International Headlines and Stories

The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and Shanghai respectively climbed 1.42% to 22,068.70 points and 1.84% to 3012.17 points in morning trading on Friday and take the coast on the main stock indexes in Asia Pacific. In Tokyo, the Nikkei is 0.47% at 9641.68 points, in India the BSE wins 1.33% to 17,964.10 points, Singapore, the Straits Times rises from 0.32% to 3054.54 points and Australia, the S & P / ASX earns 0.33% to 4515.20 points.

So yesterday, a barrel of oil fell in New York and London due to the intervention of the International Energy Agency – which drew on its stocks to meet a "shortage", companies the airline industry substantially benefit the stock market. Air China climbed 6.81%, 1.87% of Singapore Airlines and Qantas of 2.33%. Values ​​rise as exporters like Toyota (1.08%) or Toshiba (4.10%). In South Korea, Samsung and LG allows itself 1.2% 0.9%.On Friday, oil prices increased again: the barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in August went back to almost 92 dollars (91.94 dollars to be precise). That of Brent North Sea crude for August delivery took 64 cents to 107.90 dollars. Note also that in Australia, the giant telecom Tesltra which drops by 2.7% against a backdrop of advertisements loss widened.

This Friday is also the first trading day of the Italian Prada. The luxury group took 0.25% for its early trade Friday, becoming the latest group to date to be chosen this place in the heart of Asia to raise capital.The action open to 39.60 Hong Kong dollars (3.56 euros), while the Hong Kong Stock Exchange opened with a gain of 0.39%.

In addition to these movements, the mood settles while the Greek case relaxes: Europe Thursday promised a new plan to save Greece from bankruptcy and avoid contagion to the entire euro area or the rest of world, but kept up the pressure to Athens in exchange for adopting an unpopular austerity program.Greece, it has reached an agreement with international donors on the final details of a new austerity plan, whose adoption in parliament expected next week will determine a second aid plan to avoid bankruptcy the country.

The earthquake in Japan will cost 145 billion euros

The earthquake and tsunami of March 11 in Japan have caused direct damage estimated at 16,900 billion yen (147 billion euros), said Friday the Japanese government. This sum corresponds to the destruction suffered by the infrastructure, homes and businesses of northeastern Japan, devastated by an earthquake of magnitude 9 and a giant tsunami that killed more than 23,000 dead or missing.

The government had previously estimated the damage in a range between 16,000 and 25,000 billion yen (139 to 217,000,000,000 euros).

Was expected that Qatar Airways unveils giant Airbus order on Inauguration Day Show. Finally, the company Gulf merely a new order for six Boeing 777 for a total of $ 1.7 billion. When asked what setbacks, Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, said yesterday that he was still in discussions with Airbus and the new order was not finalized. "We are still negotiating the terms of purchase of A320 and new A380 Neo. The announcement will take place later, perhaps even after the Paris Air Show, "said the CEO of Qatar Airways, whose existing fleet of 98 Boeing aircraft with only 25.

Akbar Al Baker said he was extremely disappointed with the delays announced by manufacturers on their programs and in particular the delivery of the A350 XWB."We need to have an overview to decide on our purchases of equipment and because of these delays, frankly, we no longer trust."

The officer of the company of Qatar has made no secret that he is very interested in programs of Russian and Chinese manufacturers "based on Western technology".

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The Greek government will appeal to the people. Prime Minister George Papandreou said in Parliament on Sunday "in the fall, we will go to a referendum on the main reforms in this country." The Socialist attempts to obtain the agreement of members on the composition of his new government and its austerity plan over five years of 28 billion euros needed for a new international aid.

These reforms are challenged in the street and into the ranks of the narrow government majority (155 seats out of 300). This is to appease the critics that Papandreou had to reshuffle his team Friday, so it presents to Parliament on Sunday. "I applied for a renewal of confidence in the government because the country is at a crucial point," he said.We need to find "a national agreement to deal with deficits and debt are a Greek national problem," he added. The vote of confidence will take place Tuesday night.

