News – Business & Economi

Unilever issued a sales increase of 7.8% in the third quarter and expects margins stable or declining for the year 2011, experienced strong sales growth in emerging markets.

The manufacturer of soaps and mayonnaise has raised its prices by nearly 6%, while sales in countries such as India, Indonesia and Brazil have helped to offset difficult markets in Europe and the United States .

However, the group warned that its operating margin at constant perimeter and constant exchange rates would be stable or slightly declining over the year 2011 due to higher commodity prices.

On this basis, the Group reported a turnover up 7.8%, a performance better than the consensus of society, which provided an increase of 6.3%, following growth of 4.3% in the first quarter and 7.1% in the second.

Over 100,000 taxpayers have disclosed their assets in OECD countries for two years. It reported one billion euros in France. The headquarters of the Cayman National Bank in George Town. The Cayman Islands are in the core of tax havens.

Almost 14 billion euros in tax revenues were collected in the last two years in twenty countries through international agreements concluded in the fight against tax evasion, the OECD said on Tuesday. "There's much more in the pipeline", but assured the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) at the opening of its fourth Global Forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes .

These are, says the OECD, will provide "a substantial contribution to fiscal consolidation without increasing tax rates" in many countries forced to increase the tax burden to deal with the crisis."It is important that everyone contribute their fair share," notes the organization. The OECD states that the measures against tax evasion reported more than one billion euros in France, Germany 1.8 billion to 1.4 billion U.S., 150 million at the Australia and 260 million in Spain and the UK.

Over 100,000 taxpayers have disclosed their assets (including 30,000 in the United States, 1350 in the UK, 4,700 in France and 25,000 in Germany), she says. The Global Forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes, housed at the OECD brings together 105 countries and territories. This Tuesday and Wednesday to finalize a report on "progress towards fiscal transparency" for the G20 summit to be held in Cannes on November 3 and 4. Other reports are expected on a number of tax havens after the meeting.

Philips Electronics said Monday it would cut 4,500 jobs after posting a net profit fall 85% in the third quarter due to higher raw material costs and restructuring charges.

The job cuts form part of a cost reduction of 800 million euros.

The world of lighting has also said it was considering various options for its television subsidiary, adding that negotiations with TVP to cede much of this activity was intense and constructive, but lasted longer than expected.

"In the event that a final agreement is not reached, Philips will consider alternatives," says CEO Frans van Houten said in a statement Monday.

Net income for the third quarter was 76 million euros against 524 million a year earlier. Turnover amounted to 5.394 billion euros against 5.46 billion.

The consensus of analysts polled by Reuters gave a net profit of 53.8 million and a turnover of 5.341 billion.

Barack Obama lashed out at banks, on Thursday at a press conference at the White House, justifying the growing popular discontent against economic inequality.

The Democratic president, including the possible re-election in November 2012 will be played primarily on the fight against unemployment, said the Republicans had in the first place, to support the economy back on measures of financial regulation that his government s is used to push hard.

Barack Obama also said understand the frustration of "outraged" that manifest several days on Wall Street and in other cities of the United States.

"These demonstrators expressed a more widely shared suspicion towards the way our financial system," said Bush.

"We still see some of those who acted irresponsibly fight efforts to end abusive practices," he added.

Barack Obama said his financial reform known as the "Dodd-Frank" was precisely designed to prevent abuses of Wall Street.His way to insist on the subject suggests that this issue will be among the major themes of his presidential campaign next year.

"To have a sound financial system requires that banks and other financial institutions to compete on the basis of better service, better products and the best rate," he said.

"We can compete through hidden fees, deceptive practices or cocktails of derivatives that nobody understands and that expose the entire economy at huge risk.That's why Dodd-Frank was designed. "

Barack Obama also expressed regret that U.S. banks have recently raised their commissions, suspecting a practice necessitated by the inability to raise other rates. This is not a "good practice", he said, and it is "not necessarily just for consumers."

The French car market has limited its decline in September thanks to buoyant demand from individuals helped by aggressive marketing offers manufacturers a performance bodes well for the entire year if the economy does not deteriorate more.

The new car registrations fell by 1.4% year on year last month to 167,631 units, according to figures from the Committee of French Automobile Manufacturers (CCFA).

In the first nine months of the year, the market still continues hex in positive territory (+0.2%), but continues to nibble advance acquired in early 2011 with the latest effects of scrappage.In August, it was up 0.4% since January.

"The market is slowly declining, but he resists, particularly at the request of individuals," said a spokesman for the CCFA, reached by telephone."For the full year, we now think it will be better than we anticipated -8/-10% that far, but we are recalculating the forecast."

The spokesman added that the anticipated decline in France in 2011 could be below 8%, but adding that corporate demand was "a great unknown for the predictions," because of questions about current economic conditions.

