Christine Lagarde is more than ever determined to "increase the firepower of the International Monetary Fund", that its financial resources. But if the euro area "is the epicenter of the potential risks" of the global economy, "Europe is not the only one? We are not obsessed with a region "said Thursday in Washington, executive director of the IMF during a press conference that opened two days of spring meetings of IMF and World Bank.

Capacity building support from the Fund will be the highlight of the discussions to be attended especially the G20 finance ministers. Christine Lagarde has renewed its appreciation to Japan, "the first country that has decided to commit themselves" to the tune of 60 billion euros, while acknowledging "the Scandinavian countries who responded to the call and Singapore."

The Japanese contribution is the first quantified commitment to a non-European. This is in addition to those States of the euro area itself, which from the outset, have said they would put 150 billion euros in the pot (just under $ 200 billion). But Christine Lagarde, who had advanced earlier this year the figure of 500 billion, reduced its ambitions "to just over $ 400 billion" figure it has itself argued in an interview Tuesday Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

Bilateral borrowing agreements

The negotiations will be very difficult and should not be concluded this week with the aim of reaching agreement at the annual meetings of October 2012 in Tokyo. On behalf of the United States, Tim Geithner, Treasury Secretary, said two days ago that his country "would not put money" but would support those participating in the operation payday loans. Recall that this strengthening of resources take the form of bilateral loan agreements with its 188 member countries (including the last admitted this week is Southern Sudan). It is not a capital increase of the IMF, as such. Now this is where the rub the side of the emerging countries, including China and Brazil, who would like to link this extension means the Fund to an expansion of their representation. Now it is even less question that the last reform of 2010 increasing quotas and powers to the board in favor of emerging countries mainly, has still not been ratified by the necessary majority. Within the G20, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, have not yet ratified, do we reported to the IMF.

Christine Lagarde must also combat the widely held in international public opinion that the firewall is only designed to help Europe, Spain and Italy, among others. She also found that Spain does not need assistance plan "for now".

Executive Director of the IMF insisted on Thursday the new initiatives launched recently, as "the trust fund for the poorest countries", mentioning also "the five countries of the Arab Spring, for which we need more resources." But the difficulty is to find a common agreement with the governments, especially with Egypt, for which the loan of $ 3.2 billion from the IMF, which should be a catalyst for international aid, is still pending .

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Alert at Total. The gas leak occurred Sunday afternoon on his Elgin gas field, 240 kilometers east of Aberdeen in Scotland is growing. Tuesday afternoon, the authorities decided to ban flights within 3 nautical miles (5.5 km) from the Elgin platform and navigation within 2 miles (3.7 km).

The latest information provided by a spokesman for Total in Aberdeen, the gas does not ignite. The 238 employees of the platform were evacuated by helicopter Monday, without being able to stop the leak. And for good reason, Elgin is nicknamed "the pit of hell" because of the pressure and temperature "extremes" in the words of the website of Total, prevailing in the gas tank, buried 5000 meters below seabed. Total According, the pressure is of the order of 1100 bars, the equivalent of one tonne concentrated on the surface of a fingernail. By comparison, the pressure in the well Deepwater Horizon, in the Gulf of Mexico, scene of the worst oil spill in U.S. in 2010 was 800 bars.

Two fireboats are on alert at the limit of two miles, ready to intervene. Tuesday afternoon, experts from Total does not always explain the reasons for flight. Among the possible operations is discussed drilling a relief well which would reduce the pressure of the leak in the original well. An intervention that would take six months, admits it at Total.

According to the spokesman of the French company in Aberdeen, 20 tons of gas may have leaked. Moreover, the condensate-oil-sprawled on Tuesday 4.8 km2. A plane with the dispersant on board was ready to take off. The company Shell has reduced its staff on its neighboring platforms and Noble Hans Deul Shearwater.

Total shares fall

At the Paris Bourse, the action of a number of CAC 40 lost 8% to 14.30. At Total, the oil slick from the Deepwater Horizon BP in 2010 is on everyone's mind. The company has launched a website dedicated to the incident.

According to Frederic Hauge of Bellona Norwegian environmental NGO that monitors the production of hydrocarbons in the North Sea, quoted by Reuters, "the staff has seen the sea boil. I am very concerned about the situation. It can only get worse. "

Olympus is preparing to renew its leadership. The group of optical and medical imaging, the center of a scandal hidden losses, said Monday it has chosen children of the seraglio to compose his future Board. The group is now led by Hiroyuki Sasa, now in charge of marketing.

Olympus has also promised to appoint six outside directors (most already linked to the group) of the eleven new members to its board of directors to be presented for approval at a special meeting of shareholders on April 20.

