International Headlines and Stories

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 battle began in order Bourget

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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"SPECIAL – Europe, States facing bankruptcy

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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"SPECIAL – Greece: a challenge for Europe

Bulky Bin Hamman and Warner
Except turnaround unlikely, Sepp Blatter was re-elected for the third time as President of FIFA in Zurich Wednesday. It is not difficult to predict because the Swiss, who directs the proceedings since 1998, is the only candidate since the withdrawal this weekend in his last opponent, Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam. A forced withdrawal and the scent of scandal. President of the Asian Confederation, Ben Hamman has indeed been provisionally suspended by the Ethics Committee of FIFA because of suspicions of corruption against him. Jack Warner, CONCACAF President, Vice-President of FIFA, and support shown by Ben Hamman was also temporarily suspended for the same reasons. The two men are suspected of attempting to buy the votes of the Caribbean Confederation (CFU), which they strongly refute."I deny the allegations that I made statements to the CFU on donations from Mr. Bin Hammam," asserted Jack Warner in a statement while saying, however that "in Miami, the Congress of the Concacaf May 3, Mr Blatter had donated one million dollars to our federation, "without the consent of the finance committee of FIFA.

A gift for which an investigation had been opened before it was quickly closed by the money outright Blatter any accusation of corruption by the Ethics Commission. A past president quickly cleared and a final opponent suspended, the unfolding of events may leave pensive and may suggest that FIFA is the realm of small arrangements. Especially when the case comes just weeks after revelations of the British weekly Sunday Times about the allocation of World Cup 2022 in Qatar.Especially so when a vice-president of FIFA accredits these revelations by making public the contents of an email sent by Jerome Valcke, FIFA general secretary and confidant of Blatter. "For MBH (Editor's note: Mohamed Bin Hamman), I've never understood why he was entering the race. Or so he thought that one can buy FIFA as the Qataris have purchased the World Cup, "Valcke reportedly wrote in an email sent to Warner!

Blatter on the royal road
A blow to Blatter camp when the Swiss campaigned on a zero tolerance towards corruption.But Jerome Valcke has justified his writings stating that "it can happen to employ a less formal tone when I use this medium which by its nature, encourages exchanges" lighter "than other forms correspondence "and that" in referring to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in this e-mail, I wanted to highlight that the future host country had used its financial strength to rally much support (…) I n 'I at no time refers to the buying of votes or any behavior inconsistent with the rules of ethics. "Sepp Blatter, he is right in his boots remained Monday at a press conference in emergency to try to extinguish the many fires in the house FIFA.

"We must fight the demons, there's a bad situation, but there will be an elective congress on Wednesday and the family of football, if it wants to restore the credibility of FIFA, can do with me," Blatter said, refusing to evoke the decisions of the Commission on Ethics ("I'm not allowed to comment") and denying the existence of a crisis within the federation he heads ("football is not crisis when we see the final of the Champions League, he just some difficulty "). So everything is for the best in the best of worlds for Blatter whose reelection is no longer any doubt.Because on the eve of polling, it is unclear how the appeal of Bin Hamman, the request for postponement of the FA made on Tuesday or calls for reform from places like Australia (Editor's note: England and Australia respectively were candidates to host the World Cups 2018 and 2022), could prevent the Swiss to begin a fourth term. Starting what happens under the sign of the scandal …

A revolution! For the first time, trade unions and employers are required this year to prepare and publish consolidated accounts but also to be certified, if their income exceeds 230,000 euros. The MEDEF has outstripped the obligation, which certify its accounts since 2007, and the UIMM (metal) also holds itself to the year since the scandal of cash withdrawals that hit her.

Side unions, the CFDT is the first to meet that obligation, after the 2008 law on union representativeness. Confederation (the parent) and its 16 satellites are to publish their consolidated accounts for 2010, while his federation will do so before the end of the year.By law, the regional unions and department have postponed for a year and large enterprise unions (La Poste, SNCF …) two years.

According to these consolidated financial statements approved by the National Council and certified without qualification by its auditors, the resources of the confederation headed by Francois Chereque are for three quarters, "internal" membership fees, rents paid by unions from premises belonging to the "conf" financial products … Revenues "external" (public subsidies, 25 permanent paid by their company or home administration of a total of 262 …) represent the remaining 24%.

