Darty seems to have found the parade. In France, the company has "re-recorded a performance superior to the commercial market," said the British parent company Kesa. In other words Darty has taken market share from its competitors. And thanks to strong growth in sales darty.com, which rose by 18%. "This growth is profitable," said Thierry Falque-Pierrotin, managing director of Kesa. The website, which became commercial in 1999, now accounts for 12% of the turnover of the group. Globally, sales of Darty fell 3.7% between early May and mid-August.
"The beginning of the year was difficult," says Thierry Falque-Pierrotin. Involved, the lack of major sporting event like the World Cup football last year which had boosted sales of televisions. "Conditions should remain still difficult for some time," added the CEO.According to GfK, sales of consumer electronic products fell 11.3% in the first half in Western Europe.
The distributor hopes to continue to succeed at the game perfecting his model. "We are professionals and will further improve in-store assisted sales and other services. We install, for example, listening zones in our stores to test the helmets, "says general manager. The company is also continuing successfully its growth in the kitchen. Market entry in 2007, Darty offers these products in 21 stores of 223 and plans to do the same in another 11 outlets by the end of the year. "As in our other segments, we want to offer good price and good service in the kitchen. This strategy has already allowed us to gain market share ", says Thierry Falque-Pierrotin.
"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.
Revolution in Clermont-Ferrand. To conquer China, Michelin, the tire specialist high-end, the gum is in the low-cost. The manufacturer yesterday signed a definitive agreement with two Chinese groups to create a joint venture that will produce and market products for passenger cars and light trucks under the brand Warrior. The principle of this agreement was announced in April. It must still be approved by the Chinese authorities.
The new company is 40% owned by the French and 60% by local partners, Double Coin and Huayi. The plant, under construction, will be located in Wuwei, about 400 kilometers west of Shanghai. The project, costing about 390 million, is intended to eventually produce 15 million tires per year, for the Chinese market.The operation was hailed by the Paris Bourse, where the title Michelin jumped 5.3%.
Double in size
The group, whose main production facilities located in markets "mature", had already started the construction of three giant plants in China, Brazil and India. In the Middle Kingdom, where it is installed since 1988, the company has four factories and employs over 6000 people.
Michelin, who wants to double in size in developing countries by 2020, up particularly in Asia, where he says the market should grow by 9 to 10% annually over the next few years. In the first half, he realized, however, still 75% of its sales in Europe and North America.
To succeed in Asia, including China, the French had no choice but to face the players in the middle and entry-level, such as the Korean Hankook, which hold 40% of the world.And that growth has come at the expense of leaders Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear. Between 2004 and 2009, global market shares of French are well past 19.4% to 15.5%. "It is very important to have a presence in this niche" of low-cost, recently explained Jean-Dominique Senard, the new managing partner of the group. "We can not leave the field open to our Asian competitors, more and more aggressive." Michelin will instead expand the availability of its distribution network in order to "meet all customer demands." So far, "we were not able to do so profitably," says Jean-Dominique Senard.
Prior to the signing of the agreement, Michelin Warrior Tire already manufactured at its plant in Shanghai Double Coin brand which had given him to use.The French had created a joint venture with the Chinese group in 2001 which he had bought the shares in 2010. The goal now is to dedicate the site of Shanghai to the Michelin brand, and "to increase greatly the production of the Warrior brand" with the new joint venture, said Bibendum.
Relations with Double Coin had not always been in good shape, since 2007, Michelin had accused its Chinese partner to produce in its plants counterfeits of its truck tires.
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The respite will not last long: after a week of relative calm, the European banking sector has again stumbled in the stock market Monday. Britain's RBS, French Societe Generale, Deutsche Bank or German for example, have dropped out of respectively 12.32%, 8.64% and 7.53%. Even the champion of Frankfurt stock exchange now weighs less than half its book value! This increased tension is supplied from Friday with a new bundle of anxiety on the macroeconomic front. Investors fear that gives that summer debt crisis in Europe and the United States against a backdrop of slowing growth, worsening. The European foot-dragging on the Greek case illustrates the difficulty of political reassurance. Terms of private sector contribution in the second rescue of Greece, to be completed at the root end of August and early September, and still raises many questions.The debates are multiplying on the accounting treatment of such assistance, and the right level required for impairment of securities Greek, while the economy sinks further into crisis.
