US & World News

An American from Wisconsin was charged Thursday for selling fake Facebook actions by taking advantage of impatience about the upcoming IPO of the first global network community.

According to the complaint filed Thursday, Marianne Oleson would have claimed one million dollars in Facebook stock and have convinced several people to become the purchaser.

She was accused of 31 charges, including theft, forgery and misrepresentation.

Facebook announced Wednesday, almost eight years to the day after it was created by Mark Zuckerberg, its proposed IPO with the intention to raise $ 5 billion.

Marianne Oleson, according to the complaint, explaining that her daughter was linked to Mark Zuckerberg and had had access to titles Facebook. 

She would have paid in false actions including a contractor who performed for nearly 14,000 dollars of work on his house. The man would have also paid 10,000 dollars to buy other securities fictitious.

Another of his alleged victims, a sexagenarian, he would have four checks totaling about $ 40,000.

The IPO of Facebook, expected in May, should be the operation of this type the most anticipated of the year, and set a passing record for a spin start-up Internet.

At its IPO in 2004, Google had sold nearly two billion dollars of securities.

Standard & Poor's on Tuesday cut score of 15 large banking groups, mainly in Europe and the United States as a result of a major review of its rating criteria.

In total, the U.S. agency has reviewed the status of 37 major global banks. In particular, it confirmed the notes of BNP Paribas and Societe Generale."The lowering of S & P both on European and U.S. banks has undermined confidence in the markets," said Terry Pratt, IG Markets.

"This decision has overshadowed the progress made in Brussels on the issue of scaling the EFSF."

Another analyst, Guy Lebas of Janney Montgomery Scott, said that these banks will see their funding costs rise.

This month, officials from S & P indicated that they would gradually announce the ratings updated for more than 750 banking companies in the world, starting with the principal. New announcements are expected in the coming weeks.

For large banks, the rating adjustments are larger than S & P has provided for the entire industry.

Ahold announced Monday a series of measures to accelerate growth, new cost cuts and a boost to the dividend, the Dutch retailer hoping to convince investors of the strength of his model.

While the group has performed better than its commercial rivals in recent quarters, as Ahold trades at a discount to many other names in the industry, because of the feeling that the company is too exposed to low growth markets.

Ahold, owner of the first supermarket chain in the Netherlands Albert Heijn, produces some 60% of its sales in the U.S., with retailers Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle.

The company last week released the results better than expected in the third quarter with a 5% increase in earnings, rising food prices and market share gains have boosted sales despite difficult market conditions .

Among the measures included in a presentation to investors, including the group intends to triple its online sales, to 1.5 billion euros, and open at least 150 stores over the next five years.

Specifically, Ahold wants to open at least 50 supermarkets in Belgium after the results of two test stores already established in the country.

Boeing said Thursday that the Indonesian airline Lion Air was about to sign an agreement for the purchase of 201 737 MAX 29 and 737-900 for a total, based on list prices, from 21.7 billion dollars (16 billion euros).

"This transaction, when finalized, will be the largest order of civil aircraft in the history of Boeing, both in value and number of aircraft ordered," said a statement from the U.S. aircraft manufacturer.

He adds that the agreement with Lion Air, Indonesia's largest airline, also has rights to purchase 150 additional aircraft.

Boeing said that U.S. President Barack Obama will attend the signing ceremony for the purchase of 230 aircraft.

Like the A320neo from the A320, the MAX 737 is the version of 737 for fuel savings. The first copies should be delivered in 2017.

G20 countries Thursday put the finishing touches on a concerted action plan to try to put the global economy on the path to a sustainable and balanced growth and discussed the possibility of increasing IMF resources to help countries reeling from economic shocks.

According to a draft final statement dated November 2, they should agree at the end of their summit in Cannes on the need for countries with high deficits to put their finances straight and for those who have surplus boost domestic demand.

As part of this plan, Italy, which is in the eye of the storm of the European crisis, promise to reduce debts and deficits (see) to quickly bring in 120% from 2012 in its public debt of national wealth."There is a broad consensus on the need for additional financing (…) We will work on it tonight and tomorrow," she said.

PASSAGES IN WHITE

If the passages devoted to IMF resources and currency remain white, indicating that these issues are still debated, the draft final communique is also no real surprise.

Given the risk of future crises, the G20 leaders are considering a proposal to create a new credit facility in the short term the IMF to help countries that are virtuous face of exogenous shocks ().

