International Headlines and Stories

At the MEDEF Summer University, you see large companies, medium-sized enterprises, small businesses as well as "mini-enterprises". Thus the association "Undertake to learn" (EPA), describes a group of young volunteers gathered around an entrepreneurial project, supervised by a teacher and a professional counselor. " In fact, the mini-company operates as a limited company and is developing a product or service for marketing. "Once a week, the mini-entrepreneurs coming together to build their project.Together they perform a market study, is social capital by soliciting shareholders elect a board and planning a business strategy. "

MEDEF decided this year to honor the mini-Hortensys company, founded by twelve high school students currently in third class DP3 (with an optional "discovery work" of three hours per week) in college Albert Camus Jarville ( Meurthe-et-Moselle). Their project: the design, manufacture and marketing of a "slug catcher" ecological and aesthetic. The idea from a simple observation: the products used to combat pests in gardens are often polluting and very expensive. They created a "slug catcher" both economic and environmentally friendly.Hortensys-name is entirely appropriate to their business, since Hortensys is the Latin name of the slug-was presented at the show Codice national price, which rewards the best mini-company financial management and commercial . They also support a strong network of distribution including department stores and Auchan Intermarché of Greater Nancy.

"The mini-company can introduce young – 14 to 20 years – in economic life and particularly in business creation," said a representative of the EPA Lorraine. This is a great opportunity for students to learn to be autonomous and to project into the future. Hortensys end of the 2008/2009 promotion will continue to operate as an association to the majority of its young creators.Small budding entrepreneurs are more motivated than ever, they have diversified their business with an ingenious system for three-time scare-moles without harming them-lawns. A project they will carry when they found the money.

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Caution on the Cac 40. In the wake of the Asian stock markets and the day after a sharp drop on Wall Street, investors do not risk the last trading day of the week. At midday, the benchmark index in Paris is still evolving in the red (-0.77%) ironing below 3100 points to 3094.99 points.

At the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE-100 is 0.46% to 5107.30 points while the Dax-30 from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, after opening steady, widening its losses (-1.72%) in 5582 , 50 points.

Markets are waiting with some anxiety the president's speech to the U.S. central bank, Ben Bernanke, the outlook for the U.S. economy. An hour and a half ago (1430), the U.S. government has released its second estimate of GDP for the second quarter.The consensus growth overseas could fall by 0.2 point to 1.1% from the first estimate. On Thursday, weekly jobless claims rose. Causing a sharp decline in U.S. stock markets.

In this uncertain environment expected on ads across the Atlantic, the euro resumed slightly against the dollar Friday in a market without much volume. To 11 hours in Paris, the European currency was worth 1.4440 dollars against 1.4378 dollars on Thursday night.

In the euro area, the lack of major macroeconomic news does not help to give a clear trend to markets.This morning, the companies manufacturing have revised their forecasts down slightly investment for this year and expect a 14% increase (against 15% previously).

The bank's head Cac 40, Peugeot sinks

Essilor International: -0.11% to 53.07 euros

Essilor International in the first semester a turnover of 2.06 billion euros, up 6.9%, the band announced via a press release issued in the edition of Les Echos to appear Friday.

Financials

The ban on short selling financial stocks on Thursday was extended to France, like Italy, Spain and Belgium, and the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) said it would review its position by late September.

This decision only briefly managed to reassure investors.If this decision technique to limit selling pressure on the sector, it does not address the fears that persist on European banks and their exposure to countries in need. After posting the largest gains of the Paris stock in early trading, financial stocks are once again very attacked: Societe Generale lost 0.91% to 21.75 euros, BNP Paribas declined more moderately from 0.60% to 34.15 euros, Credit Agricole down 1.31% to 6.42 euros while Natixis closed the show the worst performance (-3.38% to 2.74 euros).

In an interview with Le Figaro, the executive director of Credit Agricole said the group has "significant cash reserves" and "not difficult to obtain financing."

Conversely, other cyclical stocks, car manufacturers, will gradually take after opening the largest declines in the Paris stock exchange.Peugeot, which bought between 12 and 22 August last, about 2% of its capital amounting to 92,010,000 euros, reduced its losses (-1.54% to 19.18 euros), after having dropped to 2.05%. The title, however, fell more than 35% over the last month. A little stronger, Renault drops 0.57% to 26.05 euros.

Total: -0.72% to 32.50 euros

Total expected to present a reorganization in the fall of scale of its operations downstream, with a planned merger of its refining and petrochemicals, according to Les Echos, citing union sources.

