Amazon: results disappoint investors

The trading day is difficult for Amazon Friday. In after market trading Thursday, the securities are traded on the internet provider declined by almost 15% to 102.55 dollars. This Friday, the trend is confirmed to significantly lower at 16 hours since the security loses 10%.

After the official closure of Wall Street Thursday, Amazon has posted results that disappointed investors. Of course, earnings rose 45% for its second quarter to 207 million or 45 cents per share. But analysts had predicted earnings of 53 cents per share. As for sales, Amazon will display a turnover of 6.57 billion, exceeding expectations (6.54 billion).

Operating profit rose 71% to 270 million but there is also far from the consensus (320 million estimated).

For the current quarter, Amazon provides billings between 6.9 and 7.6 billion dollars my credit score. The operating profit should be between 210 and 310 million showing a margin of 3 to 4% The analysts' estimates were much higher: 361 million expected to be a margin of 5%.

In a statement, Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of the site says, "We see rapid growth in sales of Kindle, Amazon web services, sales to third parties and retail." "Over the last twelve months, customers worldwide have ordered from their mobile device for over $ 1 billion worth of Amazon," says Jeff Bezos still, he was confident in the potential of Tablet PCs, or as the Kindle 'iPad, to "become a vehicle extra" sales.

Under cash advance loan facility borrowers are not required to fulfill tedious faxing process.

Around the world, the administration in the diet

Washington wants to reduce public expenditure

Barack Obama on Tuesday gave members of his Cabinet until Sept. 13 so they identify reductions of 5% of funds in their agencies and departments. That extra effort the White House to reduce spending in response to American concerns before the expected surge in debt to Uncle Sam more than 100% of GDP in 2012. However, the actual impact of this initiative looks marginal. It will only result in recommendations to Congress may be accepted for fiscal year 2012, not before. In addition, over 60% of federal spending by definition beyond these potential restrictions. These expenses called "automatic" which include debt service, expenses of the pension plan and those of public health systems.

In February, Bush has already requested a freeze for three years (after inflation) of many public spending "not automatic". But the categories have been added untouchable military spending, those relating to civilian security and international aid. But the Pentagon budget alone is $ 700 billion, or half of total discretionary spending. Moreover, the Congress, including Republicans, routinely refuses the few savings proposed by the White House in weapons programs. In point lead Barack Obama now threatening to veto the budget law drafted for the Pentagon by Congress.

Moscow is 20% of staff within

The ad has a taste for rigor, but it is not formally rigorous.Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday ordered his administration to make proposals to reduce by 20% the number of officials in the country. "It is obviously, a far too severe, which can not be made mechanically or on the basis of purely financial criteria. We are talking about the fate of people, "said the head of the Kremlin, which gave no further details. Already last week, during a cabinet meeting, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin had discussed such a proposal would lead to the elimination of 120,000 jobs and would save 43 billion rubles (1.13 billion ' euros). In contrast, half of this allocation would serve to increase the salaries of other cadres of the public.Despite the beginnings of the European crisis that could hit Russia, the government continues to boast its program of social spending that benefits particularly to retirees. In the past, such cost-saving measures have already been proposed, without being acted upon.

Germany on the wagon

Monday is a detailed history of savings – 80 billion euros by 2014 – announced by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In order of priority expenditures of the federal government. Number of allocations will be scaled down and almost 15,000 jobs disappear in the civil service by 2014.The removal of 40,000 soldiers in the Bundeswehr is also under consideration.

New sections in Hungary

After his rescue in late 2008 by the IMF, the World Bank and the European Union, Hungary had announced an initial dose of austerity with a wage freeze for two years in the public and the removal of the 13th month for pensioners. Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday a detailed budget which provides, in addition to creating a financial tax, further cuts in public spending to the tune of 425 million euros. The revenue cap leaders and the public is considered a strict examination of spending to purchase a car or phone service.

Elsewhere in Europe

It is not good to be official now in Europe.Down 5-15% of wages in Ireland, abolition of 13th and 14th month and down 7% in Greece pensions, freeze wages and non-replacement of a staff of two in Portugal, wage freeze in Italy, Spain, hiring freeze in Great Britain … Besides the cuts in operating expenses that are spreading.

Protracted negotiations for the resumption of Entremont

Franco-German agreement on aid to Greece

Last-minute agreement. The France and Germany were finally heard, just before the opening of the Council of Heads of State and Government in Brussels on financial aid to Greece. This text opens the way for a Council decision.

The agreement provided a budget of 22 billion euros "as a last resort," said Berlin, who blocked until Thursday morning discussions. Clearly, the assistance will be released in case of inability to Athens normally finance markets.

