International Headlines and Stories

Fitch upgrades Greece. After the swap of debt that was a huge success – over 80% participation – there is more good news for the country. "This exchange and losses imposed on creditors have raised the profile of debt service and reduces the risk of a repeat of its short-term repayment difficulties," said Fitch in a statement. The rating agency notes that the country-B, no longer considers Greece in default … for now. Three days ago, its American competitor, Moody's, had preferred to maintain the rating of Greece to C, the lowest in his scale. For its part, Standard & Poor's is expected to meet the CCC.

Fitch remains cautious nonetheless. She stressed that the challenges the country faces are important. The next decision that the agency will take vis-à-vis the Greek debt will be dictated by the analysis that she will do "performance of Greece in terms of the parameters set by the new EU-IMF and the ability and willingness of the sovereign State to honor its obligations related to restructured debt. '"A broad program success through maintaining significant budgetary surpluses, structural reforms and a concerted demonstrable economic recovery would put pressure bullish on the notes, "the agency says.

Troika, comprising representatives of the European Union, the European Central Bank and the IMF, concurs. She said Greece will have to make further budgetary adjustment efforts in the next two years. The report reached this conclusion based on the primary surplus target (that is to say outside debt service) Greek public finances which should reach 4.5% in 2014. Given this goal will require "an adjustment path in the short term that implies a primary deficit of 1% in 2012, followed by an adjustment of 2.75% of GDP in 2013 and then in 2014".

According to the report, "there are significant risks that the decline of the debt is interrupted or even a reversal occurs as a result of economic shocks." In a more pessimistic scenario presented in the report, the country's debt could exceed 145% of GDP in 2020. In addition, a high degree of uncertainty and the debt burden makes "the uncertain outlook for Greece to be able to return to the markets at the end of the program" help, either in 2015, the report notes.

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After heavily involved in fundraising efforts of the firewall in the euro area, Japan is preparing to support its European partners. The country plans to provide up to $ 50 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) to enable the institution to help the euro area to cope with the crisis, AFP reported citing an official from the Japanese Ministry of Finance. "Japan considers the precise amount that will provide the IMF," said the official who also spoke up to $ 50 billion, confirming information reported by the newspaper Asahi Shimbun. The exact involvement of Japan to raise funds from the IMF will be announced following a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 which takes place on 25 and 26 February in Mexico City.

However, Japan is not ready to sign a blank check. In a joint forum in the Financial Times, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and his Japanese counterpart Jun Azumi indicates that their countries are willing to increase their contributions to the International Monetary Fund but only on condition that the euro area strengthens its funds Relief and make greater efforts to resolve the long-term debt crisis. "The euro zone countries have made progress but we must still do more to achieve a lasting solution. Japan and Britain are longtime supporters of the IMF and we are ready to make our contribution to the global effort if certain conditions are met, "wrote George Osborne and Jun Azumi.

The institution led by Christine Lagarde seeks in effect to increase its reserves by $ 500 billion to support the euro area. But the IMF's role is crucial in resolving the debt crisis in the eurozone. An official with the International Monetary Fund warned yesterday that if the institution was not associated with the bailout for Greece, the whole edifice would collapse for lack of support from private creditors. "We play a catalytic role. If we are here, both the public and the private sector will join in supporting a country, "said an IMF official, speaking to reporters in Washington on condition of anonymity.

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"" China alone can not help Europe "

"Very involved in the eurozone, the IMF is reluctant to pay more

Axa will grow in non-life insurance in Asia. The French group is about to get their hands on some of the activities of the Sino-British HSBC. The Ace Group and Zurich Australian QBE were also in the race. The announcement of the transaction could, according to a source familiar with the matter, taken as soon as next week, as reported by several Chinese newspapers. At the headquarters of Axa, there was no comment Tuesday.

HSBC hoped to sell all of its activities damage valued around 750 million euros to 1 billion of net premiums collected in 2011. But the British would have resolved to give the geographical batch. And it is on Asia, the birthplace of the banking group, Axa would concentrate.

