Monday already markets in New York fell sharply, including the Dow Jones closed just on the threshold of 10,000 points, the lowest of the session (-1.4% at 10009.73 points) the lowest volume of transactions since the beginning of the year. It is down 4.4% since the beginning of the month.

Already this morning, the Asian indices have suffered heavy losses and their stock markets in Europe have followed suit.

Hot Economic News

Attention is actually suspended the publication Friday of employment figures for the month of August in the United States. The deadline is crucial.Then will come after the consumer confidence index in August (which could show a slight increase to 50.9 against 50.4 last month) and the confidence index of purchasing managers in Chicago (August) under 57 against 62.3 previously.

But before that, the S & P / Case-Shiller home price for June was released Tuesday. Conclusion: the price of single family houses has increased more than expected thanks to the positive effects of a tax credit that expired in April. The index came out at 0.3% in seasonally adjusted data, against an increase of 0.5% in May and 0.2% expected by economists.

Doubts about the strength of the recovery

Obama announced his economic advisers to work with new measures to support economic activity.He spoke of targeted measures, such as the extension of tax breaks for middle class matures, increasing public funding for the development of clean energy, infrastructure works or new tax cuts aimed "to encourage businesses to work their capital to create jobs here in the United States.

"This announcement is far from reassured investors, due to lack of accuracy and because investors doubt the effectiveness of proposed measures, analysts said Aurel BCG.

Semiconductors follow

As for values, the semiconductor industry will be watching: the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors rose 1.2% in July from JuneThe association has confirmed its forecast of growth of 28.4% of the market for semiconductors throughout the year.

A follow HP (-1.22% to 38.09 euros) was the only value in the green yesterday (+1.5%). In addition to its attempt to acquire 3PAR, the leader in PC sales has announced a new plan to repurchase its shares.

The Financial Crisis Enquiry Commission (Commission of Inquiry on the financial crisis), tasked with finding the causes of the financial crisis, will listen to Ben Bernanke, Fed chairman, Fuld (former boss of Lehman Brothers) and Steel (ex-boss Wachovia) and Sheila Bair (FDIC Director) on the concept of "Too Big To Fail".

3M (-0.51% to 79.24 euros) yesterday announced the acquisition of Cogent (-0.18% to 11.07 euros) for 943 million dollars.The group's management warns that this will reduce its earnings per share cents from September to October in the 12 months following the settlement of the transaction.

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Moreover, investors are holding their breath before a speech highly anticipated Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. central bank (Fed) on Friday. Alongside major world central bankers meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, it will review the global economy.

The suspicion is required.The second revision of GDP is expected to decline while the speech of Fed chairman should confirm the fragility of the global economic recovery.

The yen spotlight

In Japan, the Nikkei started the session on a drop of 1.04% before gradually erase their losses. At midday, he won 0.33% to 8935 points. The Topix ahead at the same rate to 814 points. However, the key index in Tokyo had a difficult start to the day, falling again to its lowest in 16 months. This volatility is explained by the expectation surrounding the much anticipated speech of the Prime Minister of Japan, Naoto Kan. According to the entourage of the latter, the government will introduce today the actions it wishes to implement to counter the effects of the high price of the yen.

The strong yen just accelerates deflation, which remains very debilitating to the economic recovery of the archipelago.On Friday again, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that consumer prices had fallen by 1.1% yoy in July. This is their 17th consecutive monthly decline. Moreover, Japan's unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in July against 5.3% in June after previously recorded four consecutive months of increases.

The rest of the region patient

In China, stock markets are more expectant. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng 0.10% to loose 20590 points while in Shanghai, the key index lost 0.34% to 2594 points.

The Korean Stock Exchange drops 0.95%, the S & P Australian takes 0.43%, and the Indian Sensex is at equilibrium to -0.03%.

Oil down

Oil prices fall below $ 73 Friday in Asia.In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for October delivery lost 37 cents to 72.99 dollars, while that of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery lost 33 cents to 74.69 dollars.

On Thursday, oil prices had rebounded in New York, supported by an indicator on the job better than expected and a weakening dollar. But oil markets also fear bad news on Friday.

The deal comes in a turbulent period for the U.S. giant. Like its rival Visa, Mastercard has lost almost 20% of its stock value in the second quarter. It just has to catch up. Investors have punished those titles because they fear that the reform of Wall Street, passed by Congress in June, weighs heavily in their accounts.

