International Headlines and Stories

Friendly atmosphere in Berlin between Christine Lagarde and his German counterpart Finance, Wolfgang Sch?uble, who met Monday for a preparatory meeting at the Brussels summit. Certainly, the French minister still can not correctly pronounce the name of his neighbor, but for the rest, they gave the image of a pair perfectly consistent.

"It is for us to strengthen the Franco-German base and we consult on the question of the stability pact. We have also given our views on oversight of the financial system, "said the minister, Wolfgang Sch?uble before takes the floor:" I'll just translate what Ms Lagarde said earlier, "joked the former Minister of Interior of the previous government Merkel.

On the merits, the ministers argued over several issues.They first agreed to establish a "common agenda" on a range of topics (G20 finance …). They then discussed access to bank credit for SMEs. If both countries have said that there was no reason to fear a "credit crunch", they agreed to "proposals" together. To this end, France and Germany will "exchange of experts".

Public finances have also been at the heart of discussions on Monday. The replacement of the Social Democrat Peer Steinbrueck, highly appreciated by Christine Lagarde, told the good news: the country's deficit this year would be 10 billion less than expected.For Axel Weber, Bundesbank president and also present at the meeting with his French counterpart, Christian Noyer, it "could allow Germany to return in 2012 in the nails of the European stability pact."

"Semantic shift"

The France is also changing its official position on the thorny issue of public finances. There are a few more days, Prime Minister Fran?ois Fillon and 2014 set the deadline back to a deficit below 3% of GDP, with an "effort to reduce more than 1% per year. On Monday, Christine Lagarde said she supported the goal of reducing the French deficit to 3% by 2013. One year before the date officially adopted by Paris so far."If the situation is bad, we can not achieve this goal, was still eager to clarify the French Minister.

It may be a "semantic shift" – dixit Bercy – compared to what was the prime minister, but the political signal sent to our European partners and the Commission is far from negligible. Last week, the Brussels executive had asked to return to France from 2013's deficit in the nails of the Stability Pact. She considered him already granted an extension from its requirements of spring, because of "the deteriorating economic situation."

Finally, the question of the Presidency of the Eurogroup, "we will discuss in the coming weeks," said Christine Lagarde.

After four quarters of decline (-9.3% a year since the second quarter 2008), the slight upward trend is confirmed by figures from INSEE based on those of Notaries from promises of sale signed in Q2 year. While some professional networks, which Laforet Immobilier Wednesday, talk of a recovery, the increase in prices is to be interpreted with great caution.

Indeed, over the past twelve months, property prices remain former fallen sharply, from about 8%, and the number of transactions continues to fall. From September 2008 to September 2009, 550,000 housing transactions have been recorded in metropolitan France, down 25% compared to transactions a year earlier.

Increase of 0.7% in Ile-de-France

During the third quarter of 2009, prices of existing homes rose by 0.7% in Ile-de-France, driven by rising house prices (+1.9%). In one year, the decline is 8.3%: -7.5% for apartments and -9.5% for houses. In Paris, apartment prices rose 1.4% (-7.2% yoy) and those houses by 5.8% (-8.7% yoy). In the provinces, INSEE noted an increase in the third quarter versus the second quarter, 0.1% (+0.6% for the apartment and -0.3% for houses). In one year, the price of existing homes in the province decreased by 7.9% (-6.9% for apartments and -8.5% for houses).

A slow recovery

Improving conditions of loans to individuals for several months have been felt in the housing market. For the economist Michael Mouillart, the market is overtaking its lowest point."The worst is behind us, but the recovery will be slow. The rise in unemployment will slow the pace of recovery, but will not compromise, "analysis" he added that during the year 2010, sales volume should reach the former levels of about 500,000 to 525,000, and prices rise by about 2% to 3%. Mathilde Lemoine, Director of Economic Studies of the HSBC bank, however, is more reserved, "in 2010, stagnant wages due to rising unemployment, rising prices rose in nine and stabilization loan rates should influence the solvency of households and hence on home sales. "

ALSO READ

"DOCUMENT – All figures Notaries

The numbers of network Laforet Immobilier

China, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, all those Asian countries that depend on their exports, feared a return of protectionism, driven by rising unemployment in the world, is not undermined by the weak recovery that seems s 'start on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Meeting yesterday, and until Sunday evening in Singapore, the 21 forum member countries of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation), which also ranks in the United States and Russia call to fight against this temptation with force.In contrast to increasing free trade that will stimulate economic recovery and create new jobs, they say.

The APEC forum, which is celebrating its twenty years, knows whereof he speaks: it accounts for respectively 40% of world population, 51% of GDP (gross domestic product) and 50% of international trade.

Recovery Plans

The exercise is more difficult than in countries that are recovering as fast as China (8% growth expected this year), the risk of overheating point and are "likely to trigger new asset bubbles and estate, "says Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank.Indeed, Hong Kong and Beijing, apartment prices begin to flare, necessitating a very fine management of support plans launched by the Asian countries.

In total, they represent more than 1 000 billion (665.7 billion), including 585 billion for China alone. But no question of suspending them. "We will maintain our policy of economic recovery until a sustained recovery is assured," said the APEC forum, which emphasizes that the expected recovery "is not yet based on solid foundations."

For its part, South Korea, just to finalize its agreement to free trade with the United States.Washington accuses him not to open its automotive market and the day before the U.S. International Trade Commission had to deny Samsung Electronics to sell some of its products overseas because they pirated Japanese licenses.

Saturday and Sunday, the Heads of State of the APEC forum, which will meet in Singapore and will also consider the climate, will certainly a lot to do.

The GDF Suez group presented on Thursday its quarterly financial results. In the first nine months of the year, operating income (EBITDA) is logged down by 2.7% to 10.1 billion euros. The group confirmed in a statement likely to increase positive one throughout the year 2009.

Always on the period from January to September, sales reached 57.9 billion euros, down moderately from 1.2% (-2.8% change in organic).

Net debt amounted to 27.8 billion euros at end September 2009, unchanged compared to end June 2009 and down 1.1 billion euros compared to late 2008.

"Group activity in the first nine months of the year confirms the strength of our business model. Despite the downturn that we announced in the third quarter, we confirm our annual targets.In a difficult economic environment, GDF SUEZ continues its industrial development while reducing its debt levels, allowing the group to prompt the return of growth in its major markets, "said G?rard Mestrallet, CEO of GDF Suez in connection with the publication of its results.