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Bernard Arnault regain its leadership among the rich. After having given way in 2008 to boss Gerard Mulliez Auchan, the boss of LVMH prances again tops the ranking of richest people in France, published Wednesday by the weekly magazine Challenges.

Arnault's fortune amounted to 22.7 billion euros, against 19 billion for Mulliez. Among the top three also included Liliane Bettencourt, whose name is now mentioned more as the protagonist of a politico-financial series and its maintenance in the third-largest fortunes in France.

"2010, the year of the crisis for the rich"

Despite the context of crisis, the profits of the rich have increased compared to 2008 payday loan lenders.According to the study, the total capital assets of the 500 largest French professionals has increased by 25% in one year, from 194 to 241 billion euros. That figure remains below the record level of 2007 (280 billion euros). The weight of the 500 largest fortunes in the French economy has also declined from 17% of gross domestic product (GDP) three years ago to 12.4% today.

Several indicators suggest that 2010 will be "the year of the crisis" for the rich, notes the weekly. In one year, the title LVMH has indeed jumped 40%, like that of L'Oreal.

At a time when travel is no longer the preserve of a few explorers, the Expo is no longer just visitors to travel around the world but rather to give them vacation ideas. The Chinese are now just under 55 million to go outside their borders on vacation. By 2020, they will be 100 million. This will be the tourist population of the world's largest. And some countries are willing to settle for a small portion of these new visitors. "We want to capture a share of this growth. That's why we joined the program joined the Nordic sells northern Europe as one destination for Chinese tourists, "says Palsson Hrein, Consul General of Iceland in Shanghai and commissioner of the Icelandic flag Expo 2010, which has made tourism one of the three themes of the exhibition.The Icelandic Minister of Tourism will make even the Expo June 17 This day is an opportunity for Reykjavik to invite Chinese travel agencies and journalists specialized in tourism.

The correlation between tourist attraction and intention to visit the pavilions of the exhibition is obvious. The United States, Australia, Japan, Thailand, France, Italy and Spain were the most popular pavilions during the test days of the Expo last two weeks. They are also the countries most popular with Chinese travelers.

The smaller nations or absent from the traditional tourist tours competing ideas to attract maximum visitors to their pavilions electronic check payday advance. They hope to offer a promotion that no travel agency can never offer them."This is a unique platform to build the brand image of a country," said Debby Cheung, director of Ogilvy Public Relations in China.

Denmark did not hesitate to move her Little Mermaid bronze for the first time outside of Copenhagen. The exhibit coming to the center of the Danish flag to the end of October. Operation successful communication since the advent of the statue has become a major "buzz" of Chinese Painting Expo. The calculation is simple, with three million visitors a year, the Nordic country can hope to show one of its landmarks twice more tourists in half the time. Luxembourg followed suit by bringing his G?lle Fra (Golden Male), moved the Monument of Remembrance to the entrance of the Luxembourg flag Shanghai.

Others offer a real experience.In front of a screen that broadcasts images of snowcapped mountains, visitors can smell the Swiss chalet mountain air, spread by machinery, just before getting on a chairlift athentique rooftop while green building. "This is an opportunity to do direct marketing that does not stand in the next decade," says Frank Serrano, head of the France Pavilion at Shanghai.

EUR / USD: The euro on a downward

Torn between good ZEW index of German industrialists in April and perennial concerns about the finances of Greece, the euro was hesitant. On Wednesday, he nevertheless resumed its downward trend started yesterday, when discussions begin in Athens techniques to study details of the mechanism of financial assistance that the country could then activate it if necessary.They should last about ten days after placement interviennet by Athens Treasury bills to three months worth of 1.95 billion euros.

The Bundesbank president Axel Weber has implied that Greece might need 80 billion euros of financial assistance to avoid bankruptcy, nearly double the amount provided by the European plan.

"Despite a modest rise in risk appetite, the euro remained under pressure during the night while the gap between Greek and German bonds rose to a new record of 478 basis points in the night, however, observed Michael Hart at Citigroup.

Pictet notes that "the return to rising world stock markets – after overruns linked to the case Goldman Sachs and the ash cloud Iceland – has left the dollar marble.

For Pierre-Antoine Dussoulier, president of Saxo Bank, the consensus presages a downturn in the euro.Support for the euro / dollar stood at 1.3280. One that is close, while the euro traded under $ 1.34 today, to 1.3387 to exactly 13 hours.

"Until then, support has remained resilient, but if it is broken, then the euro will fall to the next support, referred to 1.2455 dollar per euro, or levels in March 2009 and November 2008. The resistance is placed it, to 1.38 euros, but there is little chance that the euro is growing so very short term, the official said.

The pound sterling rose

While political discussions are underway with our neighbors across the Channel for the upcoming elections on May 6, the British pound is a positive trend, encouraged by the price index from March to well above expectations at 0, 6% against 0.3% expected.

It is 86.96 pence per euro and 1.5391 dollars on Wednesday.

