Business News & Financial News

The European Union and the United States imposed sanctions on Syria to stop the repression. The Arab League will soon follow suit. But these measures will be effective to bring down President Bashar al-Assad? Not so simple … Demonstration against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Istanbul.

After the United States and the European Union, the Arab League threat of economic sanctions against Syria. The organization includes Saoudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt imposed an ultimatum: if the power does not stop the violence against his people, the organization will hit the country in the PORTFOLIO. But these economic sanctions have their limits. Explanations.

Imposing the sanctions and how?

So far, it is especially the European Union has shown.Moreover, tourism is affected: it reported 6 to 7 billion euros last year and represents 12% of GDP. "The economic machine is running at 40% of its resources today," said Hasni Abidi, director of the Centre for Studies in the Arab world (CERMAM). The possible sanctions of the Arab League at the end of their ultimatum could further exacerbate an already fragile economy. "States of the Arab League import a lot of fruits, vegetables and grains, Syria has a highly developed agriculture. If you stop overnight, these imports, it's a catastrophe for the country," said the researcher. The situation is so delicate that the Minister of Economy has just imposed a drain of $ 10 on the salaries of civil servants to bail out the state.

The oil services group CGG Veritas said on Wednesday quarterly net earnings above expectations, boosted by strong performance of its subsidiary Sercel and recovery of marine activity.

The specialist geophysical services and equipment for the oil industry recorded a utilization rate of the fleet marine marked improvement, while Sercel, its subsidiary specialized in the production of geophysical equipment, has reported a significant increase sales of land equipment.

"Our results have improved significantly this quarter. They are excellent for Sercel.

European shares closed up Monday, supported by the hope of a settlement of the debt crisis in the euro area and reassuring economic data from China.

The pan-European Eurofirst 300 index took 1.11%. In Paris the CAC 40 gained 1.55% (49.12 points) to 3,220.46 points, its highest since Oct. 12.

In Frankfurt, the Dax gained 1.41% to 6055.27 points. The Footsie has meanwhile been 1.08% on the London.

The mining, including Antofagasta, Kazakhmys and Rio Tinto have reached the market, winning all over 7% on the right numbers of Chinese manufacturing activity.STOXX index of European raw materials ends up 5.63%.

"Markets are likely to be very erratic until the EU summit on Wednesday night," warns Thomas, however, Kleb, head of equity sales at SG CIB in Paris, noting also that transaction volumes remain extremely limited.

The euro still progressed and exceeded $ 1.39, on the hope that Europeans will manage to agree on a plan against the debt crisis.

According to a document of the European Union (EU) for the summit on Wednesday, two options should be combined to increase the firepower of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), namely an insurance scheme and a special investment vehicle able to buy government bonds.

The Director General of Swedish Automotive, which owns the Swedish automaker Saab, said Friday it had rejected a takeover offer of 100% of capital from Chinese groups Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Pang Da Automobile and Automobile Trade.

"(…) The offer was unacceptable because it would have resulted in the modification of all control clauses, which would have wanted to cause the end of Saab, "he told Reuters at Victor Muller of a telephone interview.

Thursday, Swedish Automotive received a lifeline from North Capital, an investment fund and U.S. hedge fund manager, who made $ 10 million in capital and a loan of 60 million to fund activities Saab.

After opening down more than 10%, the Swedish Automobile action, very volatile, losing to 8:50 GMT, 2.35% to 0.83 euro. Since the beginning of the year, it fell some 75% due to severe cash flow problems of the group.

Victor Muller did not disclose the amount of the offer of two Chinese manufacturers, adding that they were still interested in Saab, they must abide by the terms of the agreement signed in July, stating that they all take 53.9% stake in Swedish Automobile.

Saab went from crisis to crisis this year. It closed in April, unable to pay its suppliers to whom he owes more than 150 million euros.In August, it was no longer able to pay salaries.

Saab was bought by the Dutch Spyker, now Swedish Automobile, General Motors in early 2010.

Since 21 September, Saab has been under the protection of its creditors pending bailout Youngman and Pang Da, who had committed 245 million euros in July.

SAAB can be profitable

A Swedish court has said that he had received a request for release of Saab's system of protection for creditors.

