Angela Merkel may not be smiling to welcome Francois Hollande Tuesday night. The Christian Democrats (CDU) of German Chancellor Sunday suffered a stinging defeat in a regional election in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state in Germany.
According to partial results yet, the federal opposition Social Democrats (SPD) won the election with 38% of the vote. Environmentalists have raised 12% of the vote, the SPD-Green coalition outgoing should continue to govern this state.
For its part the CDU has collected approximately 25.5% of the votes, or about 9 points lower than in 2010, her worst score ever recorded in this region. This defeat adds to a long series for black liberal-conservative coalition in power in Berlin since 2009, it failed to surpass the 5% in six regional elections, and lost its historical stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Merkel remains popular in polls
Although the North Rhine-Westphalia is a historical bastion of the left, this result sounds like a warning to the Chancellor, to 16 months of the legislation. A week after voters in France and Greece have shown that they wanted more austerity, the Germans of this region of western countries have chosen the SPD, very critical of the policy austerity practiced by the Chancellor. "This defeat is bitter, clear and it really hurts," admitted the local leader of the CDU, also Environment Minister Merkel, Norbert Röttgen. He at the same time tried to protect the Chancellor, ensuring that it was "above all (his) defeat" and resigning from the regional party.
If his party string of electoral defeats, Angela Merkel seems to always enjoy great personal popularity. National polls show that the Germans know it will promote fiscal austerity to cure ailing eurozone. Besides, in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Free Democrats, staunch supporters of austerity, collected 8.5% of the vote, nearly triple the 3% they receive from national surveys. However the formation of extreme left Die Linke – model Jean-Luc Melenchon – has not passed the 5% threshold of votes necessary for MPs.
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This is the first major policy decision announced by Meg Whitman, CEO of HP since September. PC and printer divisions of the group will be merged, as the company said Wednesday.
Since arriving at the head of the company, Meg Whitman will finally been consistently good the consequences of the announcement in August by his predecessor, Leo Apotheker. The latter had then referred to the release or surrender of HP's PC division. Which cost him his job and has had a disastrous impact on group sales. During the last quarter of HP – ended Jan. 31 – Sales of the division plunged 18% in volume and its revenues fell 15%. At the same time, the printer division saw sales fall by 7%. Combined, the two product divisions of the group will represent half of total HP revenue (127 billion). The other portion going mainly to dynamic two divisions: services and servers.
Since September, the world's number one PC had to swallow a few snakes. In particular, see Apple proclaim everywhere the last quarter, he had sold "more PCs that HP iPad". Although the difference is played with one digit after the comma, the comparison is no less painful for HP, which more conspicuous by its absence in the segment of tablets. Worse, Chinese Lenovo continues to gain market share and HP could double by the end of the year payday loan no faxing.
Reduce costs
In the last quarter of 2011, the worldwide market share from HP in the PC fell to 16%, while Lenovo has risen to second place with 14% market share. In one year, the gap between the two groups was reduced by 6 points. But the U.S. does not intend to cede its global leadership without a fight.
Todd Bradley, appointed to head the new entity, will have the burden to reinvigorate PC sales and reverse in printers. HP also aims to achieve further cost reductions through this merger. Savings could indeed be generated in the supply and marketing of equipment. While the line between professional and individual equipment fades, it becomes increasingly important to industry players to establish their brand. This allows to charge prices a bit higher, as does Apple. A point particularly important that the owner of HP has already said a return of the group on the market shelves were not excluded.
The announcement of the reorganization was moderately popular with Wall Street. At the opening, the title has sold 2.23%. Todd Bradley, former head of Palm, is known to cause the redemption of Palm in 2010 by HP for $ 1.2 billion. Instead, Vyomesh Joshi, head out of the printer division, was reputed to have doubled the operating margin for this division.
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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The roses will bloom again next year in the nursery Delbard. But the vast area of 600 acres in Malice (Allier) will have changed hands once again. The history of the empire built by George Delbard in the 1930s, long and consists of garden land production, has not been smooth sailing.