200 billion euros in recapitalization
Asked about the idea of requiring banks assessment of sovereign debt in the market, the CEO of Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann, said Monday that "it was forcing an open door to say that many banks Europe would not survive. " Especially since the doubts about the ability of Italy to keep its austerity plan and that of France to absorb a succession of shocks without further tighten the screws are becoming more vivid.The CDS on the two countries, these insurance policies that protect a non-payment, Monday reached a record high.
Under these conditions, the crusade of the new Executive Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, against the underfunding of the European banking sector is gaining credibility. According to the Financial Times, its equipment valued at 200 billion euros on equity gap for the entire industry. The chairman of BNP Paribas, Michel Pebereau, said Monday: "The stress tests in Europe (…) suggest that it is not so obvious that today the European banking system as a whole may need to be recapitalized.Some banks, no doubt. "Boss BPCE, and past president of the French Banking Federation (FBF), François Perol, said he did not think" that (statement of Christine Lagarde) was referring to French banks. "
On the other side of the Atlantic, the signals are no more reassuring. The disappointing U.S. employment published Friday that result in maintaining a high unemployment rate to 9.1%, have cast a chill on the market. The same day, Washington expressed its willingness to prosecute seventeen banks for selling its agencies refinancing, without the correct information, asset-backed mortgages, subprime. The legal battle casts a new threat to the sector.
Declarations of Christine Lagarde at the Jackson Hole conference in the U.S. have caused confusion. Concerned about the deteriorating global economy, the executive director of the International Monetary Fund said before the central bankers that European banks' need urgent recapitalization. " The former economy minister added: "This is the key to cut the chain of contagion."
Thus, for the IMF, "the most efficient would be a substantial recapitalization mandatory European banks with private funds in the first place but also of public funds if necessary." Christine Lagarde has called for research by the policies of a common vision for the future of the continent.
But the executive director of the IMF gave no indication about how to get there.Thus, Sebastian Bartholomew, credit analyst for Louis Capital Markets believes that the statements of Christine Lagarde is "a call to order IMF but do not provide concrete solutions." The specialist also wondered what private funds would be inclined to give money to banks, "who wants to bring money to the banks unless the States?" Support from private funds, wanted by the former tenant Bercy seems to be excluded.
Regulators want details
Thus, fearing that such a disadvantage about the banking sector already affected by the stroke of tobacco stock this summer, some regulators would consider asking the IMF chief to clarify his remarks, reports the Financial Times.Indeed, while Europe is mobilizing to try to reassure investors on the health of major institutions of the old continent, reports Christine Lagarde could undermine their efforts credit reports free. The stress tests were particularly aimed at reassuring the financial community. French Banking Federation (FBF) was also stressed that French banks "have passed the stress tests in July European and ACP, the national supervisor, performs regular checks to ensure the smooth operation of banks' .
As such, the FBF reiterated this morning that the French system has full confidence. The Federation reiterated, like what she wrote on August 19, that 'capital levels are well above regulatory requirements and programs for refinancing in the medium and long term are conducted under conditions quite satisfactory. "
And the banks themselves have reiterated they do not need to raise new money. In early August, to mark the publication of its results, Societe Generale has reiterated that it has strengthened its financial strength, and for BNP Paribas. August 25, Crédit Agricole has also sought to reassure. The bank, whose accounts the second quarter suffered a heavy burden to Greece, said it had to end in July of more than 120 billion of liquid reserves immediately available. Jean-Paul Chifflet, general manager of the bank, had also told the BBC: "We have no difficulty in funding us."
In exchange, banking stocks are holding up well CAC40.Credit Agricole advance of 1.1%, 1.3% BNP Paribas, Natixis and Societe Generale 1.7% against an increase of 1.3% for the CAC 40.
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As a new wave of panic in the markets, gold continues its flight. The precious metal reached Friday morning a new record in Asia, to 1,837.50 dollars per ounce. Yesterday, it reached 1826.10 dollars in session after crossing the threshold to higher novelty of 1815 dollars.
