Hot Economic News Releases

Creations or extensions to sites in France by foreign companies fell 11% in 2011. And the number of jobs created or saved has never been this low since 2003. But the overall picture of the attractiveness of France is far from negative. Changes in the number of foreign investment projects in France since 1993

At first glance, foreign investment has slowed down in France in 2011. 698 with the creation or extension of sites by foreign companies, foreign physical investments in our country have indeed decreased by 11% compared to 2010. And the number of jobs related dropped from 12% to 27,958. But the French Agency for International Investment (IFA) sees nothing to worry about.

These figures indicate it believes that France "did better than resist" in a difficult environment. In many projects, this is indeed the second best performance since ten years. And 17% of total European or second only to Great Britain. The Minister of Economy Baroin has meanwhile stressed that it was comparable to a 2010 "outstanding" and "recovery" after the 2009 crisis.

President of the IFA, David Appia, however, recognizes a small air pocket. "The sovereign debt crisis has affected the last quarter of 2011," causing "some restraint of foreign companies" some of which have postponed their investment decision, he said. But this decline would, however, more noticeable today. In other words, the attractiveness of France would not be threatened.

In fact, the amounts invested in France have increased by 18% to $ 40 billion last year, according to preliminary estimates by UNCTAD. This won him to occupy the 10th place worldwide, behind the United States (211 billion), China and Hong Kong (202 billion) or the UK (77 billion). Countries such as Brazil, Ireland, Russia and Belgium are also ahead. But not Germany (only $ 32 billion). Note that the figures for the Unctad include purely financial transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. The Afii, she focuses on physical investment.

Fewer new jobs

The most negative, finally, for job creation by foreign firms. For less than 28,000, France returns to the average for the period 1993-2011. A decrease is explained by the proliferation of small projects, the increasing share of projects in the software field (sector No. 1 selected by foreigners), relatively less intense in job creation, and by prudence investors in a difficult environment. A caution which reads in the fact that extensions of existing sites have tended to grow last year at the expense of setting creations.

Finally, foreign investment in France last year were the result of SMEs (28%) of intermediate-sized firms (34%) and large companies (39%). And they came, in overwhelming majority of developed countries: 60% from Europe, 25% in North America and 11% Asian. Four countries, Germany, the United States, Italy and Switzerland, were responsible for over half (52%) of these investments.

Particularly positive in the debate on the made in France, they focused on activities with high added value or high-tech and concerned for two-thirds the manufacturing sector (including machinery and mechanical equipment).

According to a poll published in parallel by the IFA, France would be considered attractive by 66% of international business leaders interviewed. A proportion that rises to 87% in China and 94% in India. Paradox as investments from BRIC countries, are among the most active in terms of direct investment abroad, are still a small minority. Only 6% of projects in France in 2011. This is particularly regrettable that apparently, once installed, the foreign bosses are even more convinced of the attractiveness of our country trusted by 82% of them.

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.

Greece has avoided uncontrolled bankruptcy by obtaining the agreement of a substantial majority of its private creditors to restructure its massive debt, paving the way for a second loan installment of its donors. The agreement was welcomed Friday by all European leaders. Their reactions to images. Seventh

Previous Evangelos Venizelos PauseSuivant Previous Next Photo 2/7

PauseSuivant Previous Previous Next Photo Nicolas Sarkozy 3/7

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Wolfgang Schäuble Next Photo 4/7

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Jean-Claude Juncker Next Photo 5/7

PauseSuivant Previous Previous Next Photo Christine Lagarde 6/7

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Rehn Next Photo 7/7

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Van Rompuy Next

To halve the number of addicted to cigarettes, a UMP deputy wants to get out the big guns. In his report he says that all packets must be the same, the price increase, the prohibited to smoke multiply … Do you think these measures are excessive or justified?

Price rises, tax revenues, reform of the status of tobacconists, banning smoking on beaches … UMP deputy Yves Bur presented Thursday at the Health Minister Xavier Bertrand is a report that smoking and the tobacco industry in all directions. "We start with an observation rather terrible" and "only a comprehensive approach can address," explains Yves Bur. Its proposals aim to halve the number of smokers, for less than 15% of the population smoked in 2025 against 30% today. "At that time, a motion will be hired and may be considered an output of tobacco," said the member, invested long in the fight against smoking.

