US & World News

Japanese stocks ended up Thursday, the figures for economic growth in January-March quarter have offset the worries about Greece and its banks.

The Nikkei gained 0.9% or 75.42 points to 8876.59 points, while the Topix broader took 1.12% or 8.28 points to 747.16 points.

Japanese gross domestic product increased by 1% from January to March compared with the previous quarter, helped by a rebound increase in consumption. In this context, investors have taken advantage of the recent decline of 12% of the Nikkei to do some shopping on the cheap.

Values, Credit Saison ended with a gain of 3.88% to 1,658 yen. Society of consumer credit has posted an annual net profit above market expectations.

Cash lenders will loan anything from a couple of hundred dollars to around $1500, which generally must be paid back in full, along with the interest, within two to four weeks.

Volvo reported Wednesday a 4% drop in shipments from trucks in April from a year earlier, sluggish demand in Europe and South America have overshadowed ; a strong recovery in North America.

The second largest global industry saw its shipments fall by 22% in Europe, its biggest market, while increasing by 39% in North America.

The industry is facing hard times in Europe, with widespread debt crisis, but also in Brazil, the first South American market, where demand is suffering from new rules on emissions.

Deliveries from Volvo in South America fell 30% while they increased by 9% in Asia. 

The Volvo share fell by 1.9% to 82.40 Swedish kronor (9.02 euros) to 8:35 GMT, while the benchmark index of the Stockholm Stock Exchange yielded 0.84%.

Volvo, which manufactures trucks under the brand name but also under names Eicher, Mack, Renault Trucks and UD, had raised its annual targets for Europe in late April, saying anticipate an increase in production over the coming months.

The band, which rivals the industry leader Daimler, said Wednesday that its production would increase slightly in his division in the second quarter and Renault for its Volvo brand in the third.

Volvo expects a contraction of the European market for heavy trucks to 230,000 vehicles this year, against 242,400 in 2011.

Bertelsmann announced Wednesday for the first quarter of 2012 up 13% of operating profit and 5% of its turnover, confirming its annual target of moderate growth CA

The first media group in Europe – which has among others the broadcasting group RTL and publisher Random House – said that its operating profit (EBIT) reached 280 million euros against 248 million a year ago.

"For the full year, we are confident to achieve our goal of moderate growth in sales, EBIT stable at a high , and an increase in profit after minority interests, "said Thomas Rabe said in a statement, chief executive of Bertelsmann. 

RTL Group also announced Wednesday an increase in sales during the first quarter. Growth on French and German advertising markets offset a continued decline in Southern Europe and East.

Bertelsmann, which focuses on digital and abroad to spur growth, announced in late March a change in legal structure, which might suggest that the group is more strongly opposed to an introduction scholarship.

An amount that includes the 240 billion aid from Europe and the IMF, 100 billion debt erased by private creditors, and 40 billion euros of EU funding. In other words, Greek 33,600 euros per capita. Here, anti-austerity protesters in Parliament in Athens on 7 February 2012.

The assistance provided to Greece to prevent it from falling into bankruptcy amounted to a total of 380 billion euros in the form of loans, are injected directly and debts erased, said Wednesday the European Commission in a statement.

This includes the 40 billion euros of EU funding in 2007-2013 for Greece. In addition, there are 100 billion euros of debt that the private sector has agreed to remove and 240 billion euros of state aid provided by the EU and the International Monetary Fund. This corresponds to 33,600 euros per capita Greek, and 177% of gross domestic product of Greece, says the European Commission, who made a point Wednesday on its proposals to boost growth in the country.

Brussels reiterated its plans to use European funds to help support the Greek SMEs and youth employment. The Commission has 4 billion euros to help businesses. She also wants to focus on better control of public finances and a recapitalization of banks to support lending to individuals and businesses, particularly SMEs.

The Commission has a mission of experts ("Task Force") which together with the Greek authorities to implement the reforms necessary to resolve the crisis. Around the task force, member countries of the Union offer their expertise to help Athens to complete his reforms.

