, president of Generali France, which is one of the best insurers in the world.Generali deserves better than that. We do not yet know how the powers will be defined between the two managing directors and the president. As for Mr. Geronzi, who must take the presidency, I wonder … This is not an insurer and he always said he did not want this job.

Will you accept this patronage?

Honestly, I do not know yet. Thanks to Mediobanca, I'm not even on the list of directors to be presented at the meeting April 24. Given what I represent in the history of Generali, I think it's an insult. Ultimately, I could accept such a position, if I was director. And then, when we, like me, been kicked out of a masterful kick, one is rather tempted to retaliate. I am.I would add that on April 24, the small shareholders in Generali will, too, have a say.

Vincent Bollore, who is close to you has participated in the council and Mediobanca will become vice chairman of Generali. This does not "compensate" Does not your departure?

Vincent Bollore said he did everything he could within the nominations committee of Mediobanca. I think, though, in reality, I think that he is not against the idea of a withdrawal to my age. He advises me for months already to accept a honorary president for life and the benefits attached to them.Do I need? After all, my phone rings again …

As for the future role within the board of Generali, Vincent Bollore – who, as intelligent and dynamic as it is, is not an insurer – I do not know what he can be when we clearly supports a takeover of Generali by Mediobanca.

What do you mean?

I think if you put me in the door today Generali, because I defend an orthodox management, exclusively serving the interests of the company and its shareholders, not special interests. I also fought for what is Generali of Italy, a treasure, one of his very few companies to be known worldwide. We're number two in France, Germany, Central Europe, in China too (private sector).But for the merchant bank Mediobanca, which is no longer the hub of the Italian economy it was the time of Enrico Cuccia, the issue has always been to return to power at Generali easy pay day loans. What has never been neither in the interests of the company and its customers or the interests of Italy.

The defense of Generali, it was also against the appetites of other insurers. Have you, during your presidency, proposed a marriage with AXA?

My duty has always been to defend, with all my strength, the "Italian character" of Generali. So yes, Axa has always wanted a reconciliation, but I've always been against. And I have often said Claude Bebear.If it was thought at one time or another, the fact that French is the head of Generali was a godsend, he finally had to give in to reason.

Compare yourself today the circumstances of your departure to the 1999?

When I became the CEO of Generali in 1995, it achieved very little of its profit in connection with its object. She was content to sell property to make profits! In four years, I had doubled the turnover consolidated global market capitalization tripled. But Mediobanca from me in 1999. As I said at the time, and this remains true, the recognition is a disease of the dog not transmissible to man!

And then in 2002, Mediobanca, very concerned about the financial situation of Generali, which was lost, asked me to return. What not to the liking of everyone.Antonio Fazio, Governor of the Bank of Italy, has done everything for me put a spoke in the wheels. But he failed. Others were convinced that I would not set goals that I had with the two managing directors: we had developed a considerable business plan, for a term of three years for the management, instead of just one year as was. And as I have done my job, they could not get rid of me … until now.

This special relationship between Generali and Mediobanca did she embarrassed in your plans for the insurer?

Yes, because Mediobanca would not be diluted stake in Generali. They have never wanted me to realize any capital increase. Mediobanca may not, from his point of view, giving room for maneuver to Generali, and I worry for its future.Because if the company has managed to partially rebuild its capital after the terrible financial crisis we went through these past two years, it will not be sufficient to meet future regulatory requirements under Solvency 2 Directive nor more needs to be developed by means not only organic but also by major acquisitions.

At one point, he will make a capital increase. And better sooner than later because the liquidity has been abundant in recent months, will not always what you …

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Sixty employees of the automotive Sodimatex, whose owner decided to close, are cut off since this afternoon at their factory Crepy-en-Valois, in the Oise and threaten to set fire to a tank gas, it was learned from the police, confirming a report Parisien.fr site.

A mobile police squad has been deployed around the plant. After being evicted on Thursday morning a roundabout they occupied, the employees were cut to 15 hours in their factory.

"They say they want to burn a tank of gas. They want socially is increased, said the prefecture. They demanded that negotiations be reopened with management.The state plays its role of mediator. "

The tank, four to five meters long, located outside the factory is surrounded by pallets "ready to be lit," according to employees.

The prefecture has reported working at a negotiating meeting "if possible as early as Thursday evening. "We do not know how it will end. People are focused, "said Eric Lemoine, of the CFDT plant. "People are starting to crack," he said.

A premium extra-legal of 21,000 euros per employee

The closure of the plant, which employs 92 employees, was announced April 10, 2009. Since then, negotiations between the social management and the employees have failed, despite mediation by the state. Employee representatives were received by early February at the Elysee by an advisor to the head of state, says Lemoine. "It would give us news. We're still waiting, "he said.The employees claim Sodimatex including extra-legal premium of 21,000 euros per employee.

They demonstrated Thursday morning on the outskirts of the plant, blocking access to a large industrial area and the logistics platform Crepy-en-Valois. According to the prefecture, they refused a round table to say their demands and kept blocking.

