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In June 2001, less than a year before the presidential election of 2002, left and right united voted in favor of a major fiscal reform, that of the organic law on public finance laws (LOLF). This text made more transparent accounts of the state. Driven by Didier Migaud at the time of the general rapporteur Socialist Finance Committee of the Assembly, and Alain Lambert, President of the same centrist Committee in the Senate, the reform has been a consensus.

Such a consensus is lacking today to the golden rule, the constitutional reform that would lead to a zero deficit.Yet it is, as LOLF, only to reform "technical", which does not tend to lead policy (tax increases or spending cuts) to balance the books saving account payday loan.

In addition, France is now bound by a commitment: EU leaders decided to adopt in their country a golden rule by the end of 2012. At a conference held for ten years LOLF Thursday, François Fillon regretted blocking the left. "In the deep crisis in particular the euro area, (the Golden Rule, Ed) is an extremely strong sign of the will of all political forces of our country to achieve the goal of zero deficit" he said.

With LOLF, France produced a decade of budget information better. Previously, Parliament voted the new spending next year. It is no longer the case since the draft budget for 2006.

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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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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BNP Paribas seeks to ensure she's back? The French bank has seen its share price loosen over 50% in three months could ask for help to private investors understood the Financial Times. The bank of rue d'Antin should send in the coming days envoys to the Middle East to test the appetite of potential investors if the bank would need money, reports the British newspaper.

Reuters indicates that other French banks have also started negotiations with Qatar for an investment of this type. BNP Paribas and Societe Generale declined to comment this information, the Elysee either. "BNP Paribas leads naturally as road shows each year to present the company and promote its work with investors around the world," said a Reuters spokesman for BNP Paribas.

According to the Financial Times, BNP Paribas might seek to raise up to EUR 2 billion from investors from Qatar and Abu Dhabi. One hypothesis, however, largely rejected by the executive director of the bank, Baudouin Prot. In an interview Thursday with the Echos, the manager believes that, for now, his group is properly capitalized. If necessary, the banker said preferred a strategy based on "a dual effort to set aside profits and reducing the size of the balance sheet" of the bank, rather than a capital increase.

And to convince the good health of his group, the leader said that BNP Paribas "announced one of the best half-year profits in its history, and works quite normally in the collection of savings and loan before adding that the bank is working normally. "Baudoin Prot said BNP Paribas' knows no other difficulty than its share price. "

The official regretted that "today, the concern of investors on the euro area and the problems of sovereign debt are that markets do not really take into account the information we give them." It must be said that the bill for the debt crisis is not insignificant for European banks. According to the IMF, they could potentially lose $ 200 billion. An amount that "does not constitute an estimate of additional capital requirements of banks," moderates the Fund.

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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.

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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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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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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