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GroupM was promised a destiny to Twitter and Foursquare. Like the latter, the start-up in New York was revealed at the conference Internet "South by Southwest," which was held in Texas in March. But barely a year after its creation, GroupM has already attracted the attention of the giants of the Internet and has just been bought by Skype for an estimated $ 80 million.

The operation allows the specialist to Internet telephony to build a niche in the amount of online communication: messages grouped. With services such as GroupM, users can create discussion groups on their mobile phone and communicate with others, forming "chatrooms" private SMS.In recent months, major Internet players have been enamored of such services, which range from communication, and coordination, like Facebook, which bought the Beluga service in March 2011, eight months after its creation. In addition, the social network launched mid-August, Facebook Messenger, a mobile instant messaging application.

For its part, Google has made this communication bundle a cornerstone of its community platform + Google launched in late June, with the "hangouts" spaces bundled instant messaging and video. Finally, as recently shown by the London riots, the BlackBerry is an actor to be reckoned with in this area, through its private courier BBM (BlackBerry Messenger). Now owns GroupM, Skype will better stand up to these types of communications fast cash without a hassle.

175 million monthly users of Skype

"Skype and GroupM have a common vision.GroupM's team has created a messaging experience incredibly attractive bundle that runs across the terminals and mobile platforms, making it a perfect complement in voice, video and text of the Skype family, "said Tony Bates, general manager of Skype, in a statement.

For Jared Hecht, co-founder Steve Martocci GroupM, "there is a natural affinity between Skype and GroupM.""Our goal is to continue to develop tools that allow people to easily communicate, share and keep in touch with their close relations and important," he said, arguing that integration with Skype would allow the start-up achieve its vision of "ten times faster."

The start-up is already looking forward to see the service offered to 175 million monthly users of Skype.

The acquisition of Skype by GroupM, which is the subject of discussion for several months, could also be beneficial to Microsoft. It announced the acquisition of Skype for $ 8.5 billion in May.While sentencing the operating system (OS) Windows Mobile Phone 7, the software giant could find with GroupM a valuable feature to include in its bid for smartphones.

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Sevran, in the heart of 93. A few minutes from the RER station, the turning of gray apartment blocks, a portal opens up a space unexpectedly. The cities of concrete give way to fields of vegetables. Under white sheets aligned along the center aisle, men working in pairs. Lamri Guenouche, Department Head of Biological Gardens Pont Blanc, politely greet the employees and ask everyone the ritual question: "What is the vegetable that you plant?" Silence and embarrassed laughter of the workers, who arrived three months ago . Lamri Guenouche patiently explains: "The squash has a round rod. If you touch it, it is square. So it's a cucumber. "

Workers in the gardens of insertion have mostly no specialization in horticulture. A plumber and a driver of construction equipment alongside housewives employed for the first time.One is illiterate, his colleague holder tray. All have experienced long periods of inactivity before being offered a contract to help Garden Organic White Bridge.

Since 1997, the Aurora Association, which manages the garden insertion allows job seekers to re-enter the workforce. On the small farm of just under 2 acres, twenty-eight employees work the land and produce baskets of organic vegetables, sold to members of neighboring communities. Five others are charged with the maintenance of green spaces of individuals or communities.

Lamri Guenouche that says receive "a lot of applications," insists: "There is no screening." If it be eligible for subsidized contracts, living in the Seine-Saint-Denis and exercise motivation.After meeting with the counselor of insertion and one week test, employees are hired for a renewable six-month contract, but the majority is one year. The association, which monitors employ as many men as women, has set its working hours (9:00 -15 hours) for the latter. At 24 hours per week, employees receive an insert 700 euros per month.

"A period of revitalization"

The department head of the Gardens, the passage of these squares in nature is primarily a "period of revitalization to rebuild both professionally and personally." For the duration of their contract, employees are monitored by an advisor of the association to define a professional project and resolve administrative problems. The association has also established literacy workshops, computer and assistance in finding employment.

