Posts Tagged ‘monetary’

Greece between external pressures and general strike

February 6, 2012 - 3:55 pm Comments Off

The Greek government's negotiations with the major political parties to agree on new austerity measures are dragging. The euro zone is getting impatient. And the unions called a general strike Tuesday. A retired manifest in Athens against the austerity measures December 15, 2011

The difficult negotiations between the Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos government and political parties are expected to continue Tuesday, while Greece will be a general strike, to wrest the downstream parties to reforms demanded by the EU and the IMF.

As the day until late at night, Mr. Papademos was to meet Monday evening the Troika representing the country's creditors, EU, IMF and ECB, whose patience is sorely tested by the length of the bargaining.

The hope is to conclude a political agreement Monday between the leaders of the three government parties, George Papandreou (Socialist), Antonis Samaras (Conservative), and George Karatzaferis (far right), on measures to implement was away with the "very likely" to report Tuesday to the meeting originally scheduled for Monday, according to a government source. "Negotiations continue

. There are still issues to resolve," said a government source told AFP in order to justify this new deadline. The challenge is to put an end to three weeks of negotiating a double, both with foreign creditors and the three political leaders, on the modalities for the further course of rigor required by countries in return for a second plan bailout of 130 billion euros.

To release these funds, and also endorse the erase operation 100 billion debt by private creditors, institutional lenders require an explicit commitment to MM. Papandreou, Samaras and Karatzaferis, in turn reluctant to countersign and unpopular measures that could deepen the recession. But the length of the bargaining has the patience to creditors.

Discussions are "already beyond the time," warned Monday Amadeu Altafaj, spokesman for the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn, noting that Brussels had relied on an outcome this weekend. Meeting in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have also increased their pressure.

"The Greeks have made commitments, they must scrupulously respect, there is no choice, time is short, it's a matter of days, now we must conclude" Sarkozy said. Sarkozy and Merkel also wanted the money paid by creditors to Greece (as a slice) is blocked in an account "to be sure that this money will be permanently available" to ensure service payments of debt.

Athens has a vital need for new aid to avoid default on 20 March, at maturity of debt of 14.5 billion euros. After five hours of Sunday in discussions with the three leaders, Mr. Papademos expressed an agreement on the extent of cost savings (about 3.3 billion euros) on the implementation of reforms aimed at lowering production costs and on a scheme to recapitalize banks.

According to media reports, the recent negotiations should focus on cutting the amount provided in supplementary pensions, the reduction demanded by the EU and the IMF in the minimum wage and on a proposed 15,000 layoffs in the public fast. The two leaders were right when they left the meeting raised their voices against the rigors advocated, but Mr. Karatzaferis then shared developments "satisfactory". The Socialist Party, which ruled the country until the November ouster of Mr. Papandreou, former Prime Minister-elect is ready "to show the same sense of responsibility" than before, for his part said his door voice, Panis Beglitis. But it does give the green light "that if an agreement on all of everything," he warned.

The Ministry of Finance has in turn ruled out the hypothesis of a deletion of two of the 14 months' salary in the private sector, despised by Mr. Samaras. Most newspapers were betting on a deal Monday morning's final trio Greek politics, which would allow Mr. Papademos lead to a close parallel final agreement on debt restructuring with private creditors.

The two largest unions, GSEE and ADEDY for the private to the public, also anticipated an agreement calling for a general strike Tuesday 24H, which is particularly disturbing schools, links with the islands, public transport and administration. A demonstration is planned in the center of Athens in mid-day.  

The new measures "are the chronicle of a death foretold (…), the goal is to bring down the entire law of labor and reduce wages by 20 to 30% in addition to cuts already made," he said President of GSEE, Iannis Panagopoulos. With ADEDY, GSEE had already organized six general strikes in 2011, but failed to bend donors. The leftist opposition, communist and radical, for its part is mounted to the front by announcing events on Monday night.

The EU rejected the proposed merger of Deutsche Boerse, NYSE Euronext

February 1, 2012 - 7:35 am Comments Off

Deutsche Börse announced Wednesday that the proposed merger with NYSE Euronext was blocked by the European Union. The trading of the NYSE Euronext has been suspended pending a statement from the group. The Competition Commissioner, Joaquin Almunia, who must hold a news conference at 12:30 to announce its decision, recommended last week the Commission to oppose the project. Deutsche Boerse, the operator of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and NYSE Euronext, which includes the New York Stock Exchange and the Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lisbon, presented in February of Last year their planned merger. But the prospect of the new entity control over 90% of listed derivatives market in Europe has raised concerns for competition in this market.

Societe Generale talk job cuts with unions

November 15, 2011 - 4:25 pm Comments Off

Societe Generale plans to eliminate hundreds of positions in its Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) to adapt its activities to the crisis in the euro area, have indicated Tuesday the unions of the bank at the end of a meeting with the CEO Frédéric Oudéa.

As BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole, SocGen launched in September a plan for savings and reducing the size of its balance sheet to enhance its financial strength and reduce its financing needs in dollars, after seeing its market capitalization s' collapse during the summer.

November 8, 2011 - 7:15 pm Comments Off

Search Valquant expects to triple the share price between 2013 and 2018, the company specializes in financial advisory finding that the attractive valuations and the prospect of a new cycle of rising secular justification to invest in this asset class .

Valquant does not exclude a relapse "serious and imminent threat" of a market still under reconstruction, stock prices remain extremely volatile and the risk remains very important in an economy close to recession.

