International News

The Paris Bourse continued its technical rebound, after a session that saw the CAC 40 jumped more than 3.5% beyond 3000 points. The benchmark index of the Paris Stock Exchange began the day on a stable note, down from 0.08% to 3070.58 points. But at mid-session, the CAC in advance of 1% which allows the index in Paris to spend the 3100 points. On other European exchanges, the movement is the same. London lost 0.08% at the opening before turning positive again (0.90%), while Frankfurt climbed 1.22%. As in Asia this morning, traders expect the set of indicators of days before taking a position. Unlike previous days, the agenda will be very busy in the U.S. and Europe.

In the euro area, the eyes will be on the ECB. Earlier this afternoon, President Jean-Claude Trichet, will make an announcement on rates. Unsurprisingly, they should remain at current levels, at 1.5%.But markets are waiting above him to book his views on the problems of sovereign debt. For now, it's time for calm on that front. Yesterday, the German Constitutional Court was reassurance by confirming plans for aid in the euro area. In France, the deputies approved the second bailout of Greece arrested on July 21. They are the first to start this procedure. The Italian Senate last night gave a green light to the first austerity plan of over 52 billion euros from the Berlusconi government, while Spain adopted its fiscal rule of thumb, as desired by Paris and Berlin.

The U.S. employment under the microscope

United States, several indicators of the health of the economy will fall during the session. Among them, the trade balance, weekly jobless claims and oil stocks.The consumer credit will be available after market in Europe.

Two discourses are also highly expected on Thursday, those of Ben Bernanke and Barack Obama. The Fed chief will speak at around 19 am, French time, the Economic Club of Minnesota. Investors await details about how the Fed intends to support the economy. This intervention will follow the publication yesterday of its Beige Book, which again reported a moderate growth. For his part, Bush will speak on Congress to 1 am, French time, on employment and growth. It should detail a plan for employment that would reach $ 300 billion, raised yesterday by the U.S. media.

In France, growth in employment has slowed

In France, INSEE announced that the dealer paid employment decelerated in the second quarter.Principally market sectors have created a total of 33,300 jobs over the period April to June, from 78,300 in the first three months of the year, an increase of 0.2% against 0.5% the previous quarter.

The trade deficit widened further in July, reaching 6.46 billion euros in seasonally adjusted data, weighed down by a rebound in imports, Customs officials said Thursday.

Moreover, according to the OECD, economic growth in developed countries could slow sharply, see stalling in the second half and central banks must be prepared to ease monetary policy by lowering interest rates or intervening on markets.The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts that growth in the G7 should not exceed 1.6% annualized in the third quarter and is expected to fall to 0.2% over the last three months of year. In France, activity is expected to increase only 0.9% and 0.4% annualized, against 1.8% and 1.9% previously expected.

On the currency side, the euro fell again in the late morning at 1.4079 dollar.Oil, he, rising as a result of the prolonged interruption of production in the Gulf of Mexico due to tropical storm: a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October gained 41 cents to 89 online payday loan lenders.75 dollars a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery takes 18 cents to 115.98 dollars in morning trading.

Values ​​to follow on Thursday

• Banking

Stress tests imposed on European banks have made "transparency and clarity" on the strength of their balance sheets, said Wednesday night a Treasury official in the United States.

Banks react well. Among the largest increases are CAC, Societe Generale (2.01% to 19.77 euros), BNP Paribas (1.94% to 32.25 euros), Credit Agricole (0.97 to 5%, 80 euros), Axa (0.80% to 10.10 euros) and Natixis (0.55% to 2.55 euros).

• Areva (-0.20% to 20.74 euros)

French nuclear group Areva said Thursday was ready to process the spent fuel still present on the site of Fukushima and propose to the Japanese government and the company Tepco lasting solutions to manage the post accident.

• EADS (-0.85% to 21.69 euros)

The group is ready to dip deep into a war chest of $ 16 billion (11.3 billion euros) to finance its expansion in the U.S. and is in preliminary discussions with several potential targets, said Wednesday its chief executive for North America.In addition, the European missile manufacturer MBDA, in part by EADS, would be forced to reduce its workforce by 400 jobs by 2015, according to La Tribune.

Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, is also considering a third increase its production capacity in one of its scenarios for 2018 to meet demand, the success of the A320 Neo scarce slots delivery before 2020, The Tribune reported Thursday.

• TF1 (0.87% to 10.43 euros) and EuropaCorp (stable at 3.29 euros)

The two groups announced Wednesday the signing of a Framework Agreement for development to produce the series in English for television.