"Work is a huge engine to put people off. It can solve personal problems and alleviate suffering, "said Sabine, one of the technical staff. Employees are réhabituent to get up early, to respect authority and to socialize. They are gaining more confidence while enhancing their CV says Lamri Guenouche. Itself is an agricultural engineer by training. Eight years ago, when he was manager in the retail department, he explains that he had "a click, seeing everything that is discarded as vegetables and fruits while others in need." Sickened by the mess, he chose to put his skills to a socially oriented structure incorporating a first insertion into the garden of Val-d'Oise. It manages one of Sevran since September 2010.Deficit, the association only removes Aurora 5-7% of its budget from the sale of her baskets of vegetables. 70% comes from state subsidies.

"The goal is to make gardeners'

Side of the field of radishes, Houria, 49, is working. For three months, the divorced mother through the department every morning to go to Sevran. This work, she felt and appreciated. After being secretary, maid or child care, she said, "comforted" to have found a stable and secure employment. "Even if a small salary, it is quiet." She marvels at the atmosphere between the workers: "Here, everyone does his job with a good heart," says she. "I've never seen that."

Digging, sowing, harvesting. Each employee was introduced to horticulture by training for six months. But "the goal is not to gardeners, said Lamri Guenouche.Ile-de-France, market gardening is not a provider of labor. "The association strives to enhance the skills that employees acquired before or during their experience at the Garden. They handled boxes, sorted vegetables, prepared baskets and can qualify for jobs in the handling or the fruit and vegetable sections of supermarkets. Few, those who are allowed a position of delivery driver.

If the garden does not miraculously grow jobs, the statistics remain good, welcomes Lamri Guenouche. At the end of their contract, from 30 to 40% of employees do find permanent part-time or fixed-term contracts greater than six months. Another third goes on with training or a new integration project. Finally, 60% of outputs are called "positive." Achieved.

Wall Street played the yoyo on Wednesday, a sign of great excitement. In early trade, the Dow edged up 0.09% at 11,878 points, but half an hour later, he lost 0.32% to 11,829 points. It finally closed on a small increase of 0.25% at 11,896 points. Nasdaq and S & P ending respectively on gains of 0.89% to 2693 points and 1260 points to 0.50%.

The day before, the Dow Jones had not been reassured by the vote of Congress, which has yet avoided a last-minute failure to pay the United States. The index feature New York had dropped 2.19%, still below 12,000 points."The U.S. indices have not even seen a technical rebound in the final hours of trading, as usual … Not since October 2008, the subprime crisis, to find such a sequence of declining U.S. indexes" analysts said Aurel BGC.

The threat rating agencies

In fact, the tension is not ready to fall in markets on both sides of the Atlantic. Despite the adoption by Congress of the Agreement on raising the national debt, the rating agencies maintain pressure on the world's largest economy. "The lowering of AAA to AA + rating from the U.S. would be a major shock for the world's largest economy, one that most creditors on the planet, says Stock Exchange on Barclays.Financing costs would increase the country, making more difficult the control of its huge debt. "

Moody's has already held that the agreement was manifestly inadequate and that the note of the United States could actually be lowered. The AAA highest possible rating currently assigned to the United States, is now accompanied by a negative outlook. Moody's is the second agency to assign a negative outlook on the triple A rating from the United States, according to Standard and Poor's on April 18. The third major rating agency, Fitch Ratings, maintains a stable outlook for now.

Another rating agency, but Chinese Dagong, has already lowered the credit rating of the United States after the vote of Congress, by passing from A + to A with a negative outlook.A decision that should be only for the time being very relative impact: the rating agency, in fact follows a methodology different from that of U.S. agencies Moody's, Fitch or Standard & Poor's. Unlike the three U.S. agencies that provide the United States sesame AAA Dagong does not in Washington this maximum score, and in November had lowered from AA to A +.

The ISM services disappoints

In this context, the macroeconomic agenda of the day, to say the least fleshed out, was watched closely, a sign of investor concerns about growth in the U.S..

At 14:15, the consulting firm HR ADP unveiled its traditional and highly anticipated monthly report on employment. Higher than the 100,000 new jobs expected by analysts, job creation in the U no fax pay day loan.S. private sector employment reached 114,000 in July.

In contrast, growth in the services sector in the United States recorded a surprise slowdown in July, according to the index of purchasing managers released Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). ISM non-manufacturing index stood at 52.7 last month, falling to its lowest level since February 2010, after 53.3 in June. Analysts on average expected a 53.6 index.

