International News

Bibendum does not despair of one day impose a puncture-proof tire. After the failure of PAX, which allowed run flat, but had not convinced the manufacturers, Michelin expects to sell within three years for a tire which sets itself in the event of a puncture.

This innovation, introduced yesterday, is equipped with an inner membrane that comes to fill the holes if needed. The system is effective in cases of perforations of less than 6 millimeters in diameter, or 98% of the holes, according to the manufacturer payday loan lenders.

For manufacturers looking to lighten vehicles, this solution would "remove the spare tire." The group believes that a European driver die on average every 70,000 to 100,000 kilometers in China and India, this happens every 5000-6000 miles.

It is not just in France that soaring fuel worries. Whether in Beijing or Washington, the great powers anxiously watching the prices soar. United States, the phenomenon begins the popularity of President Obama. In China, leaders tried Saturday to end a protest by truckers of the Port of Shanghai. These last Friday blocked access to the terminal docks Baoshan.

After closed-door negotiations with the local road, the authorities announced on Saturday a "lower standard fees and the abolition of taxes outstanding." The decision was announced by making an effort to reduce "the pressure on carriers 'costs' and mitigate the effects" of rising inflation, is it explained in a statement. No mention of the strike.

Not sure the extent sufficient to satisfy the carriers.According to testimonies collected on the spot Saturday by news agency Reuters, the drivers intended to continue the movement until you see the concrete effects of tax cuts. "It's not that I strike, but what's the point of working if I lose money?" Said one trucker.

Beijing is trying to stifle any rebound media movement. No public statement had been made to this press Saturday and it was broadcast in English. It was only taken up by the official Xinhua News Agency, also in English. Chinese leaders fear that the waltz prices facing the country could trigger a vast movement of popular protest. Despite efforts to cool an overheating economy, inflation has been above expectations in March fast cash now. It reached 5.4% on a year to a growth rate of 9.7%, also higher goals of Beijing.

Obama disapproved

Across the Pacific, even dissatisfaction at the pump. In the U.S., the price of fuel has surpassed the symbolic $ 4 a gallon (unit equivalent to about 3.8 liters). The popularity of President Obama suffers. According to a survey New York Times / CBS released this weekend, 57% of Americans disapprove of the economic policy of the host of the White House. They are also 80% believed that the economic situation stagnates or deteriorates.

After a week to defend his choices for the federal budget, Barack Obama was forced to admit Saturday that rising fuel prices for Americans is "a burden when the situation is already difficult." But it does not mean advanced solution in the short term.Changes in gasoline prices more than justifies any investment in green energy, he was merely hammering during his weekly radio address this Saturday: "In the long term, the response. This is the solution to help people who are full and reduce our dependence on oil from abroad. "

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The costs of fund management Safely dropped a point in five years, reaching 3% in 2010. "Unbeatable for 400 billion euros in benefits provided to 360 premium collected," Judge Dominique Libault, Director of Social Security. "A form of performance" made possible primarily by the online services that reduce the "paperwork" to be treated while improving service (Pajemploi, CESU, Vitale Ameli.fr or to name the best known examples).

These productivity gains allow a policy close to the non-replacement of retiring in two applied to the state: 10,000 job cuts and less in Medicare and another 4,000 planned, workforce stability despite the CFO care benefits for civil servants and RSA no fax cash advances… In the end, the number of general system-level income "from 1976, according to Peter Mayer, director of CNAV.Other projects are underway: Medicare Expands Sophia, escort service for diabetics, an experiment takes place to optimize the treatment pathway after maternity … The branch family, she launched the site in 2009 my-enfant.fr to seek care arrangement. "Families find all the host schools, child-minders in 70 departments and a cost calculator," said Herve Drouet, its director.

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Intermarché reacts. With its three-year plan in 2011 revelation, presented on Monday morning and backed by a media campaign from 15 March, the group implicitly admits his weaknesses … he intends to treat. The turnover of the group of Musketeers has certainly increased by 4% last year to nearly 35 billion euros, but this increase is largely due to locations abroad and the meager cache up 1.6 % of intermarket French (excluding fuel, at constant perimeter). The network has lost 0.1 points of market share, according to Kantar Worldpanel where U etLeclerc System have won.

Intermarché would imitate its competitors on another point, profitability, the group that developed the Musketeers had somewhat lost sight of in recent years marked by the expansion."Our goal is to win 15% of turnover per square meter in three years," says Gilles Briand, member based in Foix and in charge of marketing at Intermarché.

Led by a new president, Jean-Pierre Meunier, in recent weeks, Intermarché to reverse the trend. Network segmentation, with next to hypermarkets and supermarkets, and of intermarket Contact Express comes to an end: one third of the stores has yet to change sign before the end of the year. This new visual identity will help the group to support its new slogan: "Intermarket, teaches the freshest market." This slogan refers to our strong point, fresh produce. But it also refers to our commitment to innovation, both in terms of products, services sales channels, "says Gilles Briand.Stores "Drive," where consumers can withdraw their orders after their shopping online, are growing strongly (8 outlets to date, 80 expected end 2011). A VIP category was also created for holders of the loyalty card (with a revised promotion system).

