Business World |

With the start of the season back taxes. It was then that households receive in their mailbox the tax notice for the property tax. Those in council tax will not be long. Taxpayers have until midnight Oct. 15 to set the first and the second until November 15.

Overall, the grade will be less painful than last year, while remaining salt. And for several reasons. Local taxes are calculated by multiplying the rental value of housing as determined by the administration by a tax rate voted by the regions, departments or municipalities. Each year, the rental value is increased at national level to keep pace with inflation. In 2010, the increase was fixed at 1.2% against 2.5% in 2009.

Moreover, local officials have been generally a bit lighter this year.According to the Forum for the management of cities, communes and intercommunal more than 100,000 people have on average increased their tax rate on property tax and residence tax of 2.8% in 2010 almost two times less than in 2009 (5.2%).

Period of "midterm"

The same goes for the departments, with an average increase in tax rates of 2.5% this year against 6.3% last year. The regions are, themselves, remain wise as last year (up 0.1% after 0.7%). Still, this level has little in local taxes.

In total, therefore, households should have their council tax increase of 3.7% and 3.9% this year to mark the foundation added a 1.2% rate hike, while confused level, a just over 2.5%. It is far from moderate. But this is not the disaster of last year, the bill had increased by 6%."We are already half-term in cities. No longer the period of strong increases in revenue, "says Olivier Regis, Chief Executive of the Forum.

The average may conceal wide disparities. Thus, the Parisians are increased by 8% tax rates on housing and property tax. And after an increase of 9% last year! Local taxation, traditionally very low in Paris, still remains low. A household with two children in middle-income pay, according to calculations Forum, 435 euro tax shelter in the capital, against 1180 euros in Nimes.

Better also do not live in Montreuil (increase 10.3%), Argenteuil (+9%), Perpignan (+8%) or in Rouen (+8%). In terms of departments, people in the Yvelines are penalized with an increase of 14.8%.

Conversely, some elected officials have been reasonable.In half of the departments and half of the cities over 100,000 inhabitants, the rates have not budged in 2010. Among these include Bordeaux, Montpellier, Lille, Grenoble and Tours. Rodez has even dropped his residence tax of 1%!

In 2011, with the reform of business tax, the municipal level will be the one to collect the tax shelter, while the regions will lose property tax. The system will be simpler. But will they be elected more virtuous? "Taxpayers can expect some moderation. For the inheritance, the other important community resource, go back with the recovery of real estate, "predicts Olivier Regis.

One of the smartest ways in which you can search for low priced insurance covers for your vehicle is through online aggregator sites or independent sites for car insurance. In other words, the Internet is the best avenue for cheap price car insurance quotes.

After closing down on Monday evening – the Dow has sold 0.38% to 10,174.4 points – Wall Street did not find this Tuesday, opportunities to redress the balance. Instead, the only indicator fell to 16 hours, is extremely disquieting: Sales of existing homes fell to its lowest level since 1995, to 3.83 million annual rate transactions, according to figures released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Upon publication of this indicator, Wall Street has plunged into the red, losing 1.48% to 4:10 p.m. at 10,024 points for the Dow Jones, which amounts to huge step towards the symbolic threshold of 10,000 points.

The broader S & P drops 1.61% at 1050 points and the Nasdaq, which includes technology stocks, yields 1.85% to 2120 points.

It was not until Wednesday to expect an improvement, both on the side of the promises of new home sales and durable goods orders.

Mergers and acquisitions are in full swing

If the bears seem to win now, but Wall Street is torn between the potential positive effects of mergers and acquisitions that animates it and the threats still facing strong economic recovery.

BHP Billiton (-1.94% to 65.83 dollars) is expected to announce on Wednesday a 50% jump in interim profits and strong cash flow with which it hopes to deter potential rivals to make an offer to buy out-cons the Canadian Potash Yet seeking a white knight eventually China.

