International News

The diagnosis of "Dr. Disaster" is clear: "Most advanced economies are on their way to a new recession." Nouriel Roubini said at a conference organized by Bloomberg, the latest economic statistics published overseas suggest that the United States, Britain and the major countries in the euro area have even one foot into it.

U.S. consumer confidence is indeed stable in September at a level close to its lowest point reached two years ago at the height of the crisis. American households are also more likely to say that it is difficult to find a job. At the same time, European governments are struggling to resolve the debt crisis.

Thus the eyes of the president and co-founder of the fund Roubini Global Economics, "the question is not whether or not there will an economic contraction, but rather what will be the extent of recession and if we know a new international financial crisis. " The influential Economist states that "the answer to these questions depends on what happens in the euro area and whether European leaders will be able to act together." At the same time, the preacher of the crisis of 2008 states that "politicians have no more cartridges."

And pessimism legendary Nouriel Roubini told him that the consequences of the debt crisis in Europe could be "worse" than the bankruptcy of investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of finance

Gloomy predictions that echo the advice provided by Nouriel Roubini to its own customers. In a letter theoretically confidential, the owner of consulting firm Roubini Global Economic Financial has in fact recently recommended its clients to sell their assets to European sovereign debt. According to him, and they realize their "hit of the year." Nouriel Roubini has hammered "take the money and run away easy payday loans."

And if the man turns and respected professor of economics at the head trader of an investment fund, was able to foresee the crisis "subprime" as 2006, it has not always been right. When the stock market index S & P 500 fell to its lowest level in twelve years in March 2009, Nouriel Roubini believed then that he would continue to fall.But the American flag then flew by 65% ​​in the year 2009! Thus remains to be hoped that this time the predictions of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of finance will not be realized.

Economists forecast break their

One by one, the big banks revise downward their growth forecasts. These days, economists Exane BNP Paribas announced that they did not exclude a more "negative growth" at the end of the year in France. Societe Generale CIB provides a near-zero growth in activity in the third (+0.1%) and fourth quarter (+0.2%). For its part Bank of America Merrill Lynch table does more for France than on a 1.5% growth in 2011.

Involved, the crisis in the eurozone, according to economists Groupama: "Since the beginning of the summer, the expectations of businesses and consumers are deteriorating sharply, especially in Germany, most likely because of the crisis of governance European ". Clearly, the panic in financial markets and the ongoing crisis on the front of the public debt plunge consumers and businesses in the wait.

But at present, "it is very difficult to judge the extent and duration of the downturn," said Pierre-Olivier Beffy, chief economist of Exane BNP Paribas.

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The rebound posted the day before continuing carefully. After closing the session in the green, with a gain of 1.87% to 2949.14% points, the CAC 40 index opened his session by small increase of 0.69% to 2969.46 points, in the wake of Wall Street and Asian stock markets. Investors cautiously welcomed the determination shown by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou during a conference call Wednesday night to Athens out of the crisis. Same upward trend in other European financial centers: the FTSE-100 wins from 0.67% to 5262.05 points, the FTSE Milan Mib rose 0.69% to 14,264 points and the Dax in Frankfurt rose by 0 , 87% to 5386.86 points.

For now, the markets show their confidence in the ability of the euro area to help Athens to prevent the country are lacking, and is forced out of the single currency. At the end of their conference, the Franco-German and was convinced "that the place of Greece is well and truly in the euro area." But on one condition, also very explicit: "The implementation of strict and effective recovery program of the Greek economy supported by the countries of the euro area and the IMF and which conditions the disbursement of future tranches of the program. "George Papandreou was quick to deceive, confirming" the absolute determination of his government to take all necessary measures to implement all commitments. "For the budget minister Valérie Pécresse, what the Prime Minister of Greece were "reassured" the euro area, she said on Thursday LCI.

The U.S. maintains pressure on Europe

To this, add the announcement of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) said on Wednesday they could increase their holdings of bonds denominated in euros. Brazil has such willingness to participate in a "global effort" against the economic crisis that affects rich countries, said the same day the President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff. Meanwhile, Italy, whose rates have soared during bond, has denied media reports that she would have asked China to invest in debt.

