International Headlines and Stories

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.

Ghent, in northern Belgium, hopes to lead by example. Alderman (elected) of Finance of the city, the Liberal Christophe Peeters, announced the withdrawal next 30 to 35 million euros were deposited in the accounts of banks Dexia and KBC in the name of the fight against the "bonus comfortable granted to bosses, "he said.

Dexia has announced the beginning of the payment to its managing director Pierre Mariani variable compensation of 600,000 euros for the year 2010. KBC for its part stated its intention to resume the payment of bonuses to its executives. These two institutions had to be helped by the government during the financial crisis. "When things were going badly, the taxpayers' money has helped the banks. Now that the situation improves, the banks start bonus of the same culture.We are not saying that this is not only ethical, but we act with the language of money, "protested Christophe Peeters.

Compensation "in accordance with legal provisions"

The amount that will remove the city corresponds to short-term investments. Christophe Peeters Dexia and KBC now threatens to turn to banks that do not grant bonuses "unreasonable" for the money to pay his wages and new investments in the long term cash till payday.

Following this decision, KBC announced its regret while stressing that the city was within its rights. For its part, Dexia said that its compensation policy was consistent with legal and regulatory European, Belgian and French.

Tougher legislation to

Although legal, these decisions go wrong with Brussels.European Commissioner for Financial Services, Michel Barnier, said that calls for moderation "were not heard." It now threatens to tighten the law of the European Union. In Belgium, the new Governor of National Bank, Luc Coene, also deemed "indecent" that banks that have benefited from government support grant bonuses to their executives.

The movement seems well underway across Europe. At the same time, Dexia and KBC, the BPCE (People's Bank – Savings Bank) announced the grant to the President Perol a bonus of one million euros in the year 2010. Like his colleagues in Belgium, the French bank had received a boost of 7.1 billion euros in state aid to help head out of water during the crisis.

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Shortly before the opening of Wall Street index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 retreated 0.51% respectively to 1302 and 0.67% points to 2293 points, suggesting an early session in the red. The Dow Jones was due in part to its decline from 0.41% to 12,149 points.

The day before, the U.S. stock market had entered into an indecisive session slightly higher. The results of the first quarter of JPMorgan, though strong, were certainly enthused the stock markets, by and of the Atlantic. But they also left Wall Street more lukewarm. The title JPMorgan also yielded 0.83% at closing."The outstanding consumer loans, down from 8.50% in the quarter were disappointing in this publication," suggested Christian Parisot at Aurel BGC.

Obama's speech and the Beige Book Fed's call for caution

Prudence markets, fueled by retail sales figures mixed, could also be explained by the expectation on Wednesday, after closing a speech of Barack Obama since the George Washington University, the preferred solutions for fight against debt and deficit. The U.S. president has proposed including more taxing wealthy households.Objective: to reduce the U.S. deficit of 4000 billion over 12 years.

The Beige Book Fed unveiled, also on Wednesday evening, has not reassured the markets: according to this highly anticipated release, "the Japanese disaster of 11 March will have a greater impact than expected on the U.S. economy , "because of disruptions in sales and production (especially on the East Coast and central United States)," says Franklin Pichard, Director Barclays Exchange.

If the activity has continued to improve in the United States, this improvement has been uneven from one region to another. Soaring commodity prices began to threaten corporate margins and consumer spending.According to the Fed, the housing market remains depressed, even if the labor market, however, is stronger than in February.

Producer prices and jobless claims

Side indicators, foreclosures in the United States are divided on the rise in March, said this Thursday, the specialist firm RealtyTrac, which are expected to grow further in the coming months. In total, 73,174 homes were seized by creditors in March, up 13% from February, according to figures from RealtyTrac.

On the agenda of the day, the producer prices for March will be announced at 14:30, at the same time that the registered unemployed.This Thursday and Friday, also held the ministerial meeting of the G20 in Washington.

Google and Hasbro unveil quarterly leursrésultats

On the corporate side, after Alcoa and JPMorgan, it is this Thursday, Googleet Hasbro unveil their accounts in the first quarter.

Zipcar, a U.S. car rental self-service, also announced Wednesday it fixed at $ 18 the price of the 9.7 million shares it plans to market Thursday, which would an IPO at some $ 164 million. This price action, revealed in a document released Wednesday by market authorities, beyond the range of 14 to 16 dollars advanced last week.

Another gloomy day on the Paris Bourse. The CAC 40, which dived under the 3900 points yesterday, Tuesday is anchored in the red. After starting down sharply from 2.17% to 3793.95 points, the benchmark index in Paris lost its hollow and cowardly 3.43% to 3744 points to 10.30. In London and Milan stock exchanges follow the same path and also drop over 3%. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange widening its losses to almost -5%.

The indices are struggling to find their way to higher while the Japanese nuclear situation has worsened. Another explosion and fire occurred in the central Fukushima Dai-ichi. "The level of radioactivity has grown considerably" and becomes dangerous to health, "said Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, television, causing a panic on Asian markets.The Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, has fallen 10.55%.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) announced it yet injected 3 trillion yen (26 billion yen) in the money market to support the economy, plus the 5000 and 15,000 billion yen already injected respectively in the morning and Monday. But this ad is not enough to ease tensions. Especially since the predictions of the impact of the disaster on Japan's economy grow heavy. Analysts now suggest 120 billion worth of damage and consequences for the country's trading partners.

Gust Indicator

Despite these concerns, investors could keep an eye on macroeconomic statistics of the day.In France, consumer prices are starting to rebound in February, rising by 0.5% in monthly changes, and a year where they show a growth of 1.7%, Insee said.

