The euro fell Friday to its lowest level since May 2009. This morning, the single currency goes on its third session decline and fell below the $ 1.37, after passing down the threshold of 1.38 dollars the previous day (Thursday evening about 22 hours). It reached 1.3648 dollars around 9 am 30. It's a new level for the single currency since May 9
Since the beginning of the year, the euro lost 2.5%.
This drop is explained in particular by the concern of traders due to budgetary problems of many countries in the euro area. Many expect a strong intervention of Europe and even appealed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help Greece to get out of a budget crisis without precedent.
Another concern is about the euro on the currency market, the case of Spain, which has poorly digested crisis including an unemployment rate of nearly 20%.Besides Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF head, spoke Thursday on RTL crisis "very strong in Spain and that the country had" an effort "to reduce public deficits Business Card Holders . The Spanish public debt has soared just over 60% of GDP in 2010 while in 2007 it accounted for only 36.2% of GDP.
Tuesday, Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, believed that Spain was the main weakness in the euro area. To this the Spanish Minister of Economic Affairs, Elena Salgado, has responded Thursday by saying on the radio station La Cope: "The euro is a very strong and we continue to strengthen the currency.I see absolutely no risk for the euro area, "adding," there may be a lack of understanding about what the euro means for our economy. "
Another country in the euro area is also starting to worry, Portugal, again because of deteriorating public finances of the country. Besides the titles of Portuguese banks fell by 5 to 6% Thursday on the Lisbon Stock Exchange.
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Twenty-five phone calls, and the authority of a so-called police commander in the Financial Guard, have nearly costly to Areva. A spokesman for global nuclear leadership confirmed on Wednesday that the figaro.fr of its subsidiaries has been referred by an attempted scam, which has been thwarted, without giving further details. RTL radio said that the event took place last Thursday, January 14.
The usurper who called himself Louis Bouvard, an unknown name to the financial police, said acting on the orders of a magistrate, to dismantle an international network of fraud to the credit card, the radio said.A payment of an amount of 982,000 euros to Hong Kong would have been asked, then realized, before being interrupted in extremis by the security services of Areva.
A judicial inquiry was opened
The Paris prosecutors opened a criminal investigation yesterday, Tuesday, about the attempted fraud, which could have been brought by an international syndicate. He told the inquiry to the Brigade of fraud means payments of the prefecture of Paris.
The case is therefore of no consequence to Areva. But it is a concern more for Anne Lauvergeon, which currently crosses the iron in the media with EDF, to ensure the place of his group in the French team of nuclear.The other question must be arbitrated on Wednesday by Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who planned to gather around him the leaders of the two partner groups, but still competing.
Tensions escalate between EDF and Areva
"Fillon convened Proglio and Lauvergeon
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As expected, the U.S. bank JP Morgan Chase announced a great performance this Friday for its fourth quarter 2009. Over this period, net profit stood at 3.278 billion dollars (2.27 billion euros), a figure four times over the fourth quarter of 2008. Net banking income (equivalent to the turnover) amounted to 23.164 billion dollars over the same period against 17.226 billion in 2008. Levels well below expectations of analysts who had forecast at 26.2 billion.
For the full year, JP Morgan Chase is much better than expected with a net profit stood at 11.728 billion dollars. Twice in 2008. Regarding the benefits of the fourth quarter alone, the performance of the bank exceeds expectations at $ 74 cents per share in the fourth quarter against the 62 expected by analysts.On the year, net earnings per share were $ 2.24, against expectations of 2.12.
The bank also announced having strengthened its balance sheet, with a Tier 1 capital of 133 billion dollars or 11.1% ratio against 10.2% in September 30.
The banking investments have contributed greatly to the group's results, with net income of 1.901 billion, against a loss of 2.364 billion last year in the same period.
Deception
Yet the markets react badly to this first major publication in the banking sector. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones opened down 0.26% at 10,683 points. Action JP Morgan lost 2.15%, resulting in his fall Citigroup (-1.71%), Bank of America (2.32%) Goldman Sachs (-1.06%) and Morgan Stanley (-2, 76%). In Paris the CAC 40 in red switch to -0.60 while it was resumed in mid-session.
Investors, disappointed, hold that the bank has added $ 1.9 billion to its reserves for losses on consumer loans. The financial institution also announced that "the results have not reached a level of return on capital adequacy and realized their full potential." "The results of companies have certainly not the desired leverage effect '," noted Joseph Hargett of Schaeffer's Investment Research. "JPMorgan Chase has even gone so far as to express a high degree of caution on the current economic environment," says he.
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, will indeed "be cautious" about its outlook. His bank has, he says, face a cost of "high" risk. JP Morgan has included in its accounts last quarter to 7.3 billion dollars in reserves to cover these risks.