The first report recommends the establishment of "an inter-ministerial structure specific to the fight against tobacco," "a single contact", appointed by the Prime Minister, along the lines of what has been done for road safety . The High Council of Public Health has made the same proposal last week. Having seen that "the tobacco industry is the only one not to pay for the damage it generates," Yves Bur proposes to introduce a tax on sales by manufacturers. The tobacco tax revenues are about 11 billion euros a year, he said, while the cost of tobacco-related diseases reached 18 billion, a co-pay 7 billion euros, " the equivalent of social security deficit for 2012 ".  

Regarding tobacconists, MP recommends reviewing their status to "not to tie their compensation to the volume of tobacco sales."

Tobacconists angry

The report explores Bur all fields can influence tobacco consumption downward. He recommends "fiscal policy review of tobacco products" and "set targets for increases effective price", a lever often cited by organizations that fight against tobacco. It calls for manufacturers to impose a "neutral standard package", unattractive, and introduce the "sale under the counter", that is to say not to display cigarette packets in newsagents. MP wants to strengthen the means to enforce existing prohibitions, including banning sales to minors, with operations "testing" and penalties "dissuasive" up to and including license revocation. "Banning smoking in front of children has become a rule," said MP: drive to the beach … To help smokers quit, the report recommends a free pick for people in ALD (long-term illness), pregnant women and CMU beneficiaries. Yves Bur also called for "banning links of interest" between the tobacco industry and state officials.

As we approach the presidential election, the member pointed out that the program he proposes "is part of the two five-year period". "It would really be in the spotlight of the presidential candidates to make clear that it will make the fight against tobacco presidential site in terms of health," he said.

"Very angry," the president of the National Confederation of tobacconists, Pascal Montredon, blasted "proposals cloth", seeing the opposite of "work more to earn more". For their part, cigarette makers have described the proposals Bur of "extreme measures", but not really new. They "are an excessive and unrealistic approach," ruled Imperial Tobacco.

And you?

Do you think the measures recommended by Yves Bur are justified? Are they sufficient or excessive?

How far should we go to roll back the number of smokers?

Portugal hopes that an increase in exports of wine, cork and fruit will help reduce its trade deficit, said Monday the Portuguese Minister of Agriculture in an interview with Reuters.

Assunção explained Cristas want to restart the operation of unused land while providing incentives that would turn the trade deficit in food surplus.

Portugal is already the world's largest exporter of cork and the seventh largest exporter of wine. Its agriculture, which includes logging and the production of many varieties of fruits, olives and oranges through the strawberries and cherries, represents 10% of its gross domestic product.

But the fertility of its land and its mild weather did not permit him to achieve food self-sufficiency.

Production of the sector remains fragmented mainly because of the small size of many farms, inheritance of land reform following the Carnation Revolution of 1974 after decades of Salazar dictatorship.

Came to power last June in favor of early elections, the majority center-right led by

Pedro Passos Coelho hopes to reverse. 

"Our food exports have great potential even though we still have a trade deficit of 30%," said Assuncao Cristas Reuters.

If he succeeded in transforming its trade deficit in food surplus, Portugal could hope rebalance its overall trade balance, which would be of great help when he e ty forced last year to accept international assistance of 78 billion euros.

In 2011 already, the Portuguese trade deficit narrowed by 25% over the previous year to return to 15.2 billion euros.

This reduction is mainly due to the austerity measures imposed on the Portuguese with its implications on domestic demand. 

Meanwhile, food exports rose 17% last quarter 2011 to 1.2 billion euros. This increase is the second largest after the one recorded on refined petroleum products.

"The prospects for improved trade balance in the food are good, we planted lots of new land, for example, olive groves and vineyards," said the Minister of Agriculture.

"The food industry (…) can really help Portugal when domestic consumption is low."

According to forecasters, the Portuguese economy expected to contract 3% this year and the unemployment rate has hit a record 14%.

French consumer confidence is still very low, but gains a point in February, according to figures from INSEE. The morale of French households increased very slightly.

French consumer confidence has improved slightly in February. The indicator that measures it wins a point from January to climb to 82, a continued low level, INSEE announced Friday.

This is the second consecutive month of rise of this index, which had declined in December to its lowest level since December 2008, 80 points (against a long-term average of 100).

The French are less pessimistic because of a slight improvement in their moral outlook on their personal finances (2 points) and the overall standard of living in France (4 points).  

Households are also slightly less pessimistic about the evolution of unemployment (down one point in the index, 64) even though they "are almost as many as in January to anticipate an increase", said INSEE in a statement.

