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The Tokyo Stock Exchange closed up 1.86% Friday, the Japanese financial sector has benefited, as Wall Street and European stock markets, the prospect of Athens abandoned its proposed referendum on the bailout of the country.

The Nikkei gained 160.98 points to 8,801.40 and the Topix, broader, took 13.44 points (1.82%) to 752.02.

Over the whole week, accusing the two indices, however, a decrease of 2.8% and 2.5%.

The beginning of the week had led to panic after Prime Minister George Papandreou had overtaken everyone by announcing Monday he would submit the bailout of Greece to a referendum.

A depreciation of 798 million euros spent on Greek sovereign debt held in the portfolio has plunged the quarterly Commerzbank in the red and forced the second German bank to abandon its annual targets.

"We continue to be incurred by our original goal of an operating profit of four billion euros for the group, but given the market environment, we will not be able to reach next year" , said Friday Martin Blessing, CEO of Commerzbank.

In early trade on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the title of the bank fell by 5.53% to 1.656 euro while the index grouping the European banking stocks gained 0.61%.

Having already reduced its exposure to the most indebted countries in the euro area over 20% to 13 billion euros, a discount of 52% spent on the Greek securities, Commerzbank said it would continue to reduce its portfolios of sovereign debt issued by Portugal, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Greece.

The bank charged an operating loss of 855 million euros in the third quarter against a profit of 116 million a year ago and a Reuters consensus of 683 million euros.

The profits generated by the core business of Commerzbank – loans to medium-sized German companies – continued to be substantial, said the bank to 344 million euros.

Air Liquide confirmed Wednesday seek an improvement in its net profit in 2011 "in a normal environment," despite a slowdown in sales growth in the third quarter, still worn by the emerging markets.

The world leader in industrial gases reported 1.5 billion euros in investment decisions, with a target maintained over two billion over the year.

The group, which is German competitor Linde and Air Products and Praxair American, achieved third quarter sales of 3.597 million euros, up 4.9%, 6.6% in like.Over nine months, growth was 7.7% on a comparable basis.

The cluster gas and services, which provides the bulk of group sales, saw its growth slow to 7.7% in the third quarter on a comparable-a pace of 9.5% over nine months, largely due to an unfavorable base effect.

The division, however, also suffered a slowdown in demand for metals producers in Western Europe and Canada and the end of a rebound in the cycle of investment in equipment sales and installation of electronics, which returns to a level "more normal".

The stock closed Tuesday down 1.38% to 92.12 euros, in line with the CAC 40 index, giving a market capitalization of 26.14 billion. It was down 2.7% since the beginning of the year.

Emerging nations demand that the governance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) be reformed before they inject new capital, said Friday the president of Brazil Dilma Rousseff.

These remarks came as some voices in the G20 countries that the IMF to receive new funds to help Europe in particular.

Brazil is prepared to increase its contribution to the IMF, but he wants in return, emerging economies have more a say.

"Emerging markets may be asked to participate in the capitalization of the Fund (…) But for this they need to be more involved in managing the Fund, "said Dilma Rousseff at an event held in Porto Alegre in southern Brazil.

Last month, Brazil, combined with all other countries of BRIC – Russia, India, China and South Africa – had tried to coordinate support for the euro area.

Brazilian policy makers hope that the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers held in Paris on Friday and Saturday leading to action.

The European Union will set up a system of tougher sanctions against countries that allow spinning deficits. View of the European Parliament.

The European Union will significantly tighten its budgetary discipline to learn from the debt crisis, following a vote Wednesday the European Parliament which provides for sanctions easier to take than in the past against states that allow spinning their deficits. This vote will allow the entry into force of a device to strengthen the European Stability Pact, discussed for nearly a year and already agreed by member states of the European Union.

In the future, financial sanctions will fall faster and easier, in the form of cash deposit in blocked accounts can be converted into fines against countries deemed to be lax. This mechanism is intended as the consideration for the implementation of the Financial Assistance Fund for countries in trouble in the euro area.Reform – called "6 Pack" because it's actually six pieces of legislation-was originally proposed by the European Commission to draw lessons from the debt crisis in Greece.

Reform had become necessary as the Stability Pact, as it was originally designed has proved largely ineffective as too little deterrent. Governments have spent their time in ten years around it. The reform will allow the Commission to seek remedies and even punish states that move away from deficit criteria (3% of GDP) and debt (60% of GDP) by claiming that the State would make the ignore the deposit of a sum equivalent to 0.2% of GDP. The six pieces of legislation received the support of conservatives and liberals.