• Ipsos: -1.36% to 27.13 euros

The group has launched a capital increase in cash of approximately 200 million euros to finance the purchase of Synovate.

• GDF Suez: -0.22% to 20.44 euros

The group will transfer to the Italian ENI participation of 10.4% in gas fields in the North Sea to pay off debt, reported Thursday Les Echos.

• Technip: 2.06% to 67.25 euros

In consortium with National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), the group won a contract worth about $ 500 million for engineering, procurement and construction of the project Satah Full Field Development, a field located 200 km northwest of Abu Dhabi (UAE).

• Sanofi: 0.54% to 50.19 euros

Genzyme, the biotechnology laboratory of the U.S. bought by the French group, was unable to deliver its drug Fabrazyme in August, although it promised to doctors and patients to meet this deadline. U.S. regulators have made public Wednesday letters from Genzyme dated August 26 and 25 where the laboratory apologizes to its customers and for people with Fabry disease, a rare genetic disease, for "any confusion and disturbance "caused by the delay.

• France Telecom: 0.37% to 12.19 euros, Vivendi: -1.06% to 15.89 euros

The new tax passed by the government as part of the new austerity plan should give priority, penalize these two groups, according to Les Echos. France Telecom should be paid to these measures between 300 and 500 million.Vivendi would see him, his taxes increased from 250 to 400 million.

Next recommendation goes to Credit Suisse under-performance against neutral Ipsen (-0.41% to 22.85 euros). Societe Generale goes with the purchase of Biomerieux (2.09% to 71.40 euros).

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.

Teens and their parents flock there. The phenomenon Abercrombie & Fitch has landed in France on May 19, down the Champs-Elysees, with its formidable marketing clout. Home glamorous youths by the Paris flagship store of American education is the temple of polo shirts, tee-shirts and jeans, amid loud music, light and fragrance ultratamisée excessive."We are very happy with our opening in Paris," said mercredila leadership of the group, still very concerned about its image … Irritated by the bad publicity that makes him free Michael Sorrentino, a member of the cast of reality show "Jersey Shore" on MTV, she just offered to pay the person to change his wardrobe!

Despite the quarterly results better than expected, the action Abercrombie & Fitch has lost 6.5% Wednesday to the New York Stock Exchange, investors who held that the prospects bleak in the face of declining consumption and increase in the prices of raw materials in textiles. Sales in late July, the group, which operates 1073 stores, rose 23% to 916.8 million dollars.In stores constant, the increase was still 9%: 5% for the brand Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids 7% and 12% for Hollister Co, which plans to open four stores in France by the end of year no fax payday loans. Net income totaled $ 32 million, against 19.5 million a year earlier. "The cost pressures will be stronger during the second half of the year and macroeconomic uncertainty is greater," warned Mike Jeffries, president of Abercrombie & Fitch.

From 60 to 65 closures in the U.S.

United States, consumer confidence fell in August to its lowest level for over thirty years. Further price increases may slow their spending even more, while the new school year is crucial for the ready-to-wear.In this difficult context, Abercrombie & Fitch warned that it would close from 60 to 65 stores in the United States, most corresponding to maturities of leases at year end. But the chain has confirmed its willingness to open five flagships during the fiscal year 2011 (including Paris). Madrid, Dusseldorf, Brussels and Singapore are scheduled for the fourth quarter. Hamburg is announced for spring 2012, and Hong Kong in the summer. Hollister provides more than 40 openings abroad, in shopping malls.

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After the storm that plunged all the stock exchanges, the European shares rebound on Thursday. In Paris the CAC 40 index opened up 2.96% to 3092.16 points. Same trend in Frankfurt the Dax rose 2.81% to 5771.21 points and in London the FTSE 100 opened up over 2% to 5118.29 points. Appeasement was already felt in the Asian stock markets that are returned to the green or showed moderate declines.

This is for now a simple technical rebound following the sharp fall of the Paris market by nearly 5.5% yesterday, the most since December 2008.The collapse in global equity markets was too large, "note the analysts of Axa IM, hoping more rational for this session.

But concerns are far from being dissipated, particularly those relating to the slowdown in the global economy and the issue of sovereign debt on both sides of the Atlantic. The overwhelming investor nervousness could therefore persist while no major indicator is the program on Thursday.

Wednesday, the markets were shaken by rumors of a deterioration in the rating of France, immediately denied by the rating agencies and the French government, and concerns about the health of the bank Societe Generale. And the CAC 40 plunged 5.45%, narrowly escaping the psychological threshold of 3000 points to 3002.99 points. Other European markets have suffered the same drop Frankfurt dropped 5.13%, 3.05% London.Madrid and Milan 5.49% 6.65%. In New York, the Dow fell 4.62% and 4.09% for the Nasdaq.

