May 11 2012

Autolib accelerates but is far from its cruising speed

Tag: economics, features, publications, technology, traveladmin @ 4:44 am

 

Five months after the launch of Autolib ', the system self-service vehicles do not meet again a great success, far from it. Although the number of subscribers grew, but it remains inadequate. It rises this month to 15,000 people, 00 of which only 5 signed an annual subscription, others have chosen packages in the week or day. The cars were used 118,000 times since December.

The businessman Vincent Bollore, whose group provides vehicles and charging stations, expects 30,000 annual subscribers at the end of the year. But to be profitable, Autolib 'must have 80,000 users on the car twice a week for a period of just under an hour. The group has indeed invested 100 million euros starting in the device, plus 100 million annual operating costs (including 900 people have been recruited to the call center and stations).

Financial side, the businessman Breton is optimistic. At the launch of this system of electric cars, self-service in the Paris region, beginning in December 2011, he estimated it would take seven years to break even. "It is possible that this is earlier," he said Wednesday. The infrastructure can be rapidly deployed in 46 communities of Ile-de-France, including Paris, while the number of stations has doubled since the start, reaching 500 stations in May. It must still be multiplied by two (1050), by October. The number of electric cars is made available to him from 250 to 1740 and is expected to climb to 3,000 by the end of the year.

In late April, the Bluecar Bolloré also ranks the leading electric car registrations in France (982 copies), before Nissan and Mia, a market it is true stammering (1595 cars). Bolloré would however expect a year of operation to take a real first assessment, but also business technology fast payday loan no faxing. Electric batteries, particularly temperature sensitive, "have passed the severe cold, but not yet the hot summer," he says.

For now, this service attracted a rather young audience: half of subscribers between 18 and 35. Unsurprisingly, 70% of users have no car. More difficult to explain: 75% are men.

Little vandalism

Degradation related vehicles, hiccups were encountered the first time, "but we managed to eliminate the defects of youth," he assured Vincent Bolloré. The bumpers have been replaced by such material more resistant. The precedents décrochaient easily as motorists unaccustomed to automatic transmissions, may tend to confuse the brake and accelerator. Mirrors, knobs of power windows and door loading were also changed. Moreover, the cars have yet to paint, which avoids the risk of scratches and lighten the car by 5 kilos (an economy that enhances autonomy). In total, Autolib 'account from 20 to 25 claims per day.

So far, however, "very little" acts of vandalism have been deplored, welcomes Vincent Bolloré, contrary to what was observed for self-service bikes Velib '. The most spectacular incident, three cars were burned in Créteil in the Val de Marne.

To attract new subscribers, Autolib launches a monthly fee of 30 euros plus 6 euros per half hour of use. The annual fee amounts to 144 euros plus 5 euros thirty minutes of driving.

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Apr 22 2012

The NYSE is under pressure

Tag: events, opinions, resources, technology, traveladmin @ 11:56 pm

Presidential in major cities Paris | Leeds | Lyons | Toulouse | Leeds | Sheffield | Liverpool | Bordeaux | Lille


Apr 06 2012

The employment figures disappoint the U.S.

Tag: economy, events, news, online, resourcesadmin @ 7:44 pm

 

The decline in unemployment in the U.S. in March to 8.2% against 8.3%, not fooling anyone. The labor market has actually worsened last month. He created only 120,000 jobs, almost twice less than expected. The favorable review of the February numbers limited to just disappointment. As also those of January proved slightly worse.

According to the Labour Department, the private sector hired only 121,000 people in March, when he was recruited 233,000 people in February. The service sector is the main troublemaker with only 90,000 new jobs, against 204,000 the previous month. Yet on the increase for months, temporary jobs have vanished completely. The new posts have also declined significantly in the transport and independent professionals. In trade and distribution, staff reductions have accelerated.

Even more disturbing was the drop in unemployment is largely due to the cessation of 164,000 job seekers find work. Out of the workforce, they are no longer counted as unemployed.

