The U.S. investment bank is once again slammed. After being accused of fraud by the SEC, the policeman of the American Stock Exchange, Goldman Sachs is now summoned by an American committee. The Commission of Inquiry on the financial crisis (FCIC) which, by its investigations, seeks to identify the roots of the financial crisis, accuses Goldman Sachs of failing to comply in a timely manner to requests for disclosure and interviews.
The institution would, according to the FCIC, responded voluntarily incomplete and unsatisfactory to queries. Members of the Commission indicated that, after having asked some very specific, it had received investment banking unreasonable volume of documents, nearly 2.5 billion Web pages without an index, which does not meet questions."Our view is that they were very unhelpful, they do not provide us the documents we requested," said its chairman Phil Angelides.
The leaders of Goldman Sachs categorically deny these accusations. A spokesman for Goldman Sachs said the bank "continues to provide the information requested FCIC.
The euro has pushed the bar of $ 1.21 Friday shortly before 13:30, then the 1.2 dollar after the closure of European markets. 21heures rating it to 1.1976, the European currency had not been at these levels since late March 2006, more than four years. A floor that makes investors fears Wall Street unscrews, w ith a Dow Jones loose around 3%.
Investors are fleeing risky currency – which the euro is due to debt problems of several countries in Europe – in favor of safer currencies such as dollars and Swiss francs, while U.S. employment figures , Still selecting highly expected to referee emerged sharply higher, but less good, however, that those expected by analysts.
Including the 431,000 jobs created in May in the United States, on the first four months of the year, the U.S. economy created 200,000 jobs.But in the vast majority of them, these new posts are made through the timely hiring of staff for the census. Excluding this one-time occurrence, the economy created only 20,000 jobs.
These figures "are a blow to the enthusiasm on the global economic recovery," said Joshua Raymond, an analyst at City Index.This means that companies "are not hiring more sparingly and do not yet have enough confidence in the future to engage in massive recruitment," says Aurel BCG.
Fillon drives the point
Just for fun, Francois Fillon has ruled that the continuing fall of the single currency was a "good news", able to boost exports from the eurozone.
The term "parity" – meaning a dollar / euro – used during the press conference as prime minister by Friday precipitated a collapse of the euro against the dollar, forcing Matignon rectify the rooms to calm market.
"When politicians they understand that reviews loans for their candor and local audiences have destabilizing effects on financial markets?" Was upset Michael Hewson, an analyst at CMC Markets.
The comments "do not make any gift to the euro, according to the analyst. "They certainly do not help not to stabilize the single currency (and otherwise) to undermine the credibility of the finest political will to support the euro," he said.
Europe degraded by HSBC
Side debt in Europe, the series continues. On Friday, HSBC has downgraded its recommendation on Europe, excluding the United Kingdom, "neutral" to "underweighted" because "there are still too many uncertainties about the health of banks on the future of the euro on sovereign debt, and growth to take risks in this area now.
Hungary worried
After Greece, Spain and Portugal, the contagion of the disease spreading further public finances in the euro area, Hungary.
The government spokesman who said that about a politician reminiscent of the small countries a chance to avoid a crisis similar to that of Greece were not exaggerated.
Following comments from the spokesman for the government, the forint fell to a lower than a year against the euro traded at 285.75 forint per euro, before slightly rising up around 288 forints .
Hungary is on a drip of 20 billion euros made available by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union (EU) and European Central Bank (ECB) since the fall of 2008.
ALSO READ:
The euro crisis invites himself to the G20 in Korea
Investors finally found a smile in Paris. The CAC 40 has indeed rebounded to 2.08%, passing the bar of 3600 points. He finished at exactly pointspoints 3617.32. The market which opened in Paris rose sharply accelerated the pace in the afternoon, after payment of first European loan of 14.5 billion euros in Greece and the renewed commitment of Member States of the euro area monitor national budgets.