Moreover, while the swelling controversy over the pay of bankers and traders on Wall Street, JPMorgan reported costs of "compensation" (which includes wages and bonuses) increased by 18% in 2009 compared to the year prev. A new and should not meet U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that a proposed tax of fifty large bank.
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Declining tax revenues and rising costs: the state budget did not end in 2009, suffering from this terrible effect scissors. The budget deficit widened to 143.3 billion euros in November 30, cons -66.6 billion a year earlier, said the Budget Ministry on Tuesday.
The difference, over one year amounted to 76.8 billion euros. He "explained mainly by the impact of economic conditions on changes in revenue and up to 34 billion euros by the end measures of recovery plan," says the ministry said in a statement.
In late November, total expenditure amounted to 329.7 billion euros, 13.9 billion more than a year ago. A difference can be explained by the cost recovery plan, advance Bercy."Out Recovery Plan expenditure (general budget and levies on revenues) increased by 850 million euros a year to another," says he.
In late 2009 the fiscal deficit, however, register under the 140 billion euros, one billion less than originally planned, said the Budget Ministry. This table to limit the deficit on tax revenue in December "slightly less degraded" and on "buoyant spending.
Direct consequence of this widening deficit, government debt under the Maastricht should represent 77.9% of GDP at end 2009 and 84% of GDP in 2010. To fill this gap, the state will borrow this year to market a record $ 188 billion.
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"After consideration, we will not invest in Areva" reveals Christophe Margerie, CEO and future chairman of Total, in an interview with the first edition of the Journal du Dimanche. After the failure in late December of invitation supply in Abu Dhabi to build two nuclear reactors, which were project stakeholders EDF, Areva, GDF Suez but also Total oil group maintains its draft into nuclear power. But without investment in Areva, whose strategy is now under threat.
"Those who think we lost because of poor organization Franco-French are wrong. (…) Can we make the EPR cheaper without sacrificing safety? This is the real issue "said Christophe Margerie.The EPR French would indeed be 40% more expensive than the South Korean model finally selected by Abu Dhabi.
Needs huge
So as an investor-operator and Total says it wants to enter the nuclear market. In this context, "we want to set up projects with Areva, but we do not exclude mounting other international partnerships," said the CEO.
Asked about the economic outlook for his group in 2010, Christophe de Margerie also appears optimistic. Satisfied with the signing of two important contracts in natural gas, the United States and Algeria, he anticipates the needs of huge new countries: India, China, Middle East and Africa.
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The upturn in France continues apace. The services PMI rose to 58.7 in December, according to the latest figures published by the Institute Markit / CDAF. Services rose for the fourth consecutive month. The index of purchasing managers for the overall activity, combining the services and industry (figure published earlier this week), also indicates an increase, to 59.2, against 60.2 in November.
The indicator for the services' folds compared to 60.9 in November (a high of 37 months) but nevertheless indicates a high rate of expansion, "notes Mark. Beyond 50, the index indicates an increase in activity. The dynamism of the index is due in December by the record number of new contracts at their highest level in two years.
On the other hand, job losses and slowing the decline in prices paid and charged by companies stalled."Further, in 2010, the upturn recently recorded should be based largely on developments in the labor market," said the statement Jack Kennedy, economist at Markit. "He therefore hoped that the growing confidence of businesses in the economic recovery is reflected, in the new year, with hiring decisions."
The services PMI in Eurozone recorded his part for its strongest growth since November 2007, to 53.6 in December against 53 in November. "However, the recovery did not extend to all countries in the eurozone, where the Spanish services sector remains a concern," said Rob Dobson, senior economist at Markit.
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The French manage to reach a critical size in the Light Armored? It is hoped that the group Panhard attempting a rapprochement with the public Nexter (formerly Giat). The building is well underway in Europe, led by the Anglo-Saxons.
To the north, Britain's BAE Systems has steadily increased, including the purchase of Swedish Hagglunds, and now shows 7 billion euros of turnover. To the south, the U.S. General Dynamics has swooped on the Spanish Santa Barbara. The French Nexter and Panhard, which respectively carry a turnover of 579 million euros and hundreds of millions, have emerged as Tom Thumb. A rapprochement with Renault Trucks Defense, a subsidiary of Volvo Trucks, has also been mentioned.
Hence the idea of boss Panhard, Christian Mons, initiating a rapprochement with Next.Especially since the group's main shareholder, with 75% of the capital, George Cohen, had once considered separate from that asset. Having no desire to become a sub-subsidiary of a foreign group, Panhard therefore seeks to grow, with a preference for a Franco-French solution. Interviews with representatives of the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) – who presides over the future of Nexter – have already been held and the proposal would have received a rather favorable.