Outlets have been closed or sold, and the Commercial Court of Montluçon decide Monday the fate of the production unit Delbard nurseries of roses and fruit trees. Two bids were reviewed for the company Friday, went into receivership 18 November 2011 and followed since by the administrator Gregory Wautot. One meets Henry and Arnaud Delbard, son and grand-son of the founder, who plan to invest 650,000 euros and keep 54 of 122 employees.
The competing offer comes from Muriel Devoucoux, founder of the company Nurseries Tronçais, associated with the Targa Capital funds. It plans to invest an equivalent amount and retain 51 jobs. "This is more likely. It offers the most sustainable for Delbard, which enjoys a solid reputation, but whose production systems and marketing must be reviewed by a specialist in horticulture, "says a close case.
This experience is most needed to the current owners, the family Torck, which took the entire capital in 2005 from the hands of fund IDI and Henri Delbard. The latter was for seven years in charge of horticulture at LVMH, owner of Delbard, to try to translate his techniques of roses to the vineyards of Moët-Hennessy. The failure was at the height of the ambition of Torck, founder of the brand family clothing Camaïeu. Jean-Pierre Torck was the top spot with its sign of Delbard garden, where roses were marketed its own. He appointed a former Leroy Merlin CEO, responsible for modernizing and growing network of stores very disparate. Within two years, the number of garden centers to the iconic red-and yellow rose has doubled. Delbard has owned up to 35 and counted up to 1,000 employees.
Strategy too expensive
This strategy proved too costly. The Torck invested 80 million euros. In addition, "other garden centers, nursery clients Delbard sanctioned policy Torck, which came to compete directly," says one expert. The nursery has seen sales decline, from 8.7 million in 2008 to 7.4 million euros in 2011.
In 2010, the family Torck has agreed to sell 20% stake in the nursery, deficit, Nalod's group, which operates garden centers around Saint-Etienne. Especially, the latter took over the distribution brand, 14 garden centers and the website Delbard. Today's has 17 stores Nalod Delbard own, in 40 free.
Since last summer, the Torck no longer have any stores. The most emblematic, Tannery Wharf in Paris, was converted into store decoration. Despite this withdrawal, the Torck could not keep Delbard roses in their garden.
The Stock Exchange? Biotechs believe more than ever. The Lyon Adocia, revisiting existing drugs in order to increase efficiency, was introduced Feb. 20 on the stock market. It was followed by specialists in medical imaging, Eos Imaging, which lifted the passage 38 million, and Intrasense. DBV, focused on food allergies, will jump on March 29.
The biotechnology sector health (drugs created from living organisms) and medtechs (innovative medical devices) is still dreaming investors despite stock route more or less convincing. Carmat has not implemented its first artificial human heart but it is worth 490 million euros, up over 400% from its initial listing in 2010. Genfit, which is developing a diabetes drug can be marketed in 2019, took over 57% since January 1.
Less than 25 biotech companies listed in Paris
Less than 25 biotech and medtechs are listed in Paris. It's a bit more than in the creation of the Next Biotech Index in 2008. But their market capitalization weighs only 2.2 billion euros, far from the 4.7 billion euros at the time. The French biotechnology remains microscopic facing a global industry that weighs nearly 270 billion and the stock market rose nearly 15% in one year. A universe dominated by real heavyweights. Amgen, the American champion, worth 54 billion, Genzyme was acquired last year by Sanofi for $ 20 billion.
"France has completely missed the turn biotech thirty years ago. She gradually recovers from five to eight years, "says a pharmaceutical boss. No large company has, for now, emerged from French soil. But "the Hexagon biotech together weigh as heavy as the largest laboratories," said Andre Choulika, President of France Biotech. Nearly 280 biotech and medtechs use from 5000 to 6000 employees in the Hexagon. They develop over 270 products, primarily for human health, divided almost equally between drugs, diagnostic products and innovative medical devices.