This is one of several government ministers who resigned amputee who is granted in terms of the IMF and the European Union on Friday, while the Greek street is angry. Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos on arrival at a cabinet meeting in Athens. According to government officials, the Greek government on Friday approved a bill involving the country in the reforms demanded by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund for the implementation of a second bailout of 130 billion euros. (Reuters / Panayiotis Tzamaros)

Some resignations later … The Greek government has finally approved, this Friday night, a bill involving the country in the reforms demanded by the EU and the International Monetary Fund for the implementation of a second bailout of 130 billion euros, according to government officials.

The bill should be voted by parliament Sunday, which would make Greece a financial solution so that Athens must pay 14.5 billion euros of bonds maturing next month. The country will not honor these debts without further aid.

The European Union urges the Greek government to provide details of further cuts in public spending of $ 325 million.

It also requires a clear commitment of party leaders of the coalition government to implement reforms.

"We can not let Greece go bankrupt. Our priority is to take steps to adopt the new economic program and the new loan agreement. It goes without saying that those who disagree and do not vote for the new program can not remain in government ", said Prime Minister Lucas Papademos to the Cabinet

…. Friday ….., the Greeks began a 48-hour general strike to protest the new austerity measures demanded by international creditors and which Athens could not be the economy, according to Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos, at least of leaving the euro

. Clashes between protesters and police erupted Constitution Square (Syntagma), but to Parliament protests , followed by relatively few, have generally been peaceful

. The first police union, which accused the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission undermine democracy and national sovereignty, expressed his wish not to act against their "brothers". A local newspaper also publishes a photo montage showing German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a Nazi uniform.

The four government members from the LAOS, far-right party that belongs to the governing coalition, submitted their resignations in protest against the demands of international creditors, reports news agency ANA. George Karatzaferis, leader of the movement, had previously ruled to endorse the new austerity plan.

The device provides for a 22% decrease in the minimum wage, the elimination of 150,000 jobs in the public and reduced pensions.

For many Greeks, impoverished by five years of recession, in a country where unemployment affects one in five working where shops are closing one after the other, these new measures are unacceptable.

Bercy is considering a mechanism for not achieving a 10% rise in tobacco prices. Finally, it should increase by 2% on 1 October. Which must be added the 6% increase already planned. Next autumn, tobacco is going to experience a sharp rise again.

The government will review the tax on tobacco to reduce the effect "multiplier" of the social VAT on tobacco prices and avoid too large an increase of the cigarette package, officials said Saturday at Bercy.

The Ministry of Economy "is considering reducing the multiplier effect of the VAT hike on tobacco through a lowering of excise (tax collected by the State, Ed) on tobacco", it was indicated to the Department, confirming a report published on the website of Les Echos.

Besides the increase of 1.6 point VAT on 1 October, a 6% increase in tobacco prices in 2012. Due to the complex mechanism of pricing of cigarettes, the combination of these two boxes (one on taxation, the other on price, Ed) mechanically lead to an increase greater than 10% of the package.

At the announcement of the introduction of VAT social, tobacconists and manufacturers have alerted the authorities about the effects of this increase that threatens their marges.Bercy will reduce excises, to 63.28% as against 64, 25%, erasing "to nearly 90%" the VAT increase, according to Les Echos.

+ 2% from 1 October (6%)

"There will end up with a slight overall increase in taxes on cigarettes (0.13 points), corresponding more or less to the impact of the VAT hike in other sectors", according to the newspaper.

These figures have not been confirmed by Bercy which emphasizes that "the tobacco industry will contribute as much as other sectors". Les Echos report that "the margins of manufacturers fall moderately", without elaborating.

Ultimately, the VAT hike is expected to increase prices by 1.5% to 2% effective October 1, understands the quotidien.A this increase must be added the 6% pay increase for the fall at a date not yet known.

European shares are sharply higher Monday in mid-session, encouraged by the hope that European leaders propose new measures against the debt crisis at the approach of the EU summit of December 9. But traders believe the rebound mainly technical, due to purchases cheap, European values ​​being dropped last week to a low of seven weeks.

Around 12:20, the CAC 40 index advanced 3.6% (102 points) to 2959 points, rising to 3,000 points after falling 4.67% last week.

The London Stock Exchange gained 2.04%, 3.10% that of Frankfurt and Milan up 3.08%.

Germany has registered a growth of 0.5% of GDP in the third quarter. Much better performance than the average for the euro area (0.2%). However, analysts expect a stagnation or a decline in GDP in the fourth quarter. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Germany has registered a growth of 0.5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the third quarter, a better performance than its French neighbor, which attests to the strength of the first European economy to the air hole waiting . Without revive its vitality from the beginning of the year (+1.3% in the first quarter), growth resumed during the summer months, depending on the initial estimate at constant prices and seasonally adjusted, published Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office Destatis.