International News

European consumers should avoid this year's gas war, which traditionally opposes Russia to Ukraine. However, last week, the European Union monitors to close another front – this time oil – which is taken to Moscow and its close neighbor, Belarus.

It is populated by the republic of 10 million inhabitants, formerly subservient to the Soviet government, which handles a significant part of Russian oil destined for Europe. Now, Moscow intends to Minsk taxing exports of black gold, which should account for this small country a net loss of about 1.8 billion euros. In tough negotiations are taking place in the Russian capital, with the fear still present, the Russian government abruptly interrupted deliveries of oil.

Flowing through the Druzhba pipeline, the oil supplies to refineries in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Lithuania. Further downstream, 15% of oil consumed in Germany goes through this famous pipe, a proportion which reaches 75 in Poland! "We remain very attentive to the changing situation, said Thursday the spokesperson of European Commissioner for Energy, Andries Piebalgs. Brussels has negotiated with Moscow the introduction of an early warning system, designed to prevent energy crises.

"Bringing the country in the right way"

As usual in energy, trade dispute that combines economic and political considerations. Moscow wants to change the preferential treatment that allows today to Belarus, as a former Soviet republic, to pay no duty on the oil it imports from Russia.

The unspoken goal of the Russian government is to "bring in the right way" Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is attempting a rapprochement with the EU. Oil, which constitutes 37% of Belarusian exports, is easy ammunition. Meanwhile, Moscow and Minsk – allies in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan – three negotiating the creation of a customs union, hardly compatible with the flirtation European Belarus. Between the Russian oil and Brussels, Alexander Lukashenko will probably choose.

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The Paris Bourse started the week higher, recovering some lost ground over the last two sessions last week (-1.16% to close Thursday and Friday -0.95%). Around 13 hours, the CAC 40 was up 0.95% at 3830.61 points, including increased growth of the beautiful side of U.S. markets. In an exchange volume down (barely 875 million euros at mid-session), the famous rally Year-end "appears to be a good reason for investors to" play "on the rise.

No statistics are expected today, which should contribute to the sluggish trade.On the rest of the week (end of quotes provided 13 hours Thursday and closing of the Exchange Friday), the third estimate of U.S. GDP for the third quarter and the sales figures in the real estate professional in the U.S. will be watched.

Thomson negotiates

This is Thomson, which holds the top of the display values of the SBF 120, displaying a great increase of 7.81% to 0.94 euro. The restructuring of debt of Thomson, which must be approved by two thirds of its creditors, has already been accepted on Monday by two of the three committees of creditors who must decide, said the French group said in a statement.

Other important information on Monday and welcomed by the market: a joint venture of Safran (+3.56%) and General Electric was selected in the manufacture of aircraft engines by China to equip future aircraft have to compete A320.

In the ACC, Total wins 1.93%, to 43.4 euros after winning a license contract in Algeria for gas fields of Ahnet.

According Wansquare, Jacques Lenormand, deputy CEO, responsible for driving strategic financial and Credit Agricole (just 1%), going from the facility in a few weeks.

The group involved in banking, in an interview with the daily Le Soir, Pierre Mariani, the CEO of Dexia (3.18%), higher up the leading index in Paris) says it plans to show a fourth quarter in the green.

The action Natixis, it takes 2.51%, to 3.35 euros. The Exchange welcomes the restructuring of the BFI and Jean-Marc Moriani will leave office.

In an interview with Le Figaro, CEO and founder of Iliad (+0.33%), the parent of Free, Xavier Niel puts the figure at 2.8 billion euros by 2012 for its surplus of operation.

NicOx (-0.97%) lifted about 100 million euros in its capital increase.

Sanofi-Aventis coward 1.04%, to 54.13 euros. The group announced the discontinuation of development of two products, one in the treatment of insomnia and the other in the atrial fibrillation.

CNP Assurances (+0.12%) has exercised the option to sell part of its 11.34% stake in Natixis Global Asset Management.

Exxon Mobil launched a massive operation. The Texan oil giant announced Monday in a statement putting his hand on XTO Energy, a specialist in exploration and production gas field unconventional. The stock transaction is valued at 41 billion dollars (28 billion euros). An amount that includes 10 billion debt to XTO. The news that investors react. On Wall Street, the action XTO recorded a jump of 16.65% to 48.38 dollars, while Exxon Mobil abandoned as 2.99% to 70.65 dollars.

Through this transaction, expected Exxon 0.7098 new share issue by XTO title. This is equivalent to a 25% premium for shareholders of XTO, compared to the closing price on Friday, December 11, which served as basis for agreement. The deal should be finalized in the second quarter 2010 after the green light by shareholders of XTO and regulators.After the merger, Exxon plans to establish in Texas a new organization to manage development and resources that will bring him XTO Energy.

The exploration and production of unconventional gas represents a potential size of the United States. For Rex W. Tillerson, executive director of Exxon Mobil, this acquisition will be an opportunity to increase investment and create new jobs in the U.S. economy.

Malaise in the drafting of TF1 and LCI. During these two days, a petition full of anxiety concerning the working conditions of editorial running in the first group of television. The fear expressed is that of seeing down the "information quality" of the first media of France, given the new organization that is gradually established. This should lead eventually to a complete merger of the newsrooms of the two channels.

In this document signed by all the trades the group's information, the signatories say loud and efforts on behalf of the savings plan of the chain. Nonce Paolini, CEO of the group, has promised to market savings of some 70 million euros to spare no one. Thus, the wording has already recorded a score of departures on its total to 330 journalists. Or 200 and TF1 and LCI 130.But it is also the organization of work teams worried: less time to subjects, and especially fewer people to make reports.

"Standing"

TF1 teams are restricted to two instead of three. Pell-mell added demands on the growing intensity of the pace of work and wages deemed insufficient and that some classes require to upgrade. "We do not BFMTV, whispers it in Backstage. TF1 has a luxury it must keep. The restrictions must not impair the antenna. "

A position that is far from denying Catherine Nayler, director of information of the first string of France: "This document from an Inter-five organizations including the apparent desire to maintain the quality of work. It is a concern that I share too.As a major general news channel, TF1 must absolutely and always respond to this need and keep its label. No reform will be to the detriment of the quality of the newspaper, "says she. "The questions that arise so concentrated in this text today, we talk every day together. We are facing a double challenge: that of an economic crisis affecting all media, forcing them to reorganize and that of the pooling of resources between the two antennas.The organization of TF1 was frozen for twenty years, I understand evolve is not clear. "Not to mention that November 25 will be holding elections to appoint professional staff delegates.

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