The Prime Minister is attempting to rally right-wing opposition to his austerity plan. The latter, who had hidden some of the deficits of the country before the crisis in 2009, refuses to give carte blanche. Its leader, Antonis Samaras, reiterated that his party "did not give a vote of confidence in the government as socialist Papandreou insists on a policy that does not solve problems but makes them worse."

Division concerned

European leaders are concerned about this division. Merkel supported George Papandreou Friday: "He is fighting for Greece meets its commitments, we support it.(…) It is hoped that the opposition supports the Greek government. "

Finance ministers of the euro zone meet in Eurogroup on Sunday night and Monday special meeting. They must agree on the payment of the new tranche of aid provided under the 110 billion euros of loans in spring 2010 in Greece. A budget that would allow the country to spend the summer. In addition, Europeans must also agree on a new aid plan, the sum is not yet defined. The negotiations come up against particularly on the modalities of participation of banks in the effort.

Do not expect an agreement by Monday morning, however, said the rpésident of the Eurogroup, the Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker. The European Commission had yet spoken this week of an agreement expected by Sunday evening.French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had said Friday on their side need to "act quickly" on the Greek case. "We'll talk tonight about the involvement of private creditors, the question is how far it can and must go," said Jean-Claude Juncker.

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Christian Noyer confirmed and signed. Any restructuring of the debt would be treated as a failure on the part of Greece is absolutely unacceptable. Because it would then "get ready to fully finance the Greek economy", stressed on Tuesday the governor of the Bank of France, who presented to the press his 2010 annual report.

It is the "horror scenario" that he had already detailed there are just three weeks. On the one hand, Greek banks are primarily affected by a rescheduling of the debt that they are the largest holders, and they could then refinance with more of the ECB.And secondly, the Athens government would certainly lean its financial charges, but since it currently has a primary deficit (excluding payment of the debt burden) of about 5% of GDP, could no longer borrow and wheat would be unable to finance its current spending, including salaries.

"If a solution can be found that avoids the risk of default, it seems appropriate," said the governor added, however, without specifying what he himself described as "acceptable business solution paperless payday loans." For his part, Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB president, said Monday that "the debt restructuring should be voluntary (from creditors). In this case is avoided because a "credit event" and "default." This solution was implemented in 2009 in favor of Hungary, under the IMF.But, as recalled an institutional manager, "was technically easy because it was bank loans held by half a dozen operators, while for Greece hundreds of investors are concerned."

"Our only concern is the financing of the Greek economy. You can add a second concern is the risk of contagion, "says Christian Noyer, referring implicitly to the earthquake in September 2008 had triggered the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. "But this has nothing to do with our own balance sheet (the ECB has purchased a fifty billion of debt securities Greek, Ed) nor with that of European banks who are perfectly capable of handling all the scenarios that could present, "insisted the gouverneur.f

While the rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded three notches note of Greece who becomes the country with the lowest rated in the world, the eminent economist Nouriel Roubini sees the end of the eurozone. In an article published in the Financial Times, the man who announced the financial crisis of 2008 estimated that countries of the European periphery abandon the euro within five years.

In the eyes of Nouriel Roubini, the debt crisis that weakens current euro area highlights the flaws in this monetary union. In fact, the euro zone has never been an "optimum currency area", ie a group of countries has any interest in sharing a single currency. There is indeed always been too strong and competitive economic differences between countries in the euro area.The founding fathers of the euro area, however, hoped that the differences between fiscal, monetary and exchange rates are offset by an acceleration of structural reforms within the euro zone countries. These measures would then have enabled the countries of the eurozone converge.

Without economic convergence, the euro area is doomed to failure

But "the reality is quite different," says Nouriel Roubini. Following the establishment of a common monetary policy, countries are folded on the weapon budget to adjust their economic policies business card. Very different policies have been implemented within the eurozone. Consequently, the lack of fiscal discipline in countries like Greece and Portugal involved in the birth of speculative bubbles in other countries like Spain or Ireland. And finally, the peripheral countries have become less competitive.

Economist reaffirms that to work, creating a currency area must be accompanied by a fiscal policy even as the establishment of supranational sources of income or the issuance of sovereign bonds Commons. In the absence of economic convergence, the euro area is doomed to failure, according to the economist.