Other major European markets have resumed in unison. In London, the Footsie has advanced 0.85% to end at 5307.34 points while in Frankfurt the Dax has risen by 1.47%, to 6155.93 points. Wall Street, which also opened in the green, confirmed the trend. Shortly before the close of European stock,
Bargain hunting
The Dow Jones gained 0.72% and the Nasdaq 0.85%. Wall Street has particularly welcomed the results of Wall Mart.The U.S. retail giant, whose numbers are often included as an advance indicator of the U.S. economy has garnered in the first quarter of current year net income of over $ 3.3 billion, well above expectations analysts.
In Paris the CAC 40 was worn by groups rooted in the international advantage of the weakness of the euro and an intense hunt for bargains.
The group's title defense and aerospace firm EADS has been leading the race for almost the entire session. Titles major exporters such as Michelin or Saint-Gobain also benefited from the movement as well as luxury groups. Analysts at JP Morgan believe that the weakness of the euro should be particularly conducive to luxury groups like LVMH and Hermes but also in L'Oreal, and is active in the United States.
After blowing the last few weeks, banking stocks were under PURCHASE cheap. Just before the close, Societe Generale, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole showed increases of between 2% and 5%
The dispute between Apple and Adobe on the Flash format invites himself to the highest level. In a lengthy open letter published Thursday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has explained the reasons which led it to ban videos and animations in Flash on iPhone, iPod touch and the iPad. Although Adobe representatives have repeatedly expressed their incomprehension and criticism bristling barriers around Apple products, Steve Jobs said that the decision was made solely on technical criteria and not commercial.
The co-founder of Apple and provides no fewer than six reasons for this refusal. Widely used on the Internet, Flash is a plugin "100% proprietary" Apple can not improve. However, it would be slow and insecure. It would reduce the autonomy of mobile devices and would not touch some of the gestures.It would not, either, if necessary to take advantage of the Internet, since the videos from YouTube and other sites have already been converted into a format readable by devices from Apple, H.264. Finally, the creation of applications and Flash games, designed to run on multiple platforms, not exploit the best features of the iPhone.
"Flash has been created during the era of PC to PC and mouse," says Steve Jobs, therefore, recommends that Adobe to focus more on the future "instead of criticizing Apple for having drawn a line under the past" . The future, he says, is to open formats on the Internet, including the HTML5. To the chagrin of Adobe, these new tools can include videos on websites without having to install Flash on their computer or mobile payday loans.Already, U.S. media have changed their site to include video in HTML 5, still remember Steve Jobs.
Crisis communication
Nevertheless, the lack of Flash in web browsing is still among the most frequent errors associated with the iPhone and iPad. It also applies to Apple's repeated criticism on the Internet. During April, an employee of Adobe has publicly recommended Apple to "get lost". Its competitors also benefit. Earlier this week, the head of the development of Android, Andy Rubin, has compared the restrictions of Apple's policy of North Korea and announced that future phones will integrate Google Flash. In Silicon Valley, rumors suggest that the case could be brought to justice.
The open letter published Thursday shows that these incidents are taken very seriously at Apple.Steve Jobs had already used the same method to break Apple's other crisis situations. He responded to Greenpeace, which accused the Mac to be too environmentally unfriendly, had determined the end of the locks on music (DRM) and announced his illness and withdrawal. In this battle as technical as media, Steve Jobs, however, avoided relying on an unlikely ally, Microsoft, whose new mobile operating system, Windows 7 Phone will not be compatible with Flash.
The clouds are gathering over Goldman Sachs. After the announcement of a complaint by shareholders against the directors, the Wall Street Journal revealed on Saturday that five of them sold their shares after the bank had been informed that an investigation by the SEC, the U.S. stock Constable , was the establishment. They have sold their shares at a purchase price of $ 65.4 million (48.9 million euros).
The Wall Street Journal, officials have sold the shares in question are an attorney, two vice-presidents, a chief accountant and a member of the board of directors.
The sales took place between October 2009 and February 2010, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website, citing the company InsiderScore.com, which presents itself as an observatory of insider stock transactions.A few months ago, in July 2009, the SEC had informed the bank that it was considering legal action against them.
On April 16, the day the SEC announced it had filed a complaint for fraud against Goldman Sachs in the civil courts, as the Goldman Sachs lost 13% of its value on the NYSE. The fall had continued throughout the week.