The French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis and the U.S. biotech group Genzyme (-0.87% to 67.13 dollars) abut on the determination of a minimum price that would initiate the first comprehensive review of its accounts Target said Tuesday the Wall Street Journal in one hour payday loans.

If Genzyme and Sanofi seem to disagree on the French laboratory's initial offer to buy out U.S. biotech company, however the purchase of McAfee (-0.15% to 47.03 U.S. dollars) Intel (-1.02% to 18.51 U.S. $) continues to fascinate, like the stock market battle between HP and Dell in the acquisition of data storage specialist 3PAR.

The world of mobile phones, Nokia, and the giant American world of microprocessors Intel unveiled on Tuesday a joint research laboratory in central western Finland, they said.

American Apparel (-10.8% to $ 0.66), definitely ailing feared not being able to publish its quarterly results on time and to be delisted.

Disney (-1.70% to 32.37 dollars) could also react to statements yonni Sebbag, the boyfriend of a former employee of the giant media and entertainment Disney, who pleaded guilty to securities fraud Monday after stealing with his partner, financial records of the company and tried to sell to investors.

The dollar to its lowest against the yen

On the currency front, the dollar continued its fall Tuesday against the Japanese yen, down from 9:20 to its lowest level in 15 years, to come punctually at 84.14 yen, immediately after a briefing from the Minister of Finance , Yoshihiko Noda.

The Paris Bourse is expected to remain in the zone of turbulence through it since Tuesday. The CAC 40, after nine sessions of gains chained and won 10.5%, has now three sessions of decline, losing 4.8%. So since the beginning of the month, the benchmark index of the Paris took only 1.5% and rises to 3555 points.

Around 8:15 this Friday, the CAC 40 futures contracts still predicting an opening up about 0.3%, but the trend is weak.

In the same time, the euro appears stable at 1.2330 dollar after resuming colors Thursday as statistics mixed overseas sowed doubts about the strength of the recovery amércaine.

Overall, the atmosphere is tense markets. The Asian market on Friday morning, displays counters in the red. In France, unemployment had not risen so much since seven months.

The national accounts in the spotlight

In France, a quarter of an hour before the opening of trading, INSEE will release figures on national accounts in the country for the first quarter.

The United States, the third estimate of GDP is known to 14:30.

Pressure on prices in the telecoms

The portion of mobile technology fourth generation "LTE" should redistribute the cards in this highly competitive sector, but not enough to stem the pressure on the prices of telecom equipment, told Reuters the president of the Mobile Division Alcatel-Lucent, Wim Sweldens payday loan lenders.

GDF Suez, Total, EDF The gas rate increase of 4.7% from 1 July to 6.3 million customers in France said Thursday the Commission of Energy Regulation.

The EDF Group postpones decision to invest in an LNG terminal in Dunkirk (North), said Thursday a spokesman for the group. This terminal was supposed to compensate for some job losses related to the closure of the refinery from Total.

Computer services companies in the sector may react to quarterly results better than expected by Accenture announced Thursday evening. The group's net profit totaled $ 564 million (457 million euros), or $ 0.73 per share against 537 million ($ 0.68 per share) a year ago and $ 0.69 expected by Wall Street.

The French industrial group Alstom has unveiled Thursday at a U.S. plant turbines, especially for nuclear power generation, for which he has invested about 300 million dollars, according to a statement.

According to Le Figaro Latecoère the aerospace supplier will propose on Friday to its shareholders at a General Assembly, the free allocation of share purchase warrants (BSA) in 2012. It has thereby remove some 43 million euros.

Less than a year after coming out of bankruptcy, the American General Motors seems on the road to recovery. The Detroit group has returned a net profit in the first quarter for the first time in nearly three years to 865 million. "This is an incredibly important step. We are very far from where we were last year, "said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer of manufacturer on CNBC. GM had continued to accumulate losses in 2009 and had received nearly 50 billion dollars of government support in total.

