Excessive pay: Sarkozy has a short memory

Auto Date Friday, February 24th, 2012

The promise made yesterday by Nicolas Sarkozy to ban hats and retreats, golden parachutes has a deja vu. The candidate of 2007 there was already risky. The President also, during his tenure. But from words to action, there is a gap … Nicolas Sarkozy Golden Parachute

What he said in 2007: At the time, the future president described the golden parachutes "detestable practices" and announced their removal "summer 2007" in the name of "values ​​that are not (his) ".

What he did: It is clear that five years later the "golden parachutes" still exist. Certainly, there have been few measures of supervision. But they were sometimes taken by the UMP majority against the Government's view.

In August 2007, the TEPA law requires and golden parachutes are subject to a decision of the Board, and is linked to performance criteria. But the announced removal is not requested. In 2008, during the speech of Toulon, the head of state announced that executive compensation "must be indexed to the actual economic performance of the company. They should not be eligible for a golden parachute when they committed mistakes or put their company in difficulty ". No law follows.

In 2009, following the scandal of the golden parachute of the former CEO of Valeo and stock options of Societe Generale, Nicolas Sarkozy puts it: "There should no longer be any golden parachutes, it should not be any bonuses, distribution of free shares or stock options in a company that receives government assistance, which implements a social pronounced or that relies heavily on partial unemployment. " A decree to this effect was taken in April. But this prohibition applies only to companies that received aid from the state (banking and automobile sectors) until end 2010. And it is not retroactive.

Finally, 21 October 2010, MEPs adopted an amendment during consideration of the budget which provides that golden parachutes may not exceed 'twice the highest severance benefits, provided in case of dismissal by the agreements business or industry. " Baroin, then budget minister, has yet attempted to oppose it. He states that "the government has already done much" and argues that "these elements of compensation (that) feed business competitiveness to attract the best subjects."

Pensions hats

Unlike the golden parachutes, Nicolas Sarkozy has never announced the elimination of pensions hats. But he has often denounced the abuse. And his government has taken steps to harden their taxation. That said, in February 2010, matter in full Proglio, Luc Chatel, a spokesman of the government has not asserted that the least critical of retired boss of Veolia's hat fell within "the hard". He even tried to justify it. And as for golden parachutes, the government has sometimes sought to oppose regulatory ambitions of its majority

What he did:

The decree of 20 April 2009 prohibits hats retreats for executives of companies that have benefited from state assistance, but this provision shall be valid only until the end of 2010. Today, they are perfectly legal.

In October 2009, MEPs in the committee adopt a reform of the governing pensions hats … but waive the government's request. Eric Woerth, budget minister then, justifies its position by the fact that this system affects many thousands of frames and not only the great leaders. The government settle a code of ethics established by the employers.

In October 2010, MPs return to the fray and adopt a law to limit pensions hats. The latter will no longer exceed 30% of the remuneration of the last fiscal year. Unusually, the majority supported the opposition. The government opposes it but will eventually bow, relying on "wisdom" of the assembly.

Taxation has for its part, was weighed down twice in 2010 (particularly in the context of pension reform). And surtax has once again undergo a hardening at the end of last year with the introduction of a progressive scale with three slices according to the amount (7%, 14% or 21%) against two previously (6 % or 12%).

The high wages

What he said

Wednesday night on France 2: "From now on, the remuneration of top leaders will be voted on not by the board, where typically there are many friends, but by the general meeting of shareholders. (They) will be published in the legal documents to be published by the company "

What he has said: ……. In June 2006

. at Agen: "At the very least, is that the leaders of large listed companies assume their remuneration to their employees, their shareholders, and that, therefore, remuneration of each officer is not secretly fixed in the closed session of the Board but publicly endorsed for each of them by the general meeting of shareholders, and, of course, nominally published in the annual report. " What he did

:

Actually, not much thing, except the temporary ban on stock options and bonus shares for companies aided by the State until the end of 2010. Otherwise, the government has clearly shown its refusal to regulate comprehensively Wages and Salaries Francois Fillon saying, still in 2009, such a move would have "no real technical, economic, unless you want naturally regulate all remuneration ". And rely on the wisdom of big business and its ethics code. The measures proposed Wednesday to stay elsewhere in this lineage. Existing in the Anglo-Saxon voting remuneration by the general meeting of shareholders does not guarantee the end of excessive compensation. And the principle of transparency on executive compensation has already been included in the New Economic Regulations Act of 2001.