Congress wants to limit the fees charged by banks on transactions paid by card.Logically, the banks will seek to pass this shortfall by renegotiating their contracts with Visa and Mastercard. Committees should be limited next year. While regulators have not set the new legal amount, uncertainty will persist for Visa and Mastercard.

But the revolt against the old promise of Jacques Chirac, applied from 1 July 2009 thanks to the activism of Nicolas Sarkozy, also scolded the Assembly. Without naming the VAT on food, the general rapporteur for the Budget, Gilles Carrez (UMP), has questioned "a number of consumer items that are 5.5% and that should not be at 5.5 %. He advocates instead an intermediate rate to 12%.

Since the introduction of the measure for the restoration, the context is not the same.The government, which has hitherto led a recovery policy, had to change tack in recent months under pressure from the markets. It is now to reduce the deficit. Especially in the planing tax loopholes.

Nevertheless, the statements and Gilles Carrez Baroin were poorly received by restaurants. "It's absolutely outrageous to say that the 5.5% VAT tax is a niche!" Reacts Philippe Villalon, president of the National Federation of the restoration (FNRF). "We buy our products and we sell 5,5% to 5.5%. As is the case for all areas of the mouth.Moreover, if we repeat the policies they want to end VAT at 5.5%, we should not translate that we lower our prices, nor that we hired, as the state would break its part of contract. "

During the implementation of the measure, the restorers had promised to lower prices, to invest and hire. These commitments, which would take over in case of cancellation of VAT at 5.5%, would have been more or less respected. The Court of Auditors estimated last October that the measure would involve only 6,000 new jobs. The profession claims to the contrary today promised 21,700 against 20,000 a year.

Since then, times have changed. The government has announced plans for pension reform last week. A text that unions have unanimously considered "unfair." Guests this Thursday on RTL, the secretary general of the CFDT, Francois Chérèque, regretted "being faced with a country that is willing to change, but change in the wrong direction." Therefore, he hopes an "exceptional mobilization" for this inter-action day.

"The hope was to surpass the one million demonstrators.I think that this figure will be exceeded is obvious, "said François Chérèque, saying that" perhaps two million people "will demonstrate this Thursday. And this, especially since "more than 200 gatherings" are already planned across France. And calls for strikes in the business (as in Saint-Gobain, Michelin, Total, Airbus, BNP Paribas, L'Oreal, France Telecom, La Poste …) have followed since the beginning of the week.

At the Post, some 19.86% of staff were on strike Thursday morning, said the Directorate in a statement against 12.80% last May 27. For its part, the direction of the station has recorded 39.8% of strikers among the railway workers in mid-morning, against 23.2% during the last day of action interprofessional.

The teachers were 31.9% to strike Thursday in schools and 10.3% in secondary schools (including 18.7% in colleges), according to figures from the Ministry of Education published in mid-morning. The schools were little affected, the degree requires organization. On the day of 23 March, the mobilization in the primary had reached 29.8% of strikers, the ministry said.

Another sector to have mobilized public broadcasting had a strong participation in the strike on Thursday. Several television and radio have been deleted throughout the morning. The directions of France Televisions and Radio France, however, had not reported figures to the mid-day. Finally, the publication of several regional newspapers has been disrupted. To major national newspapers will not seem morrow Fridays.

For the secretary general of the CGT, Bernard Thibault, the one million demonstrators should be passed this afternoon. "If that's not enough, we have the sequence of ideas, this is not the end of a cycle, only the announcement of a bill," he warned in a interview with the newspaper 20 Minutes. "I've seen governments fall as safe as this one, particularly on the subject of pensions, has finally found the union leader.

If Nicolas Sarkozy pledged on Tuesday to be "tuned" during discussions with the unions this summer, and it spoke of "possible developments" of the reform bill late last week, some key points text does not change as raising the legal age to 62 years in 2018. And, whatever the mobilization this Thursday."The mobilization will certainly strong, we expect, we do not fear," warned the Labour Minister, Eric Woerth.

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"SPECIAL CASE – Retirement: The Challenge of Reform

Antoine Bernheim. – No. Of course I understand that we did not wish to renew for three years president of 85 years. But in this case, it is obvious that age is an excuse. I do not accept the way things have been made against me and against Generali. Me, I was offered an "honorary president", but not at the board of directors! As for the company, its management has been decided from the outside, in Mediobanca. And he provides a board where no one outside the two managing directors (CEOs, Ed) will not know anything for insurance. They even rejected Claude Tendil, president of Generali France, which is one of the best insurers in the world.Generali deserves better than that. We do not yet know how the powers will be defined between the two managing directors and the president. As for Mr. Geronzi, who must take the presidency, I wonder … This is not an insurer and he always said he did not want this job.