Investors, who had turned away the metal shelter last week, returned to him massively in favor of strengthening fears of a slowdown in the global economy. The markets, already worried by the growth in the euro area in the second trilmestre were put ashore by a round of disappointing economic indicators published in the U.S. yesterday.The jobless claims rose last week, inflation accelerated, home resales have relapsed in July, the index measuring manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia area for the month of August was collapsed.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley have heightened these concerns by scaling back its global growth forecast for 2011 and considering that the United States and the euro area "were dangerously close to recession."
This context reinforces the gold safe haven par excellence.In its wake, the yen and Swiss franc, other safe havens, also climbed while U.S. bond yields fell to 10 years to their lowest level ever, acclaimed by investors panicked.
"Gold has not finished with its strong ascent"
"There is a market perception that the economic environment becomes dangerous, and a growing sense that politicians fail to meet the challenges of the crisis, the United States and Europe," observed Ross Norman, analyst at broker specializing Sharps Pixley."Gold is not only a safe haven asset in crisis but is also a clear barometer of market confidence, and leap today lets see the prospect of a possible second economic crisis after the 2008 potentially more damaging, "he added.
If the pessimism persists, metal king could therefore quickly reach 1900 dollars per ounce. "Gold has not finished with its strong rise," warns Simon Denham, Head of Capital Spreads.
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New slump in the Paris Bourse. At the close on Wednesday, the CAC 40 index showed a loss of 5.45% to 3002.99 points and manages to maintain a narrow margin the psychological threshold of 3000 points. In a volume of trade of 6 billion euros, the volatility was again very strong.
Like him, other European indices loosen: the FTSE-100 index in London lost 3.05% to 5007.16 points at closing. The Dax in Frankfurt tumbles 5.13% to 5613.42 points after falling 6% during the session. The index featured the Milan Stock Exchange, the FTSE Eb, closed Wednesday on a drop of 6.65% at 14,676 points, its lowest level since April 2009. The Madrid Stock Exchange closed on a fall of 5.49%.
The banking sector collapses
All markets are penalized by the banking sector, while Greece is planning to expand its exchange program to include obligations of the securities in the longer term, which penalizes first private creditors. In Paris, Societe Generale gives 14.47 (after a 20.83% drop in session) to 22.18 euros, Crédit Agricole 11.81% to 6.07 euros, BNP Paribas 9.47% to 35.61 euros and Natixis 9.11% to 2.68 euros.
Banks have suffered rumors of degradation of the note of France, while Moody's, Fitch and Standard & Poors reiterated that the AAA rating of the Hexagon was accompanied by a stable outlook online cash advance. Even Bercy denies "formally" the rumors of degradation.But the surprise meeting convened by Nicolas Sarkozy interrupted his holiday to deal with several ministers the theme of economic and financial crisis has rekindled investor concerns.
Also in Europe, the divisions between countries are delaying the implementation of the rescue plan agreed in June In addition, fears of renewed extension of the debt crisis in Italy explains the new fall. The market is concerned about the ability of Italian banks to refinance.
Industrial production declined in France
As on Wall Street, markets been unable to continue the strong rebound in the day that followed the speech by U.S. Federal Reserve.The latter, however, assured that it would extend its monetary policy ultra-accommodating while maintaining zero interest rates until at least mid-2013 and exploring other measures to support the U.S. economy, which will probably end detailed August, at the final communiqué of the U.S. central bank. But the Fed confirmed that the U.S. economy is in trouble, especially since the deterioration in the debt rating of American long-term.
For the economist Nicolas Bouzou, the previous day had already not reassuring:
The player is used by default in the articles of figaro.fr. Maj7
The day after a second night of riots in the suburbs of London, the British press is concerned about the impact of new technologies in organizing rallies. If the use of Twitter and Facebook was highlighted during Arab riots in recent months, a new player is on Monday stormed the British media: the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), who played a key role in events.
BBM is a service available only on BlackBerry brand phones, allowing users to exchange messages for free via the Internet, and not through the telephone network. Messages can be exchanged only if both corresponding to communicate their personal code (PIN) before.The interception of messages by a third party, or by the police is complicated.
