The anticoagulant Plavix, Sanofi's flagship drug, loses its patent on Thursday the United States. Although long-expected, this is a difficult stage for the championship tricolor pharmacy. The arrival of generics is usually depressing sales of an original drug by 80% within months. However, in 2011, sales of Plavix in the United States accounted for 4.8 billion euros. In accounting terms, the decline in sales will have no impact on the accounts of the champion tricolor because the marketing of its flagship product is provided by the U.S. laboratory BMS.

The benefit of Sanofi will, however, heavily impacted. In 2012, the group's net profit will suffer an impact of 1.4 billion euros, due to the loss of U.S. patents on two products, Aprovel / Avapro in March and especially Plavix May 17, announced Chris Viehbacher, CEO of Sanofi in February.

Plavix had already lost its patent protection in Europe. But its total turnover in 2011 reached 7 billion euros. This made so ephemeral, without doubt, the top-selling drug in the world, after the cholesterol-lowering Lipitor, sold by Pfizer, has lost its patent protection last November.

Clopidogrel, the active ingredient used for generic for Plavix and marketed by the French lab is fully produced Sisteron (04). However, the laboratory will manufacture other chemical molecules, which means that 500 jobs are not threatened by the loss of U.S. patent for Plavix, Sanofi sure.  

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If you want New York to live differently, then run to the Frieze Art Fair. Exciting and refreshing, this brand new contemporary art fair was modeled on its sister London that takes place in October, just before the FIAC in Paris, in Regent's Park fast payday loan no faxing. It really comes out of the box because it takes the visitor far north of Manhattan, on an unknown island, but accessible by ferry, bus or taxi.

Randall Island which hosts the Frieze Fair. Photo credits: FRIEZE ART FAIR NEW YORK

The revolution of the gas in the U.S. is running. By midweek, the price of natural gas in New York reached a record low, at less than $ 2 million BTUs (British thermal unit) – the international measure equivalent to 28 m3 of gas. Not since ten years ago to find such a price. The particularly mild climate this winter and falling demand support this decline in prices, but they do not explain everything.

"There are six to seven years, the magnitude of the reserves of shale gas across the Atlantic was largely unknown. Today, operators have mastered better and better their production and extract larger quantities with less drilling, exposes Olivier Rech, cofounder of investment consultant Energy Funds Advisors. Meanwhile, even when they go out of oil, they get associated gas. Under these conditions, the abundance of supply weighs on prices. "

This new situation gives ideas to operators. GDF Suez for example, could invest in the downstream side of the Atlantic, that is to say to provide gas, liquefy it and send it to other markets. However, an investment directly in the production in the U.S. is not on the agenda, warned Jean-Marie Dauger, Executive Vice President of the GDF Suez, in charge of Global Gas and LNG (LNG).

Concentration for

In general, the French group makes it clear that a gas supply in North America is based primarily on a prospective scenario. Understood: the market test medium-term guide strategic choices.

In Asia, Mitsubishi Corporation is also exploring several alternatives. After acquiring 40% in February from a field of shale gas in Canada Encana, the Japanese company is considering a giant project (€ 10 billion investment about) LNG production in British Columbia, the west. Several partners are in discussions, including Shell and Korean Korea Gas – who buys every year 30 million tons of LNG.

This situation of depressed gas prices in North America Will it continue permanently? "Above all, this situation is abnormal. In most regions in the U.S., gas prices are now below production costs. Under these conditions, many are fragile and gas operators in the two to three years ahead, there could be a phenomenon of concentration, says Olivier Rech. The revolution of the gas in the United States will therefore damage among companies.

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Virginia Rometty, the IBM boss, she will be admitted to the very select Augusta National Golf Club, home like every year, in Georgia, the Augusta Masters that lasts jursqu'à Sunday? As official sponsor of the tournament, along with Exxon Mobil and AT & T, the tradition that the leader of IBM obtains de facto membership in the Augusta National Golf Club, and whether it takes the famous green jacket member struck the shield of the tournament during the duration of the Masters.

The golfing institution which has only 300 members, including Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, is facing a serious dilemma, reports Bloomberg news site. Since its founding in 1933, the Club membership is in effect only for men. Therefore, on the occasion of this 76th edition, can break tradition and considered the patron saint of IBM as the equal of her male predecessors or can it take the risk of alienating a sponsor capital? As a sponsor, IBM provides indeed all technology services to the tournament start at the site of the Masters as "Big Blue" has managed since 1996.

True to its reputation discretionary, the tournament director has declined to comment hiding behind its privacy policy. Asked on the eve of the tournament, Billy Payne swept a backhander issues relating to the admission of Virginia Rometty or not personal business card. "As always, all questions about who can be a member and will have been discussed privately among members," he explained simply.  