The left has denounced reform too focused on rigor and not enough on the recovery.The reform "is good news for the EU", welcomed the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek after the vote. "Reform is an austerity pact that is based on cuts and penalties. It leaves no flexibility to EU states for spending smart, targeted investments," he regretted the contrary, the socialist Stephen Hughes .

Axa has launched the sale of its private equity, an assignment following the withdrawal of almost general banking and insurance sector made a not very attractive for future Solvency II prudential standards.

Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that the bank Credit Suisse had been mandated to look after the sale that occurs in the middle of financial turmoil.

"It's like any new process," said one of them, noting that the figure of one billion sterling raised in the morning by the British news channel SkyNews seemed high.

Many financial institutions are now trying to strengthen their balance sheets in order to reassure the markets and prove they can cope with the debt crisis in the euro area.

"It's not their core business or strategic asset," said one London analyst, who is likely Axa uses the proceeds from this sale to strengthen its capital rather than make acquisitions.

The impact of this withdrawal should be limited, because private equity is not an activity that consumes a lot of capital.

Management companies such as Axa Private Equity investing in unlisted companies for several years but do not with their own capital.They invest on behalf of institutional investors or wealthy families.

But even if Axa does not change his deep financial profile of the transaction, the sale could help convince its shareholders of its determination to go after refocusing.While the future of the subsidiary was never considered a major issue.

Reconquest

Axa has launched an operation in June "conquest" with its investors with the presentation of a strategic plan in 2015 whereby it has redeployed some of its capital to emerging markets and reduce its costs in mature markets.

The title Axa lost 33% since the beginning of the year, while the European sector index limit its losses to 27%.

Axa declined to comment on Friday to become its subsidiary AXA Private Equity which manages $ 28 billion in assets and was one of the most dynamic in its sector in France this year.

In particular, it acquired in May in tandem with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD & R) and the Deposit Quebec electrical engineering group Spie for 2.1 billion euros.

Axa PE also announced the acquisition in August at HSH Nordbank

the bulk of a portfolio of 620 million euros, having already completed in June the acquisition of a portfolio of Citigroup for $ 1.7 billion (1.17 billion euros) and another Barclays for 740 million dollars.

Main engine of recovery of M & A in 2011, private equity, however, shows signs of weakness in France.

The closing of the market "high yield", these high-yield bonds that fund LBOs (financial arrangements based on significant debt leverage) points to a new lean times for the sector.

The number of jobseekers in France rose by 36,100 in July, the largest monthly increase in two years. The trend of 2011 is back up. Since the crisis in 2008, the situation of the labor market in France is particularly depressing.

Xavier Bertrand had prepared the ground. The news is, however, the effect of a cold shower: the number of jobseekers in Class A rose by a further 1.3% in July on the rise year on year to 2.8%. A bad result that erases completely stabilize the labor market seen earlier this year. Worse, when you take a step back, the situation of the labor market in France since the crisis began in early 2008 seems particularly depressed.Review detailed figures of black unemployment.

33%: This is the increase since January 2008 the number of registered unemployed persons in categories A, B, C, that is to say job seekers must be positive acts of job search. In nearly four years, this category has swelled from just over one million people.

57%: This is the rise in unemployment for more than 50 years since January 2008. While the youth unemployment is a wound in France. But it is the elderly who have suffered most from the deterioration of the labor market and plans of downsizing in companies.

453 days: This is the average length of job seekers registered at employment center. In January 2008 it was 412 days. The long-term unemployment (more than one year of enrollment) affects 38% of registered voters, against 32% four years ago.The number of registered unemployed for over two years increased by nearly 27% over the last twelve months.

Only 21% of output for Occupation Pole of the unemployed who found a job. An extremely low which demonstrates the low dynamism of recruitment. Radiation administrative account for 10% of outputs at Pole Occupation: they jumped from just over 7% in one year.

16%: This is the decline since January 2008 the number of sustainable jobs (that is to say, longer than 6 months) received Pole Employment. The precariousness of the job market is growing again. In one year, the proposed job "casual" (lasting less than one month) rose 4.7%.