U.S. side, however, no way to release the pressure on Europe.It "must do more" in the words of Timothy Geithner, U.S. Treasury Secretary, who must participate in a meeting Friday of finance ministers in Europe. In an interview Wednesday on the financial channel CNBC, he considers, however, that the Europeans "has the capacity" to resolve the crisis, seeing as a good thing that they "recognize that they are late."

Note that Christine Lagarde, Executive Director of the IMF, should give a speech in Washington on "Challenges and solutions for the global economy and the IMF" to 16 hours. While Ben Bernanke, the Fed chairman, should speak at a conference in Washington on the regulation of systemic risk in the early afternoon.

Oil prices continue to fall

On the macroeconomic front, figures on employment in the euro zone for the second quarter are expected, and inflation in August.

In France, the trade deficit is expected to reach 75 billion euros this year, a new sad record after the 56 billion euros recorded in 2008, says Les Echos.

For its part, Spain on Thursday to conduct a bond issue.

Finally, many figures are expected in the U.S., including inflation for the month of August, the current account balance in the second quarter, the weekly claims for unemployment and industrial production for the month of August .

On the foreign exchange market, the euro appears down 0.16% to 1.372 dollar on Thursday. In turn, oil prices continued to fall, after figures showing a decline in demand for refined products in the United States, and while the markets remain worried about the situation in the euro zone, analysts said.In early electronic trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October lost 43 cents to 88.48 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery 53 cents to 111.87 dollars.

Values ​​to follow

• Banking

The banking sector, including Societe Generale (0.29% to 17.43 euros), BNP Paribas (1.04% to 27.18 euros) and Credit Agricole (1.80 to 5.31%) will be once again scrutinized by investors. The crisis became systemic, according to a document sent to the European Union finance ministers and obtained by Reuters, which also recommended a further strengthening of bank resources. In addition, two out of three French believe that the weakening of the banking sector related to the debt crisis could threaten their economies, according to a CSA poll released Wednesday to Les Echos.

• LVMH (1.25% to 113.20 euros)

The group announced Wednesday it had chosen Jordi Constans, come to Danone, to succeed Yves Carcelle at the head of Louis Vuitton in 2013.

• ArcelorMittal (2.68% to 13.23 euros)

The company promised to stop its steel plant in Florange (Moselle) would be temporary, said Wednesday the French government.

• Areva (2.04% to 21 euros)

The nuclear expert will present its strategic plan in early December through improved operational performance, an adjustment of investment and possible asset sales, said its president of dirctoire in an interview for Echoes.

• Publicis (0.56% to 30.66 euros)

The group announced Thursday the acquisition of 100% stake in a public relations agency in the United States, Schwartz Communications, which specializes in technology and health, for an undisclosed sum.

• Bouygues (0.53% to 24.86 euros)

Wednesday, Bouygues Construction, through the company Eirene, delivered the first 53 service centers and respond to the DIT (Directorate of transport infrastructure under the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transportation and housing), according to Reuters.Eirene now provides maintenance and management of these buildings for 28 years.

• Technip (0.76% to 67.89 euros)

The French group of Petroleum Engineering has won a contract for facilities ammonia-urea fertilizer in Port-Gentil (west of Gabon), from Gabon Fertilizers Company, said in a statement.

• Cellectis (6.02% to 5.99 euros)

The company will acquire the Swedish company Cellartis specialist tools for research and development in vitro derived stem cells, as part of a contract valuing the approximately 33.8 million.

• Hermes

The luxury group said that trading in its title would be suspended Thursday pending the decision of the Court of Appeal of Paris on the exemption granted by the AMF on the buyout of minority interests.

While a lack of Greece is closer every day, the question of the nationalization of banks is back on the front of the stage due to the exposure of French banks to Greece. In exchange, banking stocks are under pressure. Since the beginning of the year, Societe Generale, in fact, over 60% of its stock value and displays a low for 20 years, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole, a little less than half.

A situation that the political leaders finally responded. "A nationalization of French banks is totally premature and beside the point," said this morning the Minister of Industry, Eric Besson, on RMC / BFM TV. The latter said that the banks have "very well" stress tests Europe last summer.