The principle of BBM is similar to that of SMS, to the last detail BBM messages that cost nothing. One argument that has made the BlackBerry smartphone's favorite British adolescents (37%), according to a study cited by the Guardian. For The Urban Blog Mashup, taken by the Telegraph, BBM is very popular among young 'for three reasons: it's fast, it's free, and unlike Facebook or Twitter, the messages exchanged are completely private. " .
"The gangs have been using BlackBerry for organizing the riots"
"The device, previously reserved for businessmen and politicians, are now the preserve of thugs and young (…) through this application," says the Telegraph.The conservative daily notes and Mark Duggan, the young man whose death was the cause of the night of riots in Tottenham, had sent a message via BBM to his girlfriend shortly before being shot by police. "The message said: 'The cops follow me,'" wrote the daily.
"The gangs have been using BlackBerry for organizing the riots," says the Telegraph. A Guardian journalist is in the same direction, explaining that "many sources (him) confirmed that BBM, inciting to raid the town of Enfield, was heavily circulated on the BlackBerry network Sunday early afternoon noon ". The journalist claims to have read other messages about plundering six other districts in north London on Monday night. "There is no doubt that BBM is used to organize the violence."
The BBC website, he does not deny the use of BBM in the events of the weekend, minimizing its impact."While smartphones have helped those who participated in the riots, they were certainly not convinced those who were not interested to join rallies," writes the site based on the analysis of Dr. Chris Greer, Professor of Sociology and Criminology at City University in London. For its part, RIM, the manufacturer of BlackBerry phones, said Monday in the evening he would "cooperate fully with the Interior Ministry and the British police force."
British police monitors Twitter users
Scotland Yard warned on Monday that it would arrest any person to become involved in urban riots on Twitter. "Provocative and inappropriate messages were posted on Twitter" during the weekend, said the British police.The Times cites several messages such as "Everyone at Tottenham n **** the police, I hope that there will be a dead tonight" (the message has since been deleted).
For its part, the Telegraph has collected pictures of rioters and that of a young man posing in front of several games he had stolen during the violence. "Do you know? Send us an email if you have any information, "wrote the site, without specifying for what purpose he seeks to know the identity of these people.
The rating agency Standard and Poor's lowered the rating Friday on the public debt of the United States, deprived of their "AAA" for the first time in their history. S & P said in a statement it had lowered the rating a notch, the best possible, to bring it to 'AA +'. It also downgraded the outlook to "negative", which means that Standard and Poor's believes that the next time the note will change, it is to be lowered again. The United States were rated "AAA" by S & P since the creation of this agency in 1941. They remain in the other two major agencies, Moody's Dean (since 1917) and Fitch Ratings.
Standard and Poor's, which had warned in April that it was considering lowering, justified its decision with "political risks" to see the country taking insufficient measures against its budget deficit.For her, the political debate on these issues is not up to the problems caused by a debt of more than 14,500 billion. "The plan for balancing the budget on which Congress and the Executive have recently agreed is insufficient compared to what, in our view, would be needed to stabilize the dynamics in the medium term public debt" said S & P, citing the law known as "control the budget" passed Tuesday.
"The last victim of the failure of President Obama"
John Chambers, President of the Evaluation Committee of S & P, said Friday on CNN that Washington could have prevented the lowering of the notes within the ceiling earlier. He said the responsibilities were shared by the Administration and Obama, but also "the previous administration." The first political reaction in Washington have shown blocking pointed to by S & P.Mitt Romney, candidate for the Republican primary, has called the reduction of "latest victim of the failure of Obama on the economy." The Senate Democratic leader, Harry Reid, has instead called for "a balanced approach to deficit reduction," with spending cuts but also increases targeted taxes, it rejected the Republicans, under pressure ultra-conservative "tea parties", when discussing the debt.
For its part, the U.S. government has accused S & P based its decision on serious errors in calculations payday loan. "An appraisal contains an error of 2000 billion dollars speaks for itself," said the press spokesman of the Department of the Treasury. U.S. media said the government had severely challenged the projections of analysts of the agency after reviewing the findings of S & P. In vain."We take our responsibilities very seriously, and if at the end of our analysis, the commission concludes that a note is not to where it should be, it is our duty to make this decision" justified Reuters responsible for rating sovereign debt within the S & P, David Beers.