But how many medicines will emerge? Fifteen products are already from the French biotech today, says France Biotech. The mucoadhesive buccal tablet Loramyc BioAlliance is. Cationorm for the symptoms of dry eye is another example. It is produced by Novagali, a biotech acquired in September 2011 by the Japanese Santen. But the vast majority of these companies still sells no products. The total turnover of some 20 listed biotech and active in health averaged just 112 million euros in 2010. The prize goes to BioAlliance, with 22.5 million sales. Yet medtechs fared rather better than biotech. Gestation of innovative medical equipment is often shorter and less random than drugs.
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"I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man! *". This sentence from Jay-Z – the title Diamonds From Sierra Leone Remix by Kanye West – sums up the prevailing situation in the world of American rap. At the head of a fortune respective $ 450 million and $ 100 million, the two artists will be performing in Paris-Bercy in June, are real business men. And they are not alone. P.Diddy, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre or Pharrell Williams, these rappers are also producers, composers, actors sometimes but mostly contractors.
For most self-made men, from disadvantaged backgrounds, the American rap stars today are wealthy. In addition to the income they derive from the music is by increasing business partnerships, equity investments or launching their own brands that they have become real cash machines. The latest example, Snoop Dogg released in April his trademark cigars Executive Branch. P.Diddy expected him to launch his own tequila.
Jay-Z, entrepreneur model
Investing turns to alcohol, clothing or food, these artists have become multimillionaires. Thus, the famed producer Dr. Dre has seen the brand of headphones he had founded in 2008, Beats by Dr Dre, being acquired last year by the Taiwan-based HTC for a whopping $ 300 million.
Thanks to its partnership with Diageo, the world of spirits, P. Diddy could become the first billionaire rapper dollars if we are to believe Forbes magazine. Ambassador of the Ciroc vodka brand, it also supports its development. Marketing, management, the rapper takes care of everything and receives 50% of profits. His fortune is now estimated at $ 475 million.
But he who is cited as an example is Jay-Z. Author of a biography of the rapper from Brooklyn, Empire State Of Mind, the reporter Zack O'Malley Greenburg of Forbes sees in him a model for ambitious of any contractor to build a business empire. In 2007, the sale of his Rocawear clothing line, had allowed him to pocket $ 204 million. Label boss, he is also a minority shareholder of a NBA basketball team, the New Jersey Nets and co-founder of the chain of clubs 40/40.
French rappers go at it too
To advertise their own brands, they can rely on themselves for long references in their rap songs. They also benefit from their address books thick and artists they produce to make a perfect product placement in their videos. The ambition and the cult of success are perfectly claimed. They are even in the heart of their brand. The rappers are betting on the fact that in addition to consuming their music, fans will adopt, and therefore buy, their lifestyle. "My brands are an extension of myself, Jay-Z told the magazine Men's Health. All my things are a part of my culture. " His music is inseparable from his business.
American rappers are not the only ones to diversify their incomes, French rappers go at it too. Like Booba who launched his clothing brand streetwear Unkut in 2004. Precursor, was created in 1998 JoeyStarr brand Com8 (Come-Eight) with two partners. It has benefited in its early stages of the promotion by both members of NTM.
Some fans will blame these rappers emblematic of a new kind of move away from the original message of the rap genre protest denouncing the inequalities and injustices. Still, in 2010, Jay-Z was the one of Forbes magazine along with the American billionaire Warren Buffett. A form of consecration.
* "I'm not a businessman, I'ma business"
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The French did not splurge for the foie gras in the last Eve. Unlike 2010, good vintage in the Hexagon (4.5 vol%, 3.3% in value), they have limited their purchases last year. If sales increased 4.8% in value to nearly 1.9 billion euros, the volumes are almost stable (+1.1%), knowing that three quarters of consumption are at holiday season. "In 2011, the market held up relatively well in a period of declining consumption," comments Thierry Blandinieres, owner of the trademark Delpeyrat, No. 3 market. "This is reinforced on the poorest segments of the market premium, as the whole," added Jacques Trottier, general manager of Labeyrie, the market leader.
