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European shares increase their losses by early afternoon Thursday, still sealed by the crisis in the eurozone, where Spain has fallen into recession.

The Spanish Treasury has managed to issue 2.5 billion euros of debt in three to four years but at interest rates much higher than in April .

Around 1:45 p.m., Paris lost 1.3% to 3,008.93, London 1.68%, 1.06% Frankfurt, Milan and Madrid 2.45% 2.37%. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of large values ​​of the euro area loose 1.63%.

The German government bond (Bund) and 10 years take an aversion to risky assets and its yield fell to a new record low as 1.43%.

The euro fell below $ 1.27 and is trading around 1.2668.

Barrel of Brent North Sea gives up 71 cents to 109.05 dollars.

Holcim has suggested Wednesday that he would again increase its prices, a severe winter in Europe charged on net profit in the first quarter.

Sales of cement, concrete and asphalt decreased by double digit percentages in Europe and the net profit after minority interests stood at 10 million Swiss francs (8.32 million euros), far from the 41.2 million expected by analysts polled by Reuters.

Revenues increased 2.2% to 4.76 billion Swiss francs, compared with 4.718 billion consensus giving.

"The harsh winter has resulted in numerous decisions of sites in Western and Eastern Europe in February," said the second world cement in a statement. 

Cement producers, firms in a particularly energy intensive, face higher costs of fuel and electricity.

Holcim said it could offset the rising costs by raising prices, but Africa and the Middle East. As Lafarge, he observed that the costs of energy and transport seemed to stabilize.

European competitors Holcim, Lafarge and whose German HeidelbergCement, have warned that they would fall under their prices to offset rising energy costs. Holcim said it reverberate cost increases caused by inflation.

The Swiss group, which generates more than half of its turnover in emerging markets, expects increased demand for building materials in Asia, Latin America, Russia and Azerbaijan this year. It also provides an increase in demand in North America.

Worn among others by the strength of its sales outside Europe, Volkswagen announced Thursday an unexpected rise in profits in the first quarter, a result that contrasts with the cons-performance of several other manufacturers Europé ; ens and has surprised analysts and investors.

Demand for models such as the large sedan Audi A6 or 4×4 Volkswagen Tiguan in countries like the U.S. or Russia has offset weak sales in Western Europe and the cost of major plan committed investment to increase capacity of the German group.

Its operating profit rose by 10% in the first quarter to 3.21 billion euros, while analysts on average expected a decline of almost 9% to 2 , 7 billion. 

The turnover, however, has jumped more than 25% to EUR 47.3 billion, reflects the integration of truck maker MAN, Volkswagen capital which is mounted near 74% a few days ago after taking control in November.

At the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the action Volkswagen gained 6.81% to 134.80 euros by 2:20 p.m., showing by far the largest increase of the DAX index, which then yielded 0.31%, while the European sector index of the automobile progressed from 1.58%.

No. 1 worldwide in 2016?

Manufacturers depend heavily on the European market currently suffering from declining margins as a result of the price war initiated in an attempt to stem the decline in sales against a backdrop of economic slump , fiscal austerity and wage restraint. 

PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe's number two industry, and Renault, and have reported this week from a drop in sales of 7% and 8.6% respectively, which reflect you exposure to markets in southern Europe.

Volkswagen, he enjoys a geographical diversification committed earlier: counting on the continued development of its activities in Asia, the United States, Latin America and Russia, he hopes to beat this year's record sales recorded last year with 8.3 million vehicles.

"The results are extraordinary," said Franz Schwope, analyst at NordLB in Hanover. "It's time to revise upwards their long-term goals."

The group reiterated its forecast for 2012 operating earnings for the same level as in 2011, 11.3 billion euros, an increase of its turnover Business, emerged last year to 159.3 billion.

Group sales rose 9.6% in the first quarter to 2.16 million vehicles, a figure unprecedented in three months.

Volkswagen wants to become by 2018 the global industry, with a target of 10 million vehicles, while becoming more profitable. For Franz Schwope, this dual objective could be achieved by 2016.

The chief executive of VW, Martin Winterkorn, said in the earnings release that the group plans to launch this year over 40 new models or new versions of existing models .

The group also intends to invest about 15 billion euros by 2016 to modernize its plants.

GDF Suez reported Monday performance increased in the first quarter thanks to Britain's International Power, and confirmed its annual targets.

The energy company reiterated in a statement that the minority buy International Power (IP), he hopes to complete in mid-July, it would raise its objective of recurring net income group share for 2012 to a level between 3.7 and 4.2 billion euros – against a range of 3.5 to 4000000000 referred before.

GDF Suez also confirmed it expects for 2012 a gross operating profit (EBITDA) of approximately 17 billion euros and gross investment of 11 billion out minority shareholders IP, as well as an ordinary dividend stable or increasing compared to 2011. 

Its sales reached 28.2 billion euros at end-March, up 10.5% (8.4% organically), while its EBITDA was $ 5.8 billion, up 5.7% (4.1% organically).