CFDT confederation, if it were a business, could be described as largely unproductive, as its net profit reached 3.4 million – although down 34% year on year. This "benefit" is fully distributed.Much is destined to the national industrial action (CNAs) – the credit union's anti-strike which is used to compensate the militants and to provide legal support – including reserve amounts to 137 million. This year, 550,000 euros have been set aside to fund the convention of 2014 and 350,000 for the campaign (especially industrial tribunal) to come.

"A subject opaque"

This transparency is not enough new to the group New Center of the Assembly, which has asked a commission of inquiry into the financing of trade unions. "I feel that the unions want to hide things," says Nicolas Perruchot, deputy of Loir-et-Cher.There is little evidence available to us and it is time to shed light on this mat. "

For him, it would be for an organization that benefits from public funds – or militant training grants management of social organizations – accountable. "We know how Nicolas Sarkozy wins or not, but Bernard Arnault Bernard Thibault and Francois Chereque, insists this white knight of the Finance Committee. It is not known how many permanent, by whom they are paid or how the detachments. The member cites the figure of 600 employees seconded to the station."Is it still corresponds to a need for the company when it is struggling to finance infrastructure?" Asks the member hoping to complete its investigation in spring 2012.

Nicolas Perruchot answers on video:

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With the advent of smart phones, the Internet began to transform into mobinaute. The shoppers follow the same path, after an initial study on m-commerce ", conducted among more than 3,000 Internet users and sixty e-retailers. While more than one in two French has already made a purchase online (52.1%), according to the Federation e-commerce and distance selling (Fevad), only 12% of them were from their mobile, or 3 million people in total.

"The profile of m-buyer of 2011 resembles the profile of online shoppers in 2001: he is younger and more male shoppers than the average", describes Gilles White, research director at TLC Benchmark. As with the first purchases on the Internet, purchases by mobile applications currently focus on simple products, low and controlled amounts of known sites.Cultural products (DVDs, books, video games, etc..) And travel (train tickets, rentals, hotels …) are the most purchased by mobile phone. The garment sector rises on the third step of the podium by mobile sales, while it took until 2005 that the industry is growing really on the Internet. "The event model based on private sales of consumer responsiveness explains this very good performance. The e-mailings and alerts on mobile now read more than promote Internet impulse buying, "says research director of CCM Benchmark.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

Some heavy

Vente-privee.com is a striking example. Launched in June 2010, the mobile application for iPhone and iPad drains already 7% of group turnover. The launch of the Android version this week should further stimulate sales my credit score."This channel is about 0.5% more revenue per month," explains co-founder Xavier Court. He said he is not totally incremental sales: "It is difficult to estimate the share alternative is that this new method of shopping," he adds.

Gilles Blanc emphasizes the heterogeneity of performance: "For some leading sites of e-commerce, m-commerce weighs only 1% of their turnover." This is the case of La Redoute: this channel, available for a year, represents 1% of sales, while the group attracted about one in six internet. "A few sites already carry nearly 10% of their sales through this new channel," says study author. The average is more around 1% of the market for e-commerce, which was 8.8 billion in the first quarter 2011 (+20% in one year) according Fevad.Among the good performers are SNCF, the first online travel agency (546 000 visitors per day), and Accor, which has sold 100,000 room nights through this channel last year and the group plans to multiply this number by 2.6 this year.

While the first application was launched three years ago in France by Amazon – second most visited Internet site, after eBay – 2011 should be the year of launch. An e-retailer in four offers a mobile version. For many players, this is a site that should be completed this year to be ready before the planned deployment of 4G next year.

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The restructuring announced by giant ThyssenKrupp has obviously taken over the political authorities in Germany. Christian Wulff, German Federal President, showed his annoyance by canceling his visit was to perform Sunday at the site of the new steel giant group in Brazil.

This production unit, located next to Rio de Janeiro is very important for ThyssenKrupp. It cost more than EUR 5 billion, making it the largest investment in its history. In addition, the visit must be conducted by Heinrich Hiesinger, the chairman of ThyssenKrupp. The refusal of Christian Wulff is a setback for the German group.

It is true that the political authorities, which are historically very close to the leaders of the steelmaker, may be concerned by the magnitude of the restructuring announced on Friday morning.ThyssenKrupp will sell or restructure almost a quarter of its turnover, more than 10 billion euros of business. 35,000 jobs are concerned, a little over 177,000 for the whole group.

