Archive for August, 2010
Wall Street should open very cautious on Monday, before the employment figures expected later in the week. The index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 advanced 0.08% respectively at 1064.50 points and 1791.75 points to 0.14%.The Dow should open almost at equilibrium.
Friday, already, the New York Stock Exchange had closed up, apparently reassured by the downward revision in less severe than expected U.S. growth in the second quarter U.S. GDP in fact increased by 1.6% in the second quarter against 1.4% expected recently, but against 2.4% expected in the first estimate.
Despite a speech by Ben Bernanke at Jackson Hole somewhat mixed, the U.S. stock market saw on Friday, the Dow Jones climbing 1.6% to 10,150 points and the Nasdaq 1.6% to clinch also 2153 points.
Expenditure and household income to menu
The macroeconomic agenda this week on horseback in August and September will be followed by particular investors. From this Monday, are expected before the opening of trading, will be announced at 14:30, expenditure and household income for the month of August.On Tuesday, it will house prices and economic activity in the Chicago area in August and, finally, the consumer confidence that will be published. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be dominated by such employment with, successively, the ADP employment figures, entries weekly, and finally unemployment figures and the August employment savings account payday advance.
On the corporate side, the spectacle of mergers acquisitions poursuit.3Par soared 25% to 32.5 million.As for her suitors, HP has increased its prices by 3 to 27-30 dollars, Dell has aligned its offer Friday morning on $ 27.
The German manufacturer Infineon Semiconductor announced Monday the sale of his division's wireless, which makes components for mobile phones, to Intel for U.S. $ 1.4 billion (nearly 1.1 billion euros).
The CEO of Sanofi-Aventis, which formalized Sunday his intention to acquire U.S. biotech Genzyme to $ 18.5 billion, said that "some time may elapse" by launching a offer, in an interview with Voices dated Monday.Sanofi-Aventis announced on Sunday a proposal for acquisition of U.S. biotech group Genzyme for a price of 69 dollars per share, totaling $ 18.5 billion (14.5 billion euros).
The Indian government was to meet Monday officials from the Canadian manufacturer of BlackBerry (RIM) to try to break the deadlock over access to encrypted data from the phone, on the eve of the ultimatum on the blocking of two services mail.
French insurer Axa has reduced by almost half its share in the prestigious U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs, the center of criticism for his role in the Greek crisis, according to documents from the regulatory authority of the U.S. markets (SEC) .
In the wake of the end of last week, Asian stock markets continued to grow, especially given that the Nikkei 225 gaining nearly 2% in two days. An emergency meeting of the Central Bank of Japan (BoJ) to stem the yen's strength has been scheduled on Monday. While his American counterpart said he was "ready to implement" such a device, the BoJ decided it to extend its monetary easing.
The yen hardly reacts
The Monetary Policy Committee of the BoJ decided to offer two new types of loans outstanding for a period of three and six months, respectively, twice a week and once or twice a month, in amounts of about 800 billion yen (7.4 billion euros) each. Finally, the amounts spent on these outstanding tools will reach 30,000 billion yen (20.000 billion for the three-month loans and 10,000 million for those six months).Consequence: the yen fell slightly on Monday morning, trading at 85.70 yen to 85.19 yen against the dollar Friday in New York.
This measure was more than welcome by the Asian stock markets. The Nikkei climbed 1.89% to 9161.11 points, the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong gained 0.67% to 20,734.38 points, the China Stock Exchange rose 1.78% to 2909.57 points. Taiwan posted a gain of 0.30% to 7745.71 points, Seoul was up 1.61% to 3696.46 points, ahead of Sydney 1.68% to 4443.30 points. Finally, stock markets in Bombay and Singapore respectively earn 0.47% to 18,083.61 points and 0.57% at 2955.43 points.
Values motor honor
So, the next corporate values exporters benefit from the slight decline in the yen, including automakers. Sony's advance of 1.02% to 2,464 yen, Honda climbed 2.27% to 2875 yen, or 2.85% ahead of Canon at 3600 yen.The rise of Toyota is more limited: 0.17% to 2946 yen.