"The police intervened.They have restored traffic conditions allowing businesses to operate, "according to the prefecture, who said that the direction of Sodimatex" did not require intervention of the authorities. "

The mobile police intervened using tear gas, which was perceived by employees as "a real attack, told AFP Alain Lebrun, general secretary of the departmental union CGT de l'Oise.

"Employees demand that management come to the negotiating table, but not empty handed," he said.

He said the group Trier, owner of Sodimatex, received 55 million euros from the state under the plan to help automotive suppliers. "Today, we want to let employees go with the legal minimum," he denounced.Xavier Mathieu, the leader of the CGT employees of the factory Continental Clairoix (Oise), came to give his support Thursday night "to brothers of struggle."

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Greece has lived too long beyond its means on falsified data, intentional or negligent. While the previous government announced a deficit of 6% of GDP, George Papandreou, just took office in October 2009, revealed a deficit of 12.9% and public debt to 115% of GDP, while the limit Brussels is fixed by 3%. The euro fell from the clouds. Widespread tax evasion – the shadow economy exceeds 20% of GDP – bloated government spending, burden of staff: emergency measures needed. Athens offers a drastic austerity plan: reducing government spending and health spending, freezing salaries and bonuses of officials, raising the age of retirement guaranteed approval cash loans !!!???! !!???!!!. Greece promises to bring back this way its public deficit to 8.7% of GDP at end 2010, but not convincing.Riddled with debt, it will borrow 53 billion euros this year if she wants to get out. If Europe does not help, bankruptcy is a nightmare scenario that nobody wants because it could snowball. But Greece also must avoid at all costs the social explosion that growls at her.

2) Why so much reluctance in Germany?

The German Chancellor has requested that a country can be excluded from the euro area "last resort" in case of repeated infringements Maastricht rules. Photo credits: AFN

For Nicolas Sarkozy, "nothing would be worse than to change course." Three days after the defeat of the right in regional elections, the Head of State said "understand the impatience of the French", but promised to "continue the reforms."

In a television address after the Council of Ministers, the President detailed the major projects to come. Regarding pension reform, one of the most important issues of his mandate Nicolas Sarkozy has promised "not to go into force" while ensuring that it would be adopted "six months".

Also on the economic front, he expressed his desire to "continue to reduce labor costs and investment" to help France to recover from the crisis.Regarding agriculture, the Head of State expressed its readiness to provoke a "crisis in Europe rather than accept the dismantling of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The president also announced he would launch a "concerted" on the medical outreach. Several unions went on strike March 11 to demand a revaluation of the base rate of consultation, and a new operation is scheduled April 8

A law on the full veil

On social issues, Nicolas Sarkozy was back on the table the issue of the burqa guaranteed payday loans . "The full veil is contrary to the dignity of women. The government will introduce a bill banning "he said, without specifying the timing.

The president also brandished the threat of suspension of allowances for parents of children skipping classes. To the head of state, "the responsibility of parents must be committed." Moreover, "young people who can not attend a normal school will be placed in appropriate facilities where they disrupt the lives of most others and they will receive special support," he said.

The carbon tax postponed sine die

While stressing "the choice of a green tax", Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed on Wednesday that the Executive conditioned the establishment of the carbon tax to a hypothetical European Agreement on the device."I makes the creation of a carbon tax to a tax internal borders that will protect our agriculture and our industries against unfair competition from those who continue to pollute without shame", was it right after the first council government ministers slightly modified, which the Secretary of State for Environment Jouanno Chantal did not participate.

The U.S. computer group Hewlett-Packard announced Friday that it was revising downward its first quarter results because of the legal costs of its subsidiary Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

The judicial authorities have in fact ordered DHS to pay 300 million euros – in all – group British Sky Broadcasting and British Sky suscribers Services (BSkyB), which had continued since 2000 to a dispute concerning a development project to system update management (CRM customer relationship) second by the first …went wrong.

After delays and budget overruns (48 million pounds sterling at the base), BSkyB had then resolved to complete the project alone.

On 1 March, in addition to a sentence of 230 million euros imposed in January, HP has been added to interim payment of 77 million euros.

96 to 93 cents per share

Thus, net income amounted to 2.25 billion dollars instead of 2.32 billion announced in February. The world of computers was then revised upwards its estimates of revenues and earnings for fiscal 2010 lagged cash advance .Net earnings per share is reduced to 93 cents, against 96 cents previously.

Last November, Hewlett-Packard unveiled a decline in net income of 8% annually to 7.7 billion, although the last quarter it was up 14% yoy to 2.4 billion dollars. At this time, Dell has introduced quarterly profit falls by 54% and a revenue and earnings per share below expectations.

In May 2008, HP had offered the number two global services company EDS for $ 13.9 billion.

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The latest figures of U.S. employment for the month of January seem paradoxical. The unemployment rate fell to 9.7%, against 10% in December. Better than expected. But most companies have dismissed that hiring, the net destruction of reaching the 20,000 jobs over the month. Analysts had expected between 5,000 and 15,000 new jobs.

These two contradictory figures in fact derived from two studies of the U.S. Department of Labor, based on two different methods.The difference in trend indicates that employees are more numerous in January than in December, but they are less likely to occupy several positions simultaneously.