Industrial production in France rose 0.3% in February, thanks to the consumption of gas and electricity induced by the cold wave.

Industrial production in France rose slightly by 0.3% in February, thanks to the consumption of gas and electricity induced by the cold wave, is now on the same rate as in January (0.2%, revised), announced Tuesday the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE). In the manufacturing industry alone, which excludes mining and construction, production was down sharply by 1.2% over one month, after a slight increase of 0.2% in January, said INSEE in a statement.

Over the last three months, production was down 1.1% in manufacturing and 0.5% in the entire industry. Over this period, production was down in the "other industrial products" (-1.2%), in the agricultural and food industries (-0.8%) and transport equipment (-0.7%) . The refining business suffers from maintenance outages, with a decline of 7.2%. Manufacturing production for the last three months has significantly decline (-1.6%) compared to the same three months last year. Over the same period, production has fallen sharply in the "other industries" (-2.0%), transport equipment (-2.7%), as well as in electrical, electronic, computer and machinery ( -0.4%).

She also declined sharply in the refining (-13.1%), mainly because of the shutdown of the refinery in Little Crown, according to INSEE. For February alone, refining is down 5.1% after a 12.0% drop in January. The production also decreases in the rubber, plastic and non-metallic minerals because of the cold wave (-6.7%), metallurgy and metal products (-1.7%), chemicals (-1.7%) textiles, clothing, leather and footwear (-1.5%). However it increases by 2.1% in "other manufacturing". It was down in electrical equipment (-4.3%), computer products, electronic and optical products (-2.3%) and remained stable in machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified (0.0%). It remains stable in the other transport equipment (-0.1%) and automotive (0.1%).

American values ​​have increased their decline Wednesday in the second closing in the red as investors begin to consider the prospect of a world stock market would no longer be supported by programs Recovery of central banks.

The Dow Jones has sold 0.95% or 124.80 points to 13,074.75 points. The Standard & Poor's, wider, yielded 1.02% (14.42 points) to 1,398.96 points while the Nasdaq composite fell back to 1.46% (45.48 points) at point

3068.09

This decline comes despite better than expected figures for employment in the private sector. According to ADP monthly survey, the private sector created 209,000 jobs in March in the U.S., against 200,000 expected.

But what continues to attract the attention of investors is that, in the last monetary policy meeting of the Federal Reserve of the United States, only two members its monetary policy committee felt that other measures could be necessary if the economy weakened or if inflation remained at a low level during a pe ; prolonged period. 

Support measures implemented by the U.S. central bank was the main catalyst for a jump of 30% recorded by the S & P 500 since October, although improving conditions in the United States, as reflected by the indicators, also played.

A REASON TO LOWER

"The biggest support for the economy and financial markets for the past two years has been the (financial) support and without it, you always wonder if the economy can stand by themselves, "said Bruce Bittles, head of investment policy at Robert W. Baird & Co.

Some investors, such as Cummins Catherwood, in Boenning & Scattergood, however, believe that we should not over-interpret the decline. He stressed that the market needs a reason to consolidate after its sharp rise and the bottom panel, even if not very exciting, is at least solid.

Values, General Electric, Heavyweight Dow Jones fell 1.1% to 19.74 dollars. Moody's downgraded the rating of Aa2 to Aa3 conglomerate. The note of its financial subsidiary, GE Capital, has also been lowered a notch.

Sandisk has fallen by over 11% to 44.51 dollars. The manufacturer of flash memory has reduced its forecast for sales in the first quarter, citing lower demand than expected from the manufacturers of mobile handsets and pricing conditions unfavorable.

McDonald's ended down 1.9% to 97.48 dollars. Goldman Sachs has released the value of its conviction buy list and lowered its price target to $ 110.