This prospect does not frighten Mascioli Alex, an avid race car, which confirmed to Reuters that his company North Street Capital LP was well invest $ 70 million for Saab to continue operating.

"I expect that the transaction is done. I am ready to do what I can with my resources for Saab," he said by telephone.

The Swedish court said it did not decide on Saab on Friday, adding that he would decide on the reorganization of the manufacturer at the end of next week, at least before a meeting of creditors scheduled October 31 .

Victor Muller said that the Swedish government was not interested in buying Saab.

"There's always a plan B," he said when he was asked what would happen if Chinese automakers abandoned their project.Asked about the plan, Victor Muller said he would reveal "only if we use them."

"It was Victor decide. He struggled a lot to try to save the company. For now, there is an agreement with the Chinese," said Alex Mascioli for his part in response to the question of whether he was willing to invest in the place of Youngman and Pang Da.

Saab is an undervalued asset that will survive and which could generate profits, Mascioli Alex continued, adding that North Street could afford to take Saab if the manufacturer wanted.

European banks need a hundred billion of fresh capital to strengthen their balance sheet and address the current turmoil, said Thursday the Austrian Minister of Finance, Maria Fekter.

The issue of recapitalization of banks is a major enrolled in the agenda of the EU summit scheduled for Sunday, expected to make a comprehensive response to the debt crisis.

"Thank God it's not as high as suggested by the media.What is needed for the recapitalization is about 100 billion (euros), "said Maria Fekter at a conference.

Banking sources and the European Union had earlier told Reuters it would take 90 to 100 billion euros to recapitalize banks in the EU.

This amount, which is the subject of an agreement on the part of Twenty-Seven, should cover about sixty of the largest banks in the EU, the sources said.

"The amount was discussed by member states, it is now acceptable for everyone," said a source told Reuters the EU.

"The amount could exceed 90 billion euros," said a banking source.

The envelope must be added to the 50 billion already raised by European banks over the period from January to April and the funds raised on the market for which the sum is not yet precisely known.

Sovereign debt valued in "MARK TO MARKET"

It takes into account a requirement of capital adequacy ratio "core tier one" of 9% and retains the same definition of this ratio as that used in the last series of stress tests in July, despite protests from some countries.

Germany will for example not allowed to consider in its bank holdings "silent" they hold in other institutions and, in the same way, Spain will not recognize additional reserves of capital that Bank of Spain requires national banks.

As expected, the amount also takes into account a value to market value of sovereign debt held by banks.

This exercise of "mark to market" will cover not only the securities issued by the peripheral countries of the euro area but also those known as the center, who sometimes treat the secondary market at above face value, as the case for German Bunds.

"There is no reason that we inflicted only the negative aspects of this exercise without taking into account the positive aspects," said one source, but said it would have a positive impact on the envelope eventually required for such recapitalization.

This amount must now be discussed by finance ministers and between heads of state and government of the euro area and EU, who meet from Friday to Sunday in Brussels.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has opened a broad investigation into index funds (ETF) to ensure they are sufficiently transparent and do not feed market volatility, said Wednesday a leader of the U.S. stock policeman .

"The Commission staff are conducting a general review of index funds including on the sufficiency of the information provided to investors, the levels of liquidity and transparency of the underlying instruments in which the index products (FTE) invest, the accuracy valuations, the effectiveness of arbitration and the relationship between market volatility and FTEs, "said Eileen Rominger, Director of the Division of Investment Management at the SEC.

According to the text of a planned intervention Wednesday before members of Congress, the official stressed that the survey also aims to "gather and analyze detailed data on specific products."

This assessment is the second SEC investigation related to investment companies, after the commission decided in August to gather opinions on the potential risks of the use of derivatives by mutual funds ("mutual funds' ), ETFs and other structured funds.

ETFs, such as those managed by BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard Group, are financial products reproducing the weighting of an index and therefore its performance.Since their introduction in the 1990s, they took off to about 1,000 billion in assets (724.7 billion euros).

However, certain types of incidents and some ETF market, as the "flash crash" ('flash crash') of 6 May 2010, have fueled concerns of regulators, who fear that these index funds do not contribute to volatility markets and pose problems for the less informed investors.

