According lsa.fr, the market share of the distributor was down 1.7 percentage points, to 21%, against 22.7% during the same period last year .

"The two main signs of the Carrefour group are affected by this plunge: hypermarkets in mind, which fell 1.2 points to 11.4% market share while Carrefour Market supermarkets them lose 0.6 points to 7.9%, "the site that it is adding Leclerc, Système U and Intermarché who benefit most from the decline of the French leader.

Carrefour declined to comment.

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.

* However, banking stocks suffer from persistent market fears about the financial position of the peripheral countries of the euro area, the performance of Spanish debt in ten years being spent at above 6% for the first time since the start of the year.

BNP PARIBAS leaves 3.55%, largest drop in the CAC 40, followed by Crédit Agricole (-3.28%) and SOCIETE GENERALE (-2.5%). The index Stoxx European banking yields 0.93%. ACC off, DEXIA (-11.54%) shows the largest decrease of the SBF 120 and Natixis were down 2.43%.

In addition, Citigroup cut its price targets on several French banking stocks.

* ENERGY SECTOR's is up at European level (+1.6%) while VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS jumped 18.49%, two Chinese groups planning to launch a takeover offer for the Danish manufacturer wind turbine, the newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Technip (3.83%) signed the largest increase in the CAC 40, MAUREL ET PROM was up 2.76%, 2.55% of CGG VERITAS and TOTAL of 1.96%.

GDF SUEZ wins 3.06%. The group announced the acquisition of 30% International Power (0.73%) that did not already own for 6.8 billion pounds (8.3 billion euros). He announced in the wake that it was within its target of recurring net profit CEOs for 2012 at between 3.7 and 4.2 billion euros, against 3.5 to 4 billion previously.

* DOLLAR VALUES are oriented correctly, the euro had hit a two-month low against the greenback, investors reducing their exposure to the euro area. EADS rose 2.7%, 1.29% and STMICROELECTRONICS ZODIAC AEROSPACE of 3.42% (largest increase in the SBF 120).

* Illustrating the continuing investor concerns for the situation in Europe, defensive stocks are sought. Air Liquide wins 1.96%, 1.5% or Pernod Ricard ESSILOR 1.38%.

* RENAUL PSA and win respectively 1.99% and 1.34%. According to trade publication The Letter VN Auto K7, orders for new cars in France saw their slow decline in March.

* INTERNATIONAL GECI remains suspended until Tuesday. The aerospace engineering company said it had been informed of the lapse of a memorandum of agreement to finance the project of French aircraft Skylander, and said it was exploring new ways of financing.

The project Skylander is grossly under-funded in its current setup and would require tens of millions of euros of additional investment, according to an expert report that Reuters was able to consult.

This is a sad record that just defeated the Spanish economy. The number of unemployed in Spain has reached the end of March to 4.75 million people. This is the highest figure since the first release of these monthly statistics in 1996.

This figure of 4,750,867 job seekers also marks the eighth consecutive month of increase in the number of unemployed. And for good reason: without its economic engine, build, Spain is no longer able to create enough jobs. The short-term economic prospects are particularly bleak for this country that has returned to recession in the first quarter of 2012. After a low growth of 0.7% in 2011, the government anticipates a decline of 1.7% of GDP over the whole of 2012.  

Today, the Spanish unemployment rate is one of the highest in the OECD. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), the rate was 22.85% of the workforce in late 2011. According to figures from the EU statistics office, Eurostat, which uses a different methodology, Spain posted an unemployment rate of 23.6% in février.En Andalusia, the region most affected country, the rate Unemployment exceeds 30% even.

The Spanish Government, these figures justify the ongoing reform of the labor market, even if it is painful. "It is necessary to recall the importance to have a framework of trust and flexibility for businesses, as one established by the labor reform," the Ministry of Employment in a statement.

But the public does not hear it that way. A sea of ​​people marched through the streets of Spain on March 29, after a general strike against the labor reform, in force since February. According to the unions, the reform will only exacerbate the scourge of unemployment, while the government itself provides for the destruction of 630,000 jobs in 2012 and unemployment at 24.3% at year end.

Labor reform is also involved along with the austerity plan intended to reduce the public deficit, which makes it even more unpopular. The government must reduce to 5.3% of GDP in the year-end deficit, after a slip up 8.51% in 2011, at great cost benefits. To do this, the government must present to Parliament a budget Tuesday of unprecedented stringency, providing 27.3 billion euros in savings.

In Paris, around 9:15, the CAC 40 gained 0.19% to 3,479 points. The DAX 30 is 0.3% and the FTSE ahead 0.20%. The Eurostoxx 50 is 0.22%.

Values, EADS gained 1.75%. The German government is preparing to buy 12% stake in planemaker taking over the holdings of Daimler and several private banks, it was learned Friday from the German government source.

BOLLORÉ gained 2.7% after announcing a 19% increase in operating profit.