The group noted that its EBITDA benefited from higher earnings of branches Energy International – which includes the assets of International Power – Energy and Europe, as well as strong earnings growth of the Global Gas & LNG, including through the exploration and production activities.

By activity, sales totaled 4.169 million euros for International Power in the first quarter (14.4%), 1.327 million for Global Gas & LNG (69.8%) and 14,559,000 for the Energy Europe ( 8.3%). 

Net debt of GDF Suez totaled 37.1 billion euros at end-March, down 0.5 billion from late 2011 to a net debt to EBITDA of 2.2 times , confirming the group aiming for 2012 a 2.5 rating and a Class "A".

Shortly after the start of the general meeting of shareholders of the group, at 1440, the GDF Suez fell by 2.62% to 18.195 euros, while the CAC 40 lost 2.13%.

The acceleration of inflation in March makes the recruitment fee preferred by the French less attractive for the coming months. Explanations. The remuneration of Booklet A from 2 to 2.25% on August 1.

Contrary to the predictions of earlier this year by Christian Noyer, Governor of the Banque de France, inflation does not decline in France. It remains even at a high level. In March, consumer prices rose 0.8% on month (after +0.4% in February), and 2.3% year on year. Normally this would result in a revaluation of rates of pay A booklet of 25 basis points, according to mathematical formula which is based on determining the rate of investment preferred by the French – 93% have.

The law provides that changes in rates of Livret come into force on February 1 and August 1. But large changes in inflation, such as increases currently observed may also result in rate changes on May 1 and November 1. In short: compensation should automatically go from 2.25% currently to 2.50% in a fortnight. There is a good chance they will not happen.

The government can indeed block the automatic adjustment of the booklet A. He has already done in the past, particularly to address the declining rate as in August 2009 – at that time, the rate had dropped 1.75% to 1.25%, while the application of the rule would justify a reduction to 0.25%. But at election time, the opposite is true: the government blocks the upward revaluation. This is what happened last February, while inflation already justified a rate increase to 2.50%.  

Increase the rate by 0.25 A booklet would cost 500 million euros effect (the total amount outstanding of 60 million accounts reached 223 billion euros) to the State, 700 million even if one adds the blue books. While the booklet A is a popular product, but it could still be perceived as a gift to investors. So the Livret A rate is likely to remain at 2.25%, at least until August 1.

"This level of rate barely covers inflation. At The booklet does not generate more over-compensation for savers, analysis Gommard Benedict, CEO of Cortal Consors. It is a product that preserves the purchasing power but which offers no more. " However, this low attractiveness of the booklet A should not lead to a massive outflow, estimated the specialist savings and online brokerage. Indeed, the booklet A "is a reassuring product in an increasingly anxiety-provoking," he concludes.

The "binge drinking" – drinking very popular with young people – cost 3.2 billion euros per year in British public health service. The Prime Minister has decided to increase the price of ciders, beers and spirits. The British Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, to Parliament.

This is a serious blow to the culture of beer. British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday a series of measures, including an award minium of 40 pence per unit of alcohol, to fight against "binge drinking", drinking bouts which cost 2.7 billion pounds (3.2 billion euros) per year in public health service.

"The binge drinking + + accounts for half the consumption of alcohol in this country," said the Prime Minister. "My message is simple. We can not continue like this." It proposes to introduce a minimum price of 40 pence (50 cents) per unit of alcohol (10 ml of ethyl alcohol) sold.  

The measure will hit priority ciders sold cheap, strong beer and spirits sold off. For example, an extra strong beer that contains three units of alcohol would see its price from 75 pence to 1.20 pounds (1.40 euros). The strong cider, four units of alcohol, would almost double their price in almost two euros. The minimum price is to include the purchase of alcohol at bargain prices in supermarkets.

"Let's be clear, this will not affect the pubs," he told Mr Cameron. "A pint of beer contains two units of alcohol, if the minimum price is 40 pence per unit, the pint will not be affected." The government says the measure could even benefit the pubs, preventing supermarkets from selling at bargain prices. The government plans to prohibit the promotion of "two drinks for the price of one" and introduce a tax for pubs that open late, a way to offset the cost to ensure public safety in their neighborhood.

The culture of "binge drinking" has led last year by 1.2 million hospitalizations and a million crimes and crimes related to alcohol, according to official figures. The government intends to launch a consultation in the summer. Future legislation will apply in England.

Scotland is also considering a minimum price for alcohol. "We will launch a consultation, but a minimum price of 40 pence would result in 50,000 fewer crimes each year and 900 alcohol-related deaths averted annually by the end of the decade," said Mr. Cameron. The retail federation has protested vigorously. In contrast, associations fighting against alcoholism and the medical applauded the announcement.

The Indian aviation, booming, will need more than 1,040 new aircraft by 2030, with a total value of $ 145 billion (111 billion euros), said Thursday the aircraft manufacturer Europé Airbus, an EADS subsidiary.

"Urbanization and increasing concentrations of population, combined with the development of a middle class and dynamic economic growth, supporting demand and this trend should continue," the group said in a statement.