Asian currencies purchased

Led by the change in monetary policy from the Bank of India Monday, Asian currencies continue to rise. As the NOK, which rises against the dollar at 5.8953. Even in Australia, the Australian dollar strengthens against the dollar and euro.

Canadian Dollar coveted

The Canadian dollar (CAD) remains the motto of all desires: while the Bank of Canada has hinted it may raise rates, the latter finally maintained at 0.25%. The loonie has flirted with parity from 1.0161 to 0.9941 Canadian dollars to 1 U.S. dollar. The momentum keeps a downward trend on Wednesday.

The central bank of Canada announced an upcoming recovery.It could then be the first monetary tightening of a G7 country.

* Definitions

• Forex: For Foreign Exchange, foreign exchange or market analysis • technical analyst or chartist. She studied graphic evolution courses. The research in the historical price behavior involved in a situation to predict the evolution of financial securities. • Pips: Price Interest Point. Unit rating for foreign currency. It designates the last digit is used: in the case of the euro, the fourth decimal place. • Trend: trend. • Range: Range. • Support: value as the price has little chance to pass down. • Resistant: value as the price has little chance of exceeding the rise. • EUR: Euro, USD: U.S. Dollar, or U.S. dollar JPY Japan Yen or Japanese yen, GBP: British Pound, CHF: Swiss franc .

The online banks will have to convince the French still reluctant. A BVA survey conducted for the Dutch bank ING Direct, four out of five French are not ready to transfer all or part of their funds in a bank online.

Requires close

The first reason given for their refusal is the need for closeness (89% of responses). Even if they are not all satisfied with their current bank, the French chose an institution primarily because it is easy to reach from home or workplace. Then (74%), fear of having no one to contact if problems or unexpected. Finally, the desire to maintain a customized report with a counselor is paramount for 68% of the 736 respondents with an internet connection … and 73% of them feel just as consultants online banks are unreachable.More surprisingly, the French fear the formalities of transfer of accounts and especially the closing costs from their current institution. But the closure of checking accounts are paying more since 2005!

Fresh lean

Yet the French recognize the qualities of online banks. Some like their fee policy on current operations or the free cards are recognized strengths. 35% of respondents spoke as a major factor in choosing a bank. The hourly range is also appreciated. That leaves working on customer relationship … ING, which currently has 750,000 customers in France, with 500,000 more expected within 6 months.

"See the BVA survey for ING Direct

"Online banking: Boursorama wants to" accelerate "

"It is first on the Internet that we follow his accounts

U.S. markets should open in green on Friday, supported by the employment figures less bad than expected. The United States has in fact lost 36,000 jobs in February than in January and the unemployment rate the country has remained stable at 9.7% this month, according to the official report on employment released on Friday, while analysts expected a decline. The future of Dow Jones advance of 0.64% at 10,495 points, the S & P 500 rose 0.09% to 1131 points and the Nasdaq's 0.11% to 1871 points.

U.S. investors should be reassured by the Prime Minister's announcement that China has promised a 8% growth for China this year.Thursday, Wall Street closed higher on a comfortable, supported by bearings recommendations.

In addition to the employment figures U.S., those of consumer credit in January, will be published in 21 hours.

As for currencies, the euro fell sharply Friday against a dollar backed by the release of employment figures in the United States, and reassuring the operators on the strength of the recovery of the world's largest economy.

Values follow

Microsoft: The software giant said Friday it would stick to its strategy of developing the market for search engines in China, whatever the outcome of the dispute between Google to the Chinese government.

Blackstone: The investment fund is hoping to complete an initial transaction in Australia this year and also studied business in Japan and South Korea, each operation may be about 100 million dollars, said an official with the group.

Marvell Technology Group: the chip maker reported a 64% increase in its turnover, thanks to a recovery of expenditure within the sector, to 842.5 million dollars against 842 million expected on average .

General Growth: The title of the second American owner of shopping malls start to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange under its old symbol GGP3 while the group is still under bankruptcy.

Review of the week, still not good on Wall Street. The flagship index of the U.S. coast, the Dow Jones has sold more than 1.3% over the last five sessions. On the month, it lost 3.5%, its largest monthly decline since February 2009. And from the peak of the year (January 19) at 10,725 points, it dropped 6.1% …

Note that the volatility index rose more than 4.3% on the session. This shows the nervousness of investors.

But Friday had sounded like a new breath of oxygen. The U.S. indices had opened up, certainly not stupendous, but reassuring. Investors initially reacted to the GDP growth of 5.7% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Note however that the whole of 2009, GDP fell by 2.4%.In addition, a new series of good quarterly results have agreed.

According to Christian Parisot, head of economic research at Aurel, "this figure is reassuring for markets and for the future." But that rebound is partly 'technical', relativize does. He explained to the tune of 3.4 points from a "stock effect". Croissancedu the fourth quarter will be weaker in the first quarter of 2010, he said.