If it ends, the operation would be part of the new strategic plan for 2015 Axa. This project includes the objectives of growth, cost reduction and redeployment of capital to business lines and countries most profitable. Axa has recently withdrawn and certain activities in developed economies, by disposing of assets in Canada and Great Britain.

The group tries to conquer China for several years. He began a partnership in China in late 2010, ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), the country's largest bank. ICBC had entered the capital of the joint venture specializing in life insurance with Axa had founded the China Metallurgical Group Minmetal and was committed to a distribution agreement. HSBC had begun the sale of its non-life insurance in September.

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"Axa is an ally to conquer the Chinese market

In almost all developed countries except France, Switzerland and Singapore, the income tax (IR) is taken directly from the paychecks of household, month after month. This system called "withholding tax" has two advantages: it makes life easier for taxpayers and allows the State to recover almost certainly the tax due, and it regularly.

France should she finally opt for this system, after several failed attempts? Francois Hollande has thought before abandoning the project too. The latest study on the subject of compulsory Council (OAC), an organization linked to the ECA, rather gives reason to critics of the withholding tax. "Some of the arguments advanced in favor of historically withholding their lost weight," said Wednesday, during the presentation of the study, Didier Migaud, the first president of the Court of Auditors.

Indeed, 73% of monthly paid by French taxpayers are now: they pay their IR month after month. Payment is made by monthly installments or third provisional, in 90% of cases it is done electronically (direct debit transfers). The tax return has also been improved, many are now pre-filled boxes. In short, the taxpayer, the French system is relatively simple to use. And the withholding tax is not a panacea: the taxpayer must file a tax return and having to adjust to the tax the following year.

Another consequence of modernization introduced in France, the tax already covers very well the IR, to 99%.

The withholding tax would actually an advantage for the French: they would pay a tax based on income of the year. Currently, households that see their revenues decline, due to retirement, unemployment, divorce, have to pay high taxes compared to their resources in the year, this tax is computed on income, best, of previous year. 30% of households fall into this category each year.

But the CPO believes that this problem can be solved without going through the withholding tax. It is already possible in France to modulate its monthly installments or obtain payment periods, in case of declining income. Would require the IRS to better communicate on these facilities, says the CPO.

Costs for the company

The tax could also opt for the taxation of income during the year: the deposits paid in taxes would be calculated on the estimated income for the year. There would regularize the following year, when revenues definitively known. This system would have an advantage over the withholding tax: the company would not be involved in tax collection.

Indeed, if the direct debit from paychecks, the employer is the tax collector. It can even be the one to calculate the total revenues. In the latter case, he knows if his employee receives other income from savings or property, and he knows the wages of their spouse. Besides the privacy issue, this can affect wage policy – why increase someone whose spouse is very easy? This design maximum role of enterprise is rare and only affects Canada. It remains true that the withholding tax involves costs for the company, from four to two hundred euros a year in different countries.

Anyway, switching to the taxation of income of the year it takes place via the IRS or the withholding tax levied by the company, is a problem, that of the transition year. Could not ask taxpayers to pay that year double tax on the earnings of the year and those of the previous year.

The solution most often proposed is to cancel the tax assessed on the income of the previous year. An acceptable solution since in practice the tax authorities would not suffer any break in the perception of the IR. But at a cost: it would continue to grant tax benefits (employment at home, donations?) On revenues of the previous year. The bill would be 5 to 10 billion euros calculated the CPO. Not very appropriate at this time of fiscal crisis.

With regard to the withholding tax, "the balance tips towards more disadvantages than advantages to," said Didier Migaud.

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"The income tax weighs less heavy

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Finished playing. The High Authority for the dissemination of works and protection of rights on the Internet (Hadopi) has started to send their records to justice. They relate to users who have been singled three times for illegal downloading of music, movies or television series. They are part of the 2 to 4 million French who consume 80% of the bandwidth of the Hexagon, as estimated by the French Federation of Telecom.

Failing to respond to warnings of Internet Piracy, these users will now have to answer for their acts before a police court. Guilty of "failure to monitor Internet access," they risk a fine of up to 1500 euros. In addition, the judge may request a break from their Internet access for a month at most.