Liquidity for banks has become a scarce and expensive and the interbank market will not leave en masse as the new banking standards of the Basel Committee will not be changed, said Wednesday Frédéric Oudéa, CEO of Societe Generale.

Because of concerns about the strength of the European banking system in the context of debt crisis in the euro area and more stringent prudential standards, European banks have difficulty ; refinance.

Tensions on bank liquidity were such as the European Central Bank (ECB) had to intervene twice in December and late February, to inject more than one.000 billion euros in loans to three years (LTRO) to help European banks and avoid a credit crunch.

"The world has changed considerably and perhaps even more on the liquidity of capital (.) The great lesson of the crisis is that liquidity is now chè re and much rarer, "said Frederic Oudéa at a conference at the European American Press Club in Paris.

"The interbank market, direct loans become scarce," he added.

In Europe, other bank executives emphasize that the interbank market has not returned to normal operation despite the extraordinary intervention of the ECB. 

"The liquidity is still abundant despite the funds injected by the ECB," has said Federico Ghizzoni, the Chief of the Italian bank UniCredit at a conference in Rome . "It is difficult to find financing medium and long term."

"SAFETY NET"

"The LTRO (ECB, Ed), this is a safety net (…) which allows us to give where we must pay without fear of tomorrow," he For its part, commented the head of SocGen.

Asked about the debt swap Greek and the onset of CDS, the contracts that protect an investor against default risk, Frédéric Oudéa, who is also the pre President of the French Banking Federation (FBF) found that the 'credit-default swaps "were not a" significant issue "for banks. 

"The problem of default, the organization's default, this is not so much the CDS (credit default swaps, Ed) which, after all the numbers floating around, not rep not feel a significant issue for any bank and financial system (…) the problem of financing the Greek system, "reported the director general of SocGen.

"All these figures were provided by banks as part of the exercise stress tests (stress tests) of EBA (European Banking Authority, Ed)," Has he added. 

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association, the organization brings together the major players in the derivatives markets, decided Friday by activating a measure requiring private creditors to take losses on their sovereign debt, Greece had triggered the payment of CDS.

The agency, however, held that payment of these CDS, estimated at some $ 3 billion, would have no significant impact on markets.

Statoil confirmed Wednesday it was in talks to sell its stake in the giant oil field of West Kourna 2, in Iraq, Lukoil and its Russian partner, according to Iraqi sources the sector, two companies have reached an agreement.

Statoil has a 18.75% share, and sales to the Russian Lukoil will give a 75%. The remaining 25% is held by a public company in Iraq.

An agreement will allow the Russian company to become the only dealer outside of one of the largest oil projects in the pipeline in Iraq, while Norway will become the first major Western band to withdraw from an Iraq project in recent years.

"Statoil has reached an agreement with Lukoil to sell its stake in Kourna West 2 and the Iraqi Oil Ministry has approved the agreement," said a source from the Iraqi oil sector.

Another Iraqi source confirmed the agreement. "Statoil has sold its stake in Lukoil and Lukoil is now the sole operator of Kourna West 2", it was reported.

For its part, Statoil has simply said that the process was underway.

"Lukoil and the Iraqi authorities have previously confirmed that we had initiated a process to transfer shares of our project Kourna 2 West in Iraq," said a spokesman for Statoil. "We will when this process is completed," he added, without comment on the transaction amount or timing.

The Norwegian public company has been considering for some time to leave Iraq to refocus on less risky assets around the world, according to industry sources. Statoil plans to invest several billion dollars in deposits in the U.S. or offshore Norway.

The financial center of New York is on a diet. After reducing the 25% bonus in 2011, it should delete 4300 jobs this year. The New York Stock Exchange

Employees' bonuses on Wall Street fell by around 25% in 2011 compared to the previous year, according to an estimate released Monday by an independent agency in New York.

"We believe that the benefits of Wall Street totaled $ 10.5 billion in 2011, a level well below that of recent years, and that bonuses for the year fell 25%," says a news agency audit of the City of New York.

If compensation practices had changed since the 2008 crisis, with all or most bonus blocked for several years and their payment spread over time, generous bonuses had continued to be paid up to date on New York. Bank executives' bonuses on Wall Street in 2010 had even begun to rise.

The CEO of the investment bank Goldman Sachs Lloyd Blankfein saw his pay triple for example in 2010 to two million. The other four main executives of the bank had also received the same salary increase while the performance of Goldman Sachs had been poor in 2010 (including net income had declined 37% and the turnover was eroded).

Moreover, Wall Street is expected to lose many jobs in 2012, according to the agency. "We believe that Wall Street will eliminate 4,300 jobs this year and wages, including bonuses, decrease by 7.5%," added the independent organization funded by public funds. The paper explains these predictions by "the changing environment in the financial sector", the economic slowdown caused by "problems in the euro area" and "rising oil prices caused by tensions in the Middle East."

For these reasons, the Agency Audit of New York lowered its forecasts for job creation in all sectors: it table more than 22,000 jobs created in New York in 2012, against 38,800 estimated in December and 44,400 in 2013 (against 50,000).