Thus, Nouriel Roubini believes that there is now a way to restore the competitiveness of peripheral countries: leaving the euro, return of national currencies and depreciation. Such a scenario seems inconceivable today, is the economist who said that nothing says that in five years this idea has not gained ground, especially if the economies of peripheral countries are stagnating. Unless the idea of ​​a Euro reaches more federal drilling, some European leaders call for that greater European integration.

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Nearly two in three French (62%) want that France is phasing to operate its nuclear plants. By adding the 15% of the population favored a quick halt French nuclear program, 77% of the French population is now opposed to this energy source. That is what emerges from the last Ifop poll, conducted from June 1 to 3 of 1005 people aged 18 and over, for the Journal du Dimanche. Only 1% of the panel interviewed did not comment. Supporters of a soft stop is at 74% of supporters of the Socialist Party, the Greens 61% and 37% of the UMP.

The German example

The gradual change of mentality of the French would not only result from the shock wave caused by the nuclear disaster in Japan, but also that of the German decision to phase out nuclear energy by 2022.Last Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, under pressure from Germany's Green Party, announced his decision to close the 17 German plants, within 10 years.

What might convince a few more French, interviewed after the announcement, the possibility for a developed country to live without this source of energy. Still, the German and French positions are far from comparable, France still produces 73% of its electricity by nuclear power, against 25% in Germany easy payday loans.

Stating his position on this issue, François Hollande, Socialist Party MP and the Corrèze Socialist candidate primary, moved elsewhere, always in the JDD, reduced initially by 75% to 50% dependence on French nuclear. For its part, Europe Ecology-The Greens called for a total abandonment of the atom.Final lesson revealed by the survey on Sunday, if the government is opposed to nuclear stopping, the UMP adhere less to this position, 55% of them sharing the wishes of their fellow citizens. These supporters are nonetheless the most pro-nuclear, with 37% of them advocating the continuation of nuclear program, and construction of new plants.

The state park is also hexagonal become less important to the French. Surprisingly, the hostility to nuclear power is indeed associated with the expression of any concern on the part of the French against nuclear sites. In total, 55% report little or not at all concerned about nuclear power, while only 44% a month ago.

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The idea of ​​a debt restructuring Greek away. Not that the Greek finances are better, but the idea of ​​establishing a new financial assistance plan to avoid bankruptcy again the country is preferred. A year after the granting of a loan of 110 billion euros, and Europeans should put money on the table … to conditions that Greece itself consents to further efforts.

According to latest information, this aid would be encrypted between 60 and 70 billion euros. The IMF would disburse 10 billion euros and the European Union, 20 billion. Greece, she will find 25 to 30 billion. How? Increasingly advanced the idea of ​​involving the private sector in these efforts. The basic idea is that banks maintain their exposure to Greek debt on a voluntary basis, to prevent capital flight.It argues that Germany: "It is important that the private sector assumes its responsibilities," said-there at the German Ministry of Finance. And the ECB seems to favor this solution. Anyway, this Thursday, Jürgen Stark, member of the ECB executive known for his orthodox positions, said the agency did not rule out this hypothesis.

Fiscal restraint and privatization

Greece and a delegation of the "troika" (European Union, International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank) are still debating. They promised that a statement would be released Friday afternoon. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will deliver when the outline of the new austerity program they have developed.According to sources, the amount will rise to 6.4 billion euros, the price of higher taxes and a revision of tax exemptions on income.

However, nothing is said about the new aid. Jean-Claude Juncker, Eurogroup President, assured that no crisis meeting between finance ministers of the European Union was expected. A decision will be taken "by the end of June."

Adjusted parallel, the country's bluff, has initiated a process of privatization, which will reap 50 billion euros fast cash advance loan. Ports, airports, railways, water from Thessaloniki and Athens, racetracks, telecommunications and the postal bank is the first wave of Greek businesses for sale.A strike call was issued for June 9 to protest against the wave of privatizations.