Misleading effect of a mild winter

Some analysts believe that these figures, on the whole disappointing, confirming the misleading effect of the warm temperatures of winter. We have attributed the relatively strong hiring in December to cyclical factors, while the mild winter would have been an essential support activity. The explanation is not fully convincing because in the construction sector most sensitive to climatic hazards, the trend since February has not changed: the job cuts are modest between 6000 and 7000.

Wall Street will react Monday that these disappointing data, because U.S. markets are closed for Good Friday. The debate on the need for the Federal Reserve, to reconnect with exceptional measures to stimulate the supply of credit is restarted. It had been thought earlier in the week, however, that the continued expansion in industry and services in March, according to the ISM index, the Fed had converted to the wait. If job creation in April again proved mediocre, the U.S. central bank may reconsider the option to buy Treasury bonds to further lower interest rates long term.

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Mar 25 2012

Auto: Battle of the ultra-low-cost is launched

Tag: economic, economics, international, people, specialadmin @ 5:00 pm

 

Projects are multiplying in the ultra-low-cost, became a major issue for the automobile. For proof, German Volkswagen, which earns huge sums yet with its premium brand Audi, does not intend to abandon this segment to rival Renault-Nissan. "The group has a portfolio of cars down to the Up! We lead a discussion to develop a vehicle that would be located below. It would not be proposed under the Volkswagen brand, but would a new name, "confirmed Thursday Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen, during a press conference in Paris. The goal is to get off rates lie between EUR 5000 and EUR 7000 to meet demand in some markets. "In India and China, there is undoubtedly a potential market for cars located below the Up!" Says the boss of VW. For now, the cheapest car sold by VW Polo in India is at about 7000 euros, which is expensive for local consumers. The German previously banked on its partnership with Japan's Suzuki, leader of the Indian market – which it owns 20% – to develop an appropriate offer, but relations between the two groups became execrable.

For its part, Nissan, Renault's ally, announced Tuesday it would rise again from 2014 Datsun brand, abandoned in the 1980s. With this new brand, whose prices will be "affordable" (around 500,000 yen, euro 4600, according to Japanese press), the Japanese initially target India, Russia and Indonesia.

"Today, our entry into the Indian market, it is the Micra", sold around 6,000 euros, "or, below that price, it remains more than 40% of the market. It is necessary that we can offer something to those customers "who can not spend more, recently emphasized Gilles Normand, Nissan's vice president, referring to the creation of a true" product line " instant credit report.

For its part, Renault launched the project of a car ultra-low-cost, which aims to compete with the cheapest models in the Indian market, as the Tata Nano to 2,500 euros. Internally, we talk a car from 3500 euros, to be launched by 2016.

Logan too expensive

Renault certainly has its Logan platform, sold under the brand low-cost Dacia in Europe. She pulls the international growth, particularly in Brazil and Russia, thanks to models like the small Sandero or 4 × 4 Duster (which are not considered in these markets as low-cost). But "for countries like India," this platform is "too expensive", "therefore, we will look for cheaper platforms", called ultra-low-cost, explained last month, Carlos Ghosn, the Renault boss Nissan. This new platform will also serve to Africa or South America.

While sales are declining in Europe, the ultra-low-cost has become a vital gateway to the volume in some markets up sharply. The Indian market, which reached 2 million cars last year, could double or even triple in the coming years, according to Renault-Nissan

Indonesia (900,000 sales last year), where Nissan will more than double its production capacity to increase it to 250,000 cars per year by 2014, also represents a market full of promise.

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Mar 19 2012

Jerome Chartier details the five-year spending

Tag: Uncategorized, economic, economics, events, moneyadmin @ 10:00 am

 

Jerome Chartier is UMP, a member of the Finance Committee.

LE FIGARO. – You've looked at the cost of the quinquennium. What is your assessment of this work?