To prove his good faith
The announcement comes as Goldman Sachs is preparing his hearing Tuesday before the Parliament. According to a document of 11 pages that she purchased the Washington Post, executives at Goldman Sachs who will testify alongside Fabrice Tourre want to demonstrate their good faith in this matter.
Before the Senate subcommittee investigation on the financial crisis, they will indicate that they do not know if housing prices would increase or decrease when the product under investigation, the Abacus, was sold. The document describes the debate that animated the leaders of investment banking in 2006 and 2007. As proof, the bank will provide the e-mails on the subject by the leaders.
Nuisance emails
Their testimony should however be undermined by embarrassing e-mails released by a Senate committee on Saturday. According to the messages exchanged, the bank would have otherwise benefited from the mortgage risk to pocket tens of millions of dollars.
In one of these messages, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, wrote: "We obviously have not escaped the bedlam of subprime mortgage.We lost money and then we have won more than we lost through our short position. In another mail, managers assess the consequences of failing grades assigned by rating agencies, subprime, "like we're going to make much money," wrote one of them. "Yes, we are well positioned," replies his colleague.
"Investment banks like Goldman Sachs did not just brokers, they were interested developers of risky and complex financial products that led to the outbreak of the crisis," says Carl Levin, chairman of the Sub-Commission Senate Permanent Investigation, which will face the leaders of the bank Tuesday.
ALSO READ:
Goldman Sachs sued by shareholders
The weather global economic summarized in three figures: production (GDP) will grow 10% this year in China, 3.1% in the U.S. and 1% in the euro area countries. For the whole world, growth is expected in 2010 to 4.2% and 4.3% in 2011. With a clear dividing line between the advanced countries, whose growth prospects are around 2.3%, while savings "emerging or developing" a galloping pace of 6.3%.
These new "World Economic Outlook," IMF showed that "the recovery unfolds better than expected. But new challenges have emerged and exceptional "cautioned Olivier Blanchard, chief economist of the Fund. He calls a "warm" restart in the advanced countries, which are still found a lower level of production of 7% it would have without the crisis.In the eurozone, the IMF also revised downwards by 0.1 percentage point to 1% its forecast for growth in 2010, although France, among others, has fared rather better with a forecast of 1.5% instead of 1.4%.
Dependence credit
For Europeans to wonder why their economies pull themselves together much more slowly than America, Olivier Blanchard gives two main explanations. Europe is "more dependent on bank credit as the U.S. market where finance plays a greater role for business and they have restarted the fittest." Furthermore "the policy responses have been later and less strong in Europe," he adds.
This means that the IMF does not disavow the fiscal stimulus plans, including Dominique Strauss-Kahn, their boss, was one of the strongest supporters, from January 2008.But "it is urgent to develop strategies for fiscal consolidation in the medium term" now stress the same experts. They note that the budget deficits in advanced countries have now reached 9% of GDP on average and that "the debt / GDP ratio should exceed 100% by 2014 if nothing is done.
Rebalancing Economic Policy
The situation is more delicate than a too abrupt adjustment of public finances could hinder growth already shaky. Hence the advice to double trigger "to fully implement fiscal stimulus measures planned for 2010, except in countries which already have a strong increase in their risk premium and must begin to rebalance their budgets now," as Greece. But the most advanced countries should undertake a substantial fiscal consolidation in 2011.
Emerging economies are the reverse face "to an influx of capital, a good thing in itself, but can become excessive," warns Olivier Blanchard. He recovered one of his favorite anthems "the currencies of a number of emerging markets remain undervalued in considerable proportions regarding the yuan." It calls for a revaluation of the currency, both in relation to the dollar than the euro, the only way to give oxygen to Western exports and ease the risk of overheating in Asia. This rebalancing of economic policies will be central to discussions of the G20, whose finance ministers meet Friday in Washington.
After a fence in red on Tuesday, the Asian stock markets end in almost all the green on Wednesday. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.21% to 11,184 points, ahead of Taiwan Index from 0.43% to 8064 points, the Seoul Stock Exchange finished up 0.97% to 3639 points and climbs Sydney 0.67 to 4985 points. In contrast, Hong Kong was down 0.07% to 22,088 points.