BT gained 4.8%. The British telecoms operator plans to pay two billion pounds into its pension fund as part of a new plan more advantageous than nine years.

The French government raised its economic growth forecast for 2012 to 0.7%, against 0.5% previously, and was lowered to 1.75% for 2013, against 2.0%, said Minister of Economy Baroin.

This announcement follows the revision by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), its growth forecast to 0% in the first quarter and 0.2% in the second quarter of 2012.

Moreover, the overall business climate in France has improved significantly in March, to 95 points, an increase of 4 points, according to INSEE. 

In the U.S., the indicator of home sales in the nine will allow investors to refine their expectations of recovery in the industry and the economy in general.

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.

"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.

The signatories declared that reprisals from China and other countries opposed to the European level of taxation of carbon emissions (ETS) have serious consequences for the sector, has Airbus said in a statement.

According to Airbus, China has already suspended $ 12 billion of orders, which could lead to destruction according to the manufacturer of over 1,000 jobs internally and at least 1,000 extra in the chain not supply. 

The nine general managers who sign this letter to the Prime Ministers English, French, Spanish and German Chancellor expect that the list of cancellations of orders continues to grow .

The petitioners request the holding urgent talks at the European Council and with the states as the situation becomes intolerable for the aviation sector, we read in the news for Airbus.

"The aim must be to find a compromise solution and to stop these punitive measures before it is too late," say company executives quoted in the press release.

"We have always believed that only a global solution would be adequate to solve the problem of aviation emissions."

Business leaders call for opening negotiations with the states concerned in the Aviation Organisation Organization (ICAO)

. In addition to Airbus, the letter implies managers of British Airways and Iberia, the two components of International Airlines Group, ¨ Air Berlin, Air France, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Safran and MTU Aero

.

The Nikkei gained 160.78 points to 9,929.74 and the Topix broader, took 12.55 points (1.5%) to 848.71.

The Nikkei hit a session high at 10,007.62. This is the first time in seven months that exceeds the psychological threshold of 10,000.

Values, exporters have taken their game, Honda took 2.8%, Toyota +2.7% and 4.25% Sony.

The Department of Labor will release the unemployment figures Friday of January. End of 2011, the number of unemployed people on French territory, all regions and categories, exceeded 4.5 million, its highest since 1999.

Across the Rhine, the unemployment rate last month was at its lowest level since reunification in 1990.

Labor costs in Germany was also one of the highest in Europe in some industries four years ago, an economic fact that has not prevented e to view the best export performance of the euro area and an unemployment rate among the lowest in the Old Continent. 

At two months of the first round of presidential elections, the government, which regularly cites Berlin as an example, has made the reduction of labor costs one of its priorities é ; ECONOMIC by deciding to reduce employer contributions in exchange for a higher rate of VAT, a measure criticized by unions and the opposition who fear a degradation of power purchase.

In a study entitled "Employment and Wages", especially on the evolution of the price of labor in Europe, INSEE found that the cost of labor in some sectors Manufacturers across the Rhine was the highest in the Old Continent. 

"This is particularly true in the automotive industry, where (in 2008, ie) it is 29% higher than that observed in France: 43.14 EUR (per hour) against 33 , 38 euros. "

Across the industry, labor costs were substantially similar in both countries, around 33 euros per hour on average, although it was higher Germany (33.37 euros) and France (33.16 euros).

REPORT OF FORCE?

However, the trend reversed in services where France four years ago recorded an hourly labor costs of 32.08 euros against 26.81 euros in Germany. 

Especially, unit labor costs as a whole rose a much stronger in France than in Germany between 2002 and 2012 (1.9% per year against 0.1%) and lower gains productivity (+0.8% against +1.2%), as calculated by the Credit Agricole, a cause for concern for Paris.

The budget minister Valérie Pécresse has reiterated Tuesday that lower labor costs in the name of "price competitiveness" French would create between 75,000 and 120,000 jobs, provided that businesses play the game and favor the recovery of productive investment to increase their margins.

Sweden, Denmark and Belgium are the three countries of the European Union where, in 2008, the labor cost was highest in the industry as in services. Portugal, Greece and Spain are where it was lowest.

Therefore, improving the "competitiveness" could have effects far less positive than expected if it would only cover costs without concern more widely in productivity, quality ;, innovation and training.

Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Pierre Lellouche logically touted the creation of social VAT in early February and found that France could balance its trade with by 2017, after showing a record trade deficit in 2011. 

In the hope of improving the productivity of French companies, the government gives one month to the social partners to agree a framework for agreements "majority" in companies on issues relating to working time, organization or overtime.

Nicolas Sarkozy stressed that such agreements would be binding on the law, which bury the de facto 35 hours. Without compromise, a bill would be tabled in Parliament at risk to engage the executive in a tense power struggle on the eve of presidential and parliamentary elections.