For their part, crude prices were up Monday in Asia, boosted by reassuring words of the President of the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) Ben Bernanke on the economic recovery of the United States and the good performance of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for October delivery gained 21 cents to 75.38 dollars, while that of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery rose 18 cents to 76.83 dollars.
Tension rose a notch on Friday between the executive and the unions, less than two weeks of mobilization against the pension reform on September 7. "We have entered a power carried by the government," critic Jacques Voisin, chairman of the CFTC. "We will have no lights before the Assembly debate, agrees Marcel Grignard, number two of the CFDT. The government does not want to give grist to the mill workers before mobilization. "The Elysee confirmed:" We will not reveal anything because the unions would benefit from our proposals to demolish in order to mobilize more. "
Eric Woerth's proposal to hold further discussions before considering the text on Sept. 7 failed to calm the ardor of unions to fight. "The minister's letter has also stiffened relations", says Jacques Voisin.The CGT will not lend itself to exchanges which are lip service to the thesis of social dialogue is still alive, so that no real negotiation is still the order of the day ", said Thursday its secretary General, Bernard Thibault.
For him, it will be to decide on the streets: "We're heading for a big day, perhaps even unique, and I can not imagine it will not affect the head of state," he said on RTL radio Friday. The boss of the CGT also judge Nicolas Sarkozy "much more feverish" at this time. In his eyes, his decision not to restrict the device housing assistance for students shows. "This is the topic that would put the students in the street," says a spokesman of the majority. "It's a sign, says Alain Olive, secretary general of the UNSA.Nicolas Sarkozy must remember that this is not the unions that have obtained the withdrawal of the controversial First Employment Contract in 2006, but the presence in the processions of schoolchildren and students. He is wary of a mass effect from them. "
"All the shots are allowed"
Alain Olive, too, considers that "the Elysee concessions are available to show that the president is listening, but only at the margin, on the issues left open (career long, arduous and polypensionnés) before summer . "The Head of State realizes that there are inequalities in policy and that the sum of these injustices becomes problematic," adds Marcel Grignard. Forgery, replica near the Head of State: "Nicolas Sarkozy is serene.He is less worried about the outcome of the reform for the good economic indicators released in recent days show that cuts to the budgets of state and social will be less painful than he thought. But he was more afraid of the reaction of the French on the issue of expenditure on pensions. "Even at the Elysee opinion:" We expect a large-scale mobilization, so it is unlikely that changes our text if so. "
Jean-Claude Mailly, general secretary of FOR, raises the bar "more than two million protesters. Either a higher level than at the last day of mobilization on June 24 "People will have something else in mind that the pension reform, warns Jacques Voisin: laborious recovery, employment, discipline …" But also the case Woerth-Bettencourt."Everyone knows that the reform will be polluted by his supposed status in question," Bernard Thibault launched yesterday, when he had thus far refrained from comment. A little phrase that has infuriated the Head of State, who "has now concluded that all shots are allowed," slips one of his relatives.
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The rebound from last night continues, reinforced by the unemployment figures, fell to 14.30, and better than expected. At the opening, the Dow Jones allows itself to 0.08% 10,061 points, the Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 0.25% advance respectively to 1058 and 0.26% points to 2147 points.
On Thursday, the jobless claims fell more than expected in the U.S. after three weeks of increases, said Thursday in Washington, the Labor Department, which identified 473,000 new requests for allocations from August 15 to 21.
Wednesday on Wall Street's rebound has been sketched primarily due to buying cheap and the results of Toll Brothers and American Eagle Outfitters, welcome. The Dow Jones climbed 0.20% to finally 10 060 points, while the Nasdaq took up 0.84% to 2142 points.
The U.S. Department of Commerce on Wednesday, new home sales in the U.S. for the month of July 2010 have yet to set seasonally adjusted rate of 276 thousand units, the lowest in history, against a consensus site close to 340 thousand. Orders for U.S. durable goods for the month of July 2010 have certainly increased 0.3%, but the consensus was expecting 2.5%.