According to the Minister of Economy, the European Commission proposal to increase the capital adequacy ratio of banks to 9% "can absorb a shock." Budget Minister Baroin regrets the refusal of PS on the constitutional question of the balance of finances

The proposal of the European Commission and its President Jose Manuel Barroso to recapitalize banks is "acceptable", said Friday the French Minister of Finance Baroin. "The position of the Commission Barroso and two days ago is acceptable. A level of 9% of equity" to be achieved by European banks "by the end of the first half of next year, it ' is, "he said on Europe 1 radio.

According to him, "9% in 2012, it can absorb shock." He reiterated that this concerned primarily banks that failed the stress tests at the beginning of summer and those who have passed narrowly.Banks should try to recapitalize "on the basis of their results" by distributing less dividends and less bonus, "warned Baroin, like the European Commission." They should not do so at the expense of economic activity, credit to individuals and business credit, "he said.

"If they can not, they will do in the markets, if markets are not enough they will find partners, and ultimately there will be a limited possibility of a European coordination" for public assistance, the minister added . He again suggested that the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) provides that state aid to schools that need it, as its new statutes in force since Thursday so authorize.Germany believes he can do that for banks in countries which already have an international aid program (Greece, Portugal, Ireland).

Baroin But he reiterated that French banks do not find themselves in the position of having to seek government assistance. On Greece, the Minister confirmed the new position of France, which was resolved Thursday to recognize that the creditor banks would have to erase the country a majority of government debt. The discount provided to date to the private creditors of Athens, in the agreement of July 21, is 21%. "For three months the markets have evolved, they have deteriorated (…) We left at 21% July 21, it will be, it is almost certain," he said. "How high? Is being discussed."

He also felt that the figures circulating going "well beyond 50%" were "fanciful"."Three quarters of the Greek debt is held by private (…) We will not cut the whole," he said. "If it requires a private discount that is not tenable, then that will invest in Greece?" Asked Baroin.

He then said that the Heads of State and Government of the euro zone announce their decision on this issue at the summit in Brussels on 23 October, without specifying whether they would disclose the amount of the new haircut or just the principle. { P}

European authorities began Wednesday to prepare the banks of the continent to a possible failure of Greece.

For the first time since the crisis began, bank supervisors have decided to enhance their market sovereign debt held by banks in the EU as part of the recapitalization process in progress, officials said Wednesday European source.

The EBA, which will retain a definition of bank capital similar to that used in the last series of stress tests in July, will harden further 9% threshold due to equity "hard", reflecting the wishes of Paris and Berlin and by the European Commission on Wednesday in his "roadmap" to end the crisis.

"This is an exercise prudential.It is therefore logical that the ABE values ​​sovereign debt to market value or a value very close to that market, "said a source familiar with the discussions.

Regarding the definition of capital, "it corresponds to that used by the BEA in July.This is harder than the current one but is softer than that provided by the new Basel III standards, "the source said.

Once it receives the data that are currently provided by the banks, the EBA will prepare a proposed recapitalization of institutions of systemic Twenty-September for the meeting of EU finance ministers to be held October 21 , the day before the EU summit.

ROADMAP

This will be adopted simultaneously with the new bailout of Greece, which must reduce the debt of Athens so much greater than had been planned in July and then revise upward contribution "voluntary "the private sector.

According to several European sources, the losses that private investors must accept their obligations in the Greek part of the new plan should be between 30 and 50%, not 21% as expected.

Institute for International Finance (IIF), the discount would represent 39% when using the current market prices to assess the risk profile of the country

The roadmap of the Commission also calls on members of the euro area to complete without delay the ratification of the new European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF).

Last country to have to run, Slovakia will vote by Friday, officials said Wednesday following the agreement between three parties of the government resigned and the main opposition party.

The roadmap, which calls in line with discussions held at the EBA to a building "significant" capital requirements of banks, also advocates a recapitalization through private funds, which will be supplemented by funds public and by loans from the EFSF in case of negative response from the market.

France, who insisted behind the scenes for several days to use the EFSF as an instrument of coordination in the recapitalization of banks, said Wednesday it would not appeal.

"EURO BONDS"

The other two parts of the document from the Commission concerning the acceleration of measures currently being discussed in Brussels, but designed to boost European growth and most importantly, the implementation faster than expected European Stability Mechanism (MES).