Merkel shows his support for Sarkozy

Auto Date Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Angela Merkel has justified its support for the candidacy of Nicolas Sarkozy to the French Presidency by the friendly ties between their two parties. On Greek debt, the two leaders agree: the Greeks must meet their commitments, and quickly. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace on February 6.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday in Paris he was "normal support parties Friends", about her support for Nicolas Sarkozy to the presidency, at a joint press conference with President French. "I support Nicolas Sarkozy on all levels because we belong to parties of friends," said Merkel. Merkel also said that Mr. Sarkozy came to support her in 2009 when she was running for a second term as Chancellor.

Angela Merkel, support "friendly" of Nicolas Sarkozy

"The candidate Francois Hollande visited the congress of the SPD," she added, referring to the movement in Berlin in early December of PS candidate. She did not answer the question whether she would meet Francois Hollande during the election campaign.

German Chancellor supports President Sarkozy in the French election campaign, as head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and not as head of government, had said in Berlin Monday morning a spokesman Some critics in Germany.

"I claim that friendship and trust," commented during the press conference at the Elysee Palace Nicolas Sarkozy, criticizing severely – without naming – the intention of Francois Hollande to renegotiate the new European treaty on budgetary discipline s it was elected in May.

Greek debt: "time release"

Angela Merkel said that Greece will "remain in the euro", while preventing that Athens could not receive the new funding it has a vital need if it does not enter into agreement with the EU and IMF. "There can be no new program if it does not conclude with the troika" of creditors of Athens, between the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, she said.

Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have also hoped that the interests of the Greek debt to be blocked in an account. "The Greeks have made commitments, they must scrupulously respect, there is no choice, time is short, it's a matter of days, now we must conclude," Sarkozy said. "The interests of the Greek debt must allow to be sure that this money will be permanently available," then said Merkel.

Auto Date Thursday, November 17th, 2011

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.

The annual net loss of Euro Disney is growing

Auto Date Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Euro Disney said Wednesday it has widened its annual net loss due to deterioration in the profitability of its property development activities and increased its costs.

The operator of Disneyland Paris has recorded for the year 2011, ended September 30, a consolidated net loss of 63.9 million euros, against 45.2 million last year.

Its annual turnover to 1.297 billion, increased by 1.8%, tourism growing by 4.9% to 1.275 billion while the real estate development saw its sales drop 62.4% to 22.5 million, reflecting a major assignment.

Parks attendance reached 15.6 million visitors, 600.

BASF confirms outlook for 2011

Auto Date Thursday, October 27th, 2011

BASF, the world leader in chemistry in terms of sales, announced Thursday a quarterly profit above expectations, but warned that its growth was slowing, clients sell their stocks.

"BASF's customers are more cautious, reduce inventory and postpone some of their orders in hopes of a possible drop in prices," explains the German group said in a statement.

Operating profit (EBIT) fell 11.3% to 1.96 billion euros, while analysts polled by Reuters anticipate an average of 1.89 billion euros.

The quarterly revenue was up 11.6% to 17.6 billion euros, according to consensus.

BASF has confirmed that the CAand EBIT adjusted for taxes on oil would experience a significant increase this year.

"However, growth slowed further over the first half of 2011. We expect this trend to continue in the fourth quarter," warns the group.

G20 keeps the pressure on the euro area

Auto Date Saturday, October 15th, 2011

The members of the G20 meeting in Paris should acknowledge the commitment of Europeans Saturday to introduce in the next few days a package of measures to restore stability in the euro area, amid fears over the health of the global economy.

France and Germany have promised to present at the European Summit of 23 October a plan to recapitalize banks, responding to the situation worse than expected in Greece, increasing the firepower of the European financial stability and reforming the governance of the euro area.