GDP Friday
Tomorrow, Friday, that the most crucial indicator will be unveiled: the second estimate of GDP growth in the second quarter.This risk, with a sharp drop early in the indices plunge into turmoil.
Dell opts for 3PAR
On the corporate side, Ford (0.71% to 11.40 dollars), the two groups comes as U.S. automaker to announce, with the Japanese Mazda, an investment of 350 million dollars (273 million euros), through their joint venture AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT), for the equipment of a factory in Thailand pick-up of new generation Guaranteed payday loans.
Wal-Mart Stores (-0.17% to 51.46 dollars), has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt a massive partnership action brought by female employees, court documents show Wednesday.
Dell (0.53% to $ 11.85) raised its offer Thursday on the data storage company 3PAR (-1.38% to 26.39 dollars) to 24.30 dollars per share, a superior proposal to one presented by Hewlett-Packard (0.59% to 38.47 dollars). 3PAR has accepted.
Guess picks
The apparel retailer Guess (-9.16% to 34.73 dollars) on Wednesday reported a profit above expectations, but its forecast of annual results is lower than what analysts predicted so far. In the second quarter, Guess reported earnings per share of 72 cents against 68 cents expected by analysts.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which plans to open 2,000 rooms of its Las Vegas Strip in mid-December, has teamed up with hotel chain Marriott International (1.27% to 32.57 dollars).
The world's leading online distribution Amazon.com (+0.29% to 127.22 dollars) announced Wednesday night that most pre-orders for the third generation of his "reading light" electronic Kindle was last soon the first month of opening bookings.
The U.S. giant Apple (0.58% to 244.3 dollars) on 1 September should submit a new version of its iPod media player. Rumors report that the group at the apple could announce a revival of his TV project.
Novell Inc. will release its results after market. And Tiffany, in the night.
Concerns over the debts of European resurface. Rating agency Standard & Poor's considers debt now Ireland's most risky and has degraded the country's rating by one notch to "AA" to "AA-" (the fourth on a scale of 22). To make matters worse, the agency has placed the country under "negative watch", implying that a further revision of the note was not excluded in the medium term.
More than the Irish government's ability to reduce deficits, it is the health of the banking system of the island that worries Standard & Poor's. The financial situation worse than expected some institutions weigh on public finances. "The cost of the projected budgetary support by the Irish financial sector in the country has considerably increased compared to our initial estimates," Xinhua, which also supports the Irish strategy.
On 10 August the European Commission has authorized the Irish government to urgently inject 8.6 billion euros in the capital of Anglo Irish Bank. A sum that could be raised to 10 billion. "Given the recent announcement of new capital injections in the Anglo Irish Bank, our latest projections show that Ireland's public debt will increase to 113% of GDP in 2012, argued Standard & Poor's . "This is well above projected levels for countries that enjoy the same rating level, such as Belgium or Spain."
Stress tests are too soft
Ireland has reacted strongly after the decision to Standard & Poor's. The analysis of the agency "relies heavily on an extreme estimate of the cost of recapitalizing banks 50 billion euros, has criticized the agency managing the public debt."We believe that this approach is biased."
Investors, however, expected a further deterioration of the country score. "The cost of insurance against default risk of the Irish debt (or CDS for" Credit default swap) has recently increased in the markets, the degradation is therefore a confirmation that the markets have already seen, " Otis Casey remark, Vice President of Markit financial information agency.
For Glenn Maguire, chief economist at Societe Generale CIB, degradation of the note Irish and Anglo Irish Bank situation revives debate on European bank stress tests. The decision by Standard & Poor's "implies that" stress tests "should be more frequent and more stressful …" according to the economist.The European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Olli Rehn, has also suggested Tuesday that these operations could be organized more often.
In response to the deterioration of the Irish notes, interest rates on debt leapt on Wednesday morning. By midmorning, the rate at ten years Irish reached 5.414%, 5.358% on Tuesday night against the closure. In its wake, the rates in Spain and Greece in particular rose. Markets also eagerly awaited the results of a bond issue at 6 Portuguese and 10 years started in the morning.