Then come in Germany, the ZEW index of investor sentiment, and the U.S., prices for import-export of February and the index of activity in the New York Fed in March to 13.30, the index of the property market from March 15 to 19.15 hours, the Fed decision on rates.

On the currency markets, the euro appears to drop in morning trading: a euro is worth 1.3940 (-0.46%).

The mea culpa Renault

Scor: -0.30% to 18.54 euros

The reinsurer announced that in the worst scenario for Japan, the total losses of the group in non-life net protections proportional and non-proportional, would not exceed 185 million euros before taxes.The group does not cover nuclear power plant operators for damages or any liability in Japan.

Overall, companies involved in the situation in Japan are suffering just like EDF (-3.31% to EUR 28), Areva (-6.03% to 29.60 euros), LVMH (-3, 66% to 102.70 euros) and RPP (-3.12% to 102.50 euros).

Renault: -3.56% to 36.81 euros

The manufacturer on Monday presented its apologies to the three frames he had unjustly accused of spying for China as well as measures to restore the image of the group, but Carlos Ghosn has refused the resignation of his number two, Patrick Pelata .

Assystem: -5.37% to 15.50 euros

The group expects to accelerate its growth in 2011 and expects to play a role as a consolidator in Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

Alstom: -4.12% to 36.96 euros (largest decline of ACC)

At 17 hours will be hearing from Patrick Kron before the Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly on the activities of the Alstom group in the field of energy.

After market, Zodiac Aerospace will publish its revenue for the second quarter and first half results. Bollore will report its annual results.

On his knees by the crisis, U.S. automakers rose. After Ford, who made $ 6.6 billion profit last year, General Motors on Thursday posted a net profit of $ 4.7 billion for 2010.

This is the first time the number one U.S. makes money since 2004. This is the same for its biggest profits since 1999. In 2009, the automaker had lost $ 4.4 billion between leaving bankruptcy in July and the end of the year, after accumulating 82 billion deficit in 2005-2008.

"Last year was a rebuilding year, welcomes Dan Akerson, chief executive of GM. "We are particularly pleased that GM has managed to generate continued profitability, while the sectoral cycle was near its floor."

The group has benefited from dramatic cost reductions made during its bankruptcy.Result, with a saving of about $ 2,000 per car, the Detroit giant has approached the production costs of its Asian rivals.

Meanwhile, the group benefited from the rebound in sales in the U.S. (+7.2%), and its strong position in China, where it sold 2.35 million vehicles.

Opel still losing

GM has not yet won that $ 510 million in the fourth quarter poor credit personal loans. The American, who had suspended some projects during the crisis has revived the model developments, which increased its costs. The recent launches of the Chevrolet Volt (electric) and Cruz have created other expenses.

The Achilles heel of the group remains Europe, where its subsidiary Opel has still not profitable: it lost $ 600 million last quarter."In Europe, we strive to continue to lower our breakeven point, with further cost reductions," said Dan Akerson.

Another concern: the surge in oil prices. During the crisis, the group had paid a high price for its reliance on big vehicles. Not wishing to commit the same mistake, since GM has invested in small cars. "Honestly, I do not know if American consumers want these models. But we must be prepared if the price of gasoline exploding again and tip the demand towards fuel-efficient models, "explained Steve Girsky in January, GM's vice president in charge of strategy and product development . Only problem, small cars are far less profitable than the 4 × 4 and the pickup.

A second stone in the pond. Fifteen months of the presidential election, Jean-Francois Cope is not a lot of ideas to enhance the competitiveness of the French economy. After launching the debate on the abolition of the 35 hours, the secretary general of the UMP to pronounce this time in the columns of "Parisien – Aujourd'hui en France", to lower social security contributions and an increase in VAT . "The only people who pay are the businesses and those who work. We are the only country that does this and that beating down labor costs. It should therefore lower social contributions, which are paid only by a few, and to transfer the VAT is paid by everyone. An additional point of VAT, it is barely visible. We must think about. There will certainly increase, but everyone will win eventually, "said Jean-Francois Cope.

For the mayor of Meaux, the goal of removing 35 hours and the increase in VAT is the same: to boost the competitiveness of the French economy in a context of increased competition on the model of our neighbors across Rhine. "France is not an island. The economic crisis requires us to look at what is happening elsewhere, particularly in Germany, "he says. Not sure as far as the proposals made by the secretary general of the UMP does enthusiasm. The potential removal of the 35 hours already, had not been provided for by the MEDEF, the government was reluctant to put the issue on the table cheap credit report. "The 35 hours, uniform binding, no longer exist," Nicolas Sarkozy had pleaded before the social partners. "Employees would lose in a minute on their payroll," had on his side felt Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand.

As for the increase in VAT is that it is Christine Lagarde, the first, shown opposite. Tuesday morning on RTL, the economy minister has ruled that such action was "certainly not desirable at this time", while French growth remains fragile, and brought in part by consumer spending. "An increase in VAT would result in an immediate increase in the volume prices, so we would not immediately lower payroll taxes," she said. She still felt it was an "interesting way of thinking." To believe Jean-Francois Cope on France Info this Tuesday morning, these liberal proposals are encouraged by the executive, who expects the Secretary General of the UMP that promotes a substantive debate on economic issues before the presidential election 2012."There is no taboo subjects," Nicolas Sarkozy had already held about 35 hours. Not sure as far as the popularity of the Head of State may benefit from these proposals, potentially very unpopular.

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