Jerome Chartier. – We have a collective duty: a constant reminder that the expenses that shall be implemented after the presidential election will still have a fiscal impact after fifty years. Nicolas Sarkozy has not inherited a country virgin 30 years of debt! For example, we still have not finished paying the bill for 150,000 additional officers hired by Francois Mitterrand in 1981 and will continue to assume in the budget settlement of their pension for many years yet. A majority of the degradation of our deficit since 2007 is related to the consequences of decisions taken ten years or thirty years ago, and nobody can deny. Today, when Francois Hollande speaks to hire 60,000 more teachers, it is not an expense for five years only, to 2.5 billion euros as encrypted in its assessment. They would be hired for forty-two years, and it will then pay for their retirement. It is actually 120 billion euros of financial liabilities would weigh substantially on warrants after 2017. That's what a discourse of truth budget. And the deafening silence of Francois Hollande on this reality weighs heavily in his campaign.

Ultimately, what is the cost of this five year period?

In a book dependent, two journalists were obviously looking for a slogan, a five-year 500 billion-and then tried to justify it. This method of working alone demonstrates the total lack of seriousness with which we entered this debate. This hoax has fizzled. The Court of Auditors, in particular, has brought back to reality, which recalls that sum more than half (52%) of the current deficit is a direct legacy of past decisions. She also said that the crisis explains almost 40% of our deficit, to the extent that it has reduced our revenues sharply by almost 50 billion euros in 2009. It has spawned at the same time, like all European countries, the exceptional increase our spending in 2009 and 2010 from 46 billion to protect the French and preserve their jobs guaranteed approval cash loans.

The government's choice to do so would contribute 10% to deterioration

.

The reality is that ever a term of five years had produced so few new unfunded expenses. The economist Henry Sterdyniak, department director at the OFCE, says the same thing. A study just published it is very clear in late 2006 to late 2012, the French public debt would increase by 620 billion euros. It breaks up this way: 275 billion from interest payments, 310 billion from the economic crisis, including 30 billion stimulus policies implemented in 2009-2010, and 60 billion of tax reduction policies some of which are directly related to the crisis. He adds, and it is rare to be said, that the restrictive policies of public spending (fewer officials, non-revaluation of wages, rigorous management of social benefits …) allowed the other hand save 55 billion euros. Conclusion-and it's not me saying it-the responsibility of head of state and government in creating the deficit is greatly reduced at best to 35 billion euros. For the record, it was exactly the estimated cost of the program of the candidate in 2007! And no one can suspect of belonging to Henry Sterdyniak the campaign team of Nicolas Sarkozy.

How do you respond to those who tell you that it is 35 billion too?

35 billion that is exactly the amount of large loan, which finances the structure of French growth in the future, and promises of jobs that go with. Rarely has a presidential term has been provided the opportunity to invest in the future: higher education, research, attractiveness for industrial relocation with the removal of business tax, pension reform … Many of the decisions taken were not included in the 2007 program and the direct result of the crisis. The French now believe that they are healthy decisions for the future of France.

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Mar 10 2012

Starbucks launches the Nespresso capsules to compete

Tag: economics, events, finance, online, opinionsadmin @ 10:44 pm

 

Starbucks is more determined than ever to tackle Nespresso. The U.S. coffee chain announced the launch before next summer vacation an espresso coffee machine equipped with a high pressure extraction system. The high-end system, called verismo, was designed in partnership with the German group Krüger. It will work with the Starbucks brand capsules.

Verismo will, initially, sold online, in a selection of chain restaurants and in specialized distributors, while the United States, Canada and "certain international markets." No details were given about the distribution strategy of the capsules (the Internet, in supermarkets …) and their prices.