If right, then we answer in the negative, this is not the case on the side of the Socialist Party.Thus, to François Hollande, the Socialist candidate for the primary, "If it happened that there is a lack of Greece and the banks are brought to realize losses, there would be an appeal to the State, as in the subprime crisis. The state should not lend to banks, but must take a stake in their capital, "he told the Journal du Dimanche.

"The banks have lied to us in 2008"

For their part, EU officials remain confident in the strength of French banks. The President of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet, has confirmed that central banks were ready to provide liquidity to banks should they need it cash advance loan. "Whatever the scenario Greek and therefore regardless of the provisions to go, French banks have the means to cope," said Christian Noyer, Governor of the Bank of France.

What some experts do not agree. "Banks have lied in 2008 and probably still hiding toxic chemicals in their balance sheets," said Marc Fiorentino, CEO of Monfinancier.com, the JDD. Societe Generale has just announced a new savings plan which relate primarily toxic assets, mainly U.S., made unwanted by the financial crisis and the explosion of the market "subprime" U.S..

For the expert, "The State must enter the capital of French banks up to 30%." Which he said would cost taxpayers between 50 and 100 billion euros. Same story on the side of Dessertine Philippe, Director of the Institute of High Finance. "The state is the only one who can help banks recapitalize," he says.The question is how the state will fund this operation and especially if nationalization does not require that other European countries do the same.

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Prevention rather than cure. Monday, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France, met with unions to prepare them for a more austere than expected return. Deemed "constructive" by the company management, the meeting was to "share" a moody vision of the coming months, which will result in a strengthening economy measures probably formalized in October after the committee Strategic Air France-KLM.

In 2010-2011, Air France announced a cost reduction of nearly 600 million euros. This time, no figures were mentioned. But Monday, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon spoke of "the lack of visibility" on the economic and spoke of the "specter of recession."

No to social at first. A voluntary redundancy scheme has indeed completed at Air France. In two years, the company lost 10% of its workforce.It is not clear that new candidates would raise his finger when a window was open initially. "We should make use of unwanted departures. Now we want to respect the social contract of the company, "said one member of management. Yet behind the scenes, some trade unionists believe that a cost reduction plan will not be enough: "If growth is not to go, plan on removing items from 5,000 to 10,000 is to be feared," stated Monday a trade unionist. Air France has 58,000 employees.

"We will target the fixed-term contracts and temporary contracts and make greater use of outsourcing," lists a spokesman. The hiring freeze, eased in recent months again become very strict.But the recruitment of drivers provided as part of the opening of bases from province to Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux should not be affected payday loans.

Air France will ask all departments to review their budget down. Each manager will be responsible for making proposals in this direction, allowing a second step to calculate the new plan to reduce costs. Another source of savings, reduced capacity of the company, that is to say the removal of flights. After the announcement in late July from a reduction in the growth of long-haul traffic during the winter, is now expected to do the same during the summer of 2012.

In ten days of the announcement of his mégacommande of long-haul aircraft, shared with KLM, the management of Air France said that his austerity plan, however, should not affect aircraft deliveries.

The arrival of Alitalia

A new period of turbulence looks while the current management of Air France to start his estate. The prospective dolphins Pierre-Henri Gourgeon shall take the levers when the profitability of the company has won compared to that of its major European competitors such as Lufthansa or IAG (involving British Airways and Iberia). For its part Lufthansa said on Monday it would sell its subsidiary to British Midlands, which allowed him to gain a foothold in London.

Air France-KLM does not transfer. The Franco-Dutch group is preparing for a majority stake in Alitalia.

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After the increase in VAT on the inputs of the theme parks last week, the elimination of rebates on real estate gains promises to be the main divisive issue of the week opens. This provision, very criticized, only affects second homes and rental investment (principal residence remains, as before, exempt from taxes). But it is radical: since August 25, the capital gain on resale is taxed at 32.5%, regardless of the length of detention of the property. Previously, the taxable gain was undergoing a reduction of 10% per year from five years in prison, which made totally exempt from taxes in fifteen years.Delete this reduction is therefore a true revolution that will represent, in 2012, over 2 billion euros in additional revenue for the state budget!