A scandal of hidden losses of $ 1.5 billion spread over thirteen years to put down the reputation of Olympus. Last summer, the group managing director, Michael Woodford, was curtly thanked by its board of directors after requiring clarification of accounting anomalies revealed in the press.

Since then, the president "historic" Olympus and six executives were arrested. In a country where a charge often means a conviction (almost all of the defendants are convicted in Japan), these arrests have cast doubt on the sustainability of the group in its current form.

Exit the ambiguity

Too broke out, could be sold by Olympus divisions to another industry. Its medical imaging division in particular displayed an insolent financial health despite a fiscal year 2011-2012 which looks disastrous for society (200 billion yen loss forecast for the year which will end in late March). Sony has already shown particular interest in the activities of Olympus.

Meanwhile, the current management group, on borrowed time until April 20, closely linked to the ousted president, trying with difficulty to break the ambiguity. The next president is chosen as Olympus just SMBC, the bank group, so its main creditor, who has covered, probably by laxity, all of its accounting maquillables.

"It is not desirable that the president comes from SMBC", pleaded last week the U.S. fund Southeastern Asset Management, which owns 5% of Olympus. Wasted. To date, most members of the board are being sued … by Olympus.

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Dispute between experts around the social VAT. Valérie Pécresse, the budget minister, expects the measure to create 75,000 to 120,000 jobs. Nicole Bricq, the rapporteur of the PS budget to the Senate, believes that the decline in employer contributions, coupled with recovery of 19.6% to 21.2% VAT and the rise of the CSG on savings, will at best 30,000 jobs. And, at worst, destroy 40,000. The Senator had to defend its position in the Senate Wednesday night, when reviewing the draft supplementary budget including introducing VAT and social tax on financial transactions. A review which promised rapid, left, majority, having decided to reject the text of a block rather than amend the clause by clause.

To achieve these numbers, Nicole Bricq reasoning in two steps. She said the VAT increase will cause a price increase of 0.5% to 0.7%. This additional inflation weigh on consumer spending, resulting in the destruction of 120,000 positions. Meanwhile, the decline in employer contributions will create between 80,000 and 150,000 jobs. Hence a total balance disappointing.

"The cuts decided by the Government target salaries between 1.6 and 2.1 minimum wage, so skilled workers. Companies hire these workers when they need their expertise. The issue of cost is secondary. As a result, reductions have little incentive effect on the hiring decision, "Nicole Bricq reasons. She said it was to hire unskilled workers that cuts costs may have a strong effect.

A Keynesian model dated

At Bercy, an estimated economic models selected in previous official reports, listed by Nicole Bricq, are based on reasoning "Keynesian" obsolete, making the consumer the only engine of growth possible. The government counters that it is precisely to encourage competitiveness and thus growth in exports.

The executive wanted to target anyway wages very practiced in the industry, in order to reduce labor costs. Nicole Bricq replied that the loss of competitiveness of French industry does not come from labor costs but an innovation problem. That's why she regrets that the capital budget for the future, focusing on research, has been punctured billion to mount the store industry.

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Last month, the government has activated for the first time a special support fund created in late 2010 for the departments in need. The beneficiaries are seven departments (six rural) whose debt is massive, and revenues, almost entirely absorbed by the distribution of welfare. Hitherto considered the spoiled children of decentralization, regions require the State to review the financing of rail, now they consider "untenable" for their budgets low interest rate personal loans.

The alarm level is reached. In ten years, spending communities have increased by 60%, and local taxes, 45%! These figures are staggering.Whose fault? A lax politicians and poor managers who prefer to treat their customers (36,000 hiring officials last year when the state removed 34,000 positions)? The lack of political will of the state, hostage to local barons? Bankers incendiary? To have the heart net, Le Figaro Magazine has plunged into the accounts of local authorities, was shelled and analyzed partnered with the Thomas More Institute and Public Evaluation System.Inspiring!

"Cities: heat stroke on taxes (pdf)

"Departments: the weight of social spending (the Ain to the Haute-Garonne)

"Departments: the weight of social spending (the Gers in Puy-de-Dôme)

"Departments: the weight of social spending (in the Pyrenees-Atlantique to Val d'Oise)

"Region: always a sacred way of life

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"In the trap of toxic loans

The relaunch of the title earlier this year, with a lot of promotion, did not halt the inexorable decline of sales, which stood at 59,102 copies in France spread paid on the first eight months of the year , against nearly 64,000 copies a year earlier, according to OJD.The new formula would allow France-Soir to cross the threshold of 100,000 copies.