"BACK TO NORMAL TO CONFIRM"

Bernard Cambier, commercial director of Renault France, told Reuters that also performance in September for optimism for the French market.

"We could have been legitimately concerned about the economic and financial benefits for the consumer, but there is no impact for the moment," he said by telephone."Today, we are in a market -3/-4% and a surprise is not excluded."

At the auto show in Frankfurt last month, the commercial director of Renault Jérôme Stoll had found that the French market in 2011, waited down 4% to 6% would be closer to 4%.

The firm Xerfi, which provides a decrease of 5% of the market in 2011, stressed that the stability of nine months was obtained primarily through "aggressive policies of manufacturers", but the unknowns hanging over the rest of the year .

"The business climate is deteriorating with the excitement of the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and cures of austerity ahead in European countries, our major trading partners," writes Philip Gattet in a note."Businesses have an obsession: to preserve their cash and therefore reduce costs, including automobiles."

"The coming months will be more difficult, whether it be late 2011 or early 2012, mainly because of unfavorable comparisons," agrees Flavien Neuvy, Director of the Cetelem of the car. "But the market is very resistant, the return to normality is confirmed."

Renault and Dacia REBOUND

Illustration of this effect after the exceptional standards of public support, importers continue to gain ground.

The scrapping particular had supported the French manufacturers, specialized in small cars. In September, registrations of foreign companies increased by 5.4% against a fall of 6.2% for the hexagonal groups.Nissan (30.8%) and the German BMW (21.2%) and Volkswagen (14.9%) included from their game last month.

French side, Peugeot is the only (-25.3%), while Citroen saw its registrations fall by 9.4%, -18.4% for the PSA. Both brands have experienced group in September of supply problems live, but no explanation for the drop in sales last month was immediately available from the manufacturer.

Renault has for its part a rebound of 8.7% in registrations, sign of the return to normal by the already mentioned group in component shortages of diesel engines that have sealed sales months at a time.The diamond brand saw its registrations increase by 9% and the group's low cost brand, Dacia, rose 6.3%.

"The portfolio of orders is high because we can see now finally delivered," said Bernard Cambier. "And we still have 100,000 cars in its portfolio, two months of delivery."

In utilities, the registration of light vehicles, a barometer of local economic activity, fell 6.3% in September, while those of commercial vehicles, a reflection of trade over longer distances, increased by 25 9%.

Drawn down by banking stocks, European markets are still concerned about the debt crisis in Europe. Paris loses 2% in mid-day. A passerby looks at stock prices in Tokyo in March 2011.

European shares sank into the red at midday Friday, led by a sharp decline in banking stocks, the debt crisis still being equally felt, just before meeting French President and Prime Minister of Greece. In Paris, a negative analyst of the Swiss bank UBS, which has drastically lowered its price targets for Societe Generale, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole, who tipped the trend.

After opening up, to 10:20 GMT, Societe Generale and yielded 7.64%, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole 5.04% 5.20%.In Frankfurt, Deutsche Bank, which is the subject of persistent speculation about a profit warning, lost 7.61% and 4.04% Commerzbank. The statements of the finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, to the Bundesrat, is not expected to allay fears. "Our concern is that the situation on financial markets, which is worrying, could lead to a crisis in the financial and banking sector, with a great danger of contagion," he said.

Apart from these bad news for banks, the market was marked by profit taking, investors making final adjustments to their portfolios on the last day of the quarter, told AFP Yves Marc, managing actions in Global Equities. The bad inflation figures in the euro area, retail in Germany, private consumption in Japan and manufacturing activity in China as markets were firing down.After opening slightly down, went down during the growing morning. Towards 11:00 GMT Paris lost 2.06%, 1.69% in London, Frankfurt 2.84%, Milan 1.78% and 1.61% Madrid.

Overall, "the trend is still fragile," said Marc determined. The debt crisis is indeed a major source of concern, while French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou at 1500 GMT, to "take stock of the situation with him now facing Greece ". After the meeting, "(…) I have the opportunity to say exactly what is our strategy regarding the support that we need a European country like Greece," said Mr Sarkozy.The statement from the Elysee said that in the eyes of Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President, "It resolved the implementation of decisions taken at the summit of July 21 that will overcome the current difficulties the euro area ".

The three main creditors (European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) came back from Greece on Thursday in the country, always in the balance, the payment of $ 8 billion a first loan in Athens in May, needed to avoid a default. After the vote of German and Estonian parliaments Thursday, it was the turn of one of Austria to comment Friday on the EFSF.

The president of the AMF considers that the situation in the markets is "very, very worrying." He said a collapse of the entire global economic system is to be feared. Jean-Pierre Jouyet said that "it is not in a better situation than in 2008."