The Elysee said the text calls for "a European framework consists of coordinated bilateral loans which Member States would have to contribute", the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing through additional loans.Supplement "substantial," said his side the German government source cheapest personal loan rates .

Meeting face-to-head between Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel on Thursday afternoon, "has been productive," according to the French presidency. "It has reached agreement on a text of a page and a half, which describes very precisely the conditions under which countries in the euro area might have to intervene."

The text must still be submitted to the President of the European Union, Belgium's Herman Van Rompuy. He will return, said the Elysee, "choose the time at which it will distribute the text to other members of the Euro so they can study it, before or after dinner of European leaders.

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Wall Street ends slightly down

The NYSE has hesitated. It finally ended in the red on Wednesday. After rebounding said yesterday (1.52%), the Dow Jones lost 0.20% to 10,038.38 points. The Nasdaq lost 0.14% to 2147.87 points and the S & P 500 fell 0.22% to 1068.13 points.

The wait dominates before confirmation of support from the European Union to Greece. Investors await the meeting of European heads of state tomorrow Thursday after which a European financial aid for Greece should be announced. But doubt persists. "In general there is a senior, anonymous was quoted as source. Translation for everyone is that this information should be taken with caution, "says Patrick O'Hare of Briefing.com financial site.

In the final meeting, the Spanish Presidency of the EU announced that European countries would give their support to Greece.But the market always wondered how such a help.

In this context, the dollar begun to rise again against the European currency: 1 Euro 1.3726 U.S. dollar traded (-0.37%). Side materials, a barrel of light sweet crude for March delivery ended at 74.52 dollars, up 77 cents from the close of Tuesday.

To these doubts mingles the concern over the remarks of Ben Bernanke. This has not announced any increase in rates, but this solution is considered. The discount rate will he, as the statement implied the rumor in the markets in recent days.

Regarding statistics, the trade deficit the U.S. has continued to widen in December, rising by 10.4% compared to November, while analysts expected him to be reduced."We had numbers of calamitous external deficit, indicating that the economy will experience slower growth in the first quarter than the fourth, it weighs on the market," said Peter Cardillo, Avalon Partners.

Arcelor Mittal battered the United States

Arcelor Mittal, the world's number one steel, said it earned 118 million dollars over the year 2009. But the current financial year looks difficult. The U.S. market (-6.99% to 36.70 dollars) endorse the title in Paris.

In addition, Micron Technology (-5.95% to 8.54 dollars) announced it would buy Holodings Numonyx, a producer of memory cards, for $ 1.27 billion.

The Japanese car saw decidedly dark days. It is the turn of Honda (-2.20% to 33.76 dollars) from Wednesday to recall over 400,000 vehicles, after the Toyota case (1.46% to 75.69 dollars).

Airgas Inc.(-0.07% To 61.31 dollars) has rejected a hostile takeover of Air Products & Chemicals, describing it as "inadequate".

After Hours, Tuesday, Walt Disney (0.74% to 30.06 dollars) has released stable profits over one year to 844 million, or 44 cents per share. But excluding special items, earnings per share were 47 cents against 39 cents expected by analysts.

The bank is not affected by ads for Ben Bernanke. Bank of America (1.38%), JP Morgan Chase (1.25%) and Goldman Sachs (0.75%) support same document.

Dell (+1.48% to 13.75 dollars) has been "upgraded" by Bank of America-Merrill Lynch to buy from neutral.

And Omnicum, a direct competitor of Havas, which was pleasantly surprised by France, issued a profit decline of 87 to 73 cents per share.The title takes 1.42% to 35.75 dollars.

Baidu (10.83% to 482.13 euros) reported a fourth-quarter earnings up 48% to 62.7 million. The competitor Google (-0.37% to 534.45 dollars) in China publishes a profit of $ 1.8 per share.

Total will not invest in Areva

"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.

Towards a low wage growth in 2010

The period of wage negotiations between management and unions currently undertaking begins. For example, at Renault, a first meeting on the subject will be held in two days. The big trend? The wage freeze was imposed last year should not disappear but retreat. According to Mercer, 21% of executives would see their wages frozen in 2010 against 42% this year. And 22% of employees against 35% this year.

Difficult, however, to rule on an average amount of increase because firms pay that reference have a different view. According to Hewitt, the increases will reach 2.6% next year against 2.8% in 2009.Mercer is more optimistic and believes that the increases will be larger in 2010 (+2.8% for a manager in the sales) against 2% in 2009 for example.

However all agree that even if a stronger recovery, the increases will not recover the levels (+ 3.5 to 4%) effective in years of strong economic growth.

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