As for oil, prices were mixed Friday morning during electronic trading in Asia, in a sluggish market, before the highly anticipated speech of the head of the U.S. central bank (Fed).In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October gave 10 cents to 85.20 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery took 19 cents to 110.81 dollars.

Note that APRR and Bel Cheese (1.95%, to 165 euros) will publish their interim results after market close.

The Paris Bourse do not know which way to turn on Wednesday. After starting down 0.58% at 3212.23 points, the CAC 40 is pressed into the green in mid-day, hause of 0.17%. It continues to grow and advance of 1.39% to 3275.80 points in 16 hours. At the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE-100 reduced its losses and lost 0.20%, as the Dax in Frankfurt which yields 0.55%. Madrid is pressed into the green and earns 0.30%.

The small increase in opening on Wall Street allowed the European indices to regain some ground after a volatile morning. Investors are, in fact, not reassured by the proposals of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday on the governance of the euro area.These include notably the establishment of a "real government of the euro area", the adoption of a golden rule of balancing the budget by the seventeen members of the euro area and the introduction of a tax on financial transactions. The French president and German Chancellor did not, however, proposed to increase the European bailout fund not to launch Eurobond market as hoped.

If these proposals were welcomed by governments, many analysts believe, therefore, they lack the substance to calm global stock markets. Sony Kapoor, the think tank Re-Define, based in London, believes that "economic government's proposal, which may be an important step towards an even tighter union, is of little use to address the most urgent" ."The meeting between the German and French leaders failed to alleviate concerns about the debt crisis in the euro area," adds Ker Chung Yang, an analyst at Phillip Futures Oil in Singapore.

The euro is trying to back up the hill, looking for gold

The most tangible sign of the disappointment of markets: the decline of the euro. It was worth 1.4365 dollars in Tokyo Wednesday, against 1.4406 dollars in New York the night before. He came down this morning in Asia to 1.4352 dollar. At midday, the European currency, however, able to bounce back and exchanged to 16 hours at 1.4482 dollar."The Franco-German meeting did not result in clear solutions and this has caused sales of euros," said Nobuyoshi Kuroiwa, a leader in foreign exchange Hachijuni Bank.

Gold, a refuge in times of crisis, was worth 1795 dollars on Wednesday afternoon in Hong Kong, 1780 against the dollar the day before closing.

Oil prices opened sharply higher in New York, supported by expectations of declining stocks of petroleum products, synonymous with an application may be better than expected guaranteed payday loans. Around 1:10 p.m. GMT on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex ), a barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery was trading at 88.29 dollars, up 2.24 dollars compared to the previous day.

Always on the side indicators, inflation excluding volatile items fell in the eurozone in July, Eurostat said Wednesday, confirming also the overall annual inflation rate.Excluding energy and unprocessed food packaged, retail prices fell 0.8% monthly increase of 1.5% annually from 1.8% in June

United States, the producer prices rose more than expected in July, 0.2%, after falling 0.4% in June, according to the Labor Department.

Values ​​to follow

The banking sector

The Franco-German proposal to create a common tax on financial transactions was announced Tuesday after the close of European stock. As Wall Street and in Asia, French banks respond poorly. BNP Paribas (-2% to 36.75 euros) is the second largest drop in the CAC. The bank is followed by Societe Generale (-1.58% to 24.87 euros) and Credit Agricole (-0.87% to 6.72 euros).Natixis (0.72% to 3.08 euros) and Axa (0.49% to 11.27 euros) are in green.

The project also affects the stock exchange operators: NYSE Euronext lost 6.38%, 6.22% yield Deutsche Börse and the London Stock Exchange was down 4.42%.

Lafarge: -0.09% to 29.21 euros

The cement manufacturer announced Wednesday the sale of the autralien Boral's share in their joint venture LBGA (Lafarge Boral Gypsum Asia) for a total of 429 million euros.

Renault: -0.14% to 29.09 euros

The South Korean subsidiary Renault, Renault Samsung, Wednesday denied news reports suggesting its possible initial public offering of Seoul.

Edenred: -0.54% to 18.50 euros

The group announced the sale of its Australian subsidiary Trahaire Davidson, a consulting company in human resources, specializing in psychological assistance to employees as part of a transaction of approximately $ 35 million.

Rodriguez Group: -4.01% to 3.83 euros

The group released a drop of 38% of its sales in the third quarter to end June, due to lower sales of new boats, but the group expects an improvement in sales of used boats on the last part of his 2010-2011.