For many members of the Finance Committee, the government was wrong to brutally suppress the abatement system. "This chopper's austerity plan is absurd, asserts the centrist MP Charles de Courson. It will freeze sales. Transfer taxes, which are sitting on real estate transactions and represent a significant tax revenue departments and municipalities, will collapse. "The deputy also fears an increase in under-the-table, in order to limit the most capital gain to report.Many also fear a destabilization of the market for rental investment.

Members of the Finance Committee, under the aegis of their rapporteur UMP Gilles Carrez, have decided to table an amendment that will restore an allowance of 5% per year after five years free online credit report. What can a total exemption from capital gains tax at the end of twenty-five years. They also want to refer to 1 December 2011 or January 1, 2012 implementation of this measure.

But there's a catch: Bercy awaiting the removal of allowances 200 million savings in 2011 and 2.2 billion in 2012. The restoration of a 5% reduction would cost 900 million full year. Aware of the need to preserve public finances, Gilles Carrez proposes to increase the tax on patents."This is a measure anticompétitivité," retorted Bercy where people still say "open to discussion as long as the deficit does not widen."

A gesture is expected

Reportedly, the Budget Ministry is prepared to make a move on entry into force of the measure on second homes (which could be a little delayed) and would eventually restore a favorable tax abatement in the time, based on a total exemption from taxation of capital gains after thirty years rather than twenty-five as proposed by Gilles Carrez. Between last-minute negotiations and uncertainties on the position of Members who are not part of the Finance Committee, voting in the National Assembly is uncertain. Not to mention that it could be unraveled in the Senate."No decision of economics can not be accepted in the general joy," says Philippe Marini, the UMP rapporteur of the Committee on Finance of the High Assembly, which considers the extent of the government "justified".

Remain in control at home. Such is the concern of Mark Pincus, founder of Zynga, the leading provider of video games for social networks, such as Farmville, with 232 million active players per month. To retain full authority in his business, despite its forthcoming IPO, Mark Pincus holds a special law, approved by its board of directors. This decision is consistent with her wishes because administrators have been selected by Mark Pincus himself, as his deputy director general John Shappert.

The founder of the start-up in 2007 in San Francisco, won each of its actions has 70 voting rights, according to a company document obtained by Bloomberg.It's better than what was originally planned or what has been practiced for IPO social network LinkedIn for business: 10 votes per share for the co-founders.

Thus, Mark Pincus, holder of 16% stake in his company, he will maintain his authority over every decision. This must still be approved by two-thirds of the shareholders, before September 2.

Then Zynga will take his first steps on the stock market and rising, as envisaged from the beginning of the summer, about one billion dollars. If all goes as planned, its market capitalization should be between 15 and 20 billion. The group would become the company most expensive in the world in video games at Electronic Arts (7 cash advance america.3 billion) and Activision Blizzard (13200000000), controlled by Vivendi.Earlier this year, the company was "valued at $ 5 billion," says an expert from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Reversal of value

It is a real reversal of the hierarchy: the publisher of games for social networks could surpass traditional publishers of games for consoles and PC. Zynga is very profitable with its free games, such as Farmville, CityVille or MafiaWars, which cost little money to design and generate significant revenue. Proceeds from the start-up, with over 2000 employees, results mainly from the sale of real shadow, like a farm, factory or virtual fruit trees, which help the player to progress in his adventure. This model is thriving, thanks to Facebook as "friends" involved of challenges through simple little game.Therefore, Zynga should display in 2011 a turnover of around $ 1.5 billion, with, the key to a net income close to $ 500 million. In 2010, after three years of existence, the company became profitable, with $ 90.6 million in net profits for a turnover of 597.5 million and cash of close to one billion.

Traditional competitors, Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts, respectively realized 4.44 billion in revenue and $ 3.58 billion.

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The CAC 40, which gained nearly 4% over the last three sessions, was down 0.65% at 3119 points on Thursday on the eve of the intervention (16 hours on Friday, Paris time) of President of the U.S. central bank, Ben Bernanke. He could announce new measures of monetary easing to support the U.S. economy. Or, failing that, to maintain low rates. Meanwhile, despite cost-cutting measures announced yesterday in France, and which could have an impact on some companies, the stock index, which opened up this morning, was up until about 1530, slowly approaching the 3200 points mark. Before turning down, weighed down by various rumors, immediately denied, one on the degradation of the AAA rating in Germany, the other on a total ban on short selling in the country.These rumors have pushed the Dax in Frankfurt ended sharply lower after losing 1.71% to 4%.