Bank stocks monitored

Gold continues, meanwhile, fly from record to record. The precious metal has crossed the threshold of 1800 dollars. It is this Thursday morning in 1790 dollars, after hitting a new record of 1815.50 dollars. However, oil resumed its decline in Asia. Yet he had resisted the panic the day before with the announcement of a dramatic and unexpected decline in crude inventories in the United States. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" lost 79 cents to 82.10 dollars and that of Brent North Sea fell by 1.10 dollars to 105.58 dollars.

Among the values ​​to be followed, the bank that have been heavily tested yesterday. The Financial Markets Authority (AMF), the stock market regulator, announced that it will monitor developments in the securities sector payday loans with no fax.Trading in Societe Generale jumped nearly 9% to 24.16 euros after being suspended briefly at the opening. The title was unscrewed from 14.74% on Wednesday. The bank asked the AMF to investigate the origin of the rumors that have depressed its course. The CEO of the bank, Frédéric Oudéa, denounced, in an interview with Le Figaro, "the series of attacks" against the French banking sector "sounds completely fantastic, I struggle with the utmost force, it is taken at Societe Generale, "he lamented. "We have no fear on our lending: we achieved 93% of our long-term funding program year, he added.Short-term side, we have 105 billion euros of underlying assets with central banks and keep full access to the interbank market. "

BNP Paribas (2.98% to 36.67 euros) and Credit Agricole (5.68% to 6.418 euros) rebounded Wednesday after falling by 9.5% and 11.8%.

Veolia Environnement (4.61% to 10.55 euros) and STMicroelectronics (3.39% to 4.488 euros), especially titles attacked in recent days, return to the field.

In addition, EADS (1.66% to 20.24 euros), the parent company of Airbus, said Wednesday it will not achieve its objectives in the United States in 2020 without new acquisitions.

Title Alcatel-Lucent (2.11% to 2.324 euros) is expected to rise following the release of quarterly results from Cisco Systems, above the consensus of Wall Street.

L'Oreal (2.29% to 1.73 euros) should benefit from the decision by Goldman Sachs, which added its list of preferred European stocks to buy ("pan-Europe conviction buy list").

Saint-Gobain (1.11% to 31.775 euros) has announced the acquisition of Solar Gard, a subsidiary of Belgian group dedicated to Bekaert Specialty Films, as part of its strategy to accelerate its growth through acquisitions.

Maurel & Prom rose 4.22% to 12.35 euros after opening up over 8%. The oil company reported a surge of 123% of its revenue thanks to increased revenues in Gabon and Nigeria.

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How to make the Greek economy to become as competitive as the German? Nothing simpler. "I guess the teachers of vocational schools and skilled craftsmen to retire would be willing to be sent (in Greece) fixed-term" is to suggest the European Commissioner for Energy, German Günther Oettinger in an interview with the Hamburger Abendblatt. "We hope that the German economic culture will allow transfer to Greece," said simultaneously the Minister of Economy, Philipp Rösler, also Vice Chancellor Merkel's government as head of the Liberal party.

The Minister of barely 38 years of Vietnamese origin, embodies the virtues of miscegenation and he is proud payday loans for bad credit. Philipp Rösler considers that there is no reason why the methods used to shore up the former communist East Germany do not work in favor of Greece.His words, the hints of cultural imperialism, appear a bit naive. But they clearly reflect a large part of public opinion in Germany. And after all not ready do we not have to Jean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of Europe, this formula, "If it again, I would start with culture"? It's now or never to try.

• Krys up big on Sun's

With Ray-Ban sunglasses, Sonia Rykiel or Armani 20% to 25% cheaper than the competition, the optician's Mon has seduced those who care about their spending, not to mention fashion. The group teaches Krys, an industry leader, was mostly created in 2009 to "anticipate the future perspective" with the rise of Internet players, the price will weigh more in the choice of this product . Fifteen stores Mon's, which also offer own branded glasses, are open this year, bringing the total to 30, while Krys already provides 200 points of sale in 2015.

• Total station experiences cheap

For over a year, the oil company is testing stations at low prices: 35 sites at baseline and 45 today – a fleet of approximately 2,000 outlets in total teaching, both in that city rural areas.Prices are likely to compete with supermarkets. For now, the group has not yet decided whether to extend the scheme. It will decide by the end of the year. The stations are scratched Total test, but it is not excluded that the group, he continues the adventure, is launching a new brand.