Orders for the industry fell 0.8% in June in the United States, driven down by gloom in the transport sector, said Wednesday the Commerce Department. Economists on average had expected a decline a little less strong, 0.7%. Orders were up 0.6% in May

Oil prices have again fallen back sharply Wednesday in New York as the market worried about demand for crude in an economic environment deteriorates.On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery finished at 91.93 dollars, down 1.86 dollars compared to the previous day.

Concerns about U.S. energy demand were boosted by the expected increase in official reserves of oil in the week ended July 29.According to figures released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), crude oil inventories rose as expected 1.0 million barrels, those of gasoline rose more than expected 1.7 million barrels against the 100,000 barrels estimated by analysts.

Half year results: Comcast did better than expected

On the corporate side, several large quarterly publications are expected throughout the day, which should, once will not hurt, however, be overshadowed by the acute problems of sovereign debt and economic downturn.

The publications program began as microeconomic 13 hours, with, among others, the results of the second quarter of Time Warner (-1.18% to 33.60 dollars).Net income displayed increased 13.5% to 638 million.

At that moment, were released the results of Comcast (0.18% to 22.77 dollars), who, with a net profit up 16% to $ 1.02 billion, is slightly better than expected.

Garmin (-2.03% to 30.89 dollars) announced quarterly earnings down due to a fall of 19% of sales of navigation systems for cars and mobile devices. Before the opening, title Garmin gave 14%.

It will however wait until 22 hours to find out the half-year figures of Activision Blizzard (1.11% to 11.82 dollars).

Beyond the semi-annual publications, Amag Phamaceuticals (11.19% to $ 16) received an unsolicited offer to buy back the private equity investment MSMB Capital Management, valuing the pharmaceuticals group around $ 381 million.The offer, $ 18 per share offers a premium of 25% over the closing price of Amag Phamaceuticals Tuesday at 14.39 dollars.

The gas is in talks to take over the assets of the U.S. company Duke Energy in Latin America, according to the Brazilian business newspaper Valor Economico.

Areva. The nuclear group should ally with the Spanish Iberdrola Renewables on two of the five areas of the tender for offshore wind launched by the state, according to Les Echos.

Ipsos. The British advertising group Aegis said to be in exclusive talks with the institute of studies and surveys for the sale of its subsidiary Synovate market research cheapest personal loan rates.

Havas. In an interview with Echo, the executive director of the group will develop two commercial microarray in the world, one around his BETC teaches French and the other around Arnold, a Boston-based agency

After the close of trading, EuropaCorp will release its results for the year 2010-2011.

The fear of bankruptcy Greek has never been stronger. Sunday, finance ministers of the euro area have again met in Luxembourg to lay the foundations for a new rescue plan, this time involving the private sector.

To address the most urgent, priority was first to validate the fifth installment of the loan of 110 billion made last year in the first aid plan. "We will work to pave the way for the release" of this slice of 12 billion, assured the German Minister Wolfgang Schäuble on arrival. Otherwise Athens, facing deadlines refinancing risk bankruptcy next month. However, the decision could be taken only Monday, after the meeting, warned the President of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker.It is also linked to the IMF agreement, which should provide about a quarter of the promised amount and conditioned his release date for further progress in economic reforms in Greece. But ministers were mostly working on a new rescue plan, with "at least an agreement in principle", according to one diplomatic source. The amount could approach that of the first packet. If the principle is an act, the terms of this extension will however be referred to the next meeting of finance ministers, scheduled July 11. The big question concerns the involvement of banks."We'll talk tonight about the involvement of private creditors, the question is how far it can and must go," summed up Jean-Claude Juncker.

"We play with fire"

Friday in Berlin, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel had outlined the mechanism, with four main principles: voluntary participation of private creditors, approval of the ECB, nor a "credit event" and rapid implementation. But Wolfgang Schäuble Sunday as Chancellor reiterated that the participation of private creditors should be substantial. Germany prefers the idea of ​​longer maturities on debt, where Paris defends the option of "rollover" that would see creditors renew their credit lines in Athens at the maturity of loans.For Europeans, the most important thing is to convince investors that it is not part of a payment default.

"We play with fire," warned Saturday the President of the Eurogroup. Bankruptcy of Greece "may be contagious for Portugal and Ireland and, before Spain, to Belgium and Italy, given their heavy debt." And in this game of dominoes, the Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders, did not rule out that France is also reached, "when you see the level of deficit and debt." The financial world has been rocked in 2008 by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, he said in an interview with The Tribune."Do not repeat this type of bankruptcy."