The attendant of the Magi does not believe in miracles. In this village of the Cevennes Gard, Jacky controller takes the last independent station. "When I moved in 1984, there were eight stations on the road, remember Jacky, a bit fatalistic. I will be retired in a year, and no one will resume the activity. "

The disappearance of the gas station of the Magi was certainly inevitable. In 1985, there were 29,750 service stations, according to the French Union of Petroleum Industries (Ufip). Since the network has disintegrated. They were more last year than 7149, only 1538 independent. Regression for the benefit of a large area stations: 2250 26 years ago, they are now 4902.

Financial support

But to make matters worse, the service station owners are now faced with a challenge.Finance the upgrading of their facilities necessitated by the transposition of European directives into French law, whose applications are expected for a period from 2013 to 2020.

These regulations impose progressively strengthen the provisions for recovering gasoline vapors during the refueling of vehicles to fight against air pollution, compliance with new distances "between the devices and distribution from a public establishment or of a building inhabited "rearrangements of tracks, but also the installation of double-walled tanks.

"There's € 20 000," says Jacky Regula. The attendant of the Magi is all the more bitter than the prices differ by only a penny from the Intermarché neighbor. "I'm fighting with my cash and pay my suppliers in five days to get the best price.But to be profitable, it takes at least a margin of seven cents per liter, "says he.

"These obligations can result in decisions to stop activity by owner-operators with two main reasons: the high level of investment and the inability to meet the new standards such as safety distances," warns the Ufip.

Brigitte Bros., owner of the resort village of Lozère Malbouzon (160 inhabitants), near the A75 motorway, is categorical: "The standards being too expensive. It will not work. "Just for the two pumps, estimate amount to € 60 000. "It is amortized over a hundred years, she joked. The station is to be helpful. There are not many in the corner. It is open seven days a weekIt's a real public service. "

Brigitte Bros. has yet stepped up efforts to keep his business, where a liter of diesel is € 1.55, or about 16 cents more than in a supermarket. Managed for nine years by Evelyne Perret is the only gas pump to 10 miles around, and one of the five supply points independent of the department.With about 6000 liters of fuel sold each month, the station scrapes, supported by the activity of the restaurant, coffee Perret, with its workers to 12 € menu.

At the number of closures announced, the Professional Committee of the fuel distribution has developed budgets that can partially support the small owner.

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The French plébiscitent increasing the "Made in France" and it has not escaped the business. A craze that falls well: rising transportation costs and wage inflation from 15% to 20% in some coastal factories in China are converging today to encourage repatriation of some production lines to France and Europe. But if some companies are beginning to consider such a policy change, few are still those who skip it.

"There is clearly more interesting now than to relocate whole or in part," says Jean-Luc Fonteneau, a partner in the consulting firm Diagma logistics. "But do not mistake: these factors on their own are not sufficient to stimulate a significant movement of relocations. For now, our customers are content to talk about it.The cost differential is still largely in favor of Asia, "said he.

Geneviève Lethu, Rossignol, Decathlon or Meccano, who chose to relocate all or part of their production in recent years, rather figures are therefore exceptions. Geneviève Lethu for example, production costs remain two to three times higher in France than in Southeast Asia, says Edmond Kassapian, its CEO. The company has nevertheless chosen to relocation, mainly to improve the quality of its products.

In this context, the rise in commodity prices and wage inflation in recent months weigh little. "In textiles, for example, transportation is only 5% to 10% of the production cost of an item.As for wage increases, even if the percentages are impressive, they represent less than 3% of payroll French, "Jean-Luc Fonteneau calculated. Some companies also try to compensate by shifting their production to Vietnam …, the consultant observed.

Automation

The figures confirm this analysis. According to a recent study by two economists at the University of Poitiers, Liliane Bonnal Olivier Bouba-Olga and the relocations to France remain marginal effect cash advance now. Based on data reported by the Centre for Investment in 2008 and 2009, economists have identified all the operations of investment and divestment activity in France. Relocations represent only 0.3% of these operations, 24 cases in two years.In total, they recorded a relocation to six relocations, and a job created for 30 jobs lost because of offshoring. "Only 500 jobs were created in two years because of relocations," says Olivier Bouba-Olga.

Because they "do not result in any case not by major job creation," said El Mouhoub Mouhoud, an economist at Paris Dauphine University and author of "Globalization and offshoring of business" by Editions la Découverte. In most cases, they are indeed driven by companies that have chosen to automate their production. "So that the jobs lost in Southeast Asia and elsewhere are almost never compensated in France," the judge economist.