• Banks and insurers are betting on the Internet

They reject the term "low cost", but apply much revenue. In recent years, banks and insurance companies through subsidiaries disclaim Internet offerings of financial services at bargain prices and a la carte. ING Direct, the subsidiary of Dutch bank insurer, launched in 1997 this model of online banking. In France, Societe Generale offers a comprehensive range of services via Boursorama. Crédit Agricole target customers for its part with its private banking heritage online BforBank.As for the insurers, Groupama reserves its offer car insurance "Pay as you drive" customers of its subsidiary Amaguiz.

• Renault continues to expand the range of the Logan

Since its launch in 2004, the success of low-cost car for Renault, the only Western manufacturer to attempt the challenge, continues to grow. The group passed last year 685,000 low-cost vehicles, or 26% of its sales. Best of all, they bring him an operating margin above 6%. Logan began with the rustic to 7600 euros, the range now includes six models, the Sandero and the small 4 × 4 Duster. Originally designed for emerging countries, it paradoxically creates a strong demand in Europe, where it is marketed under the Dacia brand, produced in Romania. Tanger Factory (opening in 2012) will manufacture two new variations.Internationally, the range, made locally, is sold under the Renault brand. It is the spearhead of the group's expansion in Russia and Latin America.

• With Transavia, Air France attempting a takeoff in the low-cost

No way to leave Ryanair and easyJet monopoly on flights at bargain prices. Air France launched in spring 2007 its own low-cost airline, called Transavia, which carried 1.3 million passengers last year. From Orly-Sud, Lyon, Nantes and Marseille, eight Boeing 737-800 provide scheduled and unscheduled, mainly to the Mediterranean countries. These destinations are not served by Air France. The group does not wish to organize their own competition in order to avoid any risk of cannibalization. A draft Domestic Transavia has been abandoned.

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European banks may need to raise 80 billion euros, to reassure the markets. A report by JPMorgan Cazenove, led by analyst Kian Abouhossein, estimates that if the level of reserve requirements is strictly adhered to 7%, nearly two banks will raise new money. French banks Societe Generale, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole would need twenty billion euros, against 25 billion for UK institutions and 14 billion euros for German lenders, including Deutsche Bank. The Italian UniCredit, Credit Suisse and Santander are also cited in the report by JPMorgan Cazenove.

This study revealed the results of stress tests published last Friday by the EBA.These tests, built on capital requirements as 5%, entered into a need to refinance 2.5 billion euros for eight of the 90 banks assessed, including any French. But investors believe these tests inadequate, particularly criticizing for not sufficiently taken into account the default risk in Greece. JPMorgan Cazenove said the criticism in his study, indicating that these stress tests have "limited value".

The evolution of banking stocks on European stock markets will be very observed on Monday morning to find Investors Arbitration between the reassuring results of stress tests and numerical study of JPMorgan. In March, ratings agency Standard & Poor's had conducted its own tests of resistance.His conclusion: European banks would need 250 billion euros of additional capital.

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The 2012 presidential election will be decided in part on the field of taxation. In an interview in Le Monde, the Paris mayor proposes, as an individual and "beyond tax reform" in the program of the Socialist Party, to do more to contribute to debt reduction the richest of France. Bertrand Delanoe, who also claims to support the candidacy of Martine Aubry, decides to create a tax "exceptional and limited in time" on high incomes.

"The truth is that we need new resources to reduce debt of France and restore the public, he says in the daily newspaper. [...] So yes, I support what you ask most favored an effort "extra.In a context where the countries situated on the outskirts of the euro area are struggling to convince markets of the sustainability of their debt, the mayor of Paris has combined the fight against the deficit to a real "war": "And when you are war, they say the truth, "he said.

Fusion of the income tax and the CSG

Asked about the unpopularity of this measure, the elected official responded that "citizens may be more courageous leaders" and recalled that in 2008, when he announced to the Parisian tax increases before the election, "They put their trust in me well quick pay day loan." The government in turn made a recent tax reform, repealing the tax shield and at the same time reducing the wealth tax.

If the program of the Socialist Party is not considering special tax aimed at the richest, yet it provides to increase the progressivity of the income tax, now he considers unfair. His plan for 2012 provides for merging the income tax and the CSG, with the aim to simplify taxes and make it more redistributive. An idea which is also his way to the right, particularly in Jean-Francois Cope and Henry Gaino. The pen of the Elysée found Saturday morning in Libération that the proposal "is worth pondering. A condition to be very attentive to the issue of escalation, "he said.

LE FIGARO. Why launch this new brand, B & You?

Olivier ROUSSAT .- Today, with the success of smartphones and mobile Internet, a whole segment of customers has become an expert. They can do many things for themselves via the Internet without the need for assistance. For them we run B & You. It's very innovative. Five years ago, this kind of customer did not exist.