China demands U.S. action
The loss of this seal of excellence is expected brutal impact on the financial markets, difficult to imagine right now. The U.S. Treasury is an undisputed reference: a standard cost of money, an instrument normally used as "collateral" (guarantee) in a variety of transactions, and a refuge for investors in troubled times. "Uncertainty about the effects on the market is high," said recently the investment bank Goldman Sachs, exploring the potential consequences.The lowering of this note should indeed force investors to reassess risk widespread.
The S & P announcement came as the markets had closed for the weekend, but initial reactions are mixed from Asia. The Japan, the second holder of U.S. debt world, assured that his confidence in the U.S. Treasury and its strategy of purchasing these bonds were unchanged. But China, by far the world's largest creditor United States, found that she had "every right now to require the United States to address their structural problems of debt."
The United States had their public finances sealed by the harsh recession that crossed their economy from late 2007 to mid-2009. Since then, economic growth has returned, but they are not able to restore the health of their public finances.According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, they should acknowledge this year, with about 9% of GDP, the highest budget deficit of the G20 countries, except Japan. It is sixteen countries rated "AAA" by Standard and Poor's, four of the G7: Germany, Canada, France and Great Britain.
(With AFP and Reuters)
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It has taken a major step Tuesday Olympique Lyonnais (OL). In a statement, the French professional club career has indeed appointed on Tuesday the company concessions in charge of design and construction of its future new stadium, the cornerstone of future complex OL Land. And it finally Vinci return the task to emerge from the Stadium of Light ground on the site Décines Charpieu.
After the Stade de France, Nice and Bordeaux, so this is the third contract raised by the construction group and concessions as part of the grand plan to renovate the French stage, for the organization of Euro 2016 Football in France. Note that Vinci has also built and operates since January 2011, the stage of Le Mans (MMArena), which is not part of the eleven stages selected to host matches of Euro 2016.
Private partnership / private
Regarding the financing of the stadium itself, with a capacity of 58,200 seats, the two companies will work as part of a private / private. As for the OL Land project as a whole, the community (Grand Lyon, Department, State …) will support the access to the stadium for 170 million euros. According to information provided earlier this afternoon by the group led by Jean-Michel Aulas on the financing of the only sports venue, Vinci is committed to "contribute to the funding by becoming a shareholder, to a maximum participation 49% of the company owner of the project, the Land of Montout. " Duty, the group estimates that 381 million euros the amount of the contract this morning."A cost which will complement other investments driven by external partners, including hotels, leisure centers and office buildings," says management. In total, OL Groupe estimated 450 million investments to the OL Land project, that is to say the stadium and related structures.
To collect a portion of the funds, the group will also sell the name of the future stadium to a private company. The identity of the partner to be selected, and the amount of its financial participation in this contract "naming" should be announced by the end of the year cash advance now. What to expect the Stadium of Light will soon be renamed before being completed.According to Jean-Michel Aulas, the enclosure will be built on the bottom "entirely private", even if 20 million should still be made by the State, as part of the renovation plan.
Deliveries for the second quarter 2014
A four-year first whistle of Euro 2016, the stadium project goes so Lyon (finally) to the next level. The memorandum of understanding announced Tuesday paves the way for the concrete realization of the project, after years of red tape. At the end of a phase "Project" about six months and subject to the signature of the design-build contract by that date, the phase of contruction will be launched.
Already in May, the release of the situation had been operated by the choice of Lyon as host city of the European competition.The city was named first with eight, then ten stadia to host matches of Euro 2016. Then, when the future sports arena has been the subject of a statement in May of general interest (DIG), Greater Lyon has been run from 14 June to 18 July, public hearings required to amend the plan to local urban planning for the construction of the stadium. The city now hopes to receive the issuance of building permits by the end of the year, for a start of construction in early 2012. Barring unforeseen delays in construction or, as has been the site know of the great stage of Lille, the Stadium of Light should be delivered in the second quarter 2014.
In exchange, the news was applauded by investors, in a context of macroeconomic concerns hold their attention. At 15 hours, the title of the Lyon Group advanced 0.93% to 5.41 euros in a market down 0.5%.
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