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Coface, which announced Monday a further improvement in results due to the recovery of its performance in the insurance authorized by a decrease in claims and believes that its results any credibility to public offerings.

The credit insurer, 100% subsidiary of Natixis, the subject of strategic thinking since last February in BPCE, parent company of Natixis on his future within the banking group.

Commenting on the results of Coface published on Monday its chief executive, Jerome Cazes, said at a press conference that discussions had not been completed and that there was "no urgency".

However, he said "feel that the scenario of a public offerings in 2011 is gaining credibility with the results" the first half.

The credit insurer is considered unlikely scenario of recurrent growth under the policy followed by recovery in the United States and China and the dynamism of world trade, and expects a further improvement in claims in the second half.

"This situation (macroeconomic) can anticipate the second half a further improvement in claims, continued cost control and growth turned positive in its turnover," notes Jerome Cazes.

The company saw its second quarter results continued the recovery started in the last quarter of 2009, with operating income of 31 million euros after a loss of 76 million a year earlier and a positive result of 24 million in the first quarter of year.

PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE

Driven mainly by the insurance, which rebounded thanks to a decline in claims, despite a turnover fell 2% at constant rates to 303 million euros while the ratio claims fell to 59% in the second quarter, against 63% in the first.

Coface's objective is a loss ratio between 45% and 50% in the next 18 months as well as productivity gains three points per year.

Operating income from insurance activities has reached 31 million euros, against a loss of 126 million a year earlier and a positive result of 24 million in the first quarter of 2010.

In services, where sales fell 8% to 65 million euros, operating profit was halved to six million euros while in factoring it increased to 10 million EUR cons has a two million earlier, on sales up sharply (+21% to 29 million euros)

Net profit stood at 20 million euros, against a loss of 37 million a year earlier and a profit of 15 million in the first quarter.

Shareholders' equity improved to 1.311 million euros, signing up 21% from the end of 2009 and 11% from the end of 2007, before the outbreak of the financial crisis, mainly driven by the capital increase occurred at Natixis first quarter.

As part of its strategic plan 2010-2012, after which Coface is a net profit of 250 million euros, the group also wants to become a rating agency that specializes in financial firms.

In response to criticisms of credit insurance during the crisis, the company has introduced a free access to its insured ratings to their clients.

American International Group (AIG) publishes quarterly results better than expected and announced that he had initiated discussions to be free from state control.

The U.S. insurer, owned nearly 80% by the state since his emergency rescue in September 2008, published for the second quarter a net loss of 2.7 billion dollars (2.05 billion euros) or $ 3.96 per share, against a profit of $ 1.8 billion ($ 2.3 per share) over the corresponding period last year.

The loss resulted primarily from an impairment charge of $ 3.3 billion.

Adjusted data, AIG reports a profit of 1.3 billion dollars ($ 1.99 per share), against 1.1 billion dollar ($ 1.71 per share) a year earlier.

"The situation is quite stable," said Bill Bergman, an analyst at Morningstar. "Stabilization does not mean growth or strong growth, but it seems to take this path."

The panel also said he began talking with the New York Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department and directors of AIG Credit Facility Trust on a strategy to "enable the State to break its relationship with AIG owner" .

BOND EXCHANGE OF TITLE

On Wall Street, AIG earned under 5.2%, to 41.98 dollars around 1400 GMT, while the Dow Jones index yielded 0.2%.Since the beginning of the action took 33% while the S & P's insurance sector grew by only 7%.

The general insurance business of AIG, Chartis, posted an operating profit of $ 955 million before taking into account net realized capital gains, cons generated one billion dollars a year earlier.

Chartis had to record $ 287 million of losses from catastrophes in the quarter, including that relating to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"There are a result of major operational and stable in general insurance business," said Bill Bergman.

SunAmerica Financial Group, a division of AIG specializes in retirement services and life insurance, for its part, recorded an operating income excluding net realized capital gains of $ 1.1 billion, against 254 million generated a year earlier.

"The results of operations of the insurance company remains strong and continues to implement its restructuring plans and to prepare its separation from the U.S. government," said AIG Chief Executive Robert Benmosche .

The latter looks to the future with AIG SunAmerica and Chartis the heart of its business.

The Life business group have generated earnings before taxes of $ 604 million while $ 314 million a year earlier.

American International Assurance (AIA), which should be introduced on the stock exchange after its failed sale to Prudential, has made the most of this result, through its investments.

AIG Financial Products, a subsidiary of derivative origin of the troubles the group in 2008, reduced the notional amount of derivatives in its portfolio of approximately 602.4 billion dollars at June 30, down 36% compared the end of 2009.

Norsk Hydro believes that the aluminum market may have reached its highest level this year in the second quarter and maintained its forecast of growth of 12% of its markets upstream and downstream in 2010.