"We will over the coming days to continue our discussions but we already have on contractual agreements that will be very important," said French Finance Minister, Baroin, after a meeting Friday with his German counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Meanwhile, European leaders are putting added pressure on banks to force them to recapitalize and enable them to withstand greater losses than expected on the sovereign debt of the most fragile area.

The European plan will be included in a series of commitments that will be announced at the summit of Heads of State and Government of the G20 3 and 4 November in Cannes, which will close the French presidency of the Forum of 20 major economies.

Many measures discussed by finance ministers and central bankers of the G20 meeting in Paris on Friday and Saturday were referred to this deadline.

SUMMIT OF CANNES

In Paris, important steps were expected Saturday on the reduction of major global financial and economic imbalances, a priority for the French Presidency, with the objective that the seven countries identified as major sources of the imbalances present in Cannes "two or three significant steps "in this sense.

"We need fiscal consolidation measures for countries in excessive deficit and measures to support global activity for those who have surplus," explained a French source before the meeting.

According to an official of the G20 countries, the Chinese have thus expressed their readiness to "ensure that growth in China does not slow down, even if there is a risk of inflation through expansionary fiscal policy."

No major breakthrough is expected, however in Paris on the Chinese currency, the yuan, which the strict control by Beijing is considered one of the major causes of global imbalances.

The "path integration" of the yuan in the currency basket of Special Drawing Rights International Monetary Fund, a discussion underpinned by the loosening of the Chinese currency, is among the priorities of Cannes, with the objective of A schedule.

BANK CASH

The draft G20 communique obtained by Reuters Finance reaffirms that its members will ensure that banks have sufficient liquidity, in particular through central banks, as they undertook to do at the recent G7 Finance in Marseille.

The debate on the proposed increase of IMF resources, defended by almost all emerging G20 but faces opposition from the United States and Japan, will also resume in Cannes.

Discussions were still Saturday on whether to publish the list of banks considered to be running in size a systemic risk the global financial system, where the G20 should agree on capital surcharges.Again, final decisions will be taken in Cannes.

"Principles" for emerging economies suffering from speculative capital movements must also be finalized for the upcoming summit of the G20, to help control these flows in order to avoid destabilization of the economy.

The business results come into play on Wall Street

Auto Date Sunday, October 9th, 2011

Investors weary of the impact of the crisis in the euro area financial markets will have something else to put in their mouths this week: the results of business.

As each "earnings season" quarterly, the aluminum producer Alcoa, which will open the ball, his numbers are expected in the third quarter after the close of Wall Street Tuesday.

Business performance and prospects announcing they are considered an important barometer of the state of the global economy and are also likely to give an indication of the impact of the crisis in the euro area on profits companies.

But, having risen sharply over the whole of last week, Wall Street may have difficulty continuing to rise even if corporate earnings are better than expected.

Technical analysts have said in effect that the moving average of 50 days S & P 500, currently at 1178 points, could represent a significant resistance.

In the past week, the S & P benchmark for fund managers, has gained 2.1% to 1155.46 points, buoyed by the feeling that European leaders are now determined to solve the problems of their banks weakened by the debt crisis.

Nicolas Sarkozy traveled to Berlin on Sunday for talks with Angela Merkel of crisis, with a priority to overcome their differences on how to recapitalize European banks.

"Over the next three weeks, attention will focus on results – even if the situation in Europe will always be present in people's minds," said Ken Polcari, an analyst at ICAP Equities.

In addition to Alcoa, next week will also see the results of PepsiCo, Google, JPMorgan Chase and Mattel.

CONSERVATIVE ANALYST ESTIMATES

In light of the debt crisis of the area, but also signs announcing a slowdown in the global economy, many corporate earnings forecasts were revised downward by analysts in recent months .

"The forecast for the quarter just ended were very conservative so there are chances that companies do at least as well as the consensus," said Marc Pado, technical analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald.