Diversified industrial group

It's not about job cuts outright, but transfers or outsourcing. Nevertheless, all these activities are not profitable and negative consequences on employment in the future are possible. In addition, ThyssenKrupp executives have said for months that they wanted to improve their credit ratings by agencies. A will rarely compatible with social concerns guaranteed online payday loans.

The announced restructuring will not profoundly change the profile of ThyssenKrupp, which appears more like a diversified industrial group than as a pure steelmaker. In this activity, it occupies today as the twentieth largest in the world.But it is also present in the elevators, with a position of world number three, shipbuilding, automotive and construction of turnkey plants.

The new group's strategy is not to focus solely on the business of steelmaker. The announced measures do in fact only two activities: steel industry and automotive equipment. In this division, three companies, which together 2.2 billion euros in billings, will be transferred while two others, also posting 2.2 billion euros of turnover, will be met, before being eventually sold or find a partner.

The most important movement, however, concerns the branch "stainless steel", that ThyssenKrupp will transform into an independent company. This activity is the leading European, with a turnover of 5.9 billion euros.During the year ended last Sept. 30, it lost 57 million euros. Of the 35,000 people affected by restructuring the steel industry alone employs 11,000 employees. This activity is likely to be observed carefully by German politicians, because the area is known to concentrate in the coming months.

Photo credits: TF1-CHEVALIN/SIPA/TF1

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank moves Thursday in Helsinki, according to a well-established ritual of holding its twice yearly conclave off the walls. A deliberate manner to meet the "true European". If market economists are virtually unanimous in excluding any change in interest rates on Thursday they expect the president of the ECB provides specific guidance, at its monthly press conference on the strategy it intends to .

He speaks of "extreme vigilance" on inflation, "would signal a rate hike in June," Jonathan Loynes believes, the chief economist of Capital Economics. Jean-Claude Trichet had used the term encoded on March 3. The markets had immediately concluded that the ECB would raise the following month's rate remained unchanged at 1% since May 2009.The promise was actually held on April 7, despite the disasters that had struck the meantime Japan.

A new security crackdown in June is not the assumption of the majority of experts. They recall that during the two previous phases of monetary tightening experienced since its inception in January 1999, the ECB waited three months before continuing its march forward. However, there is no doubt that central bankers in Frankfurt will launch a second strike in the summer, probably in July. "If Trichet had expressed its" extreme vigilance "on March 3, he had risen to 2.3% while its inflation projections for 2011. But the consumer price already showing an increase of 2.8% over the last twelve months and now we are heading towards a figure of 3% over the year.The ECB will have no mood to continue the cylce of rising interest rates, analysis Bruno Cavalier, an economist at Oddo Securities.

Besides the issue of interest rates, Jean-Claude Trichet, speaking on behalf of 23 members of the Governing Council will be asked about the pursuit of so-called "unconventional" monetary policy and purchases of securities State set up in pain May 9, 2010. "President Trichet will continue to indicate without any doubt that the program continues. But since there were no purchases during the past four weeks, it is clear that the ECB is increasingly reluctant to maintain such measures in place when it hardens its conventional political " according to Capital Economics.

The ECB president is sure to renew his opposition to any restructuring of the Greek debt, including the ECB holds a substantial share."Of the 75 billion euro government securities bought, more than half of the paper focuses on Greek, whose market price is currently trading at 57% of their face value (of the 10-year bonds), calculates Bruno Cavalier. This shows the potential magnitude of losses to the ECB about these operations, although its purchases have been made at prices already discounted.

The Paris Bourse continued to rise Wednesday as the U.S. markets yesterday and early this morning Asian displayed in green. The CAC 40, which arrived Tuesday night to close just above 3,900 points, moved well beyond this course: the index rises by 2.14% to 3992.30 points in mid-term, then that the session is moderated by business publications such as L'Oreal or PSA Peugeot.

Side currency, the euro resumed height and climbs above 1.44 dollars on Wednesday enjoying renewed interest from investors for the risk. Around 11:20 in Paris, the euro stood at 1.4477 dollars against 1.4334 dollars late Tuesday. The European currency enjoys a renewed interest from investors for risk.The euro was also buoyed by the success of a bond issue for Greece, which borrowed 1.625 billion euros Tuesday to three months, during a broadcast more than three times oversubscribed.