Will you accept this patronage?

Honestly, I do not know yet. Thanks to Mediobanca, I'm not even on the list of directors to be presented at the meeting April 24. Given what I represent in the history of Generali, I think it's an insult. Ultimately, I could accept such a position, if I was director. And then, when we, like me, been kicked out of a masterful kick, one is rather tempted to retaliate. I am.I would add that on April 24, the small shareholders in Generali will, too, have a say.

Vincent Bollore, who is close to you has participated in the council and Mediobanca will become vice chairman of Generali. This does not "compensate" Does not your departure?

Vincent Bollore said he did everything he could within the nominations committee of Mediobanca. I think, though, in reality, I think that he is not against the idea of a withdrawal to my age. He advises me for months already to accept a honorary president for life and the benefits attached to them.Do I need? After all, my phone rings again …

As for the future role within the board of Generali, Vincent Bollore – who, as intelligent and dynamic as it is, is not an insurer – I do not know what he can be when we clearly supports a takeover of Generali by Mediobanca.

What do you mean?

I think if you put me in the door today Generali, because I defend an orthodox management, exclusively serving the interests of the company and its shareholders, not special interests. I also fought for what is Generali of Italy, a treasure, one of his very few companies to be known worldwide. We're number two in France, Germany, Central Europe, in China too (private sector).But for the merchant bank Mediobanca, which is no longer the hub of the Italian economy it was the time of Enrico Cuccia, the issue has always been to return to power at Generali easy pay day loans. What has never been neither in the interests of the company and its customers or the interests of Italy.

The defense of Generali, it was also against the appetites of other insurers. Have you, during your presidency, proposed a marriage with AXA?

My duty has always been to defend, with all my strength, the "Italian character" of Generali. So yes, Axa has always wanted a reconciliation, but I've always been against. And I have often said Claude Bebear.If it was thought at one time or another, the fact that French is the head of Generali was a godsend, he finally had to give in to reason.

Compare yourself today the circumstances of your departure to the 1999?

When I became the CEO of Generali in 1995, it achieved very little of its profit in connection with its object. She was content to sell property to make profits! In four years, I had doubled the turnover consolidated global market capitalization tripled. But Mediobanca from me in 1999. As I said at the time, and this remains true, the recognition is a disease of the dog not transmissible to man!

And then in 2002, Mediobanca, very concerned about the financial situation of Generali, which was lost, asked me to return. What not to the liking of everyone.Antonio Fazio, Governor of the Bank of Italy, has done everything for me put a spoke in the wheels. But he failed. Others were convinced that I would not set goals that I had with the two managing directors: we had developed a considerable business plan, for a term of three years for the management, instead of just one year as was. And as I have done my job, they could not get rid of me … until now.

This special relationship between Generali and Mediobanca did she embarrassed in your plans for the insurer?

Yes, because Mediobanca would not be diluted stake in Generali. They have never wanted me to realize any capital increase. Mediobanca may not, from his point of view, giving room for maneuver to Generali, and I worry for its future.Because if the company has managed to partially rebuild its capital after the terrible financial crisis we went through these past two years, it will not be sufficient to meet future regulatory requirements under Solvency 2 Directive nor more needs to be developed by means not only organic but also by major acquisitions.

At one point, he will make a capital increase. And better sooner than later because the liquidity has been abundant in recent months, will not always what you …

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Delticom, whose site is 123pneu.fr French, achieved a turnover of 311.3 million euros in 2009, up 20% and net income of 20 million euros (+ 72.4% ). For Delticom will not be "the Ryanair of the tire business. We want to offer a good balance between our selling price, security of payment to our suppliers and good results for our shareholders, "said Frank Schuhardt.A challenge as to the quality of service rendered, Delticom depends largely on its partners.

Midas offensive

Indeed, the site is not directed only to amateur mechanics can change their tires themselves, balancing included. Like most of its competitors, relies on partnerships with independent garages: 28 000 in the world, including 2 800 in France. Specifically, at the command, the user can choose the garage where he will deliver and mount the tires, according to criteria of proximity, price. "The independent garages are doing brisk business. They do not have the same bargaining power with the tire that Delticom. We bring them new customers, "explains Frank Schuhardt, who believes that the tires are 20 to 25% cheaper on average on the site among traditional retailers.Delticom also prides itself in offering one of the largest selections of tires, if not the largest, with no fewer than 25 brands and 000 references in the catalog (virtual). Enough to satisfy the most sophisticated applications.