On the macroeconomic front, the Singapore authorities said Wednesday that the country's economic growth could be between 7% and 9% this year, against previous forecasts of 4.5% to 6.5%. It could even reach the first quarter of this year 13.1% and 32.1% a year over the fourth quarter of 2009.Consequence: Stock Exchange of Singapore, the Straits Times Index closed up 1.05%.
Barrels of oil increase
Following a meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, under the Nuclear Summit in Washington, Bush reiterated his desire to see China revalue the yuan no teletrack payday loans.
Crude prices are trending upward in Asia Wednesday, the market reacts to forecasts of rising demand for crude announced by the International Energy Agency (IEA).In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for May delivery took 34 cents to 84.39 dollars, while Brent North Sea with identical maturity, gained 18 cents to 84.90 dollars.
In its monthly report, the IEA has reviewed again slightly upward, from 30,000 barrels per day its forecast for global oil demand in 2010. Consumption is expected to rise this year to 86.6 million barrels per day on average, 2% more than last year.
Toyota has advised its Canadian and American dealers to suspend sales of its Lexus model, the GX 460, following criticism from a consumer magazine, Consumer Reports. At the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the title won 0.13% to 3710 yuan.
The green still dominates the Paris Bourse. Comforted by the end of the Japanese Nikkei up on Monday, the CAC 40 continues its momentum on Friday with an opening up of 0.69% to 4078.38 points. Last week, Paris had the key index closed up almost 2%, surpassing the 4000 points to 4050 points.
Investors are reassured by the Parisian rescue plan with Greek details, as expected, were finally unveiled this weekend. The European system, operational since Sunday, includes up to 30 billion euros in loan agreements with joint assistance from the IMF. The news caused at least boosted the euro. In morning trading, the euro is worth 1.3675 dollars, up 0.12% against the greenback.
Elsewhere in Europe, same atmosphere. The London Stock Exchange opened up 0.50% to 5799.95 points.For its part, the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange opened up 0.54% to 6283.81 points.
On the face of macroeconomic indicators, no news likely to react to the markets is expected. Important data such as current accounts or French industrial production in the euro area, will in the coming days.
However, the quarterly publications begin Monday in France and the United States. Intel, Google, Bank of America, or General Electric are expected across the Atlantic this week. The monitor Alcoa France or Atos Origin cash advance.
The bank form
The reaction of the banking sector support plan in Greek has not made wait. The bank had suffered last week, suffering from the fears of too much involvement in the problems of sovereign debt in Europe.Credit Agricole, Societe Generale and BNP Paribas were down. On Monday, they found the strength with respective increases of 1.05% (13.43 euros), 1.59% (46.62 euros) and 1.57% (57.64 euros).
In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche, the chief executive of Publicis (-0.05% to 31.38 euros) said this weekend that the advertising investment is not expected to regain its 2008 levels by 2012.The latter also expressed readiness to re-evaluate its offer for the advertising of France Televisions, if the advertising was finally upheld.
France Telecom (stable at 17.56 euros) is being difficult in Egypt, where a court on Saturday confirmed its decision to block the bid from France Telecom on the minority of ECMS, the first mobile operator in terms of number subscribers.
According to sources close to the deal, EADS (+0.20% at 14.93 euros) will announce its position on a possible bid for the tender for the supply of tanker aircraft to the army of U.S. Air.
Alcoa (who finished the session at -3.23% on Friday) published the figures in its first quarter after market close in New York.
Greek interest rates continue to climb. They achieve this Thursday morning the world record to 7.49% on bonds with 10 years more distant than ever from the benchmark, the German Bund. The rates at 2-year yields have exceeded long, touching 7.80%, suggesting the market concerns over the short term. The news from Athens did not contribute to calm markets, while the Board of Governors of the European Central Bank (ECB) was to meet Thursday.