Deletion of 80 posts

In total, more than 60 million euros have been invested in the revival of the legendary title that had its heyday in the 1950s. The France-Soir Pierre Lazareff flowed 1 free instant credit score.5 million copies every morning … Encouraged by its owner, the son of Russian oligarch Sergei Pugachev, the team in control has taken risks, such as increased sale price (60 cents), to seduce an audience younger and more feminine. But the drastic reduction of book horse, which provided a daily basis for loyal readers, was the most damaging to sales of the title.

The plan will be offered Friday provides for the elimination of 80 positions out of 120. He plans to leave the paper, never to appear on the Internet.It would, if the plan is adopted, the first French national newspaper to take this approach. The business daily La Tribune, also in the process of SAVING, had already tried it in August but for a simple two-week period. General meeting Monday evening, the employees of France-Soir refused "the scenario of the disappearance of the title in the near future along with a large number of layoffs" and voted to strike. The log does not appear on Tuesday morning.

After weeks of dithering, European leaders have taken in hand to avoid a collapse of the banking sector, weakened by the debt crisis, which brought down the French-Belgian group Dexia.The markets were also reassured by the publication of macroeconomic indicators in the U.S. exceeded expectations: job creation in the private sector and the ISM services.

On Thursday, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday to maintain its 1.50% interest rate, reference the cost of credit in the euro zone, despite the sharp deterioration in the economic and financial crisis.

Meanwhile official figures of employment for the month of September in the United States to be published Friday, new jobless claims are slightly lift the United States during the last week of September, according to figures released Thursday in Washington by the Department of Labor.The Ministry has identified the deposit of 401,000 applications for unemployment benefits in the country from September 25 to October 1, adjusted for seasonal variations, or 1.5% over the previous week, which is consistent with the estimate of analysts.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro reached 1.3435 dollars (0.65%). On the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for November delivery ended at 82 personal loans for bad credit.59 dollars, up 2.91 dollars compared to the previous day.

Apple has resisted despite the death of Steve Jobs

As for values, investors will have their eyes on the technology sector.

• Apple (-0.23% to 377.37 dollars) will remain particularly observed after the announcement of the demise of the group's founder Steve Jobs.

• Yahoo (-1.70% to 15.65 dollars) is the subject of new rumors of a possible bid from U.S. computer giant Microsoft, which had already in 2008 attempted to seize the group's internet America.

• Hewlett-Packard (4.99% to 25.05 dollars) should not make further major acquisitions in the software after the acquisition of Autonomy, according to statement from the group's new boss Meg Whitman cited by Reuters.

• Boeing (2.54% to 61.48 dollars) has received an order for $ 1.1 billion from Ethiopian Airlines for four Boeing 777 freighters.

• Gilead Sciences (1.28% to 39.65 dollars) has obtained a license agreement Boehringer Ingelheim for the exclusive rights to research, development and commercialization of an anti-integrase for the treatment of HIV.

• Marriott International (2.13% to 28.78 dollars) issued for the third quarter, earnings per share of $ 0.29, up 32% year on year. Turnover was 2.9 billion dollars against 2.6 billion last year. The revenue per available room key indicator in the hotel sector grew by 8.7% on a comparable basis, while prices rose by 5.3%.

In the aftermath of yet another meeting "for nothing" between the finance ministers of the euro area, said Baroin continue to trust in Greece. And, while 68% of the French disapprove of the increase in French contribution to the rescue of Greece, according to a poll Ifop. "Greece knows what she has to us, insists Baroin, invited the Grand Rendez-vous Europe 1-i> Tele-Le Parisien. We have said it, she has commitments, duties vis-à-vis its creditors, it has the requirement to provide answers. "

While Europe still can not agree to release the 158 billion pledged to Greece on July 21, Baroin announced that the European Stability Fund would be active in mid-October . "The agreement of July 21, expands the interventions of European fund, says he. It enables him to act in advance.This tool is good, just it is not yet implemented. We need the European Parliaments vote, and all Parliaments have given a date. " For him, this fund is not intended to please the Greeks but to save the euro.

Banks:

Former colleagues in government Fillon and Christine Lagarde Baroin do not seem to take the same position on the banks, now that the former Minister of Economy and Finance has been leading the International Monetary Fund. Three weeks ago, Christine Lagarde, sounded the alarm and called for "urgent recapitalization" of banks.