"France is one of the markets under consideration, such as England or Germany in Europe, said Olivier de Mendez, director of marketing France. But for now, the agreement concerns only the U.S. and Canada. "

"The coffee segment fastest growing"

This launch marks a new stage in the desire for conquest driven by Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, which took over the reins of the company in 2008. Recently asked by Le Figaro (our editions of March 3), he did not want hidden stick as closely to the expectations of customers, wherever they are. In town, in malls, but also "in stations, airports, restaurants, trains and hotels."

The founder will therefore also continue to their home, with this offer premium caps, a growing market. "This segment is the one with the strongest growth in the coffee sector," explains Howard Schultz. "At group level, this is an important innovation that allows people to replicate the Starbucks experience at home, says Olivier de Mendez. The machine will make espresso, latte, coffee and coffee filters lying. "" We now have the opportunity to reach millions of consumers, "commented Jeff Hansberry, in charge of developing distribution channels.

Years ago that Starbucks is trying to sell his coffee out of his own restaurants. A strategy not so easy to implement. The chain, which was allied with Kraft to sell coffee in bags in supermarkets, became angry with the giant global agribusiness and broke the partnership.

Record results last year

In March 2011, Starbucks announced an alliance with the first Keurig and Green Mountain in the machinery sector and pods. This agreement resulted in development since November Keurig machines offering drinks Starbucks in grocery stores and supermarkets. 100 million pods were sold, according to Starbucks. But Keurig machines are low pressure, which does not allow them to make espresso. They offer five different varieties of coffee, but only filter, and two teas.

The announcement of the new agreement between Starbucks and Krüger caused a plunge in stock prices from Green Mountain this weekend. The boss of Starbucks has yet assured that this partnership remained "solid". The stock market especially liked his strategy of moving upmarket. Last year, the company announced record results, and she is determined to put a boost in Europe.

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Mar 02 2012

145 steps to make life easier for businesses

Tag: Uncategorized, business, economics, events, traveladmin @ 11:48 am

 

Entrepreneurs can now expect to spend less time on paperwork they must complete to satisfy the administration. The National Assembly finally passed the bill Wednesday on the easing of administrative procedures despite the guerrilla led by the left. Socialist deputies and senators have decided to seize the Constitutional Council on this legislation. François Rebsamen, President of the Socialist Group of the Senate, said the referral should be made Friday.

"Francois Hollande has displayed duplicity and said on TF1 to a contractor who asked that it was essential to reduce the administrative burden on enterprises when, at the same time, François Hollande, the Socialist member of the Assembly national, and Jean-Marc Ayrault defended a motion to dismiss on the simplification of the text. Simplification is neither right nor left. It is pragmatic and expected by economic agents, "said Frederic Lefebvre Thursday, Secretary of State for SMEs, with more of the 145 measures that will be implemented in the presence of Jean-Luc Warsmann (UMP), President of the Law Committee of the National Assembly and author of the bill.

New areas

The measures apply to both the conditions of entitlement to holiday pay as procurement of low value, the secured cabinet containing all the digital business information required by the government that the 240 million ballot wages published each year. The latter, with up to 30 lines, will be simplified in several steps. The items on the Social Security taxes and social contributions will be easier to understand from the 1st January 2013. Those on unemployment contributions, pension contributions and additional pension will be from 1 January 2015.

The device of the rescript in office, which allows a company to ask its opinion to the administration, will be improved. It will be extended to new areas such as rules for calculating payroll. The administration will respond within a specified time.

Most companies only file with the court an annual report containing information that can benefit their competitors. To monitor the implementation of 145 measures, Frédéric Lefebvre install the March 19 Committee of the reduction of paperwork consisting of officials and entrepreneurs.