The prestige of the tournament excludes any scandal

This situation is not new for the Masters in Augusta that regularly faces numerous calls to modernize. Already in 2003 a campaign was conducted by American feminists to denounce the discriminatory admissions policy advocated by management. In response to the controversy, the tournament has waived any sponsorship for two consecutive editions are depriving the passage of lucrative advertising revenue.

Ten years later, the feminist call cover and want to be heard. Martha Burk, who led the unsuccessful campaign to admit a woman in this place of power and privilege, said that appointing a woman to head an official sponsor is an opportunity for Club abandon all sexism against women. An avid golf player and regular, President Barack Obama also said Thursday, speaking through his spokesman, that Augusta National had to admit the boss of IBM for his club.

Virginia Rometty is the first woman to head IBM. Photo credit: Dima Gavrysh / AP

On February 20, during the auction of the hamlet of Courbefy, located 40 km southwest of Limoges, no buyer had appeared, despite a retail price of only 300,000 euros. With the effect of media coverage, between 150 and 200 buyers from around the world are scrambling to try to acquire this highly original property, offered for sale price of a two-room Paris.

Without buyers, the entire village, 19 rustic buildings in various states, the boxes for horses, pool, tennis court, culminating in nearly 557 meters high with a beautiful view of the mountains of Chalus in the Périgord Limousin regional park, should return to Credit Agricole, creditor's last owner who could not repay the loan. Its proposed resort, launched in 2003, has never worked and went bankrupt, causing the abandonment of the site in 2008.

The news of the sale of Courbefy was first taken up by the media in France, before being scattered by the whole world, fascinated by the idea that a whole village could be sold for a price as ridiculous . "Admittedly, this is an offer very original, very unique, because the entire village is sold at once," says Mr. Paul Le Figaro Gérardin, counsel for the Credit Agricole. "It's because someone has bought one by one all the houses after the abandonment of the hamlet."

After being abandoned by its last inhabitants in the 1970s due to rural exodus, the small village of Courbefy might find occupants with a last minute deal last Thursday filed with the court registry by Limoges an American company, AHAE Press, registered in the State of New York. This entity belongs to the Korean-born American photographer Ahae, artist specializing in landscape photography and wildlife, whose exhibition "Through my window" must be presented at the Louvre in Paris from June 26 to July 23.

With its 10% deposit of the purchase price, the sale process is restarted, and new auction will take place at court of Limoges on May 21. "I'm sure will be many bidders," suggests Paul Gérardin me. "We have already responded to 150 to 200 inquiries from around the world. Initial requests are first come from the Paris region, London, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and other European countries before coming the United Arab Emirates, China, U.S. and Russian. "

One potential buyers, a Dutchman, wants to use the hamlet for a reality TV show in which participants would call premises in shape.

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The problems of sovereign debt, however, should still hang over the markets. The pressure rises in the euro zone since Moody's announced that the triple A French was threatened. Spain and Italy are always attacked in the bond markets. Finally, Germany is in the viewfinder of many observers who believe the country could experience a domino effect on the market.

But Europe is not the only one to raise the nervousness of the operators. The market should be affected by the fact that the "super committee" responsible for the debt of the United States do not reach an agreement between left and right, after three months of effort.The twelve members of the joint committee, composed of six Republicans and six Democrats were responsible for the deficit of 1200 billion and had until midnight Wednesday to share their findings. Failing agreement, the law provides for the automatic implementation, from 2013, these spending cuts divided equally between defense and social programs.

Fitch monitors the Americans

President Barack Obama assured that the United States were not at risk of default. He said he was determined to keep the pressure on elected officials and threatened to veto any attempt by Congress to mitigate the budget cuts that are now automatically take effect.

For now, the rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Moody's reported that U.S. credit rating would not be affected by the failure of these discussions.

Illustration of this calming the markets, interest rates and French italients relax. Relaxing on the European bond market begins today in the morning with both a decline in rate to 10 years in Italy, far below the 7% and a reduction in the yield spread between 10-year Germany and France with 159 points.

In Greece, the new Prime Minister Evangelos Lucas Papademos renewed Véniélos Finance. In Italy, the Senate passed the economic measures promised to the European Union, until the House of Representatives to do in turn.Which would open the door at the start of Silvio Berlusconi is expected to replace the former European Commissioner Mario Monti.

The market welcomed the strong performance of Disney

Oil prices rose slightly at the opening Friday in New York, watching the market with relief progress in the transition to the head of Italy and Greece. Around 3:10 p.m. (Paris time) on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for December delivery traded at 98.06 dollars, up 28 cents from the previous day.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro gained ground against the dollar Friday, supported by renewed hope on the situation in the eurozone, currency traders who are particularly reassured by the evolution of the political situation in Italy, which is expected to succeed Mario Monti Silvio Berlusconi.