Less than 165 files concerned

Potentially, this is less than 165 records are concerned. This is indeed the number of cases examined at the end of December 2011, the Commission for Protection of Rights (CDP) of the Hadopi. The latter calls the Internet before deciding repeat the referral of their case in court. These cases represent a fraction of the 822,000 users who received a first warning of Internet Piracy since October 2010. Email, they are warned that their "Internet access has been used to commit acts, recognized by the minutes, which may constitute a criminal offense." In this case, "to make available, reproduce or access to cultural works protected by copyright."

Exactly 68,343 of these users have been a second warning of Hadopi, sent by registered letter. And it was only after having been caught out a third time that people are summoned by the CDP. Of the 165 offenders, some users were not presented. And therefore even more likely to have to explain himself before a judge.

Credibility issue

The Hadopi declined to specify the number of cases sent to court same day payday loans. It is also not a finite process but a sending "streaming" to the floors of residential Internet users. It also did not specify the profile of these offenders diligent, their case is now within the justice.

One thing is certain, however: Hadopi sent "folders better built," says a source close to the administrative authority. In other words, the Hadopi hope the case will result in a sanction forwarded copy. For this first salvo justify ultimately the validity of the Hadopi system and graduated response, challenged by the Socialist candidate for president, Francois Hollande. "We have always said that the credibility of the device based on a combination of education and punishment," said Roger and Jerome, Director General of UPFI (Union of French independent record producers). Transferring records to justice "is therefore part of the normal implementation of graduated response," said the representative of independent producers.

The Hadopi has taken the time to tie up his files before proceeding to the final stage. "For several months it is about 100 to 150 files ready to be sent for trial in our discussions with Internet Piracy," says one well among beneficiaries. "The third phase, we will be very cautious. Our goal is not to refer as many people in court, "had also warned Marie-Françoise Marais, president of Internet Piracy, last June, when the" Media Buzz Orange-Le Figaro ", citing" a number relatively small "folders. Their fate is now in the hands of justice.

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100,000 users

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The absolute independence of the European Central Bank vis-à-vis the policy preventing him from speaking. Mario Draghi has openly acknowledged Thursday: "I received a few minutes ago a call from the Greek prime minister said an agreement had been reached and endorsed by the major parties," said President of the ECB at its monthly press conference in Frankfurt. Thus he was able to announce before everyone else – maybe a little too quickly, given the float that followed in Athens – the good news entrusted to him by Lucas Papademos, the former vice President of the ECB.

But, according to the principle that it is easier to comment on the affairs of others than on his own, he refused to say clearly that the ECB may decide to reduce the debt of Athens, parallel commercial banks: "We are not part of negotiations. But what we hear is that the parts are pretty close to agreement. "

"Prohibited by the European treaties"

Pressed with questions, the successor to Jean-Claude Trichet ended up giving the key to participation of the ECB program "voluntary" Burden Reduction. "If the ECB redistributes some of its profits to the Member States of the ECB … it's not on monetary financing (public debt, which is prohibited by the European treaties), "he dropped. Clearly, it confirms one of the options that have been circulating for a week: the ECB could leave the unrealized gains on its purchase of Greek bonds. Which is approximately 12 billion, knowing that the bonds were acquired on the market at a discount and would be repaid at their face value at maturity.

By hiding again behind the texts prohibiting the bailout States, Mario Draghi shows the difficulty of his task. "The time is long when monetary policy was limited to setting interest rates. Since the debt crisis, the ECB must navigate waters very political, "says economist of a major French bank.

Inflation above the 2%

Monetary field itself, new relaxations are in any case by no means excluded. "Inflation should remain above 2% during the next few months, before falling back below 2%," said Mario Draghi. He worries more than ever a dry supply of bank credit: "We are actually concerned about the slowdown in the credit."

This is why the Governing Council decided to relax the rules on eligibility of collateral (securities pledged as collateral) that commercial banks have to raise cash. These conditions are changed to "temporarily" for seven national central banks, including Bank of France. "Residential real estate loans to individuals are eligible," said a statement released yesterday afternoon in Paris, which lists the technical conditions.

