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A woman at the head of IBM

Soft, IBM is changing. Virginia Rometty, called "Ginni" in the group where she began her career in 1981, will become the first woman CEO of the giant Armonk. Aged 54, she will take office January 1.

The transition with Sam Palmisano, the boss for ten years a number of U.S. computer services, will be phased. He will become chairman of the board of directors.

Continue the transformation of the group

In the soothing world of IBM, Virginia Rometty has climbed the ladder since being hired as a systems engineer. She has led the industry including insurance and financial services.His feat of arms was in 2002, the integration of the consultancy arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers to form a strike force of 100,000 consultants.

This successful integration has led her to take charge of IBM Global Services, the main activity of the giant who represented the third quarter of 2011, 57% of the turnover of the group.

Ginni Rometty intends to continue the transformation of the IT group that "has changed in a decade."

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The world is concerned about the European blocking

The gap is struggling to fill. France and Germany continue to tear publicly on the best "firewall" to oppose the euro crisis, watched dumbfounded from their European partners, but also the United States and China. On the first day of a series of ministerial appointments and European Summits crucial for the common currency, Paris has once again pushed the idea of ​​using the ECB "because it has the firepower necessary "to contain the contagion, they say the French side. Angela Merkel has hammered his refusal, when approaching a new crisis meeting with Nicolas Sarkozy in Brussels tonight. "The road is closed to appeal to the ECB to ease liquidity problems" in Europe, said the Chancellor before its elected coalition in Berlin.

The impasse before a double peak of the euro Wednesday and Sunday, beginning to worry the rest of the world."The impact is disastrous outside (…) We do not really an example of leadership that works," commented the head of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker, before presiding over a first camera finance ministers on Friday afternoon.

Chinese and American impatience

Washington and Beijing in particular sounding the alarm. The Chinese leadership did not like the cancellation of a summit Tuesday in Tianjin with European leaders, due to repeated conclaves in Brussels. Premier Wen Jiabao has called on the EU "fundamental reform" of its finances and fiscal policy, the agency official New China. "This requires political courage and determination unparalleled," he added, as if he doubted it.

The U.S. government, intervened with the Europeans at every turn of the crisis, also expressed his impatience check cash advance.Barack Obama spoke by video conference with Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron on the night of Thursday to Friday. According to the White House, Bush insists that a European response to the crisis is effectively implemented before the next G20 summit in Cannes, November 3.

Franco-German dispute

Multiply the firepower of EFSF, the bailout fund for countries in difficulty, is the key weapon in the euro area to raise her two other challenges: reducing the burden of crushing debt on the shoulders of 11 million Greeks and persuade banks to beef up their capital in order to overcome the market turmoil. Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel agree on the diagnosis.But France, worried about its budget deficit and a valuable "triple AAA" prefer tap into the existing European funds, starting with the ECB.

Germany, also sensitive to the separation of powers as inflation risks, refuses anything resembling a crisis by printing money in Europe. Friday, Paris and Berlin were still camped "in very different positions," lamented one European official. The inflexibility of Angela Merkel, attested as early as Wednesday during a one-on-one with Nicolas Sarkozy in Frankfurt, had its effect. The European Commission and many of the countries of the euro is already a cross on a direct involvement of the ECB together with the EFSF. To work around the obstacle, the European experts worked Friday to a "new palette" of instruments, including greater use of IMF already applied at each stage of the crisis.

Spain, Italy and Belgium in the viewfinder of rating agencies

Fitch Ratings lowered the rating two notches from Spain, which now stands at "AA-". Spain held so far a "AA +", the fourth highest on a scale of twenty. More worryingly, the note is accompanied by a 'Negative' outlook, which means that the agency could lower it back to medium term.

Spanish growth at half mast

Moody's in turn should decide by the end of October on a possible downgrade Spanish now "Aa2" (the third best possible)."With significant funding needs" of the Spanish State, to cover its budget expenditures and net external debt is "one of the highest in the world" (91% of GDP), said Fitch, "the more volatile strong a negative effect on financing conditions in the market of Spain. "

But there are also internal factors in the country "risks to fiscal consolidation as a result of performance parts." The same agency Fitch has lowered Wednesday including the long-term rating of the Basque Country, one of the richest region in which it criticizes the "weak fiscal performance." Growth forecasts have been revised downwards. Wednesday, the Bank of Spain announced that the country's growth expected to slow in the third quarter, to reach an economic activity 'lackluster'.The Spanish government has also recognized that the economic growth targets it had set for 2011 and subsequent years would be "hard to reach" because of the risk of recession in the world.