Statements prior to the summit leaves no room for doubt. The leaders of the G20 countries are working on a short-term plan to stop the economic downturn and reduce the impact of the crisis in the euro area, said a Canadian official on his way to Paris. The G20 will not replace the euro area in the resolution of the Greek crisis, however, he warned.

"The meetings focus on how to increase the resources available to deal with the crisis and stabilize the markets", said Chinese Vice Minister of Finance Zhu. The Europeans would like to see the great powers increase the resources of the IMF so that it can lend more to countries in the eurozone in trouble. "Of course they want, the Chinese Minister has responded. But we have just discussed. "Understand: nothing has been decided to date.

"The resources of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF, the support mechanism in the euro area) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be inadequate if the contagion (of the crisis in the euro area) continued" said Pravin Gordhan Finance Minister of South Africa on Friday.In this case, the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) "indicated that they would be likely to support international institutions if they were asked no fax payday advances."

No decisions

The G20 finance ministers this Friday should not result in decisions, the Canadian official has warned. Rather it is to prepare the final summit of the French Presidency of the G20, on 3-4 November in Cannes, which will bring together heads of states of representing 85% of the global economy. "Europeans should explore the support that this Friday is prepared to give them their Chinese counterparts, American and Japanese decrypts Ciaran O'Hagan, strategist at Societe Generale CIB.Investors hope the G20 in November resulted in a plan likely to change that. "

Meanwhile, finance ministers French, Italian and German should have the barrage of questions from their peers about their response to the crisis. "The adverse consequences of delaying the solution are just bigger," expressed concern Thursday Lael Brainard, Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary for International Affairs "Given the growing risks that threaten the recovery, the U.S. will intensified their call for determined action. "The Europeans are on notice: they must find a solution to the crisis at their next summit, Sunday, October 23.

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In accordance with the expectations of investors, the central bank of the United States announced new measures to support the U.S. economy. It will sell by the end of June 2012 for $ 400 billion of treasury bills and short-term buy for the same amount with a longer maturity in an attempt to lower interest rates in the long term ( it "Operation Twist"). To support the mortgage market, it will also buy real estate securities without increasing the size of its portfolio, according to the Committee.

But markets that find especially its verdict on the economy is not good.The recovery is considered "slow", hence maintaining the rate to almost zero "until mid 2013."

These remarks are similar to those Dufond International Monetary Fund (IMF), which raised the specter of a global recession and launched at policy makers in the world "a fervent call to action". At the same time the institution has significantly downgraded its growth forecasts for the global economy. This is expected to grow 4% in 2011 as in 2012, 0.5 points below its previous forecast of 4.5% last April.

Markets always attentive to the crisis in the eurozone

Investors also remain attentive to developments in the crisis of public finances in Europe.Greece announced on the evening of its intention to launch new austerity measures to convince the Troika of its creditors and obtain payment of a new tranche of aid in October that will allow it to avoid bankruptcy.

Wednesday Rousseff, the president of Brazil, Barack Obama has assured his support for the euro area, together with other emerging countries, as it had already mentioned a week ago.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro lost some ground against the dollar after the Fed. The euro bought 1.3616 dollars late in the session on Wall Street against 1.3702 dollars late Tuesday. The price of a barrel of oil closed lower. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for November delivery ended down a dollar to 85.92 dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).He had opened down 14 cents, and had rebounded upward after stock figures showing a sharp decline in U.S. reserves.

On the macroeconomic front, sales of existing homes in the U.S. rose 7.7% from July, seasonally adjusted data, the NAR said that sales figures are higher than the median estimate of analysts payday loans.

Microsoft treats its shareholders

The side of values, Moody's said Wednesday it lowered the credit ratings of Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup on the ground that the Federal government may be reluctant to rush to the aid of large banking institutions in difficulty.

The oil company ExxonMobil (+0.11% A74, 09 dollars) will sell of deposits in the North Sea to fellow Apache through $ 1.75 billion in cash, announced Wednesday it.

Microsoft (-0.85% to 26.75 dollars) announced Tuesday evening after the close of Wall Street that it would increase the quarterly dividend 25% used to its shareholders. The dividend paid on December 8 will be increased to $ 0.20 per share, or $ 0.04 higher than the previous one. Also in order to treat his shareholders Microsoft also recalled that he had launched in September 2008 a program to repurchase its own shares for 40 billion dollars. Of this amount, the group can still make $ 12.2 billion of purchases before the scheduled end of the program in September 2013.

Also after the close, Adobe Systems (3.25% to 25.44 dollars) announced better than expected forecasts for the fourth quarter. The group expects adjusted earnings between 57 and 64 cents per share in the fourth quarter, against 58 cents expected by the consensus of analysts.The leading design software issued a profit of $ 195.1 million, or 39 cents Park share in the third quarter against 230.1 million dollars, or 44 cents a share, a year earlier. Turnover increased by 2% to $ 1.01 billion.