On a neighbor, Mario Draghi provides that the next issue of liquidity to three years, to be held on February 29, could be done "over the range of the previous operation of this type." The banks had obtained, 22 December 2011, 489 billion and 1% over three years.

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"Clean Sweep in finance

Spanish

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The ultra-LACTEOL for yeast or intestinal disorders, are well known to everyone. Laboratories that manufacture them, and Biocodex Aptalis, are much less. They belong to the hundreds of small labs in the Hexagon making less than 180 million euros in turnover and who feel threatened now.

"Our value is not recognized and we charge more. The 13 taxes for the health industry represents 3% of the turnover of SMEs ", lamented Friday Gerard Dufour, CEO of Amlis, the Association of medium-sized laboratories and healthcare industries. For SMEs to health, which together weigh 11,000 direct jobs and 1.5 billion euros in turnover, "do not disappear", it would cap such fees "depending on the size and profitability as small laboratories, "says the association.

It calls mainly to higher prices. Two-thirds of drugs of its members are, in fact, sold from February to May euros at rates sometimes frozen for twenty years.

One solution would be the dérembourser, advance the association. Provided they do so "consistent" in applying, for example, the same treatment to all drugs of a class.

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After three months of decline (-4.1% from July to September) the property prices have started to increase again in Paris in October, according to the barometer MeilleursAgents.com. A start of surprise that Sébastien Lafond, president and founder of MeilleursAgents.com, analysis as an unexpected new tax measures, notammentla taxation of capital gains, announced by the government. "Under pressure to sell before the deadline of 1 February 2012, and therefore to sign a pledge before the end of October, many owners have decided to put their two room flats on the market," said he. This influx of goods would normally increase the downward trend. Yet the opposite occurred. "The arrival on the market of small areas of good quality in the most desirable areas of the capital (central districts) where the supply is almost always less than demand," boosted the market.Seeking a safe haven in times of crisis, buyers have little discussion of prices these homes that have sold "cheap and fast," says Sebastien de Lafond. In Paris, the transactions were small areas and 63% of the total in October, 10 points higher than the average.

7975 euros per square meter on average

As a result, prices have gained 1.5% on average in October according to the monthly barometer, finding the average level found in the month of April in 7975 euros per square meter. Of course, the increase was not uniform in all districts of Paris. I searched the neighborhoods of the eighth arrondissement rose from 3.5 to 4%, while the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth districts stagnated. The suburb has not seen any improvement.

In February, the U.S. bank Citigroup has taken to turn control of the record. Prior to announcing its sale in June, immediately arousing the interest of Universal.

Negotiations between the two partners have stumbled on the issue of management of pension costs. The agreement could finally be announced early next week fast cash online. But sources familiar with the FT interviewed by the warning that the agreement can still be challenged by a cons-bid Access Industries, owner of Warner Music.

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The Eurogroup meeting she reaches to allay fears about the debt crisis crippling the Paris market? On Tuesday, the leading index of 1.46% in mid-session at 3150.99 points raised by banking stocks. Yesterday, after long hesitation, the CAC 40 finished down 0.66% to 3123.99 points.

Greece but also Italy, however, always crystallize concerns have increased as rumors of leaving the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, immediately denied by the latter. Nevertheless, if the vote to be held today at the Chamber of Deputies on the budget is negative, the departure of Cavaliere seem inevitable. Meanwhile the distrust of investors facing the country's public debt is climbing.The performance of the obligation of Italian 10-year, reaching 6.73% in the morning (before falling to 6.66%), an unsustainable level over time under the weight of the debt.

At the same time, the finance ministers of the euro area gathered in Brussels last night stepped up their pressure on Athens and Rome to the two countries meet their commitments to reduce deficits. In the process, Wall Street ended on an optimistic note. This morning, Asian markets have proven unreliable and shared.

In this context, oil prices are rising. The barrel of "light sweet crude" for December delivery gained 0.36% to 96.29 dollars.