Italian governance into question

Fitch also lowered the rating one notch to Italy, "A +" against "AA-" and does not see her again in the fall if the country would miss its targets for reducing the budget deficit. Fitch was the last of three major international rating agencies have not downgraded from Italy since the beginning of the debt crisis in the eurozone no fax cash advances. She explained that the high level of public debt and budgetary financing needs, combined with the low level of potential growth (the country), made in Italy especially vulnerable.The Agency is challenging the country's governance and stressed that the differences in the Parliament and the escapades of the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, help to weaken the ruling coalition.

Belgium heckled by Dexia

Belgium is also in sight. The agenceMoody's said it was considering lowering its rating, currently at "Aa1", the second best possible. The agency cited three reasons: the crisis in the euro area, concerns for economic growth and the possibility of additional support to the banking system, particularly in establishing Franco-Belgian Dexia.

Another European country in turmoil, Portugal, has been confirmed its rating of "BBB-" (the last before falling into the category of "speculative") by Fitch, which continued on negative watch at least until the end of the year.Standard & Poor's, confirmed Tuesday the rating "BBB-" from Portugal, while maintaining it as a negative outlook. Portugal, the third country in the eurozone after Greece and Ireland to receive international financial assistance, is facing new economic challenges that undermine his efforts to clean up its public accounts. Progress in implementing the program of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and its budget for 2012 will be crucial.

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Apple resists the action notwithstanding the death of Steve Jobs

"The news of my death are greatly exaggerated," joked Steve Jobs when Bloomberg had his obituary published in error in August 2008. Nevertheless: the stock market, Apple had lost the title on the day 2.42%.

Announced tonight the death of the charismatic leader will Apple does the same concerns in the markets? It is no surprise to Apple's shareholders. The charismatic leader had prepared his departure, giving the reins of his company to Tim Cook. But his death marks indeed the end of an era for the firm at the apple.

Thursday morning, investors still seem uncertain: New York, the title is almost stable at the opening to 377 dollars (-0.33%). But in Frankfurt, where the action is also listed, the decline is more pronounced: just after 12 o'clock, the title loses 2.75% to 272.51 euros after touching a low of 270.50 euros.

The title after the stand 4S iPhone

Steve Jobs as a CEO was not like the others. Associated with the image of the company he co-founded, he was also in stock bad credit personal loan lenders. Apple has become the first in the world market capitalization, elbow to elbow with Exxon Mobil.

As Steve Jobs made Apple, Steve Jobs's health was reflected in the title. Suffering from cancer since 2004, the group leader had to leave several times, until he left there just over a month, on August 25. Each announcement related to his health problems, the markets feared for the future of the group and the title suffered large fluctuations.

Two days ago, the title fell by 5% during the session along with the presentation of the 4S iPhone. The latest version of Apple's flagship phone, slightly different from the previous one, was disappointed the markets, hoping to iPhone 5.But the title was returned to the balance at the end of the session and finished on a moderate loss of 0.56% to 372.50 dollars. Sign that investors want to believe in the capacity of Tim Cook to keep the group at the top.

Slight improvement in the morale of cadres

After an unprecedented drop in September (-30 points), who dropped to its lowest historical, the composite index of moral frameworks in October recorded a very slight improvement (4 points, -51) . This is reflected in the latest wave of eco-Baro Viavoice for HEC, Le Figaro and France Inter. "After a very bad score in September, but rather the beginnings of a correction than a real improvement in the bottom," said François Miquet-Marty, president of Viavoice.

At the macroeconomic level, white-collar workers remain pessimistic.Seven in ten think that the standard of living in France "degrade" in a year and almost eight out of ten (77%) and unemployment "increase" in the coming months.

Vicious circle

These concerns are largely fueled by doubts about "the ability of France to reduce its deficits" (47%) and the anticipation of the impact "of austerity on growth" (39%). "The magnitude of the deficits may impose stronger discipline, which could restrain growth and thereby compromising deficit reduction," the president of Viavoice analysis. For managers, this vicious circle, deficits, rigor, decay, now appears more menacing that "commodity prices" (28%), "the future of the euro" (22%) or "the changes in stock prices "(16%).

Amid this gloomy picture, however, some glimmers of hope.If the problems banks are now in the news, the difficulty for companies to find financing worries only 18% of managers. Then they are less likely to feel that their financial situation "will deteriorate" (44%, down 4 points) and almost as many think that it "will remain stationary" (43%, six points). Their employees are more motivated (36%, +4 points).

As for opportunities for a career, if they are deemed "weak" by an overwhelming majority of executives (79%), the percentage of those who disagree (17%) improved by 4 points. Finally, the question "do you think Greece should leave it to devalue the euro?", A framework of two answers "no" and nearly one in three "yes."