The marginal nature of the relocation is also reflected in the lack of excitement generated by government schemes to encourage them."The tax credit for relocating business established in 2007 has hardly ever been used," says El Mouhoub Mouhoud. As for the relocation bonus, with a budget of 200 million euros and announced with great fanfare in the aftermath of the States General of Industry, it is simply more. "The premium has been recast in within a broader, that of using the re-industrialization," says one to the Ministry of Industry. The latter has only 20 million euros. If "the world's factory" that is China is losing some ground, France did for the moment that gets a few scraps.

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Saint-Gobain can be serene in 2011. In publishing, for the first half of the year, net income has rebounded more than half, the direction of the construction group was able to confirm its objective of growth "sustained" and up "double-digit "of its operating income. Saint-Gobain has indeed revealed this Thursday evening in a statement, a profit of 768 million euros over the first six months of the year (53.3% over the same period of 2010), with higher volumes and selling prices. Operating income, however, has jumped 19% to 1.72 billion euros. Confirming "the gradual recovery activities related to residential construction in Europe", the turnover the first six months of the year earned 6.9% to 20.9 billion euros, while the result of operations rose 19% to 1.7 billion euros.At the end of June, net debt of Saint-Gobain was stable at 9.1 billion euros.

"The continued growth of our business in the first half confirmed the recovery in sales volumes seen in 2010, and our ability to successfully pursue our policy of priority to the sale price," said Pierre-Andre de Chalendar, CEO of Saint-Gobain, even though the group has faced higher costs of raw materials and energy.

Accelerate acquisitions

Saint-Gobain's acquisitions will accelerate in the second half to take advantage of the recovery volume.The group has already announced the first of the year several acquisitions, including the distribution with a proposed takeover of the network and Brossette Build Centre for a total of 351 million euros and a acquisition in Russia in the insulation and the plasterboard in Turkey, who number this time tens of millions of euros bad credit payday loans.

"There are a number of acquisitions that are in progress, so I can not give you the amount in the second half but it will be very Arguably higher the amount we had in the first half," assured Pierre-Andre Chalendar."We have a PORTFOLIO of files in negotiation is important, but we are very strict on the debt, therefore the amounts we are talking about a few hundred million."

The IPO Verallia not ruled out

Saint-Gobain has "always the intention of getting the stock market" Verallia, its subsidiary in bottles and glass jars and take "a decision based on market conditions," said the boss of the French group, while the development project on the Paris market was delayed.

On June 20, in fact, Saint-Gobain decided at the last minute to postpone the entry of the Paris Bourse Verallia due to market conditions deemed "very unfavorable."

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Session auspicious for ArcelorMittal. Around 10:20, the title of the fastest rising Cac 40: 1.87% to 22.59 euros in a market down 0.78%. Investors welcomed the quarterly results of the world's number one steel.

Despite a 10% drop in net profit in the second quarter over one year to $ 1.5 billion, ArcelorMittal has been a further improvement in operating performance. The gross operating income has increased by 21.5% year on year to $ 3.4 billion (2.3 billion euros). Moreover, the turnover has won 24.7% to $ 25.1 billion (17.3 billion euros)."As we anticipated, the company reported a strong performance in the second quarter of 2011, driven by higher selling prices of steel," said CEO Lakshmi Mittal said in the statement.

But these indicators should weaken in the third quarter, the steel industry was experiencing a generally soft, due to plant closures for holidays in Europe and a slowdown in demand. ArcelorMittal anticipates a gross operating profit (EBITDA) of between 2.4 and 2.8 billion (1.6 to 1.9 billion euros).

However, the group expects strong demand from China and the automotive sector, which should prevent it from experiencing the same quarter in 2010."Although the third quarter should be somewhat affected by seasonal factors, they should not be as pronounced as last year and the performance of the group the second half of 2011 should be compared favorably with that the second half of 2010, "assured Lakshmi Mittal.

Sarkozy, the European. Since the height of Brégançon, where he sits, the head of state can be pleased to have scored twice. The first European success, first. In Brussels, on the evening of Thursday, he had a smile of satisfaction after a day and a half marathon diplomatic. "It is a beautiful agreement, and very energetic and pragmatic attitude of the president has probably played an important role," welcomes the centrist Bourlanges, which stresses that the European commitment has been "the dominant feature of Nicolas Sarkozy's five-year period, negotiation of the Lisbon Treaty in resolving the Georgian crisis, through the energy and climate plan ". But the personal victory of Nicolas Sarkozy is set to have a compromise with Angela Merkel on a second bailout of Greece, more global, more balanced – less punitive for the Greeks.The real victory lies in the Elysée in the last successful effort to lay the groundwork for coordination of economic policy of member countries of the euro area.