The euro, "strong and credible"

If the equity markets still lag heavily the shock of the degradation of the note in Greece yesterday (Wednesday), the euro, he continues his way to the rise, settling comfortably above U.S. $ 1.44 (1.4472 at the highest this Thursday). Thus, in the underlying trend, concern about the financial world dominates while the Greek bounces back – and worried – almost every day: today at the Paris Bourse, the CAC 40 plunged more than 1.4 % to 16 hours and Wall Street is struggling to resume after signing its worst session since August 2010.Yesterday, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has confirmed the hypothesis of a new program of assistance to Greece, which the IMF would take part, failing to pay the last part of the initial grant.

But the most volatile foreign exchange market, for sale today are in favor of the euro … and against the dollar. The European currency was primarily driven by reassurances from Jean-Claude Trichet, who said on Thursday in Germany, that "there is no crisis of the euro", and called the currency " strong and credible ". The ECB president has fueled the prospect dune next rate hike. He also suggested the creation of a Ministry of Finance and European imagines that "the European authorities have the right to veto certain decisions of national economic policy."American side, a series of bad economic figures have polmbé the dollar, the euro mechanically pulling upward.

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This had not happened for a month. The Cac 40 closed on Monday below 4000 points, among others penalized by bank stocks. Investors worried about a new crisis on the debt of the euro area after the arrest of the International Monetary Fund boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Leaded by the poor performance of banking stocks all morning, stock index is now up in the green, thanks to the rebound … banks.The Cac 40 rose 0.21% to 3998.06 points, flirting with 4000 points.

At the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE-100 fell by 0.33% to 5,904.27 points and Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the DAX 30 lost 0.55% to 7346.81 points.

Monday night, Wall Street has ended the session down in response to the publication of indicators revealing the fragility of U.S. recovery.

The Euro continues Tuesday

In the absence of corporate results announcements, the index will evolve with ads that will be made following the meeting of EU finance ministers to discuss particular mechanisms of financial aid in the euro area. On the issue of Greece's debt, the Europeans are divided.

After starting the session again difficult, banking stocks will resume in late morning.BNP Paribas climbed from 1.32% to 53.78 euros, gaining 0.55% Natixis to 3.82 euros, Societe Generale rising from 1.23% to 42.44 euros and Credit Agricole takes 0.18% to 10 95 euros.

EU: lower sales of new cars

On the macroeconomic front, the new car registrations in the European Union fell 2.7% annual rate over the months from January to April, according to figures released Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (Acea). On April alone, new registrations 1089.118 were recorded, representing a decline of 4.1% over one year.

Peugeot was down 1.07% to 30.136 euros and Renault lost 0.66% to 39.79 euros.

United States, are scheduled starts of dwellings in April (14.30) and industrial production in April (15.15).

On the currency markets, the euro rose slightly against the dollar, from 0.16% to 1.4183 dollar.

Energy stocks retreat

On the corporate side, the energy values ​​suffer from the decline in commodity prices. Total coward 0.88% to 40.20 euros and Vallourec dropped 1.04% to 87.69 euros.EDF lost 0.71% to 28.67 euros and GDF Suez sold 0.83% to 25.66 euros.

Bouygues: -3.90% to 32.64 euros (largest decrease in the Cac 40)

Bouygues raised slightly on Monday its goal of annual sales after a first quarter marked by a rebound in activity but penalized at the net contribution by Alstom.

Vivendi: +0.36% at 19.30 euros

Vivendi announced Monday it had obtained signed with a syndicate of 17 banks a new line of credit totaling € 5 billion that will allow it to optimize the management of its bank debt at the time of the acquisition of the 44 % of SFR held by Vodafone.

Publicis: 0.29% to 38.58 euros

Publicis buys U.S. digital marketing agency Rosetta for at least $ 575 million – the agreement provides that an additional payment may be made in 2014 to Rosetta in the case of good performance over the period 2011-2013.

Carrefour wants IPO for its real estate assets

Carrefour: 2.26% to 30.95 euros (largest increase Cac 40)

During its Investor Day being held in Paris from 9:15 Carrefour confirmed its intention to IPO for its real estate assets, Carrefour Property.