After the reshuffle of his government, Prime Minister, George Papandreou, has, meanwhile, claimed Sunday the confidence of Parliament in order to get its austerity plan in late June, and thus obtain the release of the new international aid. A vote is expected Tuesday night.

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The tax reform of heritage, to remove the tax shield and develop the solidarity tax on wealth (ISF), was discussed Wednesday by the Cabinet. The bill marks the final disappearance of the tax shield, yet highly symbolic as the beginning of the quinquennium of Nicolas Sarkozy, who eventually disappeared under the pressure of repeated criticism from the opposition but also of the majority.

In contrast, the solidarity tax on wealth (ISF) remains in place, but in a lighter version. The reform will indeed allow some 300,000 taxpayers whose assets ranged between 800,000 and 1.3 million euros, to escape this tax.

The government relies on a passage of the bill no later than early July.The text will be submitted to the National Assembly in early June and will be accelerated procedure, which allows only one reading per room. The reform will apply from 1 January 2012.

The tax cap took effect on 1 January 2007. It was capped at the time the taxes (income tax, wealth tax and local taxes) at 60% of revenues. After the arrival of Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee, the threshold was lowered to 50%.

(With AFP)

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A plea for the European social dialogue. The French ministers Laurent Wauquiez (European Affairs) and Xavier Bertrand (Labour and Employment) will send "within 10 days" a letter to Laszlo Andor, European Commissioner for Social Affairs, requesting "that the social partners be fully involved in defining the Union's priorities in the economic and social. " With a copy to Michel Barnier, his counterpart at Market and former French Minister of Agriculture.

"The social partners must be consulted further upstream on the records, under the European semester," explains Laurent Wauquiez, who met Tuesday evening at the Quai d'Orsay representatives of unions and employers' organizations to explain its position ."We have to defend common interests at European level of public services and quality jobs, investment in infrastructure …," he says.

The original of this letter together with Xavier Bertrand, Le Figaro has procured the revolt of European trade unions and employers after the adoption on March 25 by the Heads of State of the Union "pact for euro. According to them, this project developed without consultation "institutionalizes the recommendations concerning them directly. As wage restraint, control of public spending or delaying the age of retirement."The procedures of consultation with social partners would benefit from being retooled, and concede the French ministers in their letter.

Themes targeted

Of the four trails of association "informally" to the study, the Commission may for example interact with the European social partners before making public its communication on the annual review of growth by integrating "their observations and grids analysis to its proposals. " Brussels could still work with them to "a common vision and priorities for structural reforms of the labor market to implement, by targeting a small number of thematic priorities. As "portability of pension rights from one country to another," offers Laurent Wauquiez.

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Renault could have done this possible controversy. But a few weeks after pleading guilty to wrongfully dismissed three executives accused of espionage and one year after the turmoil created by the case of the Clio – it planned to relocate to Turkey – the manufacturer must again be accountable.

The group decided to entrust the production of two new engines to its sites in Romania and Spain, he said Friday. The H4 (3 cylinders) and H5 (4 cylinders) are respectively made from 2013 on the site Dacia Pitesti, specialist low cost, and Valladolid (2012). The announcement had been made in these two countries, but Renault had kept the trumpet in France.

This decision could affect the French mechanics Douvrin in the North.The plant, owned jointly by PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault, the engine produces D4, a less powerful 4-cylinder (60 to 80 horses, 90 horses cons for the H4 and H5 for 115 horsepower). The motor assembly D4 employs 450 people, about 3450. The downturn could cost more than 200 jobs, said the CGT. These positions will not be replaced by the manufacture of cylinder heads and camshafts for the new engines, which could employ 40 people, said the union.

In response, the group has indicated its commitment not to make any plans for layoffs or voluntary redundancy as part of its new strategic plan. But unions fear that retirement will not be replaced.