During the 'flash crash', for example, ETFs have experienced massive changes in the meeting and represented 70% of aborted transactions.This incident prompted the SEC and stock exchange operators to set up a system of "circuit breaker".

The SEC also began to focus on leveraged ETF, used to multiply the gains, ETF and reversed, that achieve the performance opposite to that of the underlying index.

The bill for French distributors to almost 5 billion euros, or 1.40% of turnover. Flights are committed to 44% by customers, 30.1% and 7.2% staff from suppliers. A stand of Guerlain perfumes in a department store in Berlin.

Thefts from shops are starting to rebound in France between the mid-2010 and mid-2011, rising 2.9% in value, according to a study published Tuesday, pointing a "professionalization" of shoplifting .The study, conducted in 43 countries by the Centre for Research in the distribution (Center for Retail Research, based in England) from 1187 groups to the security company Checkpoint Systems, as the "shrink", that is ie the difference between theoretical and actual stocks, resulting from theft, but also of administrative errors or suppliers.

In France, the bill for the distributors is rising again, to reconnect with a sum amounting to two years ago, 4.9 billion euros, or 1.40% of turnover, against 4.7 billion euros, or 1.36% of sales a year ago. The equivalent, according to the study of an annual tax of 200 euros per household. Retailers believe that the flights are 44% committed by customers, 30.1% and 7.2% staff from suppliers.

The shoplifting is becoming more professional

"Thieves better information more easily thwart the standard features of security and those who get caught are the thieves who are casual, with smaller amounts," he told AFP Cedric Brossard, marketing director for the textile division of Europe Checkpoint Systems. "There is a professionalization of the flight," which becomes "a real job for some people with real orders," he said, citing "a lot of distributors who believe they have experienced an increase in organized crime." "Whenever there is a new product, it may generate a black market," he added.Conversely, he does not think that inflation on food products has had a significant impact on the increase in theft, noting for example that the coffee was already one of the most stolen.

In Europe, the thefts have increased more strongly than in France, 7.8%, but to a lesser extent, or 1.39% of sales of 36.23 billion euros. The average amount of shoplifting it was down 17.5% to 93.85 euros and the flight staff down 27% to 1,381.4 euros. Globally, the flights were up 6.6% to 88.88 billion euros, or 1.45% of sales distributors, against 1.36% a year ahead. Always at the center of envy, products expensive brands and smaller, easier to conceal and to spare."The flights do not give priority to basic necessities," the study said.

Fashion accessories among the most stolen

Among the most stolen items, fashion accessories, food products high-end such as meals and spirits, articles health / beauty products such as shaving and perfume, or technology products, such as MP3 players and smartphones. In Europe, the increase in shrinkage occurred despite an increase of almost 2% to 8.45 billion euros in spending on security and loss prevention, or 0.30% of turnover Distributors. "Those who have limited or theft managed to bring it down have introduced a multitude of solutions, unfortunately there is not a quick fix," said Mr. Brossard.The number of shoplifters and dishonest employees arrested by the distributors of the year under review exceeded 6 million, according to the study.

France should maintain its valuable credit rating "AAA" Despite the security which would make Paris a portion of the bond portfolio of troubled bank Dexia and a possible capital injection into banks, analysts said a Reuters poll .

They point out that this type of guarantee, recorded as an off-balance in the public accounts, and a possible capital investment banks, which could eventually generate a profit, do not pose a risk to the sovereign debt.

But the rescue of Dexia, which should be formalized on Sunday, and a new injection of public funds in other banks will form a new constraint on the flexibilities of the French government, which announced a few weeks ago to 12 billion euros of savings in order to preserve the triple "A" credit rating the highest possible.

Analysts point out however they can not confirm their hypothesis that once the details of the dismantling of Dexia are known.

The Belgian, French and Luxembourg reaffirmed Sunday after a meeting held at midday in Brussels their solidarity in the search for a solution that ensures the future of Franco-Belgian bank.

In a joint statement, the Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme and French François Fillon stated that the three governments give their full support to the proposals of management of the banking group, presented at a Board of Directors scheduled to begin at 15:00 in Brussels.

The activities of the Franco-Belgian bank, first bank in size in Europe to be a victim of the crisis of sovereign debt in the euro zone could be split and the most risky assets confined to a separate structure.