The cost of insurance on compulsory Greek (CDS, credit default swaps ") also jumped Thursday morning, also reaching record levels at more than 470 basis points, the credit information specialist CMA News. "The market moves very quickly," says Markit News on Twitter.
Greece is still contineur to borrow, said Thursday morning the Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou before Parliament.
Contamination
"The Greek problem begins to contaminate other peripheral markets such as Spain and Portugal, where the rates differ from the Bund," says Patrick Jacq, a strategist at BNP Paribas rate, which emphasizes that the volumes traded bonds Greek since Thursday morning are very low. "As regards Greece, the current movements are not yet dramatic macroeconomic consequence.Athens has enough to cope with higher current levels, which represent, in the case of bond issuance, an additional cost after all low in comparison to 10 billion euros to be in the coming weeks. "
After rumors of Greek opposition to the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in case of intervention, the Greek banks are finding themselves the center of attention. The Financial Times reports that in a recent face withdrawals totaling 10 billion euros since the beginning of the year. It does not take more than some analysts to fear a flight of capital.
Testing the limits
But the sudden movement on the debt market would also be Greek, or even primarily, due to investors forced to sell the Greek titles of their portfolio because of excessive volatility.Investors also want to test the rescue plan put together by the European Union, and know from what level of rates will be raised.
This is a matter of weeks, said Laurent Bilke, Europe economist at Nomura. He said the level of rates and especially the volatility in the market make it impossible to bond issue in the short term. Nothing, however, should occur before the regional elections in Germany in Westphalia on May 9, given the opposition of the public to any plan for Greece.
In this tense context, the ECB president, Jean-Claude Trichet, should be questioned about the crisis in Greek at the monthly press conference on Thursday."He should face questions on media reports that the ECB considers to be both too vague in terms of European aid and inappropriate intervention by the IMF," say economists at Societe Generale in a note.
See also:
The Greeks at the ATM to withdraw money
"Greece:" The market is disconnected from reality "
"SPECIAL CASE – Greece, a challenge for Europe
At 24 hours of his arrival on the market, the iPad fever is at its height in the United States. If you believe the answer to preorders which started March 12, the new creation from Apple sensation. The first stocks are already exhausted, those who have not ordered their iPad before this week will receive nine days late, on April 12. Apple, which does not communicate its presales, would not produce enough to meet demand. On Saturday, the tablet will be available in Apple stores and Best Buy, and it will get up early to get his, because the rays could be emptied before the end of the day, according to the buzz on the Internet. The wireless models are $ 499 to $ 699. It was not until the end of April if we are interested to 3G versions, the price will go up to $ 829.
They are not only two signs that are preparing to light.Speculation is also rife on the Web according to PCWorld magazine. Taking advantage of the predicted shortage, some simple pre-booking their offer to $ 100 on sites like Craigslist, others have started their iPad on eBay at $ 700 instead of 500. These deals seem even more doubtful that Apple, as usual, organized the launch of its latest gadget in the greatest secrecy. The employees, including technicians to repair the supposed object in case of failure, had still not seen the tablet this week.
5 to 6 million sales?
The bookmakers are already on their paris sales volume by the end of the year: 5 to 6 million, maybe more. To entice buyers, Apple has guided the launch eleven new iPad applications on its site, including Safari, Keynote, YouTube, iTunes and irresistible iBooks, which may well dethrone the Amazon Kindle.If even two months ago, we doubted the potential of Apple's latest invention, now we only speak of it. Advertisers flock to the advertising pages of publishers whose applications will be available on Saturday, as Time Magazine, The New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. FedEx has purchased 90 days exclusively on applications of Reuters and Newsweek.
The reviews coming out are largely positive. A few handfuls of journalists across the U.S. have played for a few days in secret with the tablet. For most, the iPad is a single iPod or eBook. The New York Times predicted that the techies will hate but the general public will love.
In any case, Apple continues to generate humor. The tablet on behalf biased in English (mean pad pad) is suitable for two months parodies the most diverse.The latest is a "tablet" Doritos (the chips). A real hit on the Facebook page for fans of the true shelf.
ALSO READ:
A five French ready to read on a screen
"The iPad seduces the first U.S. testers