News – Business & Economi

The housing market has included nine in the third quarter the prospect of a relapse into recession in the French economy with lower sales and housing starts, according to data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Housing.

More than 26,400 homes were sold in the third quarter, nearly 2,700 more than in the second quarter but 12.9% less than for the corresponding period of 2010.

Of the last four quarters, the number of sales totaled 101,300 or 10.7% less than in the previous four quarters.

A 71,600 homes at the end of the third quarter, the stock of new homes for sale is 14.4% higher than the third quarter of 2010.

France will nominate Coeuré Benedict, number two in the Treasury, the Executive Board of the European Central Bank to replace Italy's Lorenzo Bini Smaghi. ECB

Benedict heart, which should become the representative of France to the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB), is a senior specialist in international finance, who was previously the number two position of the Treasury. Coeuré Benedict, 42, was appointed Thursday by Paris to serve on the Executive Board of the ECB, which will replace Italy's Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, who resigned.

This brilliant economist and author of numerous articles and a graduate of Japan, has spent most of his career at the French Treasury. He led a parallel career as a teacher and researcher in the circle of economists, an influential economic think-tank. From 1997 to 2002, he holds the office of Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury.Heart is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole National Statistical and Economic Administration (ENSAE).

Right in the debate on greater involvement of the European Central Bank (ECB) in the rescue of the euro, the institution claimed to have bought nearly 8 billion euros of bonds fragile last week against four, 5 billion the previous week. ECB

The European Central Bank (ECB) announced Monday that it bought nearly 8 billion euros of government bonds on the secondary market over a week against nearly 4.5 billion euros over the previous seven days. The total purchases of the ECB as part of this program, which began in May 2010 when the emergence of the Greek debt crisis, this is close to the threshold of 200 billion euros (194.5 billion euros).

The ECB never gives details of its operations, to know which country and how much it bought the debt.

International creditors of Greece did not convince the leader of the Conservatives Saturday, Antonis Samaras, engage in writing for the austerity measures required for new aid.

The leader of New Democracy, one of three teams who sit in the national unity government led by Lucas Papademos, reiterated that his word was enough and that a written guarantee was unnecessary.

European leaders are concerned that the parties are reluctant to implement unpopular reforms before the elections on February 19.

Antonis Samaras has already announced that it was an absolute majority at the polls to renegotiate the terms of the European aid plan.Creditors are willing to block eight billion euros needed to Athens to avoid default next month.

Representatives of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also met with former Prime Minister George Papandreou, leader of the Socialist Party (PASOK), which had no comment.

They should also meet Sunday with Georgios Katzaféris, leader of the far-right party Laos, the third member of the coalition.

"THERE WILL BE A SOLUTION"

In an interview with the weekly Sunday Real News, the leader of Laos suggests that it will sign a written undertaking.

"Do we need the money or not? If the answer is no, we do not sign.

Italy has agreed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) monitors its progress on economic and structural reforms, said on Friday European source.

The European Commission and the IMF will each report on how Italy is meeting its objectives, particularly with regard to pension reform and labor, the source said.

"Italy has no objection to be monitored, even if the IMF is involved," she said, adding that credit line was not seen as a credible option for the country, lack of confidence markets in its plans for fiscal consolidation.

In Berlin, the worlds of energy and finance very seriously discuss the creation of a foundation that would take over the management of German nuclear power plants to improve the investment capacity of major operators in the renewable. A nuclear power plant in Bavaria.

The revelation of the existence of a project to create a "bad bank" to manage public the twilight of the 17 German nuclear power plants causes a controversy surrounding the funding of the output of nuclear power. In its edition of Friday, October 7, the business daily Handelsblatt confirmed that it held the plans for such a project. Developed by the investment bank Lazard, it is currently under discussion between government and big energy companies.According to the newspaper, the Bad Bank would take the form of a foundation to which we would transfer the management of power plants owned by EON, RWE, Vattenfall and EnBW, the four major German operators of nuclear power. The ultimate goal would be to delegate the responsibility of dismantling the foundation to restore financial credibility of their owners and thus increase their ability to invest in renewable energy.