Brussels and Paris are trying to agree on the guarantees afforded by the two countries to the hive to accommodate the bond portfolio of 95 billion euros in Dexia, hoping not to aggravate the situation of public finances .

The rating agency Moody's has also increased pressure on the Belgian camp Friday night: it has placed the sovereign rating of Aa1 by explaining kingdom under surveillance will include assessing the costs and liabilities that the state could play in supporting Dexia.

The growth slowdown coupled with the dynamism of the labor force will not help to reduce the number of unemployed, estimated employment center in its economic outlook. Agency employment center in Nice

Employment center does not provide for improvement on the unemployment front table and at best a stabilization of the number of job seekers in 2011 and 2012 and, at worst, a deepening if growth turned out lower than forecast government. "The slowdown in job creation combined with the dynamism of the labor force should not be allowed to initiate a decline in unemployment," said employment center in its economic outlook published Tuesday, October 4.

For 2011, the Agency plans to increase the number of job seekers without any activity of 5000 and 78,000 by including persons who have reduced activity.These predictions are based on a growth assumption of 1.75%, made by the government. Next year, "unemployment started to decline," if growth remained at 1.7% (assuming the government), with a decline in the number of job seekers with no activity on the order of 5000 and 12,000 by integrating people with reduced activity.

However, "if growth slowed in 2012, unemployment would continue to grow," said employment center. Based on a growth assumption of 1.4% (the IMF), the number of job seekers with no activity would increase by about 27,000.The prospect of a "stabilization of unemployment seems reasonable, except major accident" by the end of the year, said at a press briefing Christian Charpy, general manager of employment center.

Job creation is not strong enough to absorb the increase of the labor force

But, "unemployment will not reach the level it had before the entry into recession in early 2008," noted Bernard Ernst, director of studies of employment center who recalled that in previous crises of 1974 and 1992 the Unemployment had found "quite quickly" its pre-crisis. These forecasts are more optimistic than those of UNEDIC (unemployment insurance) that, based on growth in 2012 of 1.2% (consensus of economists) has provided an increase of 36,700 unemployed with no activity this year and 55,500 next year. "At this stage, a forecast of 1.2% in 2012 seems overly pessimistic," said Mr.Charpy.

Employment center provides, in addition, 130,000 net new jobs this year by companies affiliated with unemployment insurance, but the momentum is down (44 000 in the second half, against 96,000 in the first). In 2012, job creation should remain the same (126 000) if growth remained at 1.7% but reach only 101,000, with growth slowing to 1.4%. These new jobs do not seem sufficient to reduce unemployment because they are less than the increase in the labor force estimated at 140,000 or 150,000 per year.

According to Bernard Ernst, the labor force could grow more than expected after the announcement by INSEE in mid-May to strong growth in first quarter (0.9%).The prospect of an upturn in the economy brought on the labor market of people (youth, women etc) that were not previously found that increased enrollment in the employment center lists the "first mover" and people signing up for a "return to work," he said. "Registration for employment center are not independent of the economy" said Mr. Charpy.

Airbus wants to sell the Airbus A320 or A321neo, remotorisée version of its single-aisle aircraft at Royal Air Morocco and will remain alert to the intentions of Boeing, said on Wednesday sources close to the European manufacturer.

The Moroccan company in trouble last week announced its intention to sell ten aircraft, including four Airbus A321s, five years after their purchase, and five Boeing 737-500, to raise one billion dirhams and bring to five the The average age of its fleet.

According to La Tribune, Royal Air Morocco plans to build a 15-year exclusive contract with Boeing.

The subject could be discussed during the visit of Nicolas Sarkozy to Morocco on Thursday, Reuters said the source close to Airbus.

"It's surprising, given the investment they have made to operate the fleet, but Airbus will be particularly vigilant," she said. "Airbus is working with Royal Air Morocco on providing A320neo or A321neo".

Neither Airbus nor Boeing have to comment this information, while Royal Air Morocco was not immediately available.

The Moroccan government proposed last week to inject 1.6 billion dirhams (142 million) as part of a program of 9.3 billion dirhams by 2013.

These measures aim to strengthen the finances of Royal Air Morocco undermined by increased competition and oil prices and the impact of revolutions and the Arab attack in Marrakesh in April.