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The flying car passed his first test flight

Reality is catching up a little more science fiction follows the success, yesterday, the first test flight of a flying car. The U.S. company Terrafugia has announced that its prototype small plane that runs on the road with folded wings flew for 8 minutes.

The vehicle called transition could well be marketed within a year, said the company whose name is Latin for "escape from land". The group's founder, Carl Dietrich, believes that the dream of many motorists is now within reach the steering wheel! "With this flight, our teams have demonstrated their ability to make real what was until now considered an impossible dream," he said.

The vehicle is expected to cost 279,000 dollars (213,000 euros). The company said that the new materials and a computer aided design used to reduce the price and weight of these vehicles to make them more accessible. More than a hundred copies have already been pre-ordered as well.

Failure of previous attempts

Moreover, the model approved in the U.S., has a range of 787 km and a width of 2.3 m version of the car can park in a garage classic. Once the wings, the model is 8 meters wide.

A track of 762 meters is necessary.

Recession: Greece wants to believe she sees the end of the tunnel

The plight of Greece will not last more than two additional years. This is at least the promise of the Greek prime minister, Lucas Papademos. "I am convinced that we made more than half way to economic recovery, even if the fiscal consolidation process will take longer. Of positive growth rates should be achieved by less than two years, "suggests he in an interview with Financial Times.

This statement comes as Greece is to receive on Monday from the European Union an additional EUR 5.9 billion. This is the first installment of the second aid package of 130 billion euros granted to Greece in early March. This loan comes new monumental adjustment efforts on the part of Greece, such as lowering the minimum wage by 20% as the country had adopted earlier this year to convince its European partners to help new .  

Mea culpa European

For its part, the President of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker, made his mea culpa in the Greek press. "I think we did not sufficiently focused on the dimension of growth to the general problem of Greece. We especially emphasized the consolidation of public finances without giving alternative or leave the choice to Greece, the official said center-right daily Kathimerini. We have been hard towards fiscal consolidation, but very low in relation to the other important parameter, that of growth. "

Same story on the side of specialists missioned to Athens to recover the Greek state cheap credit report. "Greece has achieved something unique by testing the limits of what could accept and support people, said this weekend the head of the technical mission of the European Commission, Germany's Handelsblatt Horst Reichenbach. We will not forget. "These statements by European officials" let dawn a change of tone, "Analysis Jesus Castillo, an economist at Natixis:" Even if the strategy is led by the North, led by Germany, one can rejoice that growth is better taken into account to support structural measures very hard ".

Five years of recession

Greece entered its fifth consecutive year of recession. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised downwards its growth forecast last week. He believes the country should emerge from recession in 2013, but he is expected to grow anywhere that year. Meanwhile, business is expected to decline by 4.8% in 2012 (after -6.9% in 2011) and the Greek State should continue its efforts to reform itself. According to the latest European Commission report on Greece, published last Friday, Athens has not made sufficient efforts to combat tax evasion and privatize public enterprises.

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Germany: senior citizens, a key factor for growth

Faced with an aging population, Germany is mobilizing its seniors. The shortage of labor grows more and more companies to recruit employees in the age group of 50-65 years. According to recent statistics, 7.7 million of them are in jobs covered by social benefits. Seniors are 452,000 more to work than a year ago, while the number of retired decreases proportionally, according to the Federal Employment Agency.

Germany, most countries aging of Europe, has over 20 million pensioners. Newspapers and specialized sites have a section dedicated to seniors. It offers more courses "convert after 50 years" or "mini-jobs": babysitting, babysitting, secretarial services, pet sitting

.

