News & Financial Advice

Sales distributors in the United States have reached record during the long weekend of Thanksgiving, which marks the beginning of the holiday season and New Year, buyers are coming in numbers to take the early opening of shops and attractive promotions.

These sales were up 16.4% over the same period a year earlier to 52.4 billion (39.25 billion euros), according to data released Sunday by the National Federation of the distribution ( NRF).

A total of 226 million people traveled between Thursday and Sunday in stores or on online sales sites.This is also an unprecedented level, compared with 212 million last year.

Among the big winners of the weekend appears Best Buy, one of the stores that opened its doors at midnight on the night of Thanksgiving.

If you have bad credit, you may have problems getting a loan from these places, or they may charge you such a high rate of interest it is not worth it. Instead, consider your other options, such as a cash loan from a payday loan company.

The Financial Markets Authority (AMF) French said Wednesday it has sanctioned two investment management companies, ADRs and Alternative Leaders France France, for failures of control and monitoring related to massive fraud orchestrated by Bernard Madoff until 2008 .

The fines amounted to 300,000 euros and 150,000 euros EIM France for Alternative Leaders France (ALF), the AMF said in a statement.

The exhibition of these two companies to the Madoff fraud was at the time of the revelation of it, from 63.5 million to three million ADRs and for ALF, said the AMF.

Adidas announced Thursday a further increase its sales outlook for 2011, thanks to strong demand for its sports goods in emerging markets and expansion of its stores.

The number two manufacturer of sporting goods after Nike has identified three times its sales prospects this year.

The German group now expects growth in its turnover by nearly 12%, adjusted for exchange rate changes, against a target of 10% previously announced, the company announced Thursday.

For 2012, Adidas is an increase from 10 to 15% of its earnings per share, a year that will be paid by the UEFA Cup and 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Its turnover is expected to grow between 5 and 10% next year, adjusted for currency movements.

The group's operating income in the third quarter 2011 rose 7.3% to 441 million euros, in line with analysts' expectations, which stood at 442 million.

The quarterly revenue rose to 3.74 billion euros, slightly higher than the expected 3.65 billion.

The level of satisfaction in life is to the French 7.3 out of 10, according to a study. Not surprisingly, satisfaction increases with the standard of living. Participants at the 13th edition of the Paris Techno Parade (September 2011)

The French are quite happy in their lives, and they are all the more as their incomes rise, according to a study released Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE). "In France in 2010, when we ask people to indicate their level of satisfaction in life, they meet an average of 7.3 on a scale of 0 to 10", is the INSEE.

This study was conducted following the report presented in 2009 by Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz.This report commissioned by President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested to complete the measurement of economic growth, currently estimated by the gross domestic product (GDP), indicators of "well being" taking into account the non-market activities (housework, leisure …) or inequality.

The money buys happiness

According to INSEE, 92% of respondents said a satisfaction greater than or equal to 5, and 60% even give themselves a score between 7 and 9. "The satisfaction increases systematically with the standard of living," said he: it rose from an average of 6 to 10% of the most modest at 7.8 for the 10% most affluent.Similarly, the French have more difficulties, to make ends meet month to pay their bills or have adequate housing, more dissatisfaction is high.

However, most high-income, "plus gain satisfaction is low and other dimensions that the income involved," said INSEE. "The money buys happiness, but only to a certain extent," he told AFP Fabrice Lenglart, Director of Demographic and Social Statistics at INSEE. "This is the first time that we assess subjective indicators. The main interest is to be correlated with objective data that we used to collect," he added.

After the material living conditions, health problems have a strong impact on the well-being felt.Other factors include age (45-49 years are the least satisfied) and the situation vis-à-vis employment (the unemployed are significantly more dissatisfied than assets). Residents of rural communities say they are on their side slightly more satisfied than city dwellers.

The study was conducted in May and June 2010 with a panel of 10,000 households representative of the so-called ordinary French metropolitan population over 16 years, interviewed face to face.

Europe wants to impose further cuts in the salaries of the Greeks. Prime Minister refuses a new social massacre. In fact, the daily population is becoming increasingly untenable. Testimonials. One protester surrounded by police at a rally anti-austerity Thessaloniki.

Greece "will not become India." With these words the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, said the creditors of the country which call for new cuts in wages in the private sector and lower the minimum wage. The country will not meet its targets for deficit reduction this year, its lenders demanded additional sources of money before granting the payment of a further tranche of 8 billion euros. "We're on the side of workers and we ensure the protection of their collective rights," added the Prime Minister.I must say that since the outbreak of the crisis in Greece, in 2009, the austerity measures have led to a daily population increasingly untenable. Testimonials.