Crossing several pitfalls
Panhard side, do not hesitate to think big. The company already imagine that after having bought Nexter it could begin negotiations with its German competitors Rheinmetall and KMW, also looking for external growth operations to reach a critical size.Such discussions would kick off an equivalent of one armored EADS.
Before that happened, it remains to Panhard to cross several hurdles. Only Nexter Armored Division and its flagship, the Leclerc tanks, interest Panhard. It performs alone 450 million euros of turnover. The group led by Christian Mons no secret to be much less inclined to acquire the activities of artillery and information systems and command.
Although it is still too early for a pattern emerges, buying only part of Nexter or the total surrender before a non-strategic assets, then he should know how to organize a form of privatization of the former Giat. Finally, if Thales does not seem to be a candidate for a merger with Nexter, Renault Trucks Defense had already expressed interest Nexter in 2008.The subsidiary of Swedish group had also extended a hand to Panhard, who was then preferred to decline the proposal.
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A wind blowing over pessimism Theolia Tuesday. The action of the wind expert picks from 10.49% to 13 hours after having plunged nearly 16.7% in midmorning. For over six months that the title did not broke the 3 euros. A 2.9 euros, it is trading about 5% less than a year ago.
If the producer of electricity from wind energy can be proud of having agreements with its major creditors to reduce its debt, investors themselves have mostly held that accompanied this restructuring – subject to acceptance general meeting in early 2010 – a capital increase to a maximum of about 100 million euros from current shareholders, whose holdings would then be diluted. "The Council plans to launch a capital increase in spring 2010," reads the statement issued today by Theolia.
Call for support
Side Theolia, management maintains that if all these operations are actually realized, the company has increased its cash 40 million, reduced its debt under the bond to 127 million euros payable on 1 January 2015 and increased its capital by about 150 million euros.
For the record, on September 1, Theolia warned that the group will be difficult to have enough cash or borrow the money necessary to enable it to repay 253 million euros of his bond on 1 January 2012, when demand early repayment of the loan in full.The announcement marked the end of an upward movement of the track (peak at more than 5 euros), in operation since March 2009.
Even the publication in early November, a consolidated turnover for the first nine months of 2009, amounting to 232.7 million euros, three times more than the same period of 2008, did not sufficient to restore color to the action.
A sector still buoyant
According to the report by the Center for Strategic Analysis (CAS) published mid-December, just before the Copenhagen summit, "the current economic downturn and emergency climate offers the opportunity to wind a large-scale development.
The global growth prospects are very important and France as the CASE has many strengths, including its network of subcontractors providing the territory but also abroad, the components needed to build wind turbines.Already, more than 150 suppliers and subcontractors working for the industrial sector, and many others from the construction, mechanical or aerospace, where expertise is close to that of the wind, could reach them and encourage the success of the industry.
The report also highlights that wind can generate a net profit in the event of a price increase of fossil fuels, which the most energy experts are convinced.The Union of renewable energy sources (RES) and the wind industry, Wind Energy France (ESRF), recall here that the cost of wind energy, about 80 euros / MWh (megawatt hour), is "very close that of conventional thermal plants, while presenting an additional advantage in terms of security of supply and CO2 savings.
From a tax perspective, the sector was welcome in France, the amendment passed there only a week, bringing the level of the flat tax to which the turbines are subject to the same amount to than other means of producing electricity.
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Good news on employment front in the United States. New entries in unemployment at its lowest since September 2008, to 452,000 in the week ended on December 18. This figure comes after two weeks of up and confirms the downward trend observed since late March in the United States.
Analysts do not expect a decline of this magnitude and had forecast about 470,000 new registrations. The total number of unemployed receiving benefits rose to 5.07 million, a decrease of 127,000 persons over the previous week.
The Department of Labor, which published the statistics, held relative to this development, stating that "this week in particular is extremely difficult to adjust for seasonal variations, because the raw numbers can be very different depending on the configuration calendar year. Clearly, the actual unemployment has probably not declined much.
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The Paris Bourse ended the session up on Monday, recovering some lost ground over the last two sessions last week (-1.16% to close Thursday and Friday -0.95%). At the close, the CAC 40 index ended up 2.05% at 3872.06 points for a trade volume of 2.4 billion euros. The famous rally Year-end "appears to be a good reason for investors to" play "on the rise.
No statistics were published on Monday. In contrast, the rest of this week shortened (end of quotes provided 13 hours Thursday and closing of the Exchange Friday) should be marked by the third estimate of U.S. GDP for the third quarter and the sales figures in real estate the United States.
The detailed values follow …
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