The group also said that the demerger of its business Dia hard discount will be in the form of the distribution of a dividend. Carrefour expects the IPO of Dia in Madrid on July 5 is valued at about four billion euros.

The French Finance Ministry responded late, but with great detail, the controversy launched by MEP in Europe Ecology Canfin Pascal, on the bonuses of bankers and traders French.In Libération, 7 May, he thought the amounts paid by banks not complying with EU rules.

The MEP said that France would not accurately transposed the directive on variable compensation, which would allow certain bankers, including Baudouin Prot (Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas) and Frederic Oudéa (CEO of Societe Generale) to receive bonus of several million euros, four to five times larger than their fixed salaries, under the year 2010.

"It's unfair to single out France!" Says it does at Bercy, where we recall that the decree implementing the EU directive was sent to Brussels in March 2011, without comment, to To date, the European Commission, while "warnings" have yet been sent to 12 Member States in March …

Variable part, fixed part

G20 first to denounce the perverse bonuses, France is presented as a model student for the application of new rules on the matter. To demonstrate that the volume of bonuses paid in 2011 for the year 2010 is declining, Bercy dotted with numbers: the ratio of net income bonus on the Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) would be increased from 125% 2007 to 100% in 2009 and 30% in 2010.According to references of the two great Parisian institutions BNP and Societe Generale, the average bonus would have decreased from 303 000 in 2009 to 290 000 euros in 2010 and 231 000 in 2009 to 198 000 euros in 2010.

Moreover, the share of bonuses in total compensation would have increased by over 75% in 2009 to 60% in 2010. An average does not represent the variable portion of 62% of the remuneration of Baudouin Prot in 2010 and 73% of that of Frederick Oudéa."In the spirit of French and European legislation, it was a 50/50 balance the ratio between the fixed and variable pay," recalls in Paris say, "there is that the European Parliament who wanted the 50/50, but that would inevitably lead to a wage explosion … "

Finally, Bercy said that more than 60% of the bonuses awarded in 2010 were deferred for three years at least, and that banks resort more to guaranteed bonuses over several years.

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The sessions are followed and do not resemble the Asian stock markets. After all generally closed higher Wednesday, they slipped into the red on Thursday, hurt by the sharp drop on Wall Street last night. Like the U.S. stock markets, Asian financial markets are affected by falling oil prices. A trend that seems to reverse this Thursday in electronic trading in Asia, oil starting again significantly higher to 99.50 dollars (1.31%).

Japan: current accounts slashed by the earthquake

Anyway, this revival does not seem to reassure investors, oil prices have not passed the symbolic 100 dollars, according to some analysts. The Nikkei 225 closed sharply down from 1.50% to 9716.65 points. In the oil sector, Inpex shows a sharp decline of 3.42% to 564,000 yen.

After publishing yesterday's annual and quarterly results, and reassuring comments on its outlook for production, Toyota leapt 3.05% to 3370 yen and Nissan, which has published, after market, net income increased more than seven takes 1 , 40% to 795 yen.

On the macroeconomic front, the country saw its current account surplus dropped 34.3% in March year on year to 1.679 billion yen (14.6 billion euros), due to the earthquake of 11 March, which has disrupted production and exports.

The Taiwan Stock Exchange is resistant to red wave

In China, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong coward 0.83% to 23,098.80 points. Aluminum Corp. of China sells 2.42% to 6.86 Hong Kong dollars, CNOOC, 1.82% to 18.28 Hong Kong dollars and China Coal Energy, 2.95% to 9.86 Hong Kong dollars.As for the CSI 300 in Shanghai, it was down 0.17% at 3139.71 points.

Other financial centers in the Asian region, one resists Exchange: Taiwan, including Taiwan TAIEX gained 0.33% to 9050.50 points. Conversely, the KRX 100 Index dropped 1.48% from Seoul to 4558 points, the S & P / ASX 200 in Sydney fell sharply from 1.28% to 4718.80 points, the FTSE Straits Times sells 0.70 % to 3154.96 points and the BSE Sensex 30 Bombay lost 0.29% to 18,531.50 points.