Lower volumes

"It relocates slowly, even if management tries to minimize," sighs Alain Labarre, CGT Douvrin.The group, however, rejects these accusations. "The H4 and H5 are required to take the place of older models that were almost similar already made in Turkey, Spain and Romania," said a spokesman, adding that such engines "are not competitors D4 Douvrin made. This engine, fitted to small cars like the Twingo and the Clio (as will the H4) and low-cost models, will be "produced in parallel in the coming years," because "it can offer rates aggressive. "

In late January, Philippe De Coene, director of the French mechanics, however, said that the arrival of a small 3-cylinder would "intervene in the market" of 4-cylinder engine manufactured in Douai, as mentioned by Liberation. He said the volume of the D4 engine "will tend to decline," even if "we will not stop producing it in 2013 and he did not" concern "for the job.He added that he "fought to get another engine family."

In 2010, Renault has made 29% of its engines in France, against 85% for PSA. Renault says it will carry, however 40% of its investment in France by 2013. Engine side, the group said it will produce R9M, a 130 horsepower diesel for the Megane to Cleon, Seine-Maritime. A factory will also manufacture electric motors in 2013.

While the new European standards will make diesel engines more expensive gasoline engines of new generation have a bright future ahead of them. H4 and H5 models, which will reduce CO2 emissions by 30 to 40 grams per kilometer, would represent 85% of the volume of gasoline engines for Renault in 2015.

One of the longest battles of the French trade was completed Friday. The Court of Appeal of Versailles has given reason for 17 miners laid off in the fall of 1948, providing 30,000 euros to the plaintiffs.

At the end of the war, the government had undertaken a reform of the statutes and was back on certain benefits to minors. Mines Colliery in France, the strike, including the right is already enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution of 1946 begins.

The conflict, particularly hard, degenerating every day cash advance no faxing. So much so that after two months, the Socialist Interior Minister Jules Moch sends riot police to end the insurgency. Nearly 3,000 juveniles are subsequently dismissed for striking.

These miners will lose not only their jobs but also their home. Banned from coal, they will meet many difficulties in finding a job.The lawyers argued the constitutionality of the right to strike and eventually won. 17 miners or their families have been successful and were able to savor their victory, 62 years after the fact.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

This is a crucial visit to the French presidency of the G20. Nicolas Sarkozy will confront this Monday at the White House, his proposed "new international monetary order," with Barack Obama, without whose approval nothing will happen. The two presidents will discuss for an hour of detailed program of the G20, before a luncheon devoted to foreign policy issues.

The economic result of the interview where he discussed the role of the dollar, the volatility of commodity prices and a tax to finance development, infuse the roadmap of the Elysee for the G8 and G20, to be presented by the President on January 24 in Paris.

Although it has sweetened its way, Nicolas Sarkozy has not abandoned the idea, launched two years ago, a "new Bretton Woods."The taunts of the Anglo-Saxon led him to change his expression to adopt the more sober 'new international monetary order. " But the target set by the very restricted circle of the president is just as bold.

For the Elysee, he is bringing order into the "current monetary mess," characterized by excessive volatility in exchange rates and capital inflows to emerging disruptive that multiply unilateral initiatives to curb the appreciation of their currencies.

The present monetary disorder is due, according to Paris, the decline of "King Dollar", faces growing competition from other currencies, the yen, the euro, the yuan soon, a trend that has increased since the end Bretton Woods in 1971."China has emerged stronger from the crisis, we must adapt the new world monetary order to the new economic order," says one as president cash till payday. "We want to encourage the development of other international currencies, including the yuan," insists the president's entourage.

"Our currency, your problem!"

A very sensitive issue for Washington. "This is not to diminish the role of the dollar," Does it invokes in Paris. "The dollar is a major currency, and we hope it continues to play a major role, but the relative strengths of currencies will change, which will cause increasing tensions, which the G20 should meet," said the entourage President, anxious not to turn the Americans.

To ease the "transition to a more diversified monetary terms," the French presidency of the G20 suggests strengthening the IMF's role in liquidity crises, strengthen coordination of economic policies and adopt a framework for response to sudden movements of capital. "Given the current monetary mess we have intuitions, we will compare to those of Americans," said the Elysee, which claims to have the support of Germany, China, Brazil and India.

On the merits, however, France regrets a reality difficult to reverse: the dollar, global currency, remains controlled by the Federal Reserve, without real regard for the rest of the world. "Our currency, your problem!" Had dropped John Connelly, Nixon's Treasury Secretary, when it announced the end of the dollar's convertibility into gold, August 15, 1971.To the chagrin of France who tries unsuccessfully to address this reality for forty years.

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