The dismantling will cost 28 billion

The plan, which is still called "secret", poses the problem of financing the abandonment of nuclear energy in Germany. This abandonment, which requires to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix currently 20% German and 35 in 10 years, should cost around 250 billion euros, according to estimates by the state bank KfW.In ten years, Germany will therefore have to adapt its grid to the mode of decentralized production of renewable energy. Expensive sites such as strengthening the north-south but also the construction of many regional lines to low voltage are on the program, as well as the construction of new gas power plants and cogeneration and the erection of multiple wind farms and PV. Meanwhile, companies but also individuals should invest more in equipment and housing less voracious.Moreover, the cost of phasing out nuclear power plants was assessed at least 18 billion euros, which will add at least 10 billion for reprocessing and storage of radioactive fuel not included.

The development bank KfW has provided 100 billion euros over the next 5 years to meet the needs of corporate finance. But they and their shareholders, will also participate to a large extent these investments. However, the financial position of the four major energy producers in Germany has not improved since Angela Merkel urged the country to the output of nuclear power. The cessation of all nuclear power plants by 2022 will deprive them of lucrative profits. They also will have to invest heavily in non-polluting power plants and the production of renewable energy.

A very controversial Bed Bank

The predicted fall in profitability is not made to attract investors. Already, rating agencies have downgraded to EON and RWE, which in future will have to pay more for the money. Hence the idea of ​​the foundation. In the scenario described, operators freely transfer their plants in the foundation. It would become responsible for their management and their dismantling and storage of fuel. In return, the Foundation would benefit from the income generated by the plant operating until 2022. Nearly 15 billion euros. Or 13 billion euros less than the cost of decommissioning.The difference would be borne by the state in exchange for a recognition of debts that can not be deleted if these companies are investing in renewable much higher.

This is only for the moment that the outline of an unofficial plan but some find difficult to avoid. Michael Vassiliadis, president of the powerful union IG BCE Energy, believes it will be difficult to meet the challenge of phasing out nuclear power by passing capacity of large energy companies. But Ms. Bärbel Höhn, vice president of the Bundestag parliamentary group environmentalist, does not share this view: "I have rarely seen a plan as naive and transparent.This project led to the foundation of the risks that outsourcing will return to offer a lot of money to EON and RWE, "she said by stating that the plant operators had long been provisioned as are needed to decommissioning. As for Hermann Albers, President of Federation of the main companies in the wind (Bundesverband Windenergie), it considers that these plans are outrageous because again, "they are negotiated in secret" and "it is the consumer who will costs ":" The turning point energy can do without monopolistic structures. Its interest lies in the fact that it will promote a decentralized supply and promote competition, "he said.

The left won Sunday for the first time under the Fifth Republic by an absolute majority by winning the 25 extra seats it needed, seven months before the presidential election in France. View from the Senate at the Palais du Luxembourg

The left won 265 Sunday in September 2011 a historic victory in Senate elections by toggling the Second Chamber of Parliament in his camp, for the first time of the Fifth Republic, causing a political upheaval in seven months of présidentiellme. "For the first time, the Senate knows alternating" said the boss very moved senators PS, Jean-Pierre Bel. While all the results were not yet arrived, he announced that the left had "175 senators, that is to say beyond the majority". "The change is underway," he added.François Hollande, a candidate for the PS primary, leading in the polls, saw "a breakdown of the system Sarkozy", "prescient" in 2012.

As in the day, the results are severe for the majority who have fallen. The Minister of the City, Maurice Leroy, beaten, won an eighth seat on the left in Paris where the UMP holds only two senators. A gain of one seat to the left in the President's own Department of the Senate UMP Gérard Larcher. Loiret, Isère, Nord, Pas de Calais, Hauts-de-Seine, Val de Marne, Oise, Manche, Pyrénées Orientales … the list of departments where the left rose grows signing a very strong push for the opposition. "More than two senators UMP in Paris is a historical and political defeat," he triumphed Anne Hidalgo, Deputy PS first mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe.Pierre Charon, suspended from the UMP to dissent and still elected, made a triumphant arrival in the Senate.