The improvement in the first quarter, according to the group, mainly due to higher sales (turnover is up 40%), combined with cost control. GM was robbed of four brands including eight in the United States, leaving only Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Buick. The group emerged from bankruptcy in July, eased some of its debts.He completed repaying $ 6.7 billion in loans from the U.S. and Canada in April. The U.S. Treasury still holds 61% of capital.

ALSO READ:

"Automobile: the U.S. market smiles again

Greece will not wait long for the counter. Two days after the formal adoption of the aid plan of 110 billion euros in its favor, Athens seeks payment of an initial tranche of 20 billion euros, according to a government source quoted by AFP. The IMF should participate in this first installment to the tune of 5.5 billion euros, the rest from member states of the European Union.

Time is short. The Greek state has to repay a maturity of 8.5 billion euros on May 19 or next week. This is not all. "We must add all refunds coupon (interest on debt, Ed) of bonds issued in May in previous years, and there have been many," said Patrick Jacq, a strategist at BNP Paribas rate. To which must be added interest on the debt issued in foreign currencies.In total, it is not ? 8.5 billion that Greece should pay by the end of May, but between 11 and 12 billion euros, according to the calculations of the strategist.

Also remains an unknown: the short-term funding of deficit cash quick. Fortunately for the Greek government, after sending his letter to the European Commission, the Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund, Athens would receive 20 billion almost immediately, or "maybe in the day" according to a government source.

Because Greece has no choice now. She can no longer fund normally markets because of high interest "prohibitive," explained April Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou.

European aid comes not without consideration.The government has defied the unions and established an austerity plan of unprecedented severity, with the aim of reducing the deficit by almost 14% in 2009 to 8.7% in 2010. Events are also scheduled for tomorrow late Wednesday afternoon in Athens to protest against the severity.

See also:

"SPECIAL CASE – Greece, a challenge for Europe

"Conforama woke up," says Le Figaro Thierry Guibert, head of Conforama, a subsidiary of PPR, whose CEO Francois-Henri Pinault announced the proposed sale. In the first quarter, sales rose 2.6%. "Taking into account closures, the rally reached 4%, our best performance for two and a half years," said Thierry Guibert, who said "satisfied" while relativizing. "The basis of comparison is favorable activity had decreased by 10% in early 2009. But our performance is strong since January. It is the result of the strategy put in place for eighteen months to address a deteriorating situation constantly. "

Conforama cons Ikea

Better yet, "the last six months, Conforama has regained market share in furniture.This is the first time in seven years, "says Thierry Guibert, who thinks she recovered some of its behind Ikea.

Since 2002, the distributor of household goods lost a point of market share per year. His image has deteriorated, customers have turned away from the sign. Ikea also pleased to Conforama its leading position in France in early 2009.

"I was worried about the economic health of Conforama, its level of supply and its attractiveness," admits Thierry Guibert, who took the reins in 2008. Engaged in a modernization plan, Conforama renovated its stores (181 to date in France) and launched a new concept that gives more space to the world of cooking and decorating. During deployment, it is already present in 12 stores and should be applied to 15 more this year. A design space will be in place this summer in 40 other outlets."From 1 July we will be increasing our offering around the tableware and cooking utensils," says Thierry Guibert, who hopes to have 15% of sales in the decorative end of 2013, against 10% now . However, Conforama could "reduce by-case its offer in small furniture, lounge and bathroom.

Location cleaned

Conforama is also preparing to launch a new brand called Confo Deco, with shops 500-700 m2 quick cash. Located in downtown or mall, they offer a wide range of products – including a significant part in its own brand – in six worlds (night, kitchen, bathroom …). The first store will open its doors in October in the shopping center La Part-Dieu in Lyon. A second is scheduled for early 2011 at the heart of Lille."We want a real concept that will strengthen both the proximity to our customers and our legitimacy in the decoration, hopes Thierry Guibert, who plans to open 3-5 Confo Home each year.