Applications for employment offered to retirees target various sectors. Thus, the industrial bakery K + U offers training in two years, to turn in senior commercial. This original idea has emerged out of necessity. "This is our response to the shortage of labor, says Corinna-Krefft Ebner, head of vocational training in K + U. We have more and more difficult to hire over. We would have 150 apprentices per year. We find 100 painfully. "

OECD calls on countries to respond

The problem is particularly acute in small family businesses that do not have, in addition, the attractiveness of German industrial groups to attract the most motivated graduates. In its report on Germany, published Tuesday, the OECD calls the country to respond "to strengthen growth potential, particularly given the rapidly aging population." The OECD estimates that this has already cost 0.2 percentage point growth in Germany in 2011 and that the figure will rise to 0.9 points in 2025.

Large family SMEs have taken the lead. Two-thirds of them, the 55-65 years represent more than 5% of payroll. For 15% of these companies, this age represents 20% of the workforce. "But it would have to work longer worth the time. Pension contributions should be totally eliminated for those over the age limit for retirement, "says Lutz Goebel, president of the federation of family businesses. Under a law passed in 2007, the retirement age will rise gradually to 67 years by 2031. Currently, the vast majority of assets not working up to 65 years required: this is 63 ½ years on average than the Germans drop out. It is possible to retire from age 63, after having contributed for 35 years at a discount price.

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Management-finance salaries in hiring on the rise

Many of vacancies, but demanding industry on skills and candidates who sought are upping the ante: all the ingredients were there in 2011 to boost wages for employment.

Indeed, according to the latest study by Robert Half, executive compensation in finance and accounting have increased 5 to 10% compared to 2010 on trades in vogue as management control, financial control and audit internal. A management controller with three to five years of experience and could expect between 40,000 and 63,000 euros gross per year. Accountants, whatever their level, have also benefited from the situation. Now, the gross annual salary of a single accounting with five years experience ranges from 30,000 to 34,000 euros gross. That of an accountant suppliers or customers is between 22,500 and 27,500 euros, depending on experience.

Offer prospects for premium

According to the annual survey of salaries Expectra 2011, the highest salary increases related to the management controller (+10.8%), the administrative and financial (+9.3%) and the Financial Analyst (6 + , 5%).

All companies have not yet joined the trend. At risk for more cautious, to see quality candidates decline their offer. No doubt they will be more flexible on wages to convince the best. Even suggest the prospect of premium for not going out of the pay scale. But in these trades, the variable portion rarely exceeds 10 to 15% of fixed salary.

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Air France pilots want to save face

After four days of an unpopular strike, the Air France pilots looking to get out of the conflict from the top. The crew of the company reiterated Thursday its opposition to the bill regulating the right to strike in the airline industry and imposing a guaranteed service.

A delegation of trade unions must be received at 11 am Friday morning by the Minister for Transport Thierry Mariani. This meeting should not lead to much. "We're not there to find common ground with the unions, but to organize a guaranteed service," warned Thierry Mariani Thursday.

Within hours of the meeting, the minister's entourage confirmed Friday morning hostility to any negotiation. "The meeting should quickly cut short, says one close to the minister. We have nothing to say and nothing to negotiate. "

So, it could be internally that could come after the conflict. "Stability of schedules" which are very attached to the pilots could indeed be negotiated as part of a stipulated agreement with the management of Air France. According to the strikers, the obligation to declare 48 hours before the strike is inadmissible because it will allow the company to organize and make the social movement painless for customers.

A management commitment to the company on a stable schedule will prevent to use of non-strikers rest to ensure flights during strikes and then work to the strikers on their days off when they returned to work. Such an agreement would render the bill of its substance and its effectiveness but allow everyone – and most unions – to save face.

"Blocking the company with 20% of strikers"

"The framing of the strike was finally accepted in 2007 by SNCF workers where work organization is different from ours, said a member of the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL). In our business of flying, there are only 15% of staff who works every day to 48 hours before declaring strike is killing the strike. "

An argument that does not convince in the ranks of the majority: "When there will be 80% of strikers, there will be 80% of flights canceled, said a relative of the Minister of Transport. The real reason for this hostility to the bill is to continue to weigh and to block the company with 20% of strikers. "

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Suppression of PTZ + in the former.