Progresses across the left

The re-election in the first round in the Loiret department traditionally right out of Senator Jean-Pierre Sueur and that, in the Morbihan, the outgoing Herviaux Odette, also PS, gave the signal for the win at midday . In the wake of victory in the Pyrenees-Orientale President of the Regional Council of Languedoc-Roussillon, "frêchiste" Christian Bourquin confirmed the trend.This is "a historical progression to the left and an unquestionable sanction for the UMP," said the PS first secretary of Acting, Harlem Désir, came to the Senate shortly after the primary candidate for the PS and Martine Aubry that of François Hollande.

This victory is particularly favorable for the latter, a large majority of senators voted for PS having the member of Corrèze. Has lost the right departments since it held almost always as the Lozere. "The left is progressing everywhere, you feel a groundswell," assured of Public Sénat, the Socialist Party national secretary in charge of elections, Christopher Borgel. It is a defeat all the more important that there is "a denial of the right of the electors," added Michel Delebarre, Mayor of Dunkirk and PS top of the list in the North where the left won a seat and missed the sixth to one vote.Gérard Longuet ministers (Defence) and Chantal Jouanno (Sport) were elected.

At seven months of the presidential defeat sounds like a very bad signal to President Nicolas Sarkozy. Saturday will be the election of the President of the Senate and a majority of the left should result in a leftist president. Catherine Tasca should try his luck against Jean-Pierre Bel, which theoretically should succeed the perch to Mr. Larcher. The left Sunday's success to his victories in recent local elections (municipal, regional, cantonal). The right wing has suffered from its strong divisions and strong discontent of local officials, who have unwelcome territorial reform and consolidation of Commons forced march led by the prefects.

Failures and start-ups fell by 3.5% and 21% in the first half in France over the same period last year, Coface said on Monday.

The decrease is due creations, according to the credit insurer, for a lesser interest in the status of entrepreneur.

The number of failures has reached 32,655, a level that is far from the pre-crisis, when the failures did not exceed 30,000 a semester, said Coface.

Only five sectors are increasing the number of failures, including transportation (9%), food (7%) and distribution (5%). Pharmaceutical, energy and agriculture and fisheries recorded in contrast to declines of more than 20%.

The number of jobs threatened by bankruptcy decreases by 7% over the first half of 2010.The failure of a company threatened 3.3 jobs on average in late June against 3.5 in late 2010.

The half saw a decrease of 19.6% in the number of creations, with nearly 320,000 new entities created, including 21% for businesses, which represent 85% of all creations.

The U.S. economy in the second quarter growth initially announced lower, weighed down by business inventories and exports despite the upward revision to consumer spending.

The second estimate published Friday by the Commerce Department, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States rose by 1.0% over the period April to June, against 1.3% in preliminary data.

Analysts had expected a growth rate revised to 1.1%.

"This is entirely consistent with what we expected and the slowdown was observed during the first half of the year.We expect some downward revision, which reflects the headwinds that the recovery is facing, "Judge Paul Ballew, Nationwide Insurance.

This figure revised down is mainly due to lower inventory accumulation by firms estimated initially. Companies saw their stocks increased $ 40.6 billion, against 49.6 billion according to preliminary figures, subtracting 0.23 percentage point growth rate.

GDP was also impacted by lower exports announced, with an increase of 3.1% against 6.0% in the first estimate.Imports rose 1.9% (revised from 1.3%), which has almost wiped out the contribution of foreign trade to growth, previously amounted to 0.58 percentage point.

"Net exports and stocks seem to be the big piece of this downward revision.Overall it's still consistent with a recovery very soft so these figures do not generate optimism. "

The bad news, however, have been offset by consumer spending, which reflected an increase of 0.4% (revised from 0.1%).

Final sales rose 1.2% against 1.1% in the first estimate and consensus of 1.0%, while business spending were revised up to 9.9% as against 6 3%.

The PCE price index rose 3.2% over the quarter (revised from 3.1%) after 3.9% in the first quarter. Economists surveyed had forecast 3.1% between April and JuneAs for the price index of basic ("core"), which excludes volatile items and is followed closely by the Federal Reserve, it reflects a slight lull on the inflation front with an increase of 2 , 1% (revised from 2.2%).

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.