Feb 06 2012

The appeal of small labs for survival

Tag: economy, finance, life, opinions, publicationsadmin @ 10:40 pm

 

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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Oct 27 2011

The Asian market welcomed the plan Eurozone

Tag: Uncategorized, economics, finance, international, traveladmin @ 10:28 am

The concern of earlier this week gives way to relief. After completing a session in the balance yesterday, marked by a small rise in the Nikkei 0.16%, Asian stock markets will resume after the announcement of the plan to stem the crisis in the eurozone. The benchmark index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose on Thursday at the close of 2.04% to 8926.54 points at.It's the same for other Asian financial centers: the Hang Seng index of Hong Kong Stock Exchange gained 1.74% to 19,399 points, the CSI 300 Index 0.26% 2658.42 Shanghai points, the Kospi Index Seoul 1.42% to 1921.29 points, the S & P / ASX 200 Index 2.43% to 4345.80 Sydney points, the BSE Sensex 30 in Mumbai at 0.20% 17,288.80 points and the FTSE Straits Times Singapore 1.63% to 2814.99 points.

Shortly before 4 am, France, Germany and the euro zone countries are agreed after intense negotiations with creditor banks on a 50% discount on debt securities Greek removing the last obstacle to a comprehensive plan of response to the debt crisis. The contribution of the private sector, coupled with an effort of the States of the euro area of ​​130 billion euros, will bring the Greek debt of over 160% of GDP today to 120% in 2020, said Nicolas Sarkozy.The French president also said that the means of relief funds in the euro area (EFSF) would be "multiplied" in order to reach "1.4 trillion dollars," or "1000 billion euros." For Nicolas Sarkozy, "the summit has to adopt elements of a comprehensive response, an ambitious response, a credible response to the crisis in the euro area". Even if the plan is still very fragile if the economy of Greece does not improve, he said.

The surge in the yen threatens Japan

For its part, the IMF Executive Director Christine Lagarde welcomed the "substantial progress" made at the EU summit in Brussels, welcomed the leaders of the euro area have set up "a program that will respond to the crisis in the region " check cash advance.Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, for its part considered that a "new era" began in Greece, speaking of a "new beginning" with this debt reduction Greek.

On the macroeconomic front, the Central Bank of Japan announced Thursday a further easing of monetary policy to fight against soaring yen that threatens the recovery of the Japanese economy.The institute has decided to increase 5 trillion yen (47 billion) purchases of treasury bills, increasing to 55,000 billion yen (519 billion) the maximum amount it spends on purchases of government bonds, corporate bonds and other financial securities, and loans at preferential rates.

The euro has strengthened

In addition, retail sales continued to decline in Japan in September, from 1.2% yoy, due to the fall in purchases of TVs after an exceptional run in early summer, announced the Ministry of Economy Thursday. However, car sales have stopped their dive.Consumers remain cautious overall spending due to fears generated by the earthquake and tsunami in the northeast of the archipelago on March 11 and the Fukushima nuclear accident they caused.

Side values, the action of the group of cameras Olympus soared 23% Thursday at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, following the resignation of its CEO Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, accused by his British predecessor Michael Woodford to have overcharged acquisitions between 2006 and 2008.

The euro has strengthened, buoyed by hopes of resolving the crisis in Europe. It was worth 106.26 yen and 1.3975 dollars in Tokyo Thursday morning, 1.3908 against the dollar and 105.98 yen in New Yok the night before.

Finally, oil was up, after the sharp fall the previous day in New York.In electronic trading in the morning, a barrel of "light sweet crude" gained 1.11 dollar to 91.31 dollars a barrel while Brent North Sea crude for December delivery took 70 cents to 109.61 dollars.


Oct 24 2011

Reduce taxes, it is still possible

Tag: business, features, opinions, resources, technologyadmin @ 3:20 am

The tax. It scares some, who left France for tax heavens warmer (Switzerland in the lead). It works the other. The French tax system is so dense that the understanding, and around, held for hours and other estate planning tax, paid to find clever editing which will reduce the tax bill their customers.