Early in his five-year, Nicolas Sarkozy had seen fit to go in person before the finance ministers of the Eurogroup. "The initiative seemed baroque, but now there is," pleads one of his advisers. It was not until this fall to read the Franco-German proposals on the subject. But according to Nicolas Sarkozy himself, Angela Merkel "agreed on the principle" it was notoriously hostile to this development. "The eighteen hours of intense negotiations took place after eighteen months of delays that have revealed serious shortcomings in European governance.The Franco-German initiative is urgent, "said soon MEP (UMP) Alain Lamassoure.

The other advantage to Nicolas Sarkozy, is on the domestic political scene. Firstly because he is convinced that the French are less sovereign than they say. "The polls are overwhelmingly in favor of the rescue of the euro," explains one of his advisers. It is also an illustration, hopes the Elysee, the role of "president protector" the Head of State intends to play, especially against the seizure of financial crises. Friday, Nicolas Sarkozy François Fillon has asked to hold a press conference to "sell" the agreement in Brussels.

On Monday, he personally inform the presidents of the National Assembly and Senate at a luncheon at the Elysee."We want to bring the iron against the PS on the subject of the fight against the deficit, which is at the heart of European economic policy coordination," said one minister. But take this speech under the budget will not be easy, including the right. "2012 will be the time of the arbitration between electoral interests – that is the right gifts to doctors, left, who waters the culture – and international interests that require a balanced budget set sail in 2013," sums up New Bourlanges. European and less controversial, Nicolas Sarkozy is definitely trying to target the votes of the center. It may discuss the matter with François Bayrou, he must see Monday as president.

Today, Genevieve Lethu almost a pioneer. It's been almost ten years since the specialist tableware decided to repatriate most of its production in France. The group did not wait for the rising costs of transportation and wage inflation that affects a part of Asia to relocate its production in France and Europe. While 40% are still manufactured in Southeast Asia in 2002, this proportion has now dropped to 9%. Aim of the operation to improve the quality of its products.

According to Edmond Kassapian CEO Genevieve Lethu and origin of this strategy, the manufacturing conditions in emerging markets were no longer satisfactory. "We see a lot of flaws too: for example, the colors were sometimes not good.Moreover, China does not always meet the hygiene standards required by the manufacture of kitchen utensils, "said he. Three or four people were paid full-time, just for the after sales service. Manufacturing defects that the company, positioned on a medium-high-end, could not pass up. With a significant portion of its customers for export, being a French brand was not selling enough. "Our customers are demanding products made in France, not South-East Asia," said Edmond Kassapian.

Especially these failures were added to other problems. "Our own suppliers copied our collections to sell at lower prices," recalls the CEO. Occur in Asia also means longer production lead times, which complicate inventory management.In addition to transport by ship, which takes about two months, the status of "world factory" in China in some areas it is a work organization to lean. In this context, start or restart a production cycle requires a waiting period of up to six to eight months.

Model difficult to transpose

By bringing back most of its production in France, Geveniève Lethu won as responsiveness and quality. But this shedding was not built without problems. "Finding plants in France and Europe that can ensure our production has not been an easy task. Invest in tools, machinery was necessary. The repatriation was ultimately effective only from 2004-2005, "said Edmond Kassapian.Despite the cost of transportation and the "huge mess" deplored by the specialist tableware of its products made in China, produced in France is generally two to three times more expensive.

Why the model Genevieve Lethu is not easily transferable. "Some activities simply can not be relocated. Products requiring significant labor to manufacture or those who stand out from the competition will cost products in Asian countries. Our relocation was only possible because we are positioning ourselves in the middle and high end because the argument made in France for us was a selling point, "Edmond analysis Kassapian.

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The Minister of Finance of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda, confirmed the government's desire to Naoto Kan to resign by the end of the summer. Asked this morning on the casting vote of a law allowing Tokyo to issue bonds to cover the budget deficit, the Treasury official said the Japanese team in place "take responsibility". The day before, Minister of Commerce Banri Kaieda had entrusted his intention to retire after the adoption of the famous law by the Parliament met until the end of August, adding that other ministers "may have the same intentions." The current government believes that the next budget will not be held if the law does not low fee pay day loans.

Finance Minister this morning held a press conference to present the trade figures. Japan's current account surplus fell 51.7% in May to 7.3 billion, compared to the previous year.A drop weaker than economists' forecasts, which expect a recovery in the economy, hard hit by the earthquake of March 11, faster than expected. Many Japanese factories have been forced to suspend production due to damaged sites and disruptions in electricity supplies. But exports could rebound in the coming months.

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