Baroin and Valerie Pécresse have one week to make proposals to Nicolas Sarkozy to secure the goal of deficit reduction. Exec. UTIF arbitration will make its August 24. The budget minister has already announced that tax loopholes will be deleted. Baroin was appointed Minister of Finance and Econo Wednesday, June 29, 2011. He was replaced by Valerie Pécresse Budget.

Ministers Baroin (Economics) and Valérie Pécresse (Budget) will have to be Nicolas Sarkozy proposals to ensure compliance with the goals of deficit reduction that will be subject to "final decisions" on August 24, announced the Elysee Wednesday. At a meeting convened at the Elysee Palace, Sarkozy recalled that France's commitments on this issue "are intangible and will be required regardless of changing economic conditions."

Proposals requested from Mr.Baroin and Mrs. Pécresse to ensure compliance will be first reviewed by Nicolas Sarkozy and François Fillon August 17 and then the "final decisions will be made August 24" at a meeting between the four of them, the statement of the Presidency. The meeting on Wednesday, August 24 will take place after the Council of Ministers of the season, on the morning of that day.

"This will be the day of decisions, actions to achieve these objectives (public deficit, ed), regardless of the impact of global uncertainties, the announcement of the deterioration of the American note by Standard and Poor's (…) the volatility of markets, "said Baroin told reporters after the crisis meeting for which MM. Sarkozy and Fillon have interrupted their holidays.The French government has pledged to reduce its public deficit, which amounts to 5.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year to 4.6% next year, and 3% in 2013.

Speaking of the objectives of reducing public deficits, he added, "the intangible that is what set the budget for the year 2011 (…) which is fixed under the law for triennial 2012 perspective, these are the objectives of deficits that will form the matrix of measures that we will have to make. "

Valérie Pécresse has in turn announced that tax loopholes would be eliminated, reaffirming the possibility of an "extra effort" to keep the financial commitment of France, in an interview on BFM TV. "We will remove tax loopholes (…) because we will not raise taxes," said budget minister without specifying what niches were covered.Niches, she said, are "tax exemptions sometimes justified" and "can be very inefficient." "We have already pledged to remove 3 billion euros in 2012 (…), tax loopholes for perhaps he will go the extra mile," added the minister.

By the way Nicolas Sarkozy again called the gathering "beyond party lines" in order to restore the balance of public finances, the statement said. An allusion to the refusal of the PS to vote the "golden rule" which the Head of State wishes to inclusion in the Constitution. For this he needs the votes of 3/5èmes Parliament meeting in Congress.

China and Japan on Friday called for international cooperation after the fall of the markets created fears of fallout of U.S. recession and the debt crisis in the euro area.

These calls of the two major foreign creditors of the United States highlight the growing concern about a major contagion in Asia, where markets fell after the rout Thursday on Wall Street.

European shares continued to plunge at the opening Friday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will hold talks on Friday by telephone of the problem of markets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, according to a statement from the Elysee Palace on Thursday evening.

The French president also needs to continue discussions started Thursday with the President of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet.

The European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Olli Rehn, has interrupted his vacation to return to Brussels. It must take a press conference.

In Japan, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda stressed the need to address the problems of distortion on the currency markets, the debt crisis and U.S. economic issue.

"We must discuss these issues," he told reporters after the intervention of Japan to sell yen."Every problem is important but how to classify their problems as a priority to be discussed.

According to traders, Japan sold yen on Friday for the second straight day.This is to curb the rise of the currency, seen by markets as a safe haven, which hampers exports of the archipelago.

ACTION OF THE ECB NOT INCLUDED

China hopes for its part, improve coordination among world powers to deal with risks arising from debt problems in the U.S. and Europe, said its Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Yang stressed the increased risk bonds in the United States and called the world's largest economy to adopt a monetary policy "responsible" and to protect the investment dollars elsewhere.

The latest macroeconomic indicators in the U.S., very poor, and the problems of debt without end in the euro area have revived fears of recession, which has been tumbling Wall Street Thursday, recalling the dark days of financial crisis in 2009.

IHS Global Insight estimates that 40% likelihood of another recession in the United States.

The market rout has spread to Asia on Friday. The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended down 3.7% and fell to its lowest level since the fall of the earthquake in March.

Faced with falling stock markets and some bond markets, investors are investing heavily on the money.Bank of New York Mellon said drowning in deposits, which led her to seek a commission in some of its major customers.