The chairman of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) Jean-Pierre Jouyet spoke Friday of "situation, very, very worrying" in the markets and expressed concern of a "risk of systemic crisis" able to dive all the world into recession.

"We are in a State of Crisis" with "before us, the risk of systemic crisis", that is to say a collapse of the entire global economic system, noted Mr. Jouyet, questioned France Inter.This is due to "a very high debt in Japan", the "U.S. imbalances that are extremely deep despite recovery plans that do not give great result" and, in Europe, "the sovereign debt crisis," he said former Secretary of State for European Affairs.

"We need urgent action at the international level," he said, hoping that "the Europeans, Americans and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will at least get to make a shared". "This is expected by the markets," he said, "is to see a little clearer." "We are in a situation of a crisis of debt in 2008 was characterized by a rise in private debt, which today is characterized by a rise in public debt, government deficits and imbalances in all the world economies, "he summarized."It turns out that Europe is the epicenter of this crisis." "We're not in a better situation than in 2008," he warned.

Jean-Pierre Jouyet also found that the introduction of a tax on financial transactions, to which he was in favor, could worsen the current liquidity crisis in the euro area. "I am in favor of a tax on financial transactions" but "we must choose when it is made." But "what I said – and I take into consideration in my work – is that today, it will further increase the reluctance of investors, including Anglo-Saxon and American, to respect to the euro area, "said the president of the AMF.

After Paris and Berlin were in favor of such a tax in August, the summit of the major developed and emerging countries of the G20 in Cannes (South of France) should address the issue in early November.Britain and the United States were opposed to establishing such a mechanism. A transaction tax, such as those popularized by the economist James Tobin, is to take a very small percentage of financial flows ..

Obama says he wants to put 447 billion dollars on the table for the fight against unemployment. Will he able to implement its plan? The proposed measures can they walk? Uncertainties abound. Barack Obama October 31, 2010.

Unemployment remains stuck above 9% in popularity to the lowest since his election … For Barack Obama, the fight for employment is the decisive battle of the last years of his term. He then presented a plan Thursday, the American Jobs Act, which promises to spend 447 billion dollars, 300 billion euros, to create and maintain jobs. And despite a budget deficit and a debt of a magnitude abysmal. Is a financial effort of the same level as the Stimulus Plan of 2009.It was 787 billion over two years while the effects of the new plan should focus on 2012.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, quoted by Bloomberg as he believes could have a greater macroeconomic impact. Additional growth is estimated to be 2 percentage points and a one-point drop in the unemployment rate … provided it is fully implemented. For the first unknown of this plan is whether it will be voted on by the Republicans who have displayed more hostility. Aware of the political balance of power, Barack Obama has also favored measures likely to receive support, as this is tax cuts.He also insisted that Republicans had proposed similar measures.

Priority to the reduction of social charges

Obama can talk about his plan as a shock, its revenues have nothing very original. More than half of the plan – $ 240 billion – be used to offset reductions in payroll taxes owed to Social Security.

Employees could then see their 2012 employee contribution rates to 3.1% instead of the already improved rate of 4.2% they receive until the end of the year. Knowing that the standard rate of 6.2%. The objective here is to stimulate activity through consumption by giving purchasing power to them.The problem is that Americans are heavily indebted and some economists fear that some of this money ($ 175 billion, averaging $ 1,500 per family) rather don not in bank vaults in stores .

Companies are not forgotten. Obama breaks new ground even in the matter by proposing to cut the same way the employer contribution rate by half to 3.1%. A reduction that would apply within the first 5 million in payroll to benefit small first. All for a $ 65 billion.

Last "gift", also for companies: a total exemption from social security in case of creation of positions or salary increases. And within the limits of an increase of $ 50 million in payroll.So this is a direct incentive to job creation or wage increases (5 billion).

In total, the White House believes that such measures could create 50,000 jobs per month. Or 600,000 over the year 2012. That compares with the average loss of 35,000 jobs per month in the last quarter. But the New York Times also points out that companies must be able to offer more than 100,000 jobs each month just to cope with population growth

New aid to the unemployed

Here the opposition of Republican likely to be greatest. The White House wants to implement because it boasts as "the most innovative reform of unemployment insurance for 40 years."It aims to maintain the payment of allowances for part-time employees, trainees or unemployed entrepreneurs and set up a special tax credit for hiring long-term unemployed. Added to a fund to finance initiatives for the return to work in the direction of the unskilled and disadvantaged.

$ 140 billion of public investment

These measures Keynesian will involve upgrading transport infrastructure to the tune of $ 50 billion, and the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank. Obama hopes to win in each case the support of elected Republicans who have requested by a line of railway, is a bridge …A strong emphasis on education with the project to upgrade at least 35,000 public schools (30 billion) and freeze up to 280,000 job cuts for teachers, police and fire (at a cost of 35 billion). Not sure that this component easily passes the Cape of Congress.