Real estate agents who regularly praised the virtue of PTZ + (interest-free loan +) for a first house purchase new or old are particularly concerned about the impact of its removal. Now, this loan will be confined to new housing, generally more expensive .. "This offered the most fragile families a path to home ownership, says Jean-François Buet, general secretary of the Fnaim. Its end is a bad signal, we move away from France owners desired by the President. " Many professionals would rather see the PTZ + subject to means test rather than disappear.

"Of the 750,000 transactions this year, 300,000 were funded with a PTZ + in the former and 230,000 are for goods that are not primary residences, says Jean-François Buet.The new data on so three quarters of the transactions. " According to calculations by the federation of real estate, sales volume may decline by 200,000 acquisitions.

For his part, Michel Mouillart economist estimates that the measure "the crisis will be more extensive than in 2008 and will have a negative impact on the volume of mortgage loans."

And on the price? In addition to budget savings, the measures are supposed to help regulate prices. "They do not go down that much, said Sebastien de Lafond, president of the network MeilleursAgents.com. For the suppression of PTZ + will lower an already weak demand, but at the same time the tax on capital gains holding back the offer. "

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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Yet the conditions for a sustainable rebound

• The stock market environment is in many ways more fragile than in 2008

After the capitulation market in recent days, many investors are wondering whether it is time to return the purchase. Beyond a simple technical rebound, the chances of quick recovery courses are limited for the simple reason that the current stock market is in some ways more fragile than in 2008. Signs of slowdown are multiplying in the United States, Europe could enter recession in the coming months, and the deterioration in manufacturing activity in China shows that the theory of decoupling between emerging and rich countries no longer holds the ramp. Response capacity of government to stimulate consumption are practically nil, and the effect of accompanying policies of central banks has reached its limits.The current crisis comes mainly from the usual market issues related to the level of market valuation or the correction of excesses after a period of intense speculation. The epicenter of the crisis is now in the euro area, with governments overwhelmed by the level of public debt and unable to agree on the management of their common currency. The solution to these difficulties lies in the hands of "political" and not in the trading rooms and in business. This is what the operators despair!

• The core business is a real force that

The recovery will be difficult, but much of the bad news began to be integrated into the course. The precipitous decline of the indices shows that the Exchange has already taken a good step ahead of the crisis.A CAC 40 to 2800 points means, for example, that investors expect an increase, not corporate profits, but a 30% drop in profits in 2012. This pessimism is starting to become excessive, especially for industrial groups, such as Air Liquide, Schneider Electric and Michelin, a strong presence in emerging markets where business slows but does not decrease instant personal loans guaranteed. The same goes for business as L'Oreal, Essilor International and Pernod Ricard, which have strong brands and where margins are not challenged. The treatment of more defensive companies, such as France Telecom, Sanofi, or GDF Suez, also reached its limits.These values ​​offer attractive yields of between 10 to 6%.

• The plight of the shareholders of the banks could come to an end

In three months, the market value of the three largest French banks, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole and BNP Paribas, has been halved. This collapse is comparable to the fall in prices occurred after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Investors have punished the weak provisions made in the accounts to meet the commitments of banks in the peripheral countries of the euro area and a general loss of confidence in respect of institutions in the euro area. Far from scaring the market, the rumor of a possible entry of the state in their capital in the form of preference shares is now likely to reassure investors.10 to 15 billion euros to recapitalize matter which it would lead to a "dilution" of shareholders limited. After the destruction of 50 billion capitalization in the summer, the amounts mentioned are already largely taken into account by the markets. Bank stocks will certainly remain under pressure, but the plight of their shareholders might come to an end.

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The CAC 40 expected sharply lower after Fed

Concerns about the health of the U.S. economy may once again to weigh on the markets in Paris. In the wake of Wall Street the day before and Asian stock markets this morning, the CAC 40 is expected to open sharply lower at least about 2%, according to forecasts, having already fallen by 1.6% in the previous session.