Still in the world of technology stocks, Oracle (6.88% to 30.30 dollars) has issued a net profit up 36% to $ 1.84 billion, just above expectations.The turnover to 8.37 billion, also slightly above what had been expected analysts (8360000000).

American Electric Power (-0.30% to 38.20 dollars) and its joint venture with MidAmerican Energy has been approved by the Texas authorities for electrical infrastructure projects for a total estimated at more than $ 520 million.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (0.35% to 1.60 dollars) and Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical has signed a development and commercialization of Orencia, a biological treatment against rheumatoid arthritis.

FMC Technologies (0.56% to 43.37 dollars) has won a contract worth $ 135 million from BG Norge in the manufacture of subsea equipment.

Medtronic (0.37% to 34.95 dollars) will receive 101 million in damages after the trial against the company by NuVasive.

Pedro Passos Coelho – Our views are converging. We must accelerate the process of ratifying the plan in July that the EU speaks with one voice. It is essential to avoid systemic risk. How to convince the markets where European leaders expressed doubts on the future of Europe! It must be absolutely avoided, it is better to be silent than to sow doubt.

Would it be better to organize the failure of Greece?

I refuse to make predictions, I'd rather be patient and hope that Athens takes its objectives and carry out sustainable reforms. If Greece dark, the entire EU to be at risk.We need to help Greece and at the same time strengthen the EU, to establish a more integrated economic government which deals with taxation.

What are the consequences in Portugal of the deepening crisis in Greece?

Portugal is in a vulnerable position vis-à-vis Greece. If the crisis worsens, it will make our recovery process more difficult. My vision is very pragmatic: we must make every effort to carry out reforms and fiscal consolidation.

Economists doubt your ability to meet commitments on fiscal 2011?

The aid package was negotiated before the elections. Since then we have taken additional steps preventive and our calendar of spending cuts is more ambitious. We have the political support for it.We will keep the target of 5.9% of GDP deficit in 2011 and are targeting a primary surplus (excluding debt service) in 2012 for a balanced budget in 2015 and an external account deficit by half a point against 9% last year. In addition to the expenditure side and the privatization plan, we will conduct several structural reforms, justice, labor market, too rigid regulation. We will create a board of public finances, which will be independent to ensure full transparency in the management of the state.

Where are you from privatization?

We are to remove the golden shares held by the state in public enterprises, then we will begin the process of privatization in the energy sector by mid-November, by selling the companies for electricity, gas and oil, which Galp.We will then proceed to the privatization of the airline TAP, the airport manager Ana, mail, freight rail and radio station public television RTP. The whole process should be finalized in late 2012, the objective to recover at least 7 billion euros.

Have you received expressions of investors?

Yes, many, from the European economies but also emerging countries, Brazil, China and several Arab countries bad credit unsecured personal loans.The president of the National Bank of Economic Development in Brazil (BNDSE), the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, Lula and his predecessor have already come to us with investor interest in Brazil.

This interest is there also for the government debt?

The purchase of public debt is subject to specific rules, but the important thing is that there were demonstrations of confidence in this government about the quality of Portuguese debt.

Will you create a wealth tax, such as Spain prepares to do?

We refused this solution, not to discourage large fortunes to come and settle in Portugal. However, we have created a special tax of solidarity that will help tackle the portion of 2.5% marginal tax on income that will affect higher wages and will last two years.We also created an additional tax of 3% on business profits in excess of 1.5 million euros, also for two years. The purpose of these taxes is not to create an additional revenue but to allow us to finance social assistance measures for families hit hardest by the crisis.

What are these measures?

They are primarily related to housing. Households that can no longer repay their debts to buy their apartments can contact their bank for the loan to be converted into low-rent, which will relieve the financially while allowing them to remain at home. Similarly, those earning up to one and a half times the minimum wage benefit from using public transport.In addition, if we were forced to raise to 23% VAT on gas and electricity, we have created a social tariff for the poorest.

How to boost growth given that domestic demand will remain very low?

It is true that the austerity has a recessive effect. The middle class will suffer significant sacrifices. That's the ticket out of the crisis, the price of a country that has spent too long. Domestic demand will have a negative contribution to the end of 2012. This will be offset by exports that are doing well. The adjustment must be done very quickly to ensure the financing of the economy. Privatization are important to increase the availability of cash to help recapitalize banks. This will improve competitiveness, greater openness and internationalization of our economy.The State abound 12 billion euros in guarantees for banks.

Competitiveness remains the weak point of Portugal?

Hence the urgent need to launch structural reforms, which should have been done in conjunction with the entry into the EU. The country in several sectors – textiles, information technology, biotechnology … the high performers.