The arguments for consumers, while networks like Midas, Norauto, Green Light or Speedy regularly offer promotions on the tires. Norauto for its part has announced the launch of its new tire Prevensys 2. As in any distribution, brand equity are also honored in the area of the tire. In turn, Midas – who belongs to the same group that Norauto – announced in early March to want to open 100 additional centers in Europe by 2010, including fifty in France.

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According to Air France, the aid would have amounted to 660 million euros in Europe in 2008, including 35 million in France. Based on its estimates, the company has decided to refer the case to the European Commission, confirming the details of Figaro. The complaint should be filed against Ryanair in the coming weeks, includes several charges: "lack of prior notification," "breach of equality and distortion of competition ',' illegal state aid.

Air France has conducted a proper investigation before doing so.This included all decrypted reports of regional chambers of accounts (CRC) on the subject. Using data sometimes old, crossed with his information on the field, experts have reconstructed the puzzle of allegedly illegal subsidies received by Ryanair. It shows that on average, chambers of commerce and industry, who manage airports, support the activities of Ryanair in France up 9 to 32 euros per enplaned.

A cultural crusade

From the bottom of the range found in France (using a 11 euros per passenger) and by a simple rule of three with the European operations of Ryanair (60 million passengers in 2008), Air France said that its competitor has received this year 660 million euros of aid to Europe. In support of its investigation, the French company relied on its partners KLM and Alitalia.She has found that the aid granted to Ryanair at the airport of Ostend and Alghero were above its low estimate of 11 euros.

"It's a bit weak reasoning, recognizes a part of Air France. There is no organization in Europe that will do the job of regional chambers of accounts. But the 11 euros of aid per passenger is carried in Europe by the airport we could see. We therefore believe that Ryanair affects 660 million euros in Europe. "

Pushing his argument further, Air France calculates that Ryanair, which posted a net profit of 390 million for its fiscal year 2007-2008 and a loss of 169 million in 2008-2009, has been virtually lost 270 million in 2008 and 829 million last year.

The aid takes several forms.They can be direct, as aid to start extending in contradiction with EU legislation. It also aids "indirect" form of rebate granted on ground handling and airport charges.

The method Ryanair is known: for aid in exchange for an airport serving unprofitable, the company highlights the financial windfall of Anglo-Saxon tourists it carries. In case of refusal, or if the aid is criticized, it selects a nearby airport.

This crusade Air France is not the new episode of a commercial battle, since he rarely Ryanair frontally competition. It is more cultural. "The prices charged by Ryanair give a false perception of the value of our service to passengers, said a part of Air France.The Irish company is considered the musketeer who is offering unbeatable prices respond to national companies and terminate abnormally high rates. In fact, Ryanair flies with the European taxpayers' money. "

Ryanair responds to accusations

Contacted by Le Figaro, Ryanair denies receiving any state aid on the airports where it operates. According to the spokesman of the company, "Air France is who receives illegal subsidies in the form of reductions in airport taxes on its domestic routes in France. "We do not pay attention to false claims of companies such as Air France who perform high prices and fuel surcharges, said the spokesman of the company.They complain because they can not make us competitive. "Ryanair has been traveling 6 million people in the departure or arrival of the French regions and said" support 6 000 jobs in France. In addition, Ryanair announced that "the economic model of Air France is in danger because the company can match its prices. This explains the false accusations. "

The judicial authorities have in fact ordered DHS to pay 300 million euros – in all – group British Sky Broadcasting and British Sky suscribers Services (BSkyB), which had continued since 2000 to a dispute concerning a development project to system update management (CRM customer relationship) second by the first …went wrong.

After delays and budget overruns (48 million pounds sterling at the base), BSkyB had then resolved to complete the project alone.

On 1 March, in addition to a sentence of 230 million euros imposed in January, HP has been added to interim payment of 77 million euros.

96 to 93 cents per share

Thus, net income amounted to 2.25 billion dollars instead of 2.32 billion announced in February. The world of computers was then revised upwards its estimates of revenues and earnings for fiscal 2010 lagged cash advance .Net earnings per share is reduced to 93 cents, against 96 cents previously.

Last November, Hewlett-Packard unveiled a decline in net income of 8% annually to 7.7 billion, although the last quarter it was up 14% yoy to 2.4 billion dollars. At this time, Dell has introduced quarterly profit falls by 54% and a revenue and earnings per share below expectations.

In May 2008, HP had offered the number two global services company EDS for $ 13.9 billion.

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