On the macroeconomic front, two indicators were expected at the meeting. The morale of German consumers, hit by the debt crisis in the eurozone and the agony of a recession has reached its lowest level since late 2010, announced Thursday the specialized institute GfK. The GfK said its consumer confidence index, which provides for their behavior in September according to data compiled in August stood at 5.2 points and finds its level in November 2010. This is his sixth consecutive decline.

Above all, the weekly jobless claims in the U.S. rose unexpectedly during the week of Aug. 20, at 417,000 against 412,000 the previous week, according to data from U.S. Department of Labor unveiled at 14:30.What foster uncertainty and investor concerns about the health of the world's largest economy, while analysts had forecast 405,000 registrations.

In France, unemployment figures and job seekers for the month of July will be released after market close at 6:00 p.m..Labour Minister, Xavier Bertrand, warns that unemployment figures "are wrong as were those of the previous two months."

Side raw materials, oil prices rose Thursday to open in New York a barrel of "light sweet crude" for October delivery was trading at 85.99 dollars, up 83 cents from the previous day.

Sharp decline in quarterly profit of Crédit Agricole

On the corporate side, the ball of the results continues.

Crédit Agricole: + 4.81% to 6.511 euros – largest increase in the CAC 40 to BNP Paribas (2.74% to 34.36 euros) and Societe Generale (3.44% to 22.13 euros).

Crédit Agricole has published a net profit down 10.6% to 339 million euros in the second quarter 2011, due to a charge of 640 million related to Greece.In addition, the group could spend 1.5 billion euros to recapitalize its subsidiaries in Southern Europe including the Greek bank Emporiki, according to the Letter of expansion without citing sources.half-year results of companies, including Credit Agricole and Edenred, the branch of Accor Services.

Edenred: + 1.58% to 17.70 euros

Edenred announced interim results and annual targets in line with analysts' expectations, the strong activity in Latin America continue to boost the profits of the group.

Alstom: – 0.91% to 30.485 euros

Alstom has signed two contracts for more than 100 million euros to supply equipment for controlling the air quality in the Middle East.

Cellectis: 12% to 6.72 euros

Cellectis has entered a development agreement and license with the American Recombinetics on "the creation of transgenic large animals" such as pigs, sheep or cattle.

Schneider Electric – 0.18% to 89.14 euros

Schneider Electric announced that its takeover bid for Telvent Git SA expire 30 August instead of September 12.

Gemalto: + 6.33% to 31.41 euros

Gemalto has reported a strong growth in its half-yearly sales, thanks to the strong growth of its secure transactions that are now the most profitable activity of the group.

Bureau Veritas: + 1.14% to 53.89 euros

Bureau Veritas announced adjusted net income up 10% to 164.2 million euros in the first half, operating margin declined 70 basis points to 16.0%, and confirmed predict a sharp increase in the number and business results in 2011.

This is the kind of evening that annoys the purists. Last June, the Becca Cason Thrash wealthy Texan, Vice President of "Friends of the Louvre" U.S. and international, organized a charity gala in the largest museum in the world. The guests – celebrities such as Albert of Monaco and actress Fanny Ardant – were welcomed with a cocktail in the apartments of Napoleon III, before dinner – a sacrilege to some – among the sculptures in the Cour Marly. All these people then went under the Pyramid, transformed into a nightclub for a private concert by Janet Jackson. Fee, the event has raised 700,000 euros to restore the decorative arts galleries of the eighteenth century.

Henri Loyrette, the Louvre for ten years, of course, attended the festivities. The Conservative education devotes much of his time raising private money.It is, apparently, difficult to resist the charm of this man of culture nearly 2 meters. A boss of a U.S. real estate company said that the French, he was invited to spend a weekend at his home in Cincinnati, has enchanted by the couple's conversation about opera and architecture of the city, and has even cracked a speech to the local art museum. "At the end of the weekend, I gave him a check for $ 50,000," says the boss at the magazine Business Week.