Oil, it is a mixed one, having rebounded yesterday in New York, supported by a sharp weakening of the dollar. The market remains concerned that high prices could weigh on demand and tensions in the Arab world. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery took 13 cents to 108.41 dollars.The gold, it reached a record high on Wednesday morning, climbing beyond $ 1500, supported by persistent concerns about the global economy.

Japan trade surplus sealed

In France, industrial orders rose 2.4% in February after a sharp fall in January (-6.1%), the export orders is also rising (+3.5%) according to figures from INSEE.Within the EU, the European Commission on Wednesday urged an increase of 4.9% of spending in the 2012 budget of the European Union, an extension of 6.2 billion compared to 2011, already deemed "unacceptable "by the United Kingdom at the time of austerity across Europe.

United States, 16 hours, home resales in March will be well attended, and the traditional weekly inventory of crude oil.

Japan's trade surplus plunged 78.9% in March over one year to 196.5 billion yen (1.7 billion euros), weighed by the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March.

PSA Peugeot, Bic and publish their figures Mersen

PSA Peugeot Citroen (4.71% to 28.45 euros) posted a turnover up 10.2% in the first quarter.The automaker on Wednesday confirmed its forecast of operating results for 2011, despite a likely impact of 150 million euros from the earthquake in Japan.

Bic (6.78% to 64.30 euros largest increase SBF), which has published a net increase of 52.3% due to consumer product, and despite the cons-performance products and promotional advertising. The group says 2011 could be the result affected by the cost of raw materials.

L'Oreal (3.12% to 85.80 euros) announced a net revenue growth in the first quarter, buoyed by an acceleration in North America which helped offset sluggish sales in Western Europe.Note also that Liliane Bettencourt, heir to L'Oreal and second richest woman in the world according to Forbes, the property was recovered from the island of Arros and reflects a way of showing the public its fabulous collections of paintings, furniture and jewelry, can be read in Le Figaro.

Also note the titles STMicroelectronics (6.11% to 8.38 euros) and Alcatel-Lucent (5.15% to 4.16 euros) leapt at the Paris Bourse, driven by quarterly results from Intel and IBM U.S. that exceeded market expectations.

NicOx freefall

Saft (3.97% to 30.88 euros) announced that its joint venture with U.S. firm Johnson Controls has been selected to supply the battery system powering the electric motors of future Chinese carmaker Beijing Electric Vehicle Company (BAIC group ).

NicOx (-17.66% to 1.88 euros) announced Wednesday its decision to withdraw the application file for permission to market its anti-inflammatory Naproxcinod in Europe.

GDF Suez (2.28% to 27.08 euros) states his displeasure when the government has formalized Tuesday in tariff of electricity from nuclear power for EDF's competitors. This decision precipitated also the question of a reconciliation for Poweo, reads in Les Echos.A reconciliation with Direct Energy would make sense, "says Loïc Capéran which the group hoped a wholesale price of electricity sold by nuclear EDF at 35 euros per MWh.

Credit Agricole (2.58% to 10.93 euros) reaffirmed that successfully pass the new tests of resistance and meets the criteria of Basel III solvency without resorting to a capital increase.

The French group Technip Petroleum Engineering (2.76% to 75.32 euros) announced Wednesday it had won, in consortium with Tome Engenharia, a contract to supply equipment and monitoring of their operation in a refinery group Brazilian Petrobras.The contract amount was not disclosed in the statement.

NYSE Euronext (1.73% to 27.42 euros): Nasdaq OMX Group and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) have sought to open negotiations on a buyout of NYSE Euronext's offering of $ 350 million in case rejection of their offer by the authorities.

Spir Communication (1.29% to 41 euros) has confirmed a target EBIT profit in 2011 after signing up 3.5% of its turnover in the first quarter thanks to its Internet operations.

Transgene (-0.88% to 12.59 euros) has issued operating income of 3.56 million euros, against 3.48 million a year earlier, thanks to increased research grants. In late March, the biopharmaceutical company had cash of 169.8 million, against 180.3 million in late 2010.Its cash expenditures amounted to 10.6 million in the first quarter.

Tonight, after market, expected sales of Accor, Schneider Electric, and APRR HighCo.