The MES, which was to come into force on 1 July 2013, finally begin to operate on 1 July 2012 according to the wishes of the Commission. It includes a device that allows a country to default on its debt in an orderly manner.

"The roadmap traces the path to the exit of the economic crisis for Europe. The partial answers to the various aspects of the crisis are no longer sufficient.We need to take the lead, "said Commission President José Manuel Barroso to the European Parliament.

"We must reach an agreement at the EU summit of 23 October," he said, also urging the leaders of the euro area to release the next tranche of aid to Greece.

He also confirmed that the EU executive would present by the end of the year a proposal to create a framework for joint programming of debt between members of the euro area, also known as "Euro bonds."

Audi, the premium brand of the Volkswagen group, plans to exceed this year's Mercedes-Benz, the luxury brand of the Daimler group, reaching 1.3 million sales, said Tuesday the chief executive of Audi.

"We will exceed Mercedes this year and move from place to number three to the number two," said Rupert Stadler to the press on the sidelines of the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Audi is also optimistic about the prospects for the sector as a whole.

"There are two warning signs. Sales to fleets of vehicles and sales of used cars. Neither reports of headwinds," said commercial director Peter Schwarzenbauer.

The federal agency that oversees the mortgage market in the United States may soon file a complaint against several major banks for their role in the subprime crisis, which weighed on bank stocks on Wall Street Friday.

The Federal Agency for Real Estate Finance (Federal Housing Finance Agency), which oversees the giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, accuses several major banks have given a misleading picture of the quality of mortgages bundled and sold during the housing bubble, said on Friday a source close to the matter.

These loans, said subprime, are the cause of the bursting of the real estate bubble in late 2008.Institutions making home loans had significantly eased lending standards to attract new customers and sell homes they had no way to pay, betting on a continued increase in the property market.

The existence of this complaint in a pending first was reported Thursday by The New York Times before being confirmed Friday by a source contacted by Reuters.

The source declined to name the specific bank, but according to the New York Times, citing three people familiar with the matter, the government agency will continue to include Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank.

By 1515 GMT on Wall Street, as BofA unscrewed more than 6%, yielding 3.5% JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs lost 4.6% while the Dow Jones fell by 1.6%.

Costly litigation

The complaint will be filed Friday or next Tuesday, understands the New York Times. Those responsible for BofA, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs did not wish to make comment.

"We can not express a complaint which we are not aware and has not yet been filed," said a spokesman for Deutsche Bank in the NYT.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lost more than $ 30 billion mainly due to purchases of securities backed by real estate debt.It took public money to correct their accounts.

The federal agency in housing finance has already filed a complaint against UBS in July, seeking to recover at least $ 900 million and, according to those quoted by the New York Times, the new proceedings will be of a similar financial scale.

The major U.S. banks are already facing the possibility of having to pay tens of billions of dollars in settlement of disputes relating to their activity in the mortgage.

This scenario would further reduce their levels of capital, potentially paving the way for a credit crunch even though the housing market is at half mast and that the U.S. economy as a whole shows signs of slowing down.

Sign of anxiety about this, the U.S. Federal Reserve has asked Bank of America to present the measures it would take if business conditions were deteriorating, reports the Wall Street Journal Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The funds invested by Libya in France should be used to purchase medicines and food aid. A demonstration in support of the rebels Libyan National Transition Council to Benghazi in May 2011.

France has earmarked 259 million dollars, 182 million euros, of Libyan assets that have been available to the National Transitional Council (CNT) for "humanitarian purchases," said Monday the French Ministry of Foreign. "These are funds that belong to the Libyan people" and that "for the purchase of medicines, food products," said CNT's new ambassador in Paris, Mansour Saif al-Nasr at the end of a meeting with the head of French diplomacy Alain Juppe.

France considers that the CNT representative body of the rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi, is now the "sole owner of governmental authority" Jamahiriya.Alain Juppe "the caller said that the process of thawing of Libyan funds was successful and has enabled the LSC to provide the sum of $ 259 million. The CNT can now benefit from these funds for humanitarian purchases, in compliance with European regulations, "said a statement from the Quai d'Orsay.

"The special envoy of the CNT was informed that he could move into the premises of the Libyan embassy in Paris", they added the same source. The French "have promised to hand over the keys soon." The embassy "is currently under the protection of the French police," said Mansour Saif al-Nasr, who took office last week in Paris.