Thursday, investors did not appreciate that the ECB has not bought the paper in Spanish and Italian as part of its bond purchase program restarted Thursday, limited to the State debt Irish and Portuguese, then same as the yield on securities Spain and Italy over 6%.

Friday at the opening performance of the debt of Spanish and Italian state amounted to nearly 6.5%.

WAITING FOR U.S. employment figures

Jean-Claude Trichet acknowledged that within the bank, was not total support for this action, thereby highlighting the divisions in Europe on how to manage the debt crisis that has forced Greece, Ireland and Portugal to seek support programs.

Investors now fear that this is the tour of Italy and Spain, third and fourth largest economy in the euro zone, having to seek a rescue.

Analysts said it would double or even triple the capacity of the European financial stability, EFSF, currently at 440 billion euros to cover savings in the size of Italy or Spain.

United States, economists point out that there is little chance that Congress passes new stimulus when it was decided to reduce spending to compensate for the increase in the borrowing capacity of the country, according to the compromise Tuesday voted by Congress and promulgated by President Obama.

The Federal Reserve, which holds its next policy meeting on Tuesday, can do much more than maintaining a very low interest rates to boost growth, say economists, while its previous buyback programs have been controversial.

In addition, the biggest problem seems to be no employment and credit.In this regard, the monthly figures of employment in the United States, to be published one hour before the opening of Wall Street, are eagerly awaited. Investors expect 85,000 jobs created last month outside the agricultural sector against 18,000 in June.

Costly wars, tax breaks, financial crisis … Some of the factors that led to the debt of the world's greatest power to reach the ceiling of 14,300 billion authorized by Congress.

Expensive wars, tax cuts and the crisis of 2008 are some of the factors that make the U.S. world power, now find themselves on the verge of default, which could affect severely the economy in the world.

As Barack Obama said bluntly in a speech to the nation Monday night: "During the past decade, we have spent more money than we collected." In 2000, the U.S. federal budget showed a surplus of 236.2 billion dollars.In February 2011, the Obama administration projected a deficit of 1650 billion for the current year, a figure recently reduced to 1,300 billion by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan.

The Democrats like to point out that the federal budget was in surplus when Bill Clinton left office in January 2001 and that the deficits began to reach heights under the chairmanship of his successor, George W. Bush. But Bill Clinton himself had benefited from tax increases decided by his predecessor, George Bush, to whom they may have cost her re-election. The "bubble" in the IT sector was also boosted federal revenues under Clinton. She would burst in March 2001 under the presidency of George W. Bush, a year that would end on sending troops to Afghanistan after September 11.

In 2003, President Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq to dislodge Saddam Hussein, but refused, with its Republican allies, to make tax increases. Many Democrats will still vote the funding of these two conflicts, including Senator Barack Obama. For their part, Republicans now leading advocates of fiscal restraint, as the leaders of the party in the House of Representatives and the Senate, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, also had fully supported the approach of George W . Bush. The United States spent U.S. $ 1.283 billion for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2011, according to a report in March by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), another non-partisan entity.

According to the CRS, the tax cuts enacted between 2001 and 2004 have cost, again in 2011, 1,760 billion in the federal budget.The New York Times, "If these tax benefits had expired as scheduled in 2012, future deficits would be halved."

In addition, a drug reimbursement policy more beneficial to the elderly, approved in 2003 by the two parties, resulted in an additional cost of 552.2 billion dollars over 10 years, according to the CRS.

George W. Bush inherited a debt of 5,700 billion. In January 2009, at the end of his second term, she had grown to 4,900 billion and the U.S. economy suffered the brunt of the crisis "subprime". "Wall Street got drunk and now it's cooked," summed up President Bush in July 2008.

The rescue plan set up by Obama has cost 800 billion dollars more, but failed to boost employment.And the debt continued to accumulate, reaching 16 May 2011 the ceiling of 14 300 billion authorized by Congress.

Which Bush and Obama is to blame most for the digging of the debt? The New York Times table below compares the new spending under the two presidencies …

It's a painful choice awaits U.S. leaders on August 2, when the government will end up running out of expediency if the ceiling is not raised: to default on part of the debt or cutting spending or health retirement. And economic and financial world feared the shock waves in the world if no agreement is reached. Obama himself spoke of a "Apocalypse" economy.

But Republican leaders must manage the intransigence of their ultra-conservative members, close to the movement of the "tea party", who reject any tax increase, away from the prospect of a compromise.