Selling online community of geeks … Is it a way to counter the arrival of Free using its own weapons?

In recent months, the market has sharply segmented into two blocks, with one side clients who are willing to pay for expensive packages smartphones with many services and, on the other clients are doing by them themselves but want less expensive packages.They are equally distributed among all operators.

How is it innovative?

B & You is a new concept: a revolutionary price, a non-binding offer, all in full on the Internet. All this together, it had never been done. We are entering a new era of data, and we are only in infancy. We are in the early history of digital homes.

You offer no phone packages included. Is this the end of the model based on the grant, which strike the costs of operators?

For the operator, in terms of value is almost equivalent: either we subsidize the phone, and packages are more expensive, or we make the economy of the phone, and we are making this economy the customer by lowering the price of his crime.In the same vein, the fact that everything happens on the Internet can not charge the cost of distribution in stores, and the customer relations center.

On the issue of commitment, is a way to get ahead of the bill presented by Frédéric Lefebvre?

The government's plan does not prohibit the engagement. What is important is that the customer has a choice. The commitment is absolute evil. Some customers ask for formulas without commitment, others with a commitment sooner or later.

You feel that the TV will be blurred in 20% of households in future 4G mobile. Will you still at the tender 4G?

Yes, because the frequencies are necessary for our business. But such interference will have a major impact: TVs will not work, it will be black screen. TV makers should take into account now.That the State to determine precisely the measures to be taken.

Are not you exaggerating the problem?

The financial impact can be heavy, everyone knows it. In addition, I note that much interference on all frequency blocks, not one.

Why fiber optic only does much to take off?

For our purposes, we are making very good recruiting subscribers and Bbox fiber meets the needs of our customers who expect very high speed. It is true however, that in very dense area, the operators had to deploy four networks in parallel, which is a non-economic sense. We should not repeat this mistake in the medium density areas. Bouygues Telecom hopes that the facilities are pooled as possible between the different operators. This should facilitate investment, therefore the deployment.

There are 140 operators in Europe, against five in China and three in the United States. The concentration is inevitable?

For Bouygues Telecom, there would be no incentive to merge with another operator. On purchases of infrastructure, we are well positioned. And terminals, exclusive agreements are reduced to a very short period.

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The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) maintains its pressure on Switzerland and its banking secrecy. The Global Forum on transparency and exchange of tax information, which includes 101 countries, under the auspices of the OECD released Wednesday night, Bermuda, his verdict on nine countries, including France, United States, Switzerland and Singapore, two financial centers deemed opaque.

Not surprisingly, the OECD does not spare the Swiss Confederation. The report highlights several "shortcomings" of the Swiss legislation in the light of new international agreements on tax matters. In March 2009, following the UBS scandal in the United States, and under pressure from the G20, which forced the OECD to draw up lists of black and gray havens, Switzerland pledged not to oppose its banking secrecy when investigation for tax evasion.To exit the "gray list", where she had fallen at the time, the Confederation has revised most of its bilateral tax agreements – 29 new agreements have been signed since – to include the latest standards of fiscal transparency required by the OECD.

Problem: According to the OECD Global Forum, the Swiss legislation, pending approval by Parliament, is still too restrictive, preventing the de facto transfer of information on tax evaders. Indeed, the new Swiss legislation stipulate that the requesting State must have the name and address of the alleged fraudster, to avoid "blind fishing" for information.

New promises

Result: "a minority" of the new agreements are found to comply with OECD standards.Alerted this winter, it might be re-pinned to its opacity in the exchange of tax information, Switzerland has made amends, at least orally. Last February, the Ministry of Finance Helvetian committed to make adjustments in its legislation by February 2012 so that the absence of name of alleged fraudster is no longer a barrier to information sharing.

Hailed by the OECD, this new concession Bern was very badly received by the Swiss financial sector, which fears of losing the whole banking secrecy fearing further withdrawals of funds for the benefit of Asian financial centers, less scrupulous. In Switzerland, where the subject is very sensitive, conservative politicians of the UDC accuse the federal government to yield to the injunctions of Paris and Berlin.They hope that at the end of the race, a referendum will force the federal government to reconsider its promises.

Helvetic anger is even stronger than the OECD report on Singapore, released at the same time, is more lenient. The gaps relate to the authority in charge of investigations for tax evasion. According to the World Forum, this institution is not equipped with adequate investigative powers to obtain information from banks and offshore companies. Now it is to Singapore as the most hidden funds have sought refuge in Switzerland for two years.