More than 200 cities in Ile-de-France to screen

Capital has become expensive, the Parisians are more likely to succumb to the charm of the suburbs. Consequently, the prices of old apartments (June 30) have soared over 15% year on year in the inner suburbs, with peaks of 20.5% in Courbevoie, + 20.3% in Montreuil, + 19% Boulogne-Billancourt, + 18.4% in Maisons-Alfort … Increases that will not last forever, however, predict notaries, holding that the creditworthiness of buyers is not without limits. In outer suburbs, the increase was over one year wiser (+ 7.2% for older apartments, 6.4% for houses), sufficient in all cases to clear the hole in 2009. But in the second trimester 2011, the market for old apartments fell by 0.7% in Seine-et-Marne, 0.8% in the Essonne, 1.3% in the Val-d'Oise .. . One department in four, Yvelines, remained in the green (+ 1.7%).The beginnings of a turnaround?

"Selling price of old houses in the second quarter of 2011 (Part 1) (pdf)

"Selling price of old houses in the second quarter of 2011 (Part 2) (pdf)

Wall Street resumes height

The day after a session in the red, the U.S. stock markets end up the way to higher Tuesday. In early trade, the Dow gained 0.37% to 11,446 points, the Nasdaq advance of 0.45% to 2625 points and the S & P is 0.40% to 1209 points.

The progresison remains very cautious. U.S. operators, like their counterparts in Europe and Asia, remain very concerned about the issue of sovereign debt in Europe. They fear a contagion to other countries considered fragile in the euro area.The decision of Standard & Poor's lowered by one notch to "A +" to "A" note of Italy, due to low growth prospects, has just added to the failure of the meeting this weekend of European Ministers of Finance have failed to agree on a new loan to Greece, still under the threat of default.

The question of the future of Greece will remain central today. In Athens, after an initial conference call Monday night, a new meeting between the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and representatives of the troika of the country's creditors, European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, to be held tonight . Their verdict depends on the payment in October of $ 8 billion from the loan made last year in the euro area country and the IMF.Manna vital for the country to the brink of bankruptcy.

Pending around the Fed meeting

Hopes for recovery of the market, worried about the economic downturn hitting the United States and Europe, are now placed in the meeting of the Federal Reserve (Fed) which starts today and will end tomorrow.

The fears are in fact more and more vivid on the other side of the Atlantic, where Barack Obama announced a plan to further reduce the deficit of 3000 billion Monday, financed half by an increase in taxes for the rich, did not produce any relief.

On the macroeconomic front, the U.S., housing construction has increased its decline in August, falling to its lowest level since May, according to official figures published Tuesday in Washington.

Mergers and acquisitions continue

The side of values, the French computer group Bull and American Technologies CA (0.09% to 21.24 dollars) Tuesday announced an alliance to facilitate the switching of heterogeneous enterprise IT infrastructures to the Internet and the "cloud" ( cloud computing).

The Internet giant Google (-0.10% to 546.12 dollars) bought DailyDeal, German site group purchasing established in 2009 business cards design. Google, which offers this service for U.S. consumers, seeking to expand its presence outside the United States to reach the largest number of users and compete with its rivals in the field as Groupon.The amount of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The U.S. stock market watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) encourages U.S. companies to transparency regarding their income abroad, reports the Financial Times. The SEC, which has made this his new battle cry, drew particular groups such as Dow Chemical (-0.73% to 27.54 dollars) or Caterpillar (-0.28% to 84.36 dollars) share more information with investors.

After the close of Wall Street, Air Products (0.10% to 81.66 dollars) has announced a new share repurchase program of $ 1 billion.

The mergers and acquisitions also continue to multiply.According to reports the Times, Blackstone (-0.45% to 13.26 dollars) would buy with Prestige Brands of America (-0.73% to 9.46 dollars), a portfolio of non-prescription drugs worth £ 2 billion, owned by GlaxoSmithKline (0.07% to 41.54 dollars).

Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc. (0.90% to 44.13 dollars) and Azur Pharma Ltd. (will merge to create Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc, a pharmaceutical company based in Ireland and listed on NASDAQ.

Also in the pharmaceutical sector, Varian Medical Systems (1.16% to 53.05 dollars) will buy Calypso Medical Technologies, a company specializing in monitoring tumors during operations radiosurgery and radiotherapy for $ 10 million and contingent payments.

However, ConAgra Foods (0.21% to 23.44 dollars) withdrew its offer of Ralcorp Holdings (-0.23% to 75.06 dollars) due to "lack of constructive dialogue with Ralcorp."

