The egg hunt, chocolate bunnies or chickens will be open Sunday. Easter is indeed a special time to eat chocolate. A strong tradition since last year 12,500 tons of chocolate were sold at this time.

"We realize 20% of our turnover on this occasion. Easter with Christmas are the two highlights of the year for our business, "says Jean-Paul Burrus, president of Salpa, known for the brand Marquise de Sevigne.

The offensive of dark chocolate

The trend remains the great classics. "The most popular products are the egg, the chicken or the bells, with one exception in Alsace: the rabbit, a custom from Germany," says Jean-Paul Burrus. "After the eggs or square pyramidal and chickens conceptualized, the market returns to more traditional things," says Sylvain Quidel, head of Leonidas, whose bestsellers are topped with fried egg or rabbit. Dark chocolate is also continuing its offensive. At De Neuville, accounting for 40% of annual sales.

The chocolate does not seem to fear the consequences of the economic downturn, convinced that from twenty euros – the value of the average basket – it is a pleasure that is accessible. In addition, this year, consumption should be boosted by a calendar and a very favorable weather.

]]> http://naturalandbest.com/chocolate-makers-are-hoping-to-repeat/feed/ 0 http://naturalandbest.com/the-employment-figures-disappoint-the-u-s/ http://naturalandbest.com/the-employment-figures-disappoint-the-u-s/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:44:02 +0000 admin http://naturalandbest.com/the-employment-figures-disappoint-the-u-s/  

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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Nicolas Sarkozy wants to extend to "large local governments" the principle of non-replacement of retiring in two applied to the public. According to him, modulate state grants would be "very healthy" to encourage savings.

"We will extend" the policy of non-replacement of staff on two "large to local authorities, who have quite the ability to make the same effort as the state," said the president-candidate in an interview broadcast Tuesday on the magazine's website Actors public.

"This is a very important issue: since 2007, local authorities have created 100,000 jobs, while the state removed 160,000", he said.

Nicolas Sarkozy, however, did not specify which communities that would be affected. Communities that employ the most staff are the major cities, regions and departments.

"The larger communities, which represent two thirds of local expenditures, must make the same effort that the state and they have the opportunity to reorganize, to be more efficient in their ways," Nicolas Sarkozy has insisted.

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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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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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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Apple will host a conference March 7 in San Francisco at 19 am, French time. Program, the announcement of the new iPad, whose invitation to deliver the first image appears.

As every year, rumors are rife about the specifications and new features in Apple's tablet, which should be examined with interest by its competitors.

Two years after the release of the first version, the iPad indeed still dominates the market with 50 million sales, all models, against 12 million Android tablets, and is a reference to the sector.

The new iPad should propose an improved screen, displaying four times as many pixels on the same surface, but could also integrate Siri and why not, be accompanied by an iPad Mini, smaller. This graphic provides an update on the major rumors, according to their reliability.

After two years of strong gains and at times breathtaking, the property prices have stalled throughout France in late 2011. This real slowdown was reflected in the fourth quarter by a stable house prices (+0.1%), according to INSEE statistics, released Thursday. And over one year, prices have increased by "only" 4.3% on average (6.7% for apartments and 2.6% for houses), after increasing 8.5% in 2010 .

However, in the Ile-de-France, the most populated region of France, the annual price increases remained spectacular. It reached 10.6% on average in the départements (small and large crown). And 14.7% in central Paris (after a surge of 17.5% in 2010!). In the capital, house prices have reached new highs in the fourth quarter, with an average price per square meter to 8,390 euros, according to the Chamber of Notaries of Paris-Ile de France.

In seven out of twenty arrondissements, prices even exceed the symbolic threshold of 10,000 euros per square meter. Certain transac-tions go far beyond. On the Champs-Elysees, a 150 m2 apartment has been sold 40,000 euros per square meter in 2011! This new outbreak is partly explained by the low number of Parisian apartments sold (down 14% in the fourth quarter versus the same period of 2010), note notaries. But, "it seems that the trees reach the sky," warns Christian Lefebvre, president of the Chamber of Notaries of Paris-Ile de France, noting a change in trend at the end of last year one hour payday loan. "Over the last three months of 2011, prices are almost stable and in Paris (0.2%). In nine districts, they even declined, "says Thierry Delesalle, notary in Paris.

A correction of 5 to 10% expected

This small market downturn continued in the early years, as evidenced by the preliminary contracts signed in January 8250 euros per square meter on average, according to the Chamber of Notaries. Same thing in other towns in Ile-de-France, where prices began to fall slightly in the fourth quarter of 2011 (-0.7% in the inner suburbs and outer suburbs -0.9%).

"For the first time in years," the Paris notaries anticipate a price decline of 5 to 10% across the region, Paris included. "But this break with the long bull cycle will only be sustainable if new construction is accelerating sustainable in Ile-de-France for several years," they warn. In the rest of France, prices are expected to experience the same slope. Fnaim and notaries as well expect a correction of 5 to 15% on average this year. While some banks have tightened their credit terms and that many households are less confident in their future professionals expect lower sales. Especially since many French have anticipated in late 2011 several devices (PTZ + in the old, lower benefits Scellier …): 828,000 sales have been made between October 2010 and September 2011. High numbers, up 12% year on year.

]]> http://naturalandbest.com/real-estate-prices-should-fall-in-2012/feed/ 0 http://naturalandbest.com/the-appeal-of-small-labs-for-survival/ http://naturalandbest.com/the-appeal-of-small-labs-for-survival/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:40:03 +0000 admin http://naturalandbest.com/the-appeal-of-small-labs-for-survival/  

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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The government should give priority to savings at risk for unpopular measures. The legal age of retirement could be increased to include 62 years from 2016 or 2017, when the reform was originally scheduled for 2018.Prime Minister Francois Fillon will return to this plan tonight during the 20-hour television news on TF1.

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