Danone sees life tutti frutti. The French giant agro-food is strengthening effect on the fruit drinks market with the acquisition of 100% Immédia, number three smoothies in France. The acquisition was finalized in late July, said Sabrina Schneider, communications director for Danone confirming information published on Tuesday in the daily La Tribune.
After the expensive acquisition of Medical Nutrition and merge with the Russian Unimilk, the operation is limited in scope: Danone said that the turnover of Immédia for 2009 is "almost" 4 million euros.
Danone already has a foothold in the market for fruit smoothies and other drinks in this April, the group created a joint venture with US-based Chiquita to market these products in Europe. But the group was not present on this segment in France.This is done with the acquisition of Immedia, founded in 2005 that distributes its products in France. Step by step, the group strengthens its position on products made from fruits, healthy products to high nutritional qualities that correspond to the axis of development chosen by the French group.
At the Paris Bourse, the title Danone was down 0.92% to 41.12 euros while the CAC 40 was down 1.40%.
A month after the European Union, the United States have announced they are appealing the ruling last June by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the dispute between Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, Boeing on public subsidies to the European manufacturer. Although the United States and the U.S. aircraft manufacturer had considered the conviction of the European Union by the WTO as a "great victory lawful," they were only half satisfied. "The Judgement of June was a very important victory for employees in the aeronautics and helped make it more fair competition for them.However, the Dispute Settlement Body has made two errors, and the United States rely on these findings, "said the spokesman for the USTR, Nefeterius McPherson.
Overseas, we accepted fact that the aid granted to Airbus for forty years "was not part of an ongoing program to assist" state services of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
The United States does not intend to stop there, nor the European Commission, which requested from July 21 "corrections or clarifications" on seven points. Brussels rejects such reimbursable advances for Germany, Spain and Great Britain are "export subsidies", as held by the WTO in June.The WTO had made a decision on June 30 that gave largely due to a complaint filed by the United States in 2004.
The trial's verdict on the aid given to Airbus will not be made until three months, the WTO has decided to extend the treatment of Appeal of the European aircraft manufacturer. Moreover, the WTO must also rule on a complaint of Airbus against Boeing for the same reasons for subsidies. The final decision could be made in September.
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A net profit down 28% in the first half of 2010. As expected, the insurer Axa unveils impacted net income by the sale of part of its activities to the United Kingdom, according to a statement released Wednesday. But at 944 million euros, it appears well above expectations of analysts who had forecast of 623 million euros.
At the announcement in late June, the assignment to the British insurer Resolution a part of its business life, savings and retirement in the United Kingdom, CEO Henri de Castries had indicated that the operation would force the group to see a loss of about 1.4 billion euros. She finally reached 1.478 billion.
Besides this exception, the operating income was down slightly more, from 3% to 2.082 billion euros, as markets anticipate that 1.884 billion.A decline mainly due to the declining contribution of the activity damage (-9%) and asset management (-15%), partly offset by a 6% increase in operating income for life, savings and retirement.
The total turnover of AXA was up by 1.4% to 49.9 billion euros in the first six months of the year.
In exchange, the title Axa lost 10.9% since the beginning of the year, while the European index DJStoxx insurance is up 3.16%.
Marge and emerging areas in the crosshairs
Henri de Castries, CEO of the group, commenting on these results this morning on the group's website, said that the figures "show the strength of (our) model and the ability to do what we said we would do to give pride of our margins and long term. "AXA is pleased to have increased its margin on new business, to 19.1%, against 16% a year ago.
The emerging areas, particularly targeted by the group as part of its strategy for growth, have reached a good performance. In southeast Asia and China, the new business activity has almost doubled from one year to another. In Hong Kong and Australia, business is good too (+19% and +18%). Other key points of the group, Central Europe and East, including Turkey.France, the United States and Japan, they, are still difficult times, with decreases in activity by 12%, 12% and 13%.
AXA Asia Pacific: the benefit flexes
AXA Asia Pacific, the target of a takeover bid of 11.5 billion U.S. dollars from National Australia Bank, reported Wednesday a 19% drop in its first-half profit attributable to the fragile financial markets.