Others are preparing to pass the act as Home Properties (-5.61 to 58.70 dollars) will conduct a capital increase of 5.25 million additional shares to finance "its external growth and new real estate development projects. "

Also note, a Court of Appeal in the United States lifted a court order blocking the payment of compensation of $ 18 billion by Chevron (-0.69% to 98.03 dollars) for environmental damage in the Amazon.

In addition, three complaints were filed against IBM (+0.11% to 173.32 dollars) from the European competition authorities, including one by a French company, have been abandoned, it was reported on Tuesday the European Commission.

French companies are socially responsible

"When we look at we are sorry but when you compare it to console," says the adage. A new proof of this is given with the release today of two studies on corporate social responsibility made by the social rating agency Vigeo.

This company, founded ten years ago by the former secretary general of the CFDT, Nicole Notat, analyzed the performance of 539 European companies listed on non-discrimination in employment.She also compared how these 363 companies had managed the restructuring that had taken during the crisis.

In both cases, France takes the lead of countries that best meet the basic standards set by the International Labour Organization (ILO) concerning freedom of association, prohibition of forced labor and child employment seniors … "This does not mean that French companies have no way to go, but just that they behave better than others," Nicole Notat nuance.

Danone number one

To note the management of corporate restructuring and practice of non-discrimination, the bloodhounds of Vigeo analyzed their managerial systems based on three items: the relevance of political behavior, the consistency of their deployment and effective results.Finally, French firms are better informed and consulted, where social, employee representatives "before and during the restructuring process."

No fewer than four of them are in the top 10 most responsible companies: Danone (ranking first), PSA Peugeot Citroën, Bonduelle and Total. French companies are also those who have best implemented "effective measures to prevent and limit layoffs" and made "steps to mitigate the negative effects of layoffs on employees, including measures to return to work" . Better than their German or Dutch, who monopolize the second and third places on the podium, and Austrian firms, Irish and Greek … that close to the bench.

Issue non-discrimination (access and job retention of the most vulnerable, improving working conditions, training, career …), French companies are doing just as well with no fewer than four of them also in the top 10: PSA Peugeot Citroën again, Rhodia, EDF and TF1. By country, France is ahead of Belgium and the Netherlands, far ahead of Ireland, the UK and Denmark … that appear at the end of ranking. "We knew that the behavior of firms are influenced by national legislation and sectoral affiliations, note Benseddik Fouad, director of Vigeo methods. But this study shows that social responsibility is the leadership position and ability to dialogue that make the difference. "In short, the involvement of the entrepreneur.

Hesitant, Wall Street closed on a small rise

The U.S. stock markets in the green close an arduous one session on Tuesday. After starting down, the Dow ended with a gain of 0.40% to 11,105.85 points while the Nasdaq climbed 1.49% to 2532.15 points and the S & P 500 by 0.91% in 1172 , 87 points.

Investors had eyes turned to Europe, where each new about the problems of sovereign debt is analyzed carefully. Like yesterday, the news that Rome had asked Beijing to make significant repurchases of its sovereign debt, has indeed done so. While Italy has been completely denied the reports, the fact that China could get involved gives some confidence to operators.

Similarly, another new fueling hope the five emerging BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) should discuss next week the opportunity to assist the EU in turmoil the debt crisis. They could increase their holdings of bonds denominated in euros.

Finally, the announcement of a conference call Wednesday between Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor feeds market recovery. Some investors have been dreaming of sensational announcements.

The United States involved

U.S. operators, such as Europe and Asia, remain very concerned about Greece. They fear it will not be able to meet these budget commitments, which threaten to bankrupt the country and aggravate the crisis in Europe.An output of the euro in Greece is also now considered by many economists.

This morning Jean-Pierre Jouyet, chairman of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF), said on iTV that Greece may have to undergo further restructuring of its debt than expected. German side, Angela Merkel is trying to catch up about his Economy Minister Philipp Rösler, who spoke Monday the event of a default of Athens.In a radio interview BBB, the Chancellor found it necessary to "avoid any uncontrolled process in the euro area."

The United States also stressed that they became involved in resolving the crisis in the eurozone, as the Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner will participate Friday in the meeting of Ministers of Economy and Finance Union European Poland.

The U.S. deficit rises again

On the foreign exchange market, the euro was down slightly Tuesday against the dollar and the yen on Monday after falling $ 1.35 for the first time since February and the lowest for 10 years against the yen, and the voltage was strong, the markets fear more a possible failure of Greece.At the opening in New York, the European currency was worth 1.3673 dollars against 1.3624 dollars.