Henri Loyrette unashamedly claims this fundraiser activity. And for good reason. The state reduced its funding by 5% in 2009 and again from 5% in 2011. Governments subsidize just over half the budget of the Louvre, against 70% in 2001."To finance its activities with a cultural, but also – more than in the past – educational and social, in a context of declining public subsidies, the Louvre has no other choice but to increase its own resources," he assures, noting that the establishment is not intended to generate profits. His office does not resemble that of an entrepreneur. In the room with ocher walls adorned with classical paintings, with windows overlooking the Pont du Carrousel, every corner is occupied by piles of files and books.

Thirty fundraisers

The Louvre, however, is not complaining. With 230 million euros last year (against 80 million in 2001), the institution has resources comparable to the Metropolitan in New York. Another reason for satisfaction, ticketing, clean source of income, has good prospects.The 8.5 million admissions in 2010, 5 million charge, reported 41 million euros. Attendance, up 70% since 2001, should continue to increase. The Louvre, which has raised interest rates from 9.50 to 10 euros in early 2011, taking advantage of the influx of tourists from emerging countries. If France makes a third of visitors, including foreigners, Brazilians ranked third last year behind the Americans and Italians.

Despite their popularity, the former royal palace could not offer a program as rich without its sponsors. The latter brought him 25 million euros last year, more than a quarter of own income. To attract them, the Louvre was created in 2003 a commando no equivalent in France: a team of thirty people dedicated to raising funds. They offer companies to fund projects until end 2013.This may include, for example, to affix its logo on the poster exhibition. Cost: between 100,000 and 400,000 euros for one of the Forbidden City, scheduled in September. Other possibilities, the redesign of the website or with the acquisition of a work of German Romantic painter Friedrich. The Department of Islamic Art, which opened in 2012, it should be 75% funded by the private sector. Saudi Prince al-Walid brings 17 million euros 100 million.

Tax benefits

Fundraisers of the prestigious institution have a strong argument: a tax system that allows the 2003 tax cuts equivalent to 60% of the expenses of artistic patronage, and even 90% for the purchase of a work art classified national treasure. However, they must scrap more than before the crisis.Main challenge, competition of social projects, popular with company employees. As a result, "we propose projects crossing artistic and social dimensions," says Hervé Barbaretta, deputy head of the Louvre. For the exhibition of ancient Macedonia in the fall, Total organize and discovery tours of the museum for troubled youth. To "preserve the scientific credibility," Henri Loyrette ensures that sponsors are funding projects already "tied". This applies to the exhibition "Paper Work", which indicates that the poster is presented by "the Louvre Museum and Canson." Exposure of the watchmaker Breguet in 2009 was cringe, with texts considered too partisan.

In exchange for their support, businesses are entitled to privileges such as the availability of spaces.Other firms pay dearly for these benefits: 100,000 euros for a night under the Pyramid. Unlike donors, they do not have their name engraved for eternity on the "wall of patrons" in the lobby.

Buoyed by the announcement of a burst of mergers and acquisitions, Wall Street on Monday confirmed the rebound that started in last weekend. In limited volumes, it will erase all its losses from last week. All indices end in green: the Dow ends up sharply from 1.87% to 11,479.65 points. The index had opened up 0.48% to 11,323.44 points and continued to grow during the session. The Nasdaq index also closed with a gain of 1.87% to 2554.79 points.

Markets reacted to a volley of announcements of mergers and acquisitions. First, Google (-1.16% to 557.23 dollars) has announced the acquisition of the mobile phone manufacturer Motorola Mobility (55.78% to 38.12 dollars) to $ 12.5 billion in cash.Time Warner (-0.81% to 64.98 dollars), meanwhile, reached an agreement to buy the cable operator Insight Communications to Carlyle for $ 3 billion. Finally, Cargill will acquire the French specialist in animal feed Provimi to 1.5 billion euros.

As in Europe, investors are upbeat on the eve of an important meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the reform of the governance of the euro area. They should discuss ways to implement to prevent contagion problems of sovereign debt to the rest of the region.

But Germany has already warned investors: this meeting will lead to "nothing spectacular"."It will be a working meeting on the governance of the euro area in line with European decisions taken in late July," said the spokesman of the Ministry of Finance. The latter also confirmed the skepticism German, joined by France, in respect of Eurobonds. These ads have already resulted in demoralizing the European investors.