Finally, two obstacles remain to the effectiveness of the plan of Obama. The funding, first. The U.S. president said he would be fully resolved in the process of reducing the long-term debt of some 1.5 trillion dollars. Task that was entrusted to a bipartisan committee that must report its findings in November. Barack Obama has promised to unveil his own proposals September 19, in the matter.

Then, the American Jobs Act, even if passed in its entirety, is not the absolute anti-crisis weapon. Its effectiveness will depend upon the strength of the economy.Thus the decline of social enterprises, a key measure, may well be theoretically effective, it is not enough to convince an employer to hire if the demand is not there. But the latest indicators in this regard are contradictory. For if consumer spending rebounded in July, trust her, fell in August to its lowest level since November 2008.

It is "imperative" to implement the decisions taken by Heads of State and Government of the euro zone in July to resolve the debt crisis of the Greek said Monday Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the Central Bank (ECB).

European stock markets were down sharply again Monday because of growing doubts about the application of the support plan for Greece developed at the summit on 21 July.

"It is clear that we absolutely need an immediate and imperative that all these decisions are implemented immediately," said Jean-Claude Trichet at a conference of the Institut Montaigne, a "think tank" in Paris.

"One of the strongest recommendations," he said, "is to implement the most comprehensive and rigorous as possible, so no doubt, decisions which have been taken."

The plan of July 21, supposed to give the euro area financial and institutional resources that would enable it to avoid contagion Greek throughout the euro area, must, to come out, be ratified by parliament each of the signatory countries.

But the political obstacles to such ratification have multiplied in recent weeks.Finland wishes and its contribution to the plan is guaranteed by Greek and Athens, Slovakia, the vote of the parliament could only take place in December.

These uncertainties prevent an immediate strengthening of the financial resources of the European Financial Stability (EFSF), which must be able to buy government bonds to support countries in need.

"WE ARE HALFWAY"

Jean-Claude Trichet said more broadly in the global goal to increase "resilience" of individual entities, financial institutions, banks and financial system, "we are half way" .

"We see that we have made significant progress," he said, citing the progress made in the G20, the Financial Stability Forum and the Basel rules on capital III of financial institutions under discussion.

"All our experience leads us to believe that we must implement what was decided and certainly not think that could shake the hand, it would probably be the biggest mistake we can do," he said.

"There are still many things to do, particularly at the Basle Committee, the Financial Stability Forum and the G20 level, particularly with regard to systemic global institutions and national and non-banks."

Jean-Claude Trichet referred again to the slopes for the medium-and long-term European governance.

It is thus, in his opinion, possible to imagine the future that decisions are taken "from the center of the single market to single currency" when a country is unable to implement the recommendations persistent.

Even further in the future, it is possible to imagine the creation of a European confederation, with a confederal government, including a European Minister of Finance.

Jean-Claude Trichet on the other hand raised the issue "important" the need for continuing structural reforms in Europe to increase the growth potential of the continent, citing in particular the Lisbon agenda for growth.

European stock markets are expecting a strong signal on the governance of the euro area. German Chancellor has warned however that we should not expect the summit of spectacular announcements. President Nicolas Sarkozy meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Tuesday, August 16th at the Elysee Palace (both are here in Berlin July 20, 2011)

European shares opened slightly lower Tuesday, opting for caution before the Franco-German summit on the governance of the euro area. After three consecutive sessions of gains, Paris opened down 0.73%, 0.68% from London, Frankfurt 1.02%, Madrid and Milan by 0.65% to 0.28%. Monday, Paris won 0.78%, London 0.57%, 0.41% Frankfurt, Madrid 0.71% and 1.37% on the Swiss Exchange. New York has erased all its losses last week in garnering 1.90% for the Dow and 1.88% for the Nasdaq.

Global financial markets are also showing much more attentive Tuesday.Asian stock markets were the first very hesitant: Tokyo has ended up slightly from 0.23% after a session sawtooth and Sydney ended down slightly by 0.86%. Seoul, closed Monday, was an exception by closing up sharply from 4.83%.

All eyes are on the meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy from 4:00 p.m. at the Elysee Palace in Paris. "The markets are expecting a very strong signal: Is there a pilot on the plane to govern the euro area? Will you finally speak with one voice in the Franco-German and stop to maintain the cacophony that lasts for months and madden investors? "asked a Paris-based analyst who requested anonymity.

But hopes could be quickly showered.Berlin has in fact warned that they should not expect miracles, especially not that the two largest economies in the euro zone agreed to set up Euro-bonds, which would be financially harmful to Germany .

"It seems that there is an acute attention paid to this appointment, and we believe that the margin for a big disappointment," warned analysts at MF Global. This meeting should ultimately focused on the governance of the euro area, following decisions taken by Heads of State and Government of the European end of July.