The tax is also debate. Political issue, it will be based on the outcome of presidential elections next year. But whatever the future tenant of the Elysee, the necessary fiscal consolidation will make more bitter potion tax in France and elsewhere. This fall, several large employers, Maurice Levy (Publicis) to head, seized of the matter, declaring themselves willing to pay more, in the wake of U.S. financial guru Warren Buffet.Went to war for the tax to China with Bill Gates, the investors have called "the sage of Omaha" and admits that pay less tax proportionately than his secretary did not meet with success expected in the Middle Kingdom.

Tax loopholes less generous

In some banks, asset management, however, we feel that the climate is changing. Faced with the country's debt, attitudes are changing. "Taxes will go up, most of our customers are aware of, said Philippe Vayssettes, the president of the bank Neuflize OBC. The crisis has raised awareness to wealthy clients need to solve the problem of public finances, and his reactions to the tax increases are less epidermal few years ago.Many say they would pay more taxes, but only if the load is evenly distributed and that addresses the spending. "

France, in recent years sought to rebalance the tax burden on labor and the heritage. And tax loopholes were made less generous. Yet the French are addicted to the means to reduce their taxes. "Everyone is struggling to pay less tax, but push the system too far is destructive of social cohesion," says Mathilde Lemoine, director of economic research and market strategy of HSBC France. Investors rushed last year on investment in rental real estate law Scellier, which allowed them (for investments made in 2010) to obtain a tax reduction equal to 25% of their implementation, a limit of 300,000 euros.This year, the percentage of tax reduction increased to 22% for purchases in buildings BBC (low power) and uncertainty hovered for months about the future of the device. Result, the French have been slow to invest. The ax has fallen at the presentation of the Finance Act 2012: tax reduction Scellier expected to increase to 18% next year. Individuals tempted by a real estate transaction in the nine have a vested interest to act quickly if they want the rate of 22%, although an amendment could, if adopted, to take into account the sales agreement and not just the final act signed before the end of the year.Better yet avoid precipitation because tax savings does not always mean good business.

Before embarking on an operation of tax exemption must make an effort not to be blinded by the tax sirens and see the economic benefit of investment. And its output. With these precautions taken, why not kill two birds with one stone? Build wealth, comfort and reduce the income tax it will pay next year. For this, we need to invest before the end of the year. The tax paid in 2012 will focus on the income received this year. So it also charges, expenses and investments made in 2011 that will reduce the tax liability next year.

Individuals familiar with the outline of the 2012 budget, a few caveats about. We must also wait for the vote of the National Assembly and Senate to get the specific details of the measurements.On some points, arrangements are already being considered. The slowdown in growth means fewer tax revenues, will require to find recipes. The tax may be more severe in the coming years and levers to reduce fewer. One more reason to enjoy the levers that exist today.

Avoid the pitfalls of tax exemption

But the string of investments and existing mechanisms, it is often difficult to find your way. The folder you now offers Le Figaro Magazine, with the teams of the Particular (group Figaro), is designed to help you reduce the tax burden without falling into the pitfalls of tax exemption.So we sifted through real estate investments, financial products, including FIP, the FCIC and Sofica and investment overseas and work to achieve in its housing, which can afford to pay less tax next year, whether the income tax or, in some cases (direct investment in SMEs, gifts, etc..), the ISF. And to reduce taxation intelligently, we give you other ways to reduce the tax burden, such as investing in the forest or going into debt. Have a ball. –

Limit spending to curb the increase in taxes

We too often forget: you pay taxes to finance public spending. One way to limit the tax increase is to reduce them. It will do so, and ask what the costs really useful, "said Mathilde Lemoine.In a report last July, the Economic Analysis Council considers necessary and tax reform advocates an overhaul of the system of tax loopholes. To restore confidence in the fairness of our tax system, he advises to "better link the tax to ability to pay."But he warned: "To encourage investment guess you do not make the mistake in the name of the simplification of our tax system, a confiscatory taxation of capital income." Fiscal policy is a delicate, because ultimately, too many taxes kill taxes.

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6 – Investing overseas with the industrial Girardin

7 – To carry out work for Energy


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