In terms of macroeconomic indicators, market players expect including the minutes of the last meeting of the Federal Reserve, retail sales for the month of September and the feeling of households for the month of October, according to Index Thomson Reuters / University of Michigan.

The latest U.S. statistics have been rather better than expected, which has banished the specter of a return to recession in the United States and contributed to the rebound on Wall Street last week.

But, and this also applies to any positive impression left by the business results, although some indicators of the coming week confirm this trend, the positive effect could be negated if further deterioration of the debt crisis the euro area.

The Competition Authority pin on Canal + GST

Auto Date Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Canal + has breached commitments made at the acquisition of TPS, said Wednesday the Competition Authority, which withdraws the decision to authorize the transaction and places the encrypted string in a difficult position even as the authorities are looking at its stake in the TV division of Bolloré.

Vivendi's subsidiary is accused of several violations by the Authority of the 59 commitments made in 2006, some considered "essential", what prompted the regulator to decide on the first withdrawal of authorization in its history, plus a fine of 30 million euros.

The Authority one month left to the parties concerned to inform him of the operation again, which would be studied on a new basis.

"We will put everything flat.The authorization of 2006 no longer exists.We will discuss again all under the market situation today, "said Bruno Lasserre, President of the Authority, at a press conference.

The regulator could start by redefining the characteristics of the market affected by the operation, by drawing a border more or less clearly between the segments of pay television and free.

With a dominant position in pay TV, Canal + is a relatively small player in the free.

"There is no doubt that we will do a thorough review of this matter," whose outcome is likely to be one of two options: allow the operation by asking for new commitments to Canal +, or give a green light by imposing unilateral orders, said Bruno Lasserre.

Canal +, for its part that it would initiate action against that decision, saying it "is of course not possible to challenge a merger nearly five years."

The pay-TV may request that the State Council an interim order to suspend the regulator's decision, giving the necessary time to the State Council to rule on the merits of the case.

CONCESSIONS

The regulator's decision comes as the acquisition of a 60% of Canal + in the television division of the Bolloré group – which includes the general channel Direct 8 Direct Star and music, as well as advertising – is waiting for the green light authorities.

"Channel is clearly in a dominant position in the pay and instead abused.Now he wants to go in the free, "said one media analyst who declined to be named.

"I do not think that this decision will undermine the 'deal' with the GST or cancel Bolloré, but all this will lead to new commitments by Canal in both the paid and free."

Canal + has struck a blow in early September by announcing the takeover of two DTT channels free of Bolloré, a process seen by experts as a threat to TF1 and M6, and is expected to reshuffle the cards in the French media landscape .

If it is validated, the transaction would enable Canal Plus to have a total of three free channels on DTT counting i> Télé, making par with TF1, owner of NT1 and TMC, and distancing M6, W9 holder.

The subsidiary of Vivendi, however, could be asked of concessions by regulatory authorities, because the regulations up to seven the number of possible frequencies for the TNT group. However, the acquisition of Direct 8 Direct Star and bringing to eight the total channels of Canal +, not counting its draft free channel called Canal20.

Examination of the application and Direct 8 Direct Star will be done separately from that of the GST case, but delays are likely to be concurrent, around six months, said Bruno Lasserre.The Authority, he added, has not received any notification for the time of Canal + Group for the second file.

Japanese Prime Minister resigns

Auto Date Friday, August 26th, 2011

Much criticized for his handling Simois since the earthquake and the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Naoto Kan throws in the towel. Naoto Kan waives his salary as prime minister of Japan as the nuclear crisis is not over.

Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, said Friday his resignation from the chairmanship of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ, in power) and his departure next week of the government. "Today (Friday), I resigned from my position as party chairman," he told MPs the DPJ. "Once a new president is elected, I will give up right away my prime minister and my government resign."

DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada, confirmed that the election of the successor of Naoto Kan will take place Monday morning. The winner will be elected prime minister, probably the next day by Parliament.In Japan, the president of the majority party in the Chamber of Deputies is assured of his appointment to head the government, even with a Senate controlled, as is the case today, by the opposition.