As for oil prices, they ended up sharply Tuesday, the market betting on a sharp drop in crude inventories in the United States, despite pessimistic forecasts of consumption of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA). On the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for October delivery ended at 90.21 dollars, up 2.02 dollars compared to the previous day.

On the macroeconomic front, the prices of imported products in the United States had started to decline in August, according to figures released by the Washington Department of Labor. The price index for the ministry declined 0.4% from the previous month, after rising 0.3% in July. This is its second decline in three months.It is lower than in June, where import prices have declined for the first time in a year (0.7%).

The fiscal deficit of the United States it is increased again in August after four consecutive months of decline, according to figures released Tuesday in Washington by the Treasury Department. The negative balance of public finances of the federal state stood at 134.152 billion dollars for the eleventh month of the fiscal year 2010-2011, 48% more than in August 2010, the ministry said.

Samsung attack Apple

The side of values, Hewlett-Packard (0.53% to 22.70 dollars) announced on Tuesday that 41.62% of the shareholders of Autonomy UK (1.63% to 39.85 dollars) had supported its bid.The U.S. group also announced it was extending its offer until Oct. 3.

The giant South Korean Samsung Electronics Electronicsa complaint in France against its U.S. rival Apple (1.23% to 384.62 dollars) for a litigation involving three patents relating to UMTS technology. "The complaint focuses on three technology patents, and not the design of the shelves," as was the case during a recent trial in Germany, said a spokesman for Samsung.

Rating agencies could worsen them. Moody's (3.29% to 30.46 dollars) has indeed said yesterday that it planned to degrade the note by the McGraw-Hill (3.01% to 41.471 dollars) has announced its intention to focus on rival rating agency Standard and Poor's division after educational activities.Fitch has already passed the act.

For his part Nordson Corp. (5.39% to 42.59 dollars) yesterday announced after the close had authorized a share repurchase program of $ 100 million.

Note also the U.S. internet group AOL (-2.47% to 14.39 dollars) has appointed a new editor for TechCrunch, the site of information on technologies he had bought in September 2010, after 10 days controversy over the fate of the former owner, Michael Arrington. The new editor is Erick Schonfeld, Associate Editor edited by Michael Arrington. AOL announced that Michael Arrington, founder of the site, decided to leave TechCrunch and AOL to devote to investment funds that it recently launched.

Redemption of Infront, Number 2 worldwide sports rights

The maneuvers began in the closed world of corporate marketing of sports rights. The European investment fund Bridgepoint acquired Infront, the world number two industry for about 600 million euros. Infront company formed ten years ago by Robert Louis-Dreyfus and Klaus Jacobs on the ruins of the Kirch empire, was put on sale by the heirs of the two captains of industry.

The market for sports rights is held by three giants. IMG, the world, which weighs about 1.5 billion euros of turnover, is owned by Forstmann Little and the fund would be about to be sold. The world number two with Infront is 600 million euros in turnover with, the key, an estimated gross operating margin from 10% to 15%. It beats out number three, Sportfive, bought in 2006 by the Lagardère Group for 865 million euros.Sportfive is clearly slowing, and in 2010, its activity dropped by 23% to 396 million euros.

"Infront's activity is divided into four more or less equivalent. Football with the rights of the German, Italian League (Lega Calcio) and the rights of big clubs like AC Milan, Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen. Then there are winter sports, such as [events of] the International Ski Federation, or [of] the International Federation of ice hockey. And summer sports such as volleyball, handball and basketball in China. Finally, Infront carries the audiovisual production of major events in human as well as World Cup football and the championship of France Ligue 1, "said Robert Xavier, a partner at Bridgepoint in Paris no checking account payday advance.

For an investment fund, Infront has some nice features.About 80% of its turnover is earned from January 1 and the rate of renewal of contracts with rights holders to 90%. In addition, the fund has this job because it has the past five years the Spanish company Dorna, which manages the Grand Prix motorcycle.

Disintermediation

The global market for sports rights is estimated at $ 121 billion in 2011 and that of media rights and sponsorship is $ 56 billion. If the market is still growing at a rate of 4 to 5% a year, it faces a disintermediation. "The leading licensors such as UEFA, FIFA, the International Olympic Committee have the means to directly sell their rights," says Robert Xavier.

However, Bridgepoint estimates that there are significant growth drivers for Infront. Geographically first.Very presence in Europe and Asia, Infront has yet to conquer Great Britain and South America, a continent with very dynamic football World Cup 2014 and Olympics 2016 in Brazil.

The progressive development of human-related internet sports is another area of ​​growth. Finally, Bridgepoint does not hide that he may run when the throw-in sports rights held by Sportfive far as the African Cup of Nations.