The Norwegian producer of aluminum has made a profit before interest and taxes (EBIT) current of 1.1 billion kroner (137 million euros) in the second quarter, after losing 618 million kronor last year on same period. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a profit of 900 million kroner.

"The numbers are very solid," said Samir Bendriss, an analyst with Pareto."They are particularly successful in the upstream activity, with higher prices, higher volumes and lower costs than expected."

The group assigns him, this performance to increase its volumes, the strength of its margins and tight control of costs.

"We still anticipate that demand in our major markets upstream and downstream will grow by about 12% in 2010," he said.

However, Norsk Hydro estimates that the global market for aluminum is oversupplied despite the recovery in demand linked to the moderate recovery of economic growth.

"There are many elements that suggest that the second quarter will be stronger in 2010", said group general manager, Svein Richard Brandtzaeg, at a press conference.

The group said world demand for primary aluminum, excluding China, has increased in the second quarter to an annualized level of consumption of around 24 million tonnes, while production outside of China increased 25 million tons on an annualized basis.

"Demand should be stable in the third quarter but with a normal seasonal decline," said Norsk Hydro.

The Norwegian group also warned that its results for its underlying activities of alumina (aluminum oxide) and raw materials are expected to fall in the second half after a solid six months, due to an expected drop courses alumina and rising costs of bauxite.

"The decline (will be) following the expected decline in margins," the group said.

Around 9:45 GMT, was virtually unchanged at 34.96 crowns.

The Japanese consumer confidence improved for the sixth straight month in June, reaching its highest level in almost three years, a sign of an increase in economic recovery in the archipelago.

The index measuring the sentiment of households, which reflects their views on income and employment, reached 43.5 in June, its highest since September 2007, according to figures released Tuesday by government departments. In May, the index was at 42.8.

The government has revised upwards its opinion on the mood and now believes it is oriented towards improvement.

The index remains below 50, meaning that pessimists still outnumber optimists.

Christine Lagarde wants a "pause" in gas prices until January 1 next time an audit determines the relevance of the new method of calculation applied by the Regulatory Commission (CRE).

CRE authorized Thursday GDF Suez to raise gas tariffs from 1 July, after an initial increase of nearly 10% from 1 April. Higher rates for individuals oscillate between 2% and 4.7%.Since the start of the year, gas prices have increased by about 15% in France.

"I hope that the CRE do an audit of this formula because I'm quite surprised at the speed of execution and I wish that as a result of this audit, we determine if the formula is good," said Minister of the Economy Friday on France Inter.

"By then, I hope the prices remain unchanged, that is to say that until January 1, we make a full break in considering any further action until the audit results are not provided, "she added.

The CRE noted Thursday in a statement that his tariff had been an audit on which it will deliberate by September.

The CRE and GDF Suez justify rising gas prices by higher oil prices, which are indexed to gas prices and the weaker euro, which significantly increased imports of oil, sold in euros.

"The crisis is not behind us," explained Friday government spokesman Luc Chatel, RTL, noting that gas prices "have fallen by about 11% last year.

Areva announced an additional provision of around 400 million euros for the Finnish EPR OL3 because of new construction delays.

The Finnish power company TVO said in early June that the new-generation nuclear reactor would begin producing electricity until early 2013, is almost three and a half years later than originally planned.

Areva had recorded 2.3 billion euros of provisions before it announced Wednesday.The group's president and CEO Anne Lauvergeon had publicly described the level of "comfortable" in early March.

Because of the new provision announced Wednesday, the group said in a statement that its operating profit "should register loss in H1 2010.

The reactor Areva Finnish EPR is the first to have been initiated in Europe.

The French group has also reported that its talks with EDF on the conditions for stopping the Georges Besse enrichment plant in a Tricastin (Drôme) continued.

The dispute over the uranium enrichment plant is on the possible orders of EDF in 2011 and 2012, the last two years this site until the entry into service of the Georges Besse II site.

"Outside additional provision OL3 and potential impact of shut-down conditions of the Georges Besse plant 1, the group's operating margin should be around 4% in the first half of 2010, Areva said.

THE BACKLOG IN NET INCREASE

Net income group share the first six months of the year, however, incorporate the added value of 1.3 billion euros achieved in respect of sale of the Transmission and Distribution (T & D) tandem Alstom, Schneider and record as a "significant increase" compared to first half of 2009.

The group's backlog at June 30 for its part should reach over 43 billion euros, an increase of one billion a year and 500 million over the end of 2009, while sales of the first half will move forward "on the order of 2%" over the same period of 2009.

"For all of fiscal 2010, the Group confirms its expectation of a significant increase in backlog and revenues," said Areva.

"Operating income is expected to improve, before the provision, gains on dilution and possible impact of closure conditions of the Georges Besse 1. Finally, net income Group share up sharply compared to the fiscal 2009, particularly through the most gain on the sale of T & D. "