Europe 1, Baroin, sought reassurance, noting that "central banks assured liquidity to ensure any problems.This means that the question 'Are there any cash flow problems?', The answer is no and the question 'Is there a solvency problem?', The answer is no. We are not worried. " And to the question: 'Should we recapitalize European banks? "The finance minister said," They already recapitalize since 2008. They increased their capital by 50 billion euros, "said he.

Growth:

While the European Commission Thursday lowered its forecast for French growth to 1.6% in 2011, Baroin assured that the growth target of 1.75% this year was achievable. "We were on a line at 2%. It was fixed at 1.75% and we have reasonable grounds for regarding it's achievable. There will not exceed one euro in terms of deficit compared to what we have taken as a commitment. "

Budget 2012:

"Demanding".That's how Baroin defined the 2012 budget to be presented Sept. 28. While the opposition calls for a recovery plan, the finance minister was adamant. "I am convinced that a recovery would have an adverse effect in the current financial situation. In a long-term strategy, which should take us in 2013 to 3% deficit, we can not afford us the luxury to satisfy such demand, such as department or lobby, "he said.

Economic project of the Socialist Party:

Finally, the finance minister has been very critical of the socialist project. "The project of the Socialist Party fell.They need to throw in the trash, they must forget their plan to create jobs and increase public more than 50 billion taxes, "he said, saying the government side," It is not about one second of a general increase in taxes. "

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On Monday, the New York Stock Exchange ended in the green while Rome had asked China to buy the Italian debt. The salvation of the euro area could therefore eventually come from China. Forced to borrow at prohibitive rates Monday morning, Rome had in fact asked Beijing to make significant repurchases of its sovereign debt, reports the Financial Times. A member of the Italian government confirmed on Monday the existence of discussions with the Middle Kingdom on potential investments in Beijing in the third largest economy in the euro area.But this morning, market rumors suggest that Beijing is not finally ready to buy Italian bonds, taking again the indices into the red in Europe.

Faced with these contradictory information, caution remains appropriate today. In addition, U.S. carriers, such as Europe and Asia, remain very concerned about Greece. They fear it will not be able to meet these budget commitments, which threaten to bankrupt the country and aggravate the crisis in Europe. An output of the euro in Greece is also now considered by many economists.

This morning Jean-Pierre Jouyet, chairman of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF), said on iTV that Greece may have to undergo further restructuring of its debt than expected.German side, Angela Merkel is trying to catch up about his Economy Minister Philipp Rösler, who spoke Monday the event of a default of Athens. In a radio interview BBB, the Chancellor found it necessary to "avoid any uncontrolled process in the euro area."

The United States involved in resolving the crisis in the eurozone

The United States also stressed that they became involved in resolving the crisis in the eurozone, as the Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner will participate Friday in the meeting of Ministers of Economy and Finance Union European Poland.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro was down slightly Tuesday against the dollar and the yen on Monday after falling $ 1.35 for the first time since February and the lowest for 10 years against the yen, and the voltage was strong, the markets fear more a possible failure of Greece no teletrek payday advance.Around 11 am, the European currency was worth 1.3608 dollars against 1.3624 dollars.

As for oil prices, they were mixed, helped by a relative weakening of the dollar-weighted but the latest projections of OPEC anticipates a lower than expected growth in demand for crude because of the nervousness of the markets. In early electronic trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" gave himself 80 cents to 88.99 dollars a barrel while Brent North Sea, more sensitive to economic conditions in Europe, gave 52 cents to 112 , $ 25.

On the macroeconomic front, investors will monitor including import prices to be unveiled in late afternoon.

Samsung attack Apple

The side of values, Hewlett-Packard announced on Tuesday that 41.62% of the shareholders of Autonomy British had supported his bid.The U.S. group also announced it was extending its offer until Oct. 3.

The giant South Korean electronics Samsung Electronics filed a complaint in France against its U.S. rival Apple for a litigation involving three patents relating to UMTS technology. "The complaint focuses on three technology patents, and not the design of the shelves," as was the case during a recent trial in Germany, said a spokesman for Samsung.

Rating agencies could worsen them.Moody's has indeed said yesterday that it planned to degrade the note by the McGraw-Hill, who announced his intention to focus on competing rating agency Standard and Poor's division after educational activities.

For his part Nordson Corp. announced yesterday after the close had authorized a share repurchase program of $ 100 million.

Note also the U.S. internet group AOL has appointed a new editor for TechCrunch, the site of information on technologies he had bought in September 2010, after 10 days of controversy over the fate of the former owner, Michael Arrington . The new editor is Erick Schonfeld, Associate Editor edited by Michael Arrington. AOL announced that Michael Arrington, founder of the site, decided to leave TechCrunch and AOL to devote to investment funds that it recently launched.