"If unemployment remains a serious problem, today's figures contain some encouraging signs for a resumption of gradual labor market," said the White House.

The U.S. administration has estimated that the employment situation has therefore remained "almost unchanged". In detail, the building was destroyed 75 payday loans for bad credit .000 Jobs, while industry and services have created respectively 11,000 and 48,000 positions.

Economists agree, though, that unemployment has peaked."The pace of job losses still slows significantly and the return of job creation in services and industry is good news," said John Thomas, for example, economist at Natixis.

The strong upward revisions in the number of job destruction in 2009, however, may worry. The December figure was revised sharply upward from 75% to 150,000 against 85,000 initially. At 12 months, are shedding 600,000 jobs that were added following the revisions of the statistics. This is does not affect the positive trend, according to Inna Mufteeva, economist at Natixis' share is only a point of reversal highest previously believed.

Good news: 3,600 farmers have chosen to convert their farms to organic in 2009, is 20% more than last year. "This is a historic increase in the last ten said Elisabeth Mercier, director of the Bio Agency, the body responsible for promoting bio in France. The increase in 2009, is the total of seven years earlier. "

Better yet is no room for complacency: the organic still represents only 2.4 to 2.5% of the agricultural area in France. To meet the objectives of the Grenelle of the environment, it should reach 6% in 2012 and 20% in 2020 …

A French two consumes Bio

The barometer 2009 Agency bio makes it clear that organic products are completely integrated into the everyday consumer. "A French consumes two organic at least once a month, says Elisabeth Mercier.It is a structural trend, we can not really speak of fashion. "Despite the crisis, all indicators are green: 84% of French believe that organic agriculture should continue to grow and 25% of consumers of organic intend to grow in the next six months their consumption (against 22% in 2008) while they are 71% want to keep it low fee payday loans . New organic buyers also progressing with 20% of consumers who are being less than two years. They are also often to feed a newborn in the family.

Price of success, imports of organic products should rise further in 2010. The Agency considers the bio to 30% on average with significant differences depending on the product.If the local supply of meat, eggs or wine can meet the demand, much less the case for milk, cereals and products of high culture. As for fruits and vegetables and groceries dry areas on which the demand is strong, imports represent up to 50% or 60%. Since it takes three years for a farmer to convert to organic, the offer is not about to join the request.

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Air Problems

Air traffic may experience some disruption on Wednesday and Thursday. An Inter-CGT-CGC-FO Unsa air traffic controllers said it was maintaining its notice to strike despite a meeting with Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau. Twelve thousand agents are concerned. They deal in particular security and air traffic management. The airlines will then induced to delay or cancel their flights. "We expect a fairly important to strike then strong enough disruption to our services. We warned these companies of significant disturbance to predict, "warns the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This should provide future traffic forecasts. Travelers are advised to check their flights before going on site. Several airports, such as Lille or Brest Britain, are already experiencing delays.Trade union sources suggest even the possibility of "Operation Snail" on access to airports.

Reason: the Inter asks the Government to reconsider its policy of non-renewal of retirement on two, or 400 job cuts in two years. The unions also fear a dismantling of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in favor of a merger of services under the FABEC (block functional space common to Germany, Benelux and Switzerland) .

Officials should stop work

They are asked to raise next January 21 by the CGT, FSU, Solidaires, the NMS-CFDT and UNSA-Education.

Reason: they demand an immediate halt job cuts. According to them, in 2010, the State and public services will suffer their worst year in the budget with 30,000 job cuts.Since 2007, this will total more than 100,000 jobs have been eliminated. "Education is very particularly hard hit with more than 16,000 job cuts, totaling more than 40,000 jobs," said a statement of the UNSA-Education. A common departure is planned in Paris, Place de la Republique and 14h. "This movement must be sustainable, unions warn.

The maritime transport of goods affected

In continuation of the strike on January 4, a social movement paralyzes the major French ports since the beginning of the week. The mobilization could still continue. Monday, at the invitation of the National Federation of Ports and Docks CGT workers stopped work in Marseille, Dunkerque, Nantes-Saint Nazaire, Rouen, Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Le Havre. In the Normandy ports, they were almost 90% to strike. In Marseilles and Fos, fifteen vessels were affected.At Havre, the container terminals were very disturbed.

Reason: after the port reform, the CGT claimed the government guarantees employment, including the arduous, and investment. The union wants the expansion of the national collective agreement to river ports and fishing ports and want more information on the transfer of personnel handling to the private sector. The seven autonomous ports French in 2008 employed nearly 31,700 people. However, their market share relative to their European competitors continues to decline.

Mobilization to the Court of Appeal of Amiens

The unions and leftist parties called the 1120 employees of the factory Continental Clairoix to demonstrate to the Court of Appeal of Amiens on Wednesday.

Reason: the first trial court had sentenced heavily Compiegne six demonstrators protesting against the closure of their factory.The objective of the Inter is to obtain the release of six persons convicted of "looting" of the sub-prefecture of Compiegne April 21 last. That day, nearly 200 employees occupy the factory sub-prefecture, after learning they were rejected by the justice of their demand to cancel the procedure of closure. The trial will take place at 13:30.

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