These good results in value is primarily explained by higher prices, by about 5%. Producers have partly reflected last year the rising cost of agricultural raw materials, grain head. Meanwhile, they continued the growing range of products, flavored with foie gras or the old recipes. Positioning that allowed Labeyrie and more at Delpeyrat-making a record year (14% by volume, 28% in value) – to win market share.
Reluctance of distributors
Nevertheless, the year 2011 marks a halt after two years of growth in value and volume, boosted by the expansion of supply and initiatives of the profession to start the season earlier. For three years, the Saint-Martin was awarded the honor in November. Actor Gerard Darmon was requisitioned for the ad campaign in radio. Partnerships with chefs and TV shows ("MasterChef" TF1) were signed. In hypermarkets and supermarkets (50% of sales of foie gras), the increase put forward by radiation and the presence in the prospectus has largely contributed to the increase in sales (+4.5% on 2009 season and 3.3% on the 2010 season).
But in 2011, the operation has not had the desired effect. "It seems that some distributors did not believe, because of the crisis, that consumers would buy as much foie gras as the previous year," said Pierre Couderc, CEO of Euralis (Montfort, Rougié). The highlighted were much more cautious. This has impacted sales (-14% by volume in November), as this is part of impulse buying. Many consumers have preferred to postpone their purchases at the last moment.
For 2012, the caution given the uncertainty in consumer confidence. Although calm on the forehead of raw materials should limit price increases in radius. No question as to increase production capacity. At Delpeyrat, we will not put more ducklings on the market this year, while their number increased by 4% in 2011. But companies who are pleased to have won new customers over the last five years (the rate of purchasing households jumped by 7.7 points from 41.5% to 49.2%), keep the course of the sophistication of their products. "The consumer has a sufficient level of maturity today to enjoy a wider range of products," promises Pierre Couderc.
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The strike of Air Staff, which began on Monday through Thursday, did not affect this morning mass disruption of traffic, despite some delays and cancellations. But Air France still had to cancel nearly 20% of additional flights, mainly medium-haul and four long-haul.
A source aéroporturaire quoted by AFP, "126 cancellations were scheduled on Sunday evening on the 1190 movements (takeoffs and landings) provided on Monday." Air France, which represents 50% of flights from Roissy and Orly, then planned to provide 80% of its short and medium haul flights and 85% of long haul. While stating that "delays and last minute cancellations are possible."
Several cancellations "hot" have actually been announced Monday, including to Geneva, Naples, Istanbul and Rio. EasyJet has also canceled five flights this morning from Roissy. In the provinces, cancellations were also reported, without massive disruption of traffic. 13 flights were canceled Monday flights from Lyon, four due to the weather, 15 from Toulouse, Nantes to ten …
Right to strike
Sunday, the trade unions movement promised a "closely watched". Almost all of the pilots' unions – the very majority SNPL and the SPAF, and the UNPL Alter – have indeed called off work Monday through Thursday evening. The movement regards seagoing personnel (pilots and flight attendants), but also employees working on the ground, including service companies, such as baggage handlers, ramp attendants, mechanics, etc.. According to an airport source, "the movement is little ground follow-up at Air France, but the mobilization stronger among the sailors same day payday loans."
The unions are protesting against the reform of their right to strike by the National Assembly voted on the initiative of UMP Eric Diard, modeled on the guaranteed service set up to SNCF and RATP. A text that unions consider intrusive the right to strike. Transport Minister, Thierry Mariani, but on Monday reaffirmed its willingness "to go through."
Union opposition to this text adds to the social unrest generated internally by the drastic measures that savings is about to take the management of Air France to regain profitability. "Air France does not treat its employees badly but our model is out of breath", justified in the Journal du Dimanche, the new company president, Alexander Juniac.
Learn
As a precaution, Aéroports de Paris has set up a service to accommodate travelers. Teams of Aéroports de Paris (ADP) are mobilized to facilitate the reception and orientation of passengers. She advises, however, passengers will be traveling during this period to consult their airline or inquire by phone or online. Passengers can call 39 50 or from abroad +33 1 70 36 39 50. They can also go surson website. Information is also available on the website of Air France''. Smartphone users can also download the application "Myairport".
(With AFP)
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"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.