Fifth prime minister in five years, Naoto Kan, 64, elected in June 2010, finally threw in the towel after suffering for months attacks by the Conservative opposition, but also those of his own camp, to manage considered calamitous disaster of March 11. Fell to the lowest in the opinion polls, the leader of the center-left government is criticized for his hesitation and awkwardness face of disaster caused by the massive earthquake and the giant tsunami that devastated the coasts of northeastern Japan and caused a very serious nuclear accident at the plant in Fukushima.

Finance Minister Seiji Maehara to favorite Estates

In early June, Mr.Khan had promised to leave office after the Parliament had passed three bills close to his heart. The law on a supplementary budget for reconstruction in the affected areas was passed in July, and the two other texts, on the issuance of bonds to complete the budget and the development and use of renewable energy were adopted Friday.

"Today, important laws were passed. On June 2, I thought I'd pass the baton to a younger generation. The conditions are all met," he said. Referring to his record, Naoto Kan has acknowledged that there had been "very hard times." "I think I did what I had to do in very difficult circumstances," he added.

Among the favorites to succeed him include former foreign minister, Seiji Maehara, 49, the most popular with the Japanese in the polls, and the current finance minister, Yoshihiko Noda, 54, a supporter of increased the consumption tax, currently set at 5%. If elected, Seiji Maehara, who is on the other hand opposed any tax increase, will become the youngest Japanese prime minister since the Second World War.

The financial tax will really come into being?

Auto Date Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

Germany and France are convinced, the Tobin tax should be adopted in Europe. Yet critics are numerous, and markets are particularly skeptical.

This time is the right one? For years now that the tax on financial transactions is discussed in Europe, the leaders of the euro area has never been convincing. Tuesday night, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel said they would suggest that the European Union in September of a tax on financial transactions, "an obvious need" according to the German Chancellor. The two leaders did not specify the terms of this measure, but the French Minister of Economy, Baroin, and his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schäuble, confirmed to be working earnestly on the subject.The tax is "the subject of extensive work with the German Ministry of Finance," according to Bercy.

Many critics and fuzzy terms

For several months now that the European Commission relaunched the idea of ​​a European tax on financial transactions, which, if it was fixed between 0.01% and 0.001% of the transaction, would yield between 30 and 50 billion euros per year. MEPs had then voted by a large majority (529 for, 127 against). A tax as proposed by the Commission could fund the EU budget to alleviate the contributions of member states.

But this tax, partly designed to limit speculation, is not without its critics. Too easily circumvented, too complicated to implement, too risky …since its development in the late 70's by the economist James Tobin tax on financial transactions is routinely ostracized, especially by its critics assert the impossibility of setting up a different scale than the global . In fact, if the tax does not apply to all financial markets, it may benefit those who do not have adopted and which will recover, de facto, the flow of transactions. A warning given recently by the ECB President, Jean-Claude Trichet, who said that "a tax imposed in Europe and not elsewhere would result in a significant loss of activity for Europe."

London reservations

But this time, Brussels is certain, the project is expected to reduce the risk of outsourcing transactions with a plate large enough to avoid trade-offs between financial products.Arguments that clearly did not echo long-awaited in the British, the most resistant to the device. "The government will continue to conduct discussions with international partners (…) but otherwise the relevant transactions will simply move to countries that do not apply," he said including a spokesman for the UK Treasury Wednesday. But without the agreement of the United Kingdom, impossible to adopt the draft. Even the Berlin admits the tax on financial transactions should apply to the 27 EU members, assured the spokesman for the German government. According to the Irish Minister for Finance, the tax would ultimately very unlikely to achieve unanimity among member states."There will be many objections from countries with strong financial services sector, such as Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and even Paris," he argued.

Markets do not believe that half

Little appreciated in the early morning by the financial markets, this proposal was eventually discredited quickly by banks and stock traders who were quick to report their skepticism about the project. The association of German cooperative banks BVR, quoted by Reuters, said for example that the tax would fail to restore stability in the markets if it concerned only the euro area. "In the end, the financial sector has not suffered the ad simply because nobody believes," concludes one analyst Saxo Bank.