In Asia, the announcement of a contraction much weaker than expected Japanese GDP has also reassured the markets.

Morale builders stable

The statistics published on Monday in the U.S. are, however, bleak. Manufacturing activity in the New York area declined for the third consecutive month at -7.7, 3.9 points lower than in July.

In real estate, the NAHB index released on Monday shows that the morale of the manufacturers was unchanged in August, close to its lowest historical levels.

Note that the currency market, the euro strengthened against the greenback at 1.444 dollar. Oil markets, oil prices closed up in New York. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery was trading at 87.88 dollars, up 2.50 dollar. Prices had fallen during the European trading, erasing their gains made in Asian trade in a market nervous and still haunted by persistent concerns about global growth and the debt crisis in the eurozone.A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was trading at 107.56 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London, down 47 cents from Friday's close.

Google swallows Motorola Mobility

On the corporate side, Bank of America (7.93% to 7.76 dollars) has announced the sale of its activities in the international credit cards in Britain, Ireland or Canada.

The food distributor Sysco (-3.93% to 28.11 dollars) announced earnings per share (EPS), diluted to 57 cents under its fourth quarter, diluted EPS of $ 1.96 for all of its financial year, while its quarterly sales reached $ 10.4 billion.

Estee Lauder fell 6.64% to 94.15 dollars.Despite the publication of a net income group share record of $ 700.8 million, up 46.5%, the cosmetics group announced its annual results would be below Wall Street expectations.

Lowe (0.82% to 19.58 dollars) has already reported sales below expectations in the second quarter of its fiscal year and lowered its annual targets for the second time in three months, consumers pushing their development projects until later because of sluggish growth.

Boeing (1.54% to 62.70 dollars) announced it had completed with Air Lease Corp. an order valued at $ 2.5 billion on 14 737-800 aircraft and five 777-300ER.

Pfizer (2.69% to 18.34 dollars) announced Monday it had won before a U.S. court case against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries of Israel, preventing the global generics to produce a copy of Viagra before 2019 .

Transocean (2.97% to 57.26 dollars), listed in New York, wants to buy the Norwegian group Aker Drilling, for a total of 1.1 billion Swiss francs (1 billion), according to a statement Monday. Several large shareholders, representing 65% of the capital, have agreed to the deal, said the Swiss.

The American specialist craft materials Grainger (2.01% to 138.57 dollars) on Monday announced the acquisition of the Dutch distributor of fasteners Fabory Group for $ 344 million (242 million).

Faced with rumors that shook markets extremely volatile last week and some bank stocks are falling, the stock market authorities are seeking a European risposta. Thursday night market regulators in Brussels, Madrid, Paris and Rome have announced a ban on short selling, which takes effect this Friday, for at least 15 days.

Short sales are a complex and risky speculative practice, which involves, initially, borrow securities (eg 10 euros) which anticipates the decline. Then sell it. And finally to buy it when its being dropped (8 euros). By selling what he had not yet acquired by the speculator has pocketed a gain of 2 euros.

This practice is alleged to amplify the declines of the securities markets. Its prohibition is routinely considered during financial crises."Short sales are trading strategies consistent with the rules but they become abusive when they are clearly associated with large and false market rumors," said ESMA, the European regulator of financial markets in a statement.

Eleven French values ​​involved

In France, the AMF has decided to ban short selling of eleven financial stocks which were particularly severe on the stock market due to rumors about the health of the banking sector guaranteed payday loan. Societe Generale is one of them: the bank has seen its price falls by 15% Wednesday due to a rumor of a false information about a bank failure in the British tabloid Mail on Sunday.Crédit Agricole and BNP Paribas are also among the financials involved.

"We deal in various European countries to rumors that are unfounded," noted the president of the AMF. "These rumors can amount to market abuse", by which the MFA refers to price manipulation and insider trading. Finance Minister Baroin has in turn welcomed the decision of the AMF.

In France as in Spain and Italy, the ban is valid for 15 days and may be renewed. In Belgium, where naked short sales (where the investor does not own the loan) were already banned, the new ban is enforced for a period inderterminée.It concerns four titles: KBC Ancora, Dexia and Aegas.

The Dutch financial markets regulator AFM, meanwhile, said he saw no need to ban short sales on the exchanges of Amsterdam.