The analyst firm has also expanded its area of ​​neutrality on the actions between 3100 and 3700 points on the CAC 40 index.

"The shares are cheap or very cheap (…Germany is not as virtuous people think (…) The problem is that we are dealing with a debt that does not generate growth, "he said.

"PERFORMANCE DEPOSIT"

Usually difficult, the month of October was marked this year by the rebound in stock exchanges, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index containing 7.65% after falling by about 18% in the first nine months of 2011.

Cyclical stocks have supported this rebound thanks to a renewed optimism, automotive bouncing from 15.75% last month after a decline of 27.21% between January and September, and the building containing 11 , 64% (-25.88% over the first nine months).

Early elections on February 19 in Greece

November 7, 2011 - 7:35 am Comments Off

The Greek Ministry of Finance announced that new elections would be held on February 19. This date has been set by the leaders of the country's two main parties, George Papandreou and Antonis Samaras. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou during the vote in Parliament of a new austerity plan, June 30, 2011.

The two main Greek political parties that have managed Sunday evening to a political agreement to form a national unity government agreed that February 19 would be the most appropriate date for the elections, said the Greek Ministry of Finance.

Troika recommended to pay the sixth tranche of aid to Greece

October 20, 2011 - 2:15 pm Comments Off

The "troika" of international donors in Greece recommends to pay as soon as possible to Athens a sixth tranche of aid, despite the dynamic "serious concern" of government debt, according to its draft report.

The economic crisis in Greece is much more severe than expected, the debt situation has deteriorated in recent months and it may be necessary to revise downward its growth forecast over the medium term, we read in this and other Reuters report that was obtained Thursday.

He concludes, however, that further action on budget revenues and expenditures should allow Greece to meet its deficit target in 2012, even if it lacks that of 2011.

The report of the European Commission was prepared with the assistance of the European Central Bank but the International Monetary Fund, the third member of the "troika", which writes its own report on its side.

The Commission and the ECB to pay recommend using "as soon as possible, as soon as previous initiatives agreed on fiscal consolidation, privatization and labor market reform announced by the government have been included in the law."

Greece needs the help of eight billion euros to avoid becoming insolvent in mid-November.

"DYNAMIC CONCERN"

The Troika also finds that the previous projection of a growth close to 3% per year over the period 2015-2020 can not be achieved "in the case of a marked acceleration of structural reform initiatives, including privatization."

She noted deficiencies and delays in implementing fiscal reforms but added that additional measures "are the projection of a deficit in 2012 in line with the agreed ceiling" without the gap or deficit in 2011 fully met.

The Greek financial sector remains fragile due to a drying up of liquidity, deposits continue to decline and banks remain highly dependent on the ECB for financing.

"The dynamics of public debt remains extremely worrying," says the draft report of donors, adding that debt levels remain high "for many years."

"Compared with the prospect of a few months ago, the debt situation has actually deteriorated," they continued, referring in particular the delay in reforms "and the prospect of a recapitalization banks ".

Athens will be at least a quarter behind schedule for privatization, for administrative reasons but also because market conditions have deteriorated in the third quarter, especially on the Athens Stock Exchange, also explains the document.

Parliament validates the extension of EFSF the Netherlands

October 7, 2011 - 2:15 am Comments Off

The Dutch parliament voted Thursday in favor of enlargement of the European financial stability.

Of the 150 member lower house of parliament of the Netherlands, 96 spoke in favor of the proposal.

Now, only Malta and Slovakia have not yet given the green light.

All the parliaments of the Member States of the euro area will have to give before the expansion of EFSF to take effect.

Airbus exacerbates the gap with Boeing for eight months

September 6, 2011 - 9:25 am Comments Off

Airbus said Tuesday that its net orders had reached 1,015 units in August 31, widening the gap with its rival Boeing.

The European aircraft manufacturer, a subsidiary of EADS, has seen its gross orders reach 1,156 units in eight months, and canceled orders was $ 141.

The manufacturer also announced it has delivered 334 aircraft since the beginning of the year.

By comparison, the U.S. manufacturer had received 370 net orders at the end of August.

However, Boeing hopes to catch up with her future MAX 737 for which it said it had received commitments for 496 aircraft orders.

Airbus had already struck his great American rival to the air show in June

Up 4.7% of corporate loans in July

September 3, 2011 - 3:25 pm Comments Off

Corporate loans remained strong in July in France, rising 4.7% after rising 4.9% in June, according to figures released Friday by the Bank of France.

These are loans to SMEs that grew the most (5.9% and 8.3% for SMEs in a group), as real estate (+8.0%).

Loans to large companies have found a growth of about 2% (against 1.3% yoy in June) and those granted to holding companies and administrations have slowed (+0.5%).

The funds mobilized slowed to 3.8% from 7.6% in late June, a decline linked to the sharp decline in the volume of mobilized a company that completed an acquisition, said the Bank of France.

In contrast, the funds made available have accelerated 5.0% after 4.1% in late June

Pursuit of debt buybacks Italian and Spanish

August 8, 2011 - 2:45 pm Comments Off

European central banks have conducted in the afternoon to buy back bonds in Italy and Spain, told Reuters on Monday several traders.

These movements occur after the ECB decision to repurchase debt Italy and Spain to try to stem the fiscal crisis that has shaken the euro area.

"I saw the central banks – the Bank of Italy and others – again active in the market," reported one trader.

According to professionals, the ECB had done in the morning to buy back debt on the Italian and Spanish market tickets for 20 to 25 million euros. It should be acquired for several billion euros in late afternoon.