Side increases, AIG ended with a gain of 5.3% to 32.52 dollars. According to CNBC, AIG could launch in the second quarter IPO of the subsidiary ILFC aircraft leasing Holdings.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended down on Tuesday, causing the yen to profit taking on the values ​​that were well mounted exporting since January.

The Nikkei ended down 0.59% or 59.48 points, to 10,050.39 points while the Topix retreated in the same proportions (-5.03 points) to 851.02 Points .

The dollar is trading around 81.89 yen after three weeks of low points touched 81.55 yen on trading platform EBS in early trading.

Toyota, which has won over 37% since the beginning of the year, has limited its decline to 0.28%, while Sony has lost 0.58%. Its gain since the beginning of the year exceeds 20%.

The government deficit in France was equivalent to 5.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011, writes Les Echos Thursday on their website.

The first estimate of the deficit is to be published by INSEE Friday morning.

The objective of the Finance Act was 5.7% and the government indicated it could be 5.3%.

Asked by Reuters, the Budget Ministry did not wish to comment.

The government and the two main candidates in the presidential election, the socialist Francois Hollande and Past President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged to reduce the deficit (which includes State, local and social security) to 4.5% of GDP at end 2012 and 3% in late 2013.

Over 80% of private creditors of Athens agreed to exchange their debt securities against other securities whose value has been reduced by 50%. The agreement paves the way for the release of a new loan to avoid bankruptcy the country unchecked. Three of the four ministers of the Greek far-right party Laos opposing the new austerity measures demanded by the creditors of the countries presented their resignations Friday, February 10

Greece has raised nearly 84% acceptance of all its private creditors, including only 85.8% of bondholders under Greek law, in connection with the restructuring of its huge sovereign debt, said Friday the Greek government. If Greece has avoided a default unchecked, this rate is still insufficient compared to the 90% target that was set by the government, explaining that he had to recommend the activation of collective action clauses attached to the bonds to be exchanged.

They are forcing carriers reluctant to accept the terms of trade and should at the final acceptance rate to 95.7%, the statement said the Ministry of Finance. "The holders of approximately 172 billion euros of bonds by Greek law" have accepted the proposal made by the Hellenic Republic on February 24 to exchange their debt securities against other securities whose face value was reduced 50% said the statement.  

"I wish to express my gratitude to all our creditors who supported our ambitious program of reform and adjustment and shared sacrifices of the people in its historic effort" praised the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said in a statement. The exchange of specific securities to be held Monday, March 12 for bonds by Greek law, but an extension until March 23 at 0800 GMT was granted to holders of non-Greek right to present their response to the proposal. This delay does not allow those who have already joined to the bid to reverse their decision.

The partners of Greece indeed want the private sector do its part in the rescue effort of the country, with a contribution sufficient to provide debt reduction to 120.5% of GDP in 2020, a ratio expected to guarantee the country's return to solvency. Successful restructuring opens the door to the contrary release 130 billion of loans provided by the euro area in late October. These two components, debt and bailouts, make up the second bailout of the country developed its international partners, after an initial infusion of 110 billion granted in 2010.

Volksbank Austrian bank said Monday it would be partially nationalized and its minority shareholders could lose up to 70% of the value of their participation.

The majority of the capital should remain controlled by regional banks, which will 230 million euros on the table while the state plans to provide at least 250 million.

A financial source said that the state would recover the direct participation of over 40% in Volksbanken after the recapitalization.

The capital of the bank is currently owned 60.8% by sixty Austrian credit institutions, to 23.4% by the German DZ Bank, to 9.4 by the insurer Ergo% and 5.7% by Raiffeisen Zentralbank. 

Volksbanken had received in 2009 one billion euros from the state but failed to meet its deadlines for repayments on time, providing the government Austria the opportunity to turn his loan into securities.

The Austrian Minister of Finance, Maria Fekter, however, said they wanted to avoid this scenario, Vienna has already had to nationalize Kommunalkredit and Hypo Group Alpe Adria since the outbreak of the financial crisis .