Still missing, the index fell

Then the breath was cut. The indices have regained some equilibrium after 20 hours (Paris time), then slid into the technological rouge.Les weigh heavily on the trend. So that finally the Nasdaq plunged 1.45% at 2147.3 points. The Dow Jones dropped 0.52% to 10,067.33 points, under 10,100 points. And the S & P 500 dropped 0.98% to 1073.9 points.

Yet, at 15.45, the figures of industrial activity in the Chicago area for January were pleasantly surprising: ISM index rose to 61.5. Then, ten minutes tardn it was the turn of consumer confidence as measured by the University of Michigan to give pleasure: it has been revised upward to 74.4, reaching its highest level in two years.

The Dow Jones had already ended on a Thursday this very negative (-1.13% to 10,120 points), leaded by the disappointing statistics. Applications weekly unemployment benefits fell during the week ended January 23 (to 470,000) but less than expected. Similarly, orders for durable goods in December increased more slowly than expected (+0.3%).

Yesterday evening, Ben Bernanke has been extended for four years at the helm of the Fed. The markets saw his appointment as a continuity of monetary policy characterized by very low rates.On the same level, China has also sent positive signals to the market today. The Chinese central bank reiterated that it would maintain a "moderately flexible monetary control.

Microsoft guest star

Even the good performance of Wal-Mart (1.52% to 53.4 million) and The Home Depot (+2.5% to $ 28), failed to halt the downtrend.

It is largely explained by the decline in technology stocks. The index closed at losing more than 1%. Apple heavyweight, with a decline of 3.6% to 192.12 dollars, under pressure since he revealed his "Ipad.

The computer giant Microsoft has published the results of its second quarter lagged 2009/2010 after Exchange Thursday, with a turnaround in net income of 60%, to 6.66 billion dollars.The stock has lost 3.36% to 28.18 dollars.

Amazon also announced after market close a net profit in 2009 up 40% to 902 million. The fourth-quarter earnings soared 71% to 384 million. Turnover was 24.51 billion dollars, or 28% more than in 2008. In exchange, the share increased to $ 132 before subsiding, then fall from 0.49% to 125.41 dollars.

Mattel (-1.2% to 19.8 dollars) released before market on Friday, a dramatic increase in its earnings in the fourth quarter: 86% to $ 328.4 million. Over the year the Group achieved a profit of $ 528.7 million, up 39% as well, which reduced per share amounted to $ 1.45 against expectations of 1.24 dollars.

The maker of automation and appliances Honeywell issued before market also net income group share declined slightly (-1.3%) to 698 million in the fourth quarter, in line with analysts' expectations. The title has sold 3.04%, to 38.61 dollars.

The oil company Chevron (-1.68%, to $ 72) on Friday issued a 2009 annual profit fall of 56.2% to 10.483 billion dollars, due to falling prices and pressure on margins .

Furthermore, the group of French telecommunications and media company Vivendi sued by shareholders ruined by its near-collapse in 2002, was convicted of misleading communication. Its CEO at the time, Jean-Marie Messier, has instead been milled.

The Californian partner Renault in electric cars have passed a nice round. Better Place has in effect said on Monday it has raised 350 million dollars, 247 million euros.

The deal values the company at 1.25 billion dollars. It should enable the company to "grow internationally," according to its CEO Shai Agassi, quoted in a news group.

It was underwritten by HSBC, Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Lazard Asset Management, and must be closed during the first quarter. In its statement, Better Place is pleased to be among the major investment of its kind conducted by HSBC Business Card Design . Having spent 125 million dollars, nearly 90 million euros, HSBC is the largest investor in this transaction.The bank will take 10% stake Better Place, and put Kevin Adeson, head of global financial transactions, within the executive committee of Better Place.

Better Place will install networks of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Through its partnership with Renault, Better Place aims to commercialize a nombvre minimum of 100,000 cars in Israel and Denmark by 2016.

Interest rates continue to decline. On October 14, they fell 0.10% to 0.20% compared to September in all regions and all periods of credit, the broker finds loans in its new barometer. The most pronounced declines were registered in Eastern and Northern. In detail, on average, rates on fifteen-year fall to 3.95%, and twenty years, to 4.05%, respectively accusing a decrease of 0.10% and 0.15% compared to last month. What attract future buyers! For example, a couple borrowed 200,000 euros in twenty years will earn 35,520 euros if he buys now, with a rate to 4.05% compared to October 2008 (with a rate of 5.40%). The least expensive region is the South West with 3.90% in fifteen years and 4% in twenty years. Empruntis also notes that the gap between regions is reduced: 0.5% between the cheapest and most expensive.This result can be explained by the fierce competition that will deliver major networks and regional mutual funds.

In his memo on the economy published earlier this week, the Fnaim believes that "out of financial crisis, improved conditions for distribution of mortgage loans to households is favorable to borrowers." Lower interest rates of nearly 130 basis points since November 2008 makes it possible to compensate the shortening of the duration of loans observed since 2008. This decrease is the "welcome" because it constitutes "a sort of remission for the poorest households, previously convicted of certain debt on to almost three quarters of the time devoted to their careers."

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