The most visible brands

The overhaul of the range of retail brands Intermarché is the most visible innovation for the customer. This range includes 4500 references in 2000 on food and non-food accounts for half of sales volume. It should streamline the offer divided into 90 brands."To make more understandable the range, we'll rationalize it around our thirty most iconic brands, such as Paquito (fruit-based products), Pastures (dairy products) and Labelle (body care)." However, brands Heart Mountain Terrier Clos Chevrel Bergelou or disappear from the shelves.

Moreover, Intermarché will launch a new brand, Route des Saveurs, bringing together of products are "ethnic and regional cuisine, as varied as Chinese spring rolls or cassoulet.

Revelation 2011 is also an overall cost savings. "It should allow us to regain our leadership," says Gilles Briand. The group members have bread on the board, but they are comforted by the good results of the reorganization of the subsidiary Netto discount stores.Its sales jumped by 9.7% in 2010, won the group with 0.1 points of market share, while this segment has been rather neglected last year.

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Occur again and again, to meet global demand for oil as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA) has revised upwards, to the tune of 89.3 million barrels per day (bpd) for 2011. To cope, the majors are concentrating their efforts on exploration and production, which represents on average 70% of their investments. "This is an area ultracapitalistique, which also means taking risks," said Pierre Terzian, editor of the weekly special Pétrostratégies. Some new sources turn out to be less promising than expected.

In 2010, capital expenditure of ExxonMobil, the world leader in the industry (with annual revenues exceeding $ 105 billion), reached a record $ 32.2 billion."As resources are increasingly difficult to access, large companies have limited resources to become leaders in other segments energy," insists a study by consulting firm Strategy Sia Council. The particular demands of offshore exploration technologies increasingly sophisticated. As for heavy oils, in areas often extreme climate, their production is profitable from $ 90 a barrel.

They limit spending on alternative energy

In the early 2000s, the giants of black gold loudly asserted their determination to focus on alternative energy. A few years later, this policy sketched above dashed. Sia Council recalls in particular that in 2009, Shell decided to freeze its investments in wind, solar and hydrogen.Its new priority, biofuels, is actually quite close with his heart craft. Ditto for ExxonMobil, which has pledged up to $ 600 million along with Synthetic Genomics to develop a new generation of biofuels from algae low rates payday advance. In general, large companies invest only timidly in green industries: a few hundred million dollars, compared with several billion in profits."Today, they rely on partnerships to actively monitor the various alternative technologies while limiting investment amounts and risk," says Sia Council.

For Pierre Terzian, even if the majors are still facing the post-oil era, we must go beyond these minimal efforts made to promote renewable energies, "Tankers are on the lookout for a jump technology that will allow for example for solar to become competitive.Now the search is not always greedy investment: it took less than 100 million dollars to develop this energy revolution that is the production of shale gas. "

They remain wary of big acquisitions

According to most experts, the time of mega-mergers, with operations whose ticket is trading at very high levels, is over.

The faults of BP in terms of security would be due to growing much too fast. "Before the race for size, the majors are asking the question of the effectiveness of integration, even if the example of ExxonMobil, three times larger than Total, is compelling," said Pierre Terzian.

They serve shareholders still hungry

The company repeated it in chorus when the benefits are significant, it is natural that their shareholders benefit greatly.In 2009, for example, ExxonMobil has distributed some $ 26 billion. And the annual loss endured by BP in 2010 because of the oil spill did not stop to announce a dividend.

Objective: to distance vis-à-vis the City. While the controversy bounces across the Channel on lavish bonuses bankers, the government of David Cameron has chosen to burden of 800 million pounds (942 million) the new tax basis on the balance sheets of banks. London is well draw now £ 2.5 billion, when its previous estimates had forecast 1.7 billion. The levy, which applies to UK banks and UK subsidiaries of foreign firms, will bring another 2.5 billion in 2012 and 2.6 billion thereafter.

At first, George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, had planned a gradual rise of the levy, the successor to the windfall tax on the bonuses that had generated 3.5 billion pounds of revenue in 2010.The idea was to allow banks to replenish their equity perspective of European regulations Basel 3. But the good results of HSBC and Barclays more – 24 billion pounds expected by UK credit institutions – have changed the situation. This tax is "a fair contribution to reducing the budget deficit," said George Osborne.

Waiting for the Merlin Project

Downing Street hardens tone vis-à-vis banks just before the season officially starts do bonuses. Some see a sign that the government has little hope of obtaining commitments of moderation in this respect, as he hoped.Already, information published in newspapers across the Channel on the 9 million pound bonus Advance Bob Diamond, Barclays' chief executive, and Stuart Gulliver, head of HSBC, revived the controversy on recurrent variable remuneration.