Markets should sanction and the decision of the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) on Wednesday. In fact, the Central Bank of the United States announced new measures to support the U.S. economy. It will sell well here in late June 2012 for $ 400 billion of treasury bills and short-term buy for the same amount with a longer maturity in an attempt to lower interest rates in the long term (an "Operation Twist").To support the mortgage market, it will also acquire real estate securities without increasing the size of its portfolio, according to the Committee.

However, markets did not appreciate his verdict on the economy, noting the "continuing weakness" of the labor market, with an unemployment rate of "high" of 9.1%, coupled with "significant risks "related" tensions in global financial markets. " "The opinion of the Fed on the economy is deteriorating a lot and it seems it can not do much with the Republicans (he) asked not to intervene," says Yutaka Miura, analyst at house brokerage Mizuho Securities, the Dow Jones Newswires.

Thus, the market had expected better, especially after worrying about the International Monetary Fund.The day before, the institution headed by Christine did not hesitate to raise the specter of a global recession and launched at policy makers in the world "a fervent call to action". At the same time the institution has significantly downgraded its growth forecasts for the global economy. This is expected to grow 4% in 2011 as in 2012, 0.5 points below its previous forecast of 4.5% last April.

Beijing sees its manufacturing activity deteriorated

To this must be added the emergence of concerns about the economic situation in China. Manufacturing activity in the country has deteriorated in September, reaching its lowest level in two months, according to preliminary PMI bank HSBC said on Thursday. PMI Purchasing Managers calculated by HSBC in September reached 49.4 against 49.9 in August, knowing that a figure below 50 means contraction."We are seeing a moderation in growth as in the past two months. Fears of a hard landing of the Chinese economy are unjustified, "said in a note Qu Hongbin, the chief economist for China at the bank.

In addition, investors are increasingly worried about the evolution of the crisis of public finances in Europe no fax cash advance. Greece announced Wednesday its intention to launch new austerity measures to convince the Troika and obtain payment of a new tranche of 8 billion euros in October that will allow it to avoid bankruptcy.

On the foreign exchange market, the dollar was up against the euro. It was worth 1.3544 dollars per euro, against $ 1.37 the day before in Asia.Oil falls as himself down under the effect of a rise in the dollar and pessimistic forecasts from the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) for the world's largest economy.In early electronic trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for October delivery gave up $ 1.21 to 84.71 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery lost $ 1.26 to 109, $ 10.

On the macroeconomic front, France, the index of labor costs in industry, construction and service sector in the second quarter will be released at noon.

In the U.S., the weekly claims for unemployment benefits will be unveiled at 14.30, and the composite indicator of economic activity for the month of August in 16 hours.

Earlier this afternoon, the markets also expect the statements of Robert Zoellick and Christine Lagarde, respectively president of the World Bank and IMF Executive Director, at the opening of the annual meetings in Washington

Values ​​to follow

• Banking

BNP Paribas, which has seen its share price unscrew more than 50% in three months, may request assistance to private investors understood the Financial Times. Analysts said that the institution may seek to raise up to EUR 2 billion from investors from Qatar and Abu Dhabi. However, an assumption that sweeps by the Director General of the bank Baudoin Prot.Investors also will keep an eye on Societe Generale and Credit Agricole.

• Saint-Gobain

The group has conducted Wednesday through placement of a bond issue in two tranches for a total of 1.75 billion euros with an average maturity close to six years and an average coupon of almost 4% in the refinancing of debt specialist construction materials. The transaction was heavily oversubscribed as the order book has reached the aggregate for the two tranches over seven billion from nearly 400 investors.

• Danone

The company launched its next bond issue of € 500 million due 2016.

• BioAlliance

The group announced Wednesday the confirmation of the clinical trial schedule Livatag against the primary liver cancer, starting with the pivotal Phase III in 2012.The company also reported a residual income of 1.02 million euros in the first half.

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.