US & World News

Christophe de Margerie, Total's CEO, believes that the quality of petrol must be paid in response to criticism of the super oil group, said Friday that more than 12 billion euros bé ; néfices.

These results raised a barrage of criticism, officials blaming Total left to accumulate this money on the backs of the French who see gasoline prices soar.

The former industry minister and UMP Estrosi regretted his part that the group in France that pays 2.5% tax on companies .

"We are conducting a policy of quality and hence prices rather expensive (…) But I'm still surprised that we are being pressured prices. If everyone was the same price, there would be more competition, "replied Christophe de Margerie Saturday in Le Parisien

……. .. It also emphasizes that the company's profits come not from the fuel distribution but "90% of oil production."

On France

FYI, the CEO said that Total has only 20% of the market in France. "This is not Total all by himself that can bring down prices at the pump," he said.

For Chistophe de Margerie "is the wrong debate" and "we must look at the problem of people who have problems short of living standards and treat it as such".

About the weakness of the tax in France, in Le Parisien it ensures that Total has always paid "substantial taxes" in France, although in recent years the group has not paid the corporation tax "because there was total loss."

"This year I have good news, we will pay 300 million corporate taxes with a further 800 million in other taxes," he says.

He added on France Info that the imposition of the group is low because there is "zero percent result in France". 

"Our business in France is mainly refining and refining loses money (…) We can not pay taxes on results that do not exist," he said.

"Annoyed" by the image of his group, Christophe de Margerie would like to correct: "Total is a myth, we must break it," he said before concluding: "To earn money, not born ; NEGATIVE, especially in times of crisis. This is an opportunity for our country ".

Total said Friday it would continue its efforts for investment to grow its production.

The third European oil company by market capitalization for 2012 foresees investments excluding acquisitions of approximately $ 24 billion (18 billion euros) against 20.6 billion in in 2011.

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.

The Director General of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy, on Wednesday approved the holding of a referendum in Greece on the rescue plan passed by the Europeans. All the latest news. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced the holding of a referendum in January in Greece, to check the public support for austerity plans adopted by the country.

9:56: "The Greek referendum can be won" according to Pascal Lamy.Interrogé France Inter on Wednesday morning, the Director General of the World Trade Organization has justified the holding of a referendum in Greece. On the one hand, it "is normal that the people decide." On the other hand, argues that it is not in "the interest of creditors dealer with a government" which may be weakened and not reversed its commitments. "Finally, he believes that" from what my friends tell me Greek, the referendum can be won.The Greeks are probably able to appreciate that this or something even worse. "He admits, however, that the collapse of the euro area is" not totally ruled out a possibility today. "

9:34: "China sincerely hopes the stability of the euro area and the euro," said Hu in an interview with Le Figaro on the eve of the opening in Cannes for a G20 summit, to be dominated by the issue of European sovereign debt. The Chinese president is silent, however, on specific measures that China could hang in helping Europe to solve this crisis, in particular its proposed participation in a relief fund for highly indebted countries.

The global gathering of outraged this weekend has not gathered the crowds in France. The political context partly explains this failure. The "outraged" Place de la Bastille, May 10, 2011.

The numbers speak for themselves: 50,000 outraged gathered this weekend in Lisbon, 6000 in Frankfurt, 5000 in New York and … no more than a thousand in Paris. The movement which started on the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid to extend to many countries never really took off in the hexagon.But why mobilization is struggling to develop in France, whereas it is a French, Stéphane Hessel, who inspired the movement with his book "Unworthy you"? Several answers.

France is less badly off than its neighbors

"Here we do not have a gun to his head like the Greeks may have with their crisis and the Spanish with their real estate market," said Julien Bayou, co-founder of the collective generation and precarious present in the meetings of the "outraged" French held each week. He said the crisis is felt in France, but not the same as in some countries. It is also the opinion of Robi Morder, Chairman of the studies and research on student movements (germ). "Many young people, especially graduates can expect to enter the world of work without going through the uncertainty," said he in the daily La Croix."It is more complicated in southern Europe, where unemployment is higher among graduates than non-graduates," says researcher Monique Dagnaud to Liberation. The rate of youth unemployment to 45% in Spain when he was 23% in France.

Unfavorable political context

The arrival of the next presidential captures media attention for weeks, and the recent Socialist primary did not help. This reduces the echo can have the movement in France. In addition, it is optimistic about the possible alternatives that demobilizing troops, said Julien Bayou. "In Spain, Greece or even the United States, we have leaders that could be called the left in power. And we know that at the polls, the alternation will not work. So it is mobilized in the streets" , said he."While in France we have a right to be making a right-wing politics, and people in the head the next election." It is against this background that would explain the very high participation in the Socialist primary according to Julien Bayou. "We have seen other profiles went to move to vote in the second round of elections, especially young people," he adds.

The refusal of the "recovery"

In France, social movements are generally handled by the unions and some political parties. But the outraged French refused this form of "recovery", preferring a spontaneous movement. They realized soon and should change their modes of action. "It is true that initially we were quite aggressive vis-à-vis the associations and parties," recognized Delia Fernandez, the collective indignation, of Liberation."This has slowed the mobilization and preventing challenges to reach the street. For their part, they did not understand that we act in a pattern different from theirs. We will now try to cut corners."

The movement is ever convicted?