To reconcile the financial sector in general with the public, banks and government have been trying for weeks to complete an ambitious, dubbed Project Merlin. Among its requirements, Downing Street wanted the large banking institutions limit bonuses. With an expected budget of 6 billion pounds of variable remuneration provided, the City does not seem to have listened to the dictates of moderation."It would have been better, when we save the banks, to secure something in return," coward George Osborne: "Unfortunately, I was not the chancellor at that time" …

Westminster also asked HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds and RBS in banking to provide SMEs about 190 billion pounds of loans, just like what the Elysee had negotiated with the French banks to finance the economy. In addition, the British bankers are asked to develop a £ 1 billion fund to build capital for small businesses.

"The discussions are not completed," admits George Osborne, who hopes to increase "substantial and significant" loans to businesses.And say: "I am always confident about the fact that we can reach an agreement with banks expected to increase loans to small businesses and lower bonuses."

Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize in Economics 2008, boasted over the weekend in its notebook line "difference" of France in terms of economic and social choices. D es choice of technology and productivity, but also "retirement and leisure." If the American leases a different model from the United States, he fails to mention that this model does not allow the Hexagon to achieve growth levels comparable to those seen overseas. Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that 2010 had resulted in an increase in GDP of 2.9%. France, it should hardly exceed 1.5%. The recession is still beautiful is well behind us.

For this year – as well as the following – that the debate is more open.The government target of 2% growth in 2011 is it achievable? It is certainly a little higher than forecasts of international institutions in France. "It will be difficult but not impossible," says Marc Touati, economist at financial Assya Company.

"A small but growing stronger '

For one side, the business climate in industry has greatly improved earlier this year, which may suggest a revival of production and investment by businesses. On the other, consumer confidence has deteriorated.What makes it even more uncertain the resilience of consumer spending – which was strongly supported by the scrapping late 2010 and could now face the consequences quick cash.

Economists from Credit Agricole, they suggest that little by little, the features of the stimulus plan "that allowed the French economy out of recession weaken and give way to a lower growth certainly, but also stronger."The Economy Minister, Christine Lagarde, she did not budge, which again, Friday in Davos, reiterated that growth would reach 2% this year though.

As for the idea of having to lower the forecast of 2.5% for 2012 – a hypothesis for the month of April, after the regional, by anonymous sources quoted in Le Monde Bercy – it is scanned with a hand side of the circle by Christine Lagarde, who considers "stupid" to mention now a revision of growth for next year. "It's much too early!"

"Some have an interest in running this kind of rumor," an irritated laying of the Ministry of Economy, which points its neighbors in the Budget Ministry.The latter would prepare the minds: a lower growth than expected, additional savings would be expected to keep the deficit target – it should rise from 6% of GDP at end 2011 to 4.6% in late 2012.

The minister himself, Baroin, does not a mystery: he warned earlier this year that it might be necessary to go "beyond the 3 billion reduction in tax loopholes" contained for the time next year.

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

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

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

Bernard Thibault singled

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

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

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

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

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

Rely on yourself

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

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

(With AFP)

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This should be one of the great events of the winter semester. Microsoft probably will benefit the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, to introduce these two new tablets in Windows 7. Steve Ballmer's firm could make the first presentations of Windows 8, in a format suitable for tablets. However, this new operating system should not be marketed until a few months.

Good start for Google

Microsoft shelves should be produced by Dell and Samsung, according to The New York Times. That Korean should be even with a sliding keyboard: enough to make it a perfect compromise between the tablet and the notebook with no guarantee of success so far.

It's been ten years since the U.S. giant has, at various times, tested the way the touch pad. Without success.This summer, Steve Ballmer had said he intended to market its own shelves "as soon as they (would) be ready." Meanwhile, Apple iPad, launched in April, was awarded 83% of global market share in this segment, according to Deloitte. In 2012, Apple's market share fall to 44%. What remains a performance, since all the competing tablets, including those coming in Windows, would share the balance, while competition is growing.

Tablets Android (Google) have a very good start, especially the Galaxy Tab Samsung sold a million copies in just over a month. For Microsoft, the current challenge is not to be leading the shelves than to simply be present. Indeed, sales of these products should soon overtake those of laptops, according to Deloitte.She also cannibalize sales of computers, laptops or not, and those of games consoles. Consequently, sales of software should also be affected.

A few months behind Apple

It's much less opportunity for Microsoft, especially for Windows. In addition, the software company has missed the start of smartphones. Accusing nearly three years behind, he struggles to impose its solution Phone Windows 7 against the iPhone and Android devices.

Finally, launching in early 2011 the new shelves, it will "only" a few months behind Apple and could hit the market at about the same time as the iPad 2.

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