40% pay less

Fotini, 32, is married with two children. It is directly affected by the decline in wages imposed austerity plans. She said in testimony to the world. "40% of my salary in less than 1400 euros gross, 20% in less than the salary of my husband at 1300 euros gross. The increase in all products and services, gasoline, food, transport tickets …" His family is also affected by austerity. "My sister graduated from high school in Athens Polytechnic, is unemployed, my eldest daughter of two and a half years has no place in municipal day care, then you have to pay 500 euros a month to write it in a private nursery. Our rent is 600 euros, it has remained stable.But with all the fixed expenses, we are left with only 300 euros a month to live. "

Pensions reduced by 20%

Anastasia is a former professional dancer. It affects his retirement for six years but has planed for 20% to 1500 euros. It demonstrates the difficulty of daily in an interview with Radio Suisse Romande. "Towards the end I'm really broke. Life has become more expensive in the supermarket, food, energy. It's depressing, we see people losing their jobs. I live with my mother who also has a retirement. People help, otherwise I will not be alone. I have three children 22, 24 and 26 years old and not yet working. It is very unfair to lower the wages of people who have always been correct with the law. It hurts. I'm not allowed to work in conjunction with my retirement, not even a dance school.If I do that I was cutting a big part of my pension. I also very afraid of riots, the country goes bankrupt and can not even touch our retirement. I am very, very worried. "

Unemployment affects 4 out of 10

Greek youth is affected by austerity. Laurane Chytiris is a Greek-Swiss student in French literature at the University of Athens. She said: "I think to leave Greece for one year to get my master elsewhere. If the situation does not improve, I will not. I have a lot of knowledge on the internet looking to live in England or France. They see that it is unbearable here. There are young people of 30 who still live with their parents. They have a job but can not afford to pay rent with what they earn. " And unemployment is not just young people.The government announced an official figure to 16.3%, unions talk instead of 23%.

The hell of job search

Dimitri, 33. He is unemployed computer, converted into a teacher after the bankruptcy of his company at the beginning of the crisis. "I made some replacements as a teacher, but I did not post in September, I hope to have one a few months," he said still with hope. Meanwhile, it still affects 400 euros per month for unemployment benefits, which will stop in four months. For immediate needs, he relies on his savings and his family because his rent is 500 euros per month. Eventually, he too sees no alternative but to leave Greece. He participated in a recruitment drive to emigrate to Australia. "When I think of all that has to have degrees, to be ready.It's not my generation that created the debt, even if we rééchelonnons, it means that people who are not yet born today will still repay the thirty years. "

Small businesses are the key under the door

The "triangle trade" of Athens is not what it was. In this high place of business of central Athens, near Syntagma Square, fashion is the curtain fell. According to the National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce (ESEE), over 20% of small businesses have disappeared since 2010 in Athens. "Nobody gives us a hand," laments Themis Lizardos of Reuters, a jeweler in the neighborhood who has not dropped the curtain. But at this rate it should not delay. "There is only one hand, the one that we press our heads and keeps it on the ground," he adds.Tens of thousands of small businesses have closed across the country after the establishment of the first European aid plan of 110 billion euros, and the promise of stringent austerity measures by the government.

Real estate, next epicenter of the crisis?

Theodore Pelahaidis, is professor of economics at the University of Athens. He said the next crisis will be real estate in Greece. And you can not do much about. He said at Radio Suisse Romande. "When household savings have been spent in the coming months, what will people do? They will sell their home. But if you sell, the properties will lead to lower prices. So the next step that it will undergo a real estate crisis. And it will exacerbate the current crisis. "

PSA Peugeot Citroën could reduce up to 10% of its workforce in France by eliminating temporary positions against the expected slowdown of the European car market, write Friday Les Echos and La Tribune, citing union sources after a meeting between Group management and its unions.

Last week, at the motor show in Frankfurt, chief executive of the manufacturer, Philippe Varin, announced an acceleration of cost reductions to cope with the uncertain economic environment in Europe and increased competition in the segment of B C3 cars.

He then mentioned an adjustment from temporary workers and subcontractors.According to the Tribune of Friday, nearly 10,000 temporary positions, or nearly 10% of the group in France, would ultimately threatened.

Asked about the figure, a PSA spokesman said it was "far too early to tell," noting that the working groups set up by Philippe Varin would make their work in October.