Not yet. The recent history of France showed that some mobilizations, it took several weeks before the mayonnaise takes. "For us, the mobilizations take time, it took two months for the movement against the First Job Contract off", said Robi Morder. To this researcher, do not bury a mobilization that may, one day to another, take a lot more important. "Be careful because there are embers, it would spark an escalation of the crisis or a big scandal for example, it really starts," said he.

European shares finished higher Monday, with the financial sector, buoyed by speculation of lower interest rates by the European Central Bank (ECB) and new measures to support banks.

However, markets have reduced their earnings during the afternoon for lack of more precise statements confirming the rumors.

The CAC 40 index finished up 1.75% to 2859.34 points (final closing), while London has been 0.45%, 2.87% Frankfurt, Milan and 3.32% EuroStoxx 50 2.84%.

The index of the banking sector has been 3.57% and 6.42% of the insurers, with an increase of 8.18% for Axa, from 5.44% for Societe Generale and BNP Paribas for 3.99%.

European shares closed higher Friday on hopes of Action of the European Central Bank and government to mitigate the effects of the crisis of sovereign debt in the euro zone and support banks.

However, caution remains the watchword.

Bank stocks recorded the highest increase in Europe with a sectoral Stoxx index which gained 3.53%.

In Paris, BNP Paribas (9.78%), Societe Generale (8.76%) and Credit Agricole (4.78%), which was this week in the eye of the storm because of their exposure to Greek and Italian debt, eventually leading to increases in the CAC 40 on market rumors paying for the government to carry out some form of recapitalization.SocGen and BNP did not wish to comment on these rumors.

The gains, however, show small-scale loss of investor confidence in the ability of governments to quickly implement practical solutions to the crisis of sovereign debt and boost savings on the brink of recession on both sides Atlantic.

This cocktail of strong concerns about the banks is causing serious losses in stock market indices.For the week, the CAC 40 dropped 7.29% in Paris and at European level the EuroStoxx 50 index dropped 6.17%.

"RAMPANT FAILURE OF GREECE"

The CAC 40 gained 1.02% Friday to 2810.111 points after touching a session in new low of 2693.21 points in the year, returning to its level in March 2009.

Risk aversion has stalled late in the session, the performance of the German government bond (Bund) and 10 years, fell in the day to a new record low at 1.64%, found its level Thursday (1.75%) at the close of stock markets.

The euro meanwhile pondered over $ 1.35 and was trading around 1.3508 dollar.

Other major European markets, London

gained 0.5%, 0.63% Frankfurt, Milan 1.36%.The pan-European Euro Stoxx 50 index has been 1.52%.

"Operation Twist (the Fed) has failed to revive stock markets. It is a terrible verdict, a confirmation that governments no longer able to stimulate the economy central banks find themselves faced with the challenge to bring to his aid, "wrote Vincent Chaigneau and Ciaran O'Hagan, rates strategist at Societe Generale in their weekly note.

"They will continue to shoot in the dark, hoping to keep away the ghost of recession.Good luck, "they said, stressing that the stress imposed on the funding of banks is" a great threat to the economy. "

Pichard for Franklin, director of Barclays Bourse France, "markets do not stop to include a default rampant in Greece (although it is true that the 'political' do nothing to speed things up) and the recapitalization of some European banks. "

Cyclical stocks such as Technip (-3.93%) and Alstom (-2.52%) recorded the largest declines the CAC 40.

The Russian gas group Gazprom said Tuesday a 42% increase in profits in the first quarter to 478.5 billion rubles (11.5 billion euros).

The markets did not expect that an average increase of 29%.

Revenues increased 38% to 1.317 billion rubles, the gas monopoly of European customers increased their purchases.

Analysts polled by Reuters on average expected a turnover of 1.259 billion rubles.

In a statement, Gazprom said its results were driven by an average increase of 21% of its gas tariffs from one year to another, as well as its diversification into energy.

The total gas sales rose 10% in the first quarter to 178.3 billion cubic meters.Sales in Russia remained stable at 102.5 billion m3, but exports to Europe rose by 8.4% to 46.6 billion m3, and those toward the former republics of the Soviet Union jumped 70.5% to 29 billion m3.

The rumor of a deterioration in the rating of France has prompted a new collapse of the entire stock market. "This is completely untrue," says the entourage of Baroin. View of the Ministry of Economy and Finance at Bercy.

Bercy has "formally" denied rumors Wednesday of degradation of the French debt rating by a rating agency that led to a new collapse of the entire stock market. "These rumors are totally unfounded and the three agencies Standard and Poor's, Fitch and Moody's have confirmed that there was no risk of degradation," it was stated in the entourage of the Minister of Finance Baroin.

Rating agencies Moody's Investors Service Inc.., Standard and Poor's Corp.. Fitch Ratings and have in fact all three confirmed Wednesday the sovereign debt rating of triple A with a stable outlook they attribute to France.Fitch confirmed the note on May 31 and S & P, December 23. Moody's does not usually confirms his notes.

"It's totally false", it was stressed the same source, when asked about the rumors, which also claimed that this is why French President Nicolas Sarkozy interrupted his holiday to hold a crisis meeting at the Elysee Palace . After the meeting, the Head of State said that new measures to reduce the deficit will be announced on August 24.

European shares are down sharply divided Wednesday, two hours before the close, led by falling bank stocks as a result of new concerns fueled also by the situation in Greece and the decline of Wall Street opening. The New York Stock Exchange opened sharply down Wednesday also unable to continue the strong rebound yesterday.In Paris the CAC-40 plunged almost 5% hit by bank stocks.