AXA Asia Pacific has announced a profit of 219.2 million Australian dollars for the first six months of the year, a figure in line with market expectations.
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LE FIGARO. – How do you analyze the performance of Arkema?
Thierry LE HENAFF. – Our EBITDA in the second quarter is by far the best performance we've ever done. This shows the transformation of the company, whose effects had been masked by the crisis. Our net income in the quarter was equal to that recorded on all our best year in 2007. Arkema has turned a corner. We change category. After a sharp rebound in the first quarter, we have found in the second quarter activity level relatively close to its pre-crisis. Our turnover has increased by 27% at constant, a rate comparable to the leaders of the chemical industry.
What are the springs of your performance?
The chemical industry reflects developments in the global economy. We followed four strategic since 2005.Improving our competitiveness first. Late 2010, we have reduced our fixed costs by up to 10% of turnover, or 600 million euros in savings. Then, we placed more on Asia. We benefit from growth in China, where we have invested 300 million euros in a few years. Our goal is to achieve over 10% of our sales in this country in 2014, against 6% today. Third axis of our strategy, we have developed innovations in sustainable development and high performance materials. We draw therefore from the growing interest in photovoltaics, polymers used in automotive, new energy, lithium-ion batteries … Last Axis: the acquisitions to improve our business portfolio.We made a number of acquisitions in crisis, price crisis.
Is the crisis behind it?
Yes. 2007 and 2008 were years of historically high for the chemical sector. We got back on activity levels of 2005 and 2006, with the exception of the construction sector, for which we must remain attentive. We are generally confident about the rest of the year. There is still no recovery in the construction, some 15 of our trades eventually go less well, such as cars, but we will see an improvement on others, such as oil and gas.
Your French operations are profitable?
France is the country where we are least profitable. We have suffered greatly in 2009. This year is better, but there is still a gap compared to other countries. There is still work to do to improve our competitiveness.We must nevertheless note that we are making 50-60% of our investment in France.
The crisis has played a role in accelerating power for China. Faced with the slowdown in traditional engines of the planet are the U.S. and Japan, the People's Republic sees himself propelled to the rank of second largest economy, instead of his neighbor nippon, but still far behind the United States. "China is already the second biggest economy, has said over the weekend Yi Gang, director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), in charge of foreign exchange controls.
In an interview with the magazine China Reform and accepted by the site of the Safe, Responsible merely formalizes what everybody expected this year. The calculation is done quickly. In late 2009, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Japan 5070 billion was already closely followed by that of China, to 4980 billion.With an expected growth of 9.5% throughout the year and 11.1% in first half against less than 3% for its neighbor, the Middle Kingdom has probably exceeded that of the Rising Sun between April and June And this, ironically, even as the country tries to avoid overheating. Manufacturing production slowed further in July for the second straight month, thanks to measures limiting credit growth and real estate speculation.
The Chinese authorities do not brag with their new status as world's second largest economy, since many challenges remain before inevitably take the top spot in a couple of years, according to the World Bank. "The problem of China's economy is the quality of its growth.Why we must proceed with structural adjustment and transform our business model, "said Yi Gang, referring to the refrain that government consumption has to take over investment and exports as an engine of growth.
The gap will shrink
This ongoing concerns prompt the government to closely monitor all aspects of the economy, starting with the very sensitive political exchange. Referring to the convertibility of the yuan, Yi Gang made it clear that no timetable had been arrested. China becomes the heir of the world economy without having an international currency.
But Beijing is still more to paradoxes, mixing the issues of developing countries with those of a rich country. Imbalances continue to widen between rural and urban, rich and poor.Before he finished his economic metamorphosis, the Middle Kingdom is already old. Today, six active contributors per pensioner, they will be more than two in 2040.
In fifteen years, GDP per capita – U.S. $ 3,600 in 2009 – will probably still not caught up with its rivals, with $ 42,000 for the United States and 37,800 in Japan. But the gap is very narrow. Yi Gang expects Chinese growth between 7% and 8% in the decade ahead.
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