PSA employed in late June in the automotive industry 81,240 people, with an additional 10% of temporary workers.

"The willingness to reduce the volume of temporary workers is not good news for employment, particularly among youth," said the CFDT Metallurgy in a statement."This policy will have a direct impact on working conditions, especially for those most vulnerable."

Eric Besson, Minister of Industry, said that one should not rush to draw conclusions on possible job cuts coming at PSA.

"Do not cry wolf when there is no wolf," he said on Canal +.

"Let them wonder about the consequences of the crisis on their future and take steps to remain competitive, surprising and shocking," he added.

500 PERMANENT PENDING

Faced with the rebound in demand after the crisis of 2008-2009 and the success of several new models of the group, such as the Peugeot 3008 and Citroën DS line, PSA has increased its staff of French 1.600 people between December 2010 and June. But faced with economic uncertainty reappeared this summer, the group has suspended its recruitment plan, except strategic functions.

"In terms of staff, we have a temporary drive that represents 10% of the workforce in France, plus subcontractors in large numbers, there were elements of flexibility, plus the mobility agreement, So we are in a situation that is not comparable to 2008, "said Philippe Varin during a press conference in Frankfurt.

In October 2010, PSA has identified 980 jobs to disappear, of which 700 have already been subject to a mobility agreement.For others, the process of management jobs and skills (GPEC) signed in April 2010 and expiring on 30th of this month has been extended until the end of the year Thursday at the CEC.

On this occasion, the unions again sought assurances on the future site of Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis), redundant 300 people since the decision of the night shift in October 2010.But PSA still refuses to comment on the post-C3, saying only that the plant will produce even this model in 2014 and the post is "define".

Regarding the site of spare parts of Melun-Sénart (Seine-et-Marne), which is scheduled to close since the group decided to Vesoul (Haute-Saône) the central store, 180 people are still give their response to the proposals of mobility that has made their PSA.

Oil prices fell Thursday in the face of questions about the evolution of global demand after the publication of a series of grim statistics for the U.S. economy.

On the Nymex, the contract to September U.S. crude (WTI) ended on a loss of $ 5.20, or 5.94% to 82.38 dollars a barrel. This is the biggest drop in one day since Aug. 8, when the sovereign rating of the United States was lowered.

The price of crude was also sealed by the strong dollar.

Brent was on his side closed down 3.26% or 3.61 dollars to 106.99 dollars. It is also the largest decline in prices since August 8.

A 48% is to themselves that people rely on most to avoid triggering a new crisis. Angela Merkel gets 46% and 33% Nicolas Sarkozy, according to a survey of Parisian. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy at a European summit in Brussels June 24, 2011.

The French, overwhelmingly concerned about the impact of the current financial situation, have more confidence in Chancellor Angela Merkel Nicolas Sarkozy than to resolve it, shows a survey released Thursday by Le Parisien.

The study conducted by Harris Interactive, 79% of respondents expressed concern for France and 67% for their personal situation.

And it themselves, the citizens, they rely the most (48%) to prevent the onset of a new financial and economic crisis.

Angela Merkel and the German government obtained the confidence of 46% of respondents, ahead of Nicolas Sarkozy and the French government (33%).

The International Monetary Fund (41%), companies (39%) and Europe (36%) and inspire more confidence to the French that their own leaders.

In contrast, distrust particularly affects traders (6%), banks (17%) and the rating agencies (17%).

Concerning the capacity of France to reduce its deficit and debt, respondents favored the 85% reduction in spending on higher taxes (12%).

The survey was conducted online from August 8 to 10 with 1,090 people aged 18 and over, by the quota method.

With Reuters.

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.

Air Liquide announced Monday it had benefited from the dynamism of emerging to feed its growing sales and investment decisions it has received in the first half despite the turmoil in Japan and the Middle East.

The worldwide industrial gases, the results are in line with expectations, has confirmed a target steady growth in net profit in 2011 "in a normal environment."

Air Liquide has emerged in the first half current operating income of 1.191 million euros, up 9.9%, giving an operating margin of 16.7%, up 0.3 points at constant prices of natural gas.

The group made a net profit after minority interests in half-year increase of 11.1% to 750 million and a turnover increase of 8.3% to 7.115 million on a comparable basis.

Analysts on average expected a profit from recurring operations of 1.199 million euros, net profit group share of 751 million and a turnover of 7.126 million, according to the Thomson Reuters consensus I / B / E / S.

Air Liquide has received the first half of 970 million euros in investment decisions, up 20% year on year, with a target of about two billion in 2011.