"The goal is to boost activity in an extremely volatile," said Thierry Guibert. In 2009, the decline in sales has not stopped Conforama improve its profitability, with operating income up 6%, with 77 million euros in savings and international relief. "This year, our goal is to significantly improve our profitability," said the chief executive Conforama. Owing mainly to sales growth. "We are in running order to beat the market without watering customers tariff discounts," says Thierry Guibert, who is without mention other signs, such as Goal, which break the price.

Especially as the activity outside France (27% of sales) should not negatively influence the results. After the closure of seven stores in Italy and the Iberian Peninsula, the situation has been cleaned and sales depart.

"Conforama has passed its turnaround," says Thierry Guibert, while acknowledging that "it is frustrating to hear some suggest that we make the bride more beautiful for better sell. Instead, I explain to my team that, regardless of the shareholder, Conforama should be pretty solid for redeployment and create value. "

ALSO READ:

"Good start to year for the activity of PPR

"Pinault plans to sell the Fnac and Conforama

"Ikea is diversifying into property development

The hierarchy of best-selling cars on American soil was again upset. After one year in 2009 when Ford pulled its game and the beginning of 2010 when Toyota has suffered in the wake of massive recalls, the month of March saw GM regain its position as leader of U.S. auto sales. Toyota and Ford ranked second in the third.

Toyota saw its U.S. sales rebound by 40.7% to 186,863 vehicles, while they were down more than 15% and almost 9% respectively in January and February. Jiom Lentz, head of the U.S. subsidiary, expected on Tuesday in an increase of about 35%. In Japan, sales rose 50.7% year on year in March to 204,514 vehicles.

General Motors rose by 20.6% in March on a year in the United States to 188,546 vehicles, having already increased by 11.5% in February.Excluding those marks with a group is to separate (Saab, Hummer) or is being closed (Pontiac, Saturn), the increase in GM sales reached 43.3%.

Ford returns to No. 3

Ford's side saw its sales jump 40% year on year to 183,783 vehicles in March, the United States. Excluding the Swedish brand Volvo, which has just been sold to Chinese Geely, the rising sales of Ford reached 43% in March. The group had already seen its sales increase by 43% in February over a year.

Sales for the former No. 3 U.S., Chrysler, are in turn divided down in March, with a decline of 8% year on year to 92,623 units, after registering a slight increase (0.47 %) in February.

Finally, Nissan reported Wednesday a rise of 43.3% over a year in sales volumes in the U.S. in March. In total, they amounted to 95,468 vehicles.

"Toyota recalls 3.8 million vehicles in the U.S.

Ford has recalled more vehicles than Toyota

"New car registrations rise" Ford overtakes General Motors

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.

After rising prices of cafes and restaurants in November and revealed Tuesday by INSEE, they were not going to Bercy auspiciously. Yet, while recognizing that these figures are not up to the commitments, Herve Novelli has not enjoined Tuesday to go further in the final statement he prepared to lower the VAT in catering. Aware of the difficulties of independent schools, the secretary of state for trade and was merely asking restaurants to moderate their rate increases at inflation for the year 2010.

The prices charged by restaurants and cafes have indeed increased by 0.1% in November, according to Insee, an increase equivalent to that recorded by all consumer prices.A study of services Bercy, 55% of restaurants only have indeed lowered their prices in line with commitments made in consideration of the reduction in VAT. In total, since 1 July 2009, a rate cut by the restaurants alone amounts to 1.41%, while that seen in cafes amounted to 0.95%, INSEE showed. These figures are actually far from the 3% who had committed coffee shops since July.

If the price cuts and hiring remain "midway" of stated goals, Herve Novelli Welcomes however, the wage agreement reached Monday by the social partners in the sector.Described as "historic" for the many benefits it provides to employees – annual premium of 500 euros, two days of additional leave, starting salary grid systematically 1% above the minimum wage … – it remains fragile, the main employers' organization has so far refused to sign.

ALSO READ:

"Conclusion of an agreement on wages in the catering

"Restoration: the reduction in VAT is fueling the war chiefs

"The understanding with the French restaurant