Business And Personal Finance

Orders to U.S. industry rose for the second consecutive month in December, driven by increased business investment.

According to figures released Friday by the Commerce Department, orders for manufactured goods rose 1.1% in December.

Market economists polled by Reuters had expected, however, an average increase of 1.5%.

The November figure was however revised upwards and shows an increase of 2.2% instead of 1.8% initially announced.

Over the full year 2011, industrial orders rose 12.1%, against an increase of 12.9% in 2010. 

Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.6% in December after rising 0.5% (revised) in the previous month.

Orders for nondefense capital goods and aircraft, considered a barometer of morale of entrepreneurs and their investment plans, surged 3.1% after falling 1.5% in November.

Greek banks erase their losses Thursday morning as investors bet on a drop of the referendum on the bailout of the country in case of fall of the government.

Banks, who lost up to 5% at the opening, gaining nearly 2% to 10:20.

"Given the developments of the last hours, the possibility of a referendum was removed and the top priority is now the sixth tranche disbursement of aid and approval" of the rescue plan EU says Natasha Roumantzi, an analyst at Piraeus Securities.

George Papandreou Thursday called an emergency meeting of his cabinet at 11:00. The head of government is under fire from critics since he announced Monday night to hold a referendum.

The revolt of the Greek people is all governments in Europe under pressure "and" this is only the beginning of a process, "he hoped.

François Bernacchi, vice president of Attac Country of Avignon, estimated that Mr. Papandreou shows "the example it is possible to have a democratic consultation." This event marked the beginning of a "people's summit" because of panel discussions and organized until Thursday in Nice, in response to the G20 Summit this weekend in Cannes, whose center is completed by strict safety device, 30 miles away.

Five arrests

In the morning, three Spaniards claiming a movement "anarcho-punk" and in possession of axes, and two Belgians equipped with steel balls, were arrested in Nice. The first three appear in court Wednesday, the two Belgians were released.

Live: a few hours after the Brussels summit that gave birth to decisions on the rescue of the euro area, L'Expansion. Com offers live to follow the reactions in France and worldwide. Markets, for now, enjoy. The President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, the President of the Républilque Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Finnish Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi, at Brussels, 28 in October 2010.

Europe was finally granted for an answer to the crisis in its currency. Among the main decisions taken by EU leaders, the discount of 50% of Greek debt held by private creditors. This represents a total deletion of 100 billion euros of Greek debt, currently at 350 billion euros.

To allow banks to bear these losses, a recapitalization plan of 106 billion euros will be established, which will allow European banks to achieve a capital ratio of 9%.

Finally, the most discussed point dernères this week: capacity to 1,000 billion euros from the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF). Two mechanisms will be put in place to achieve this amount. The first is a system of guarantees provided by the fund on the bonds of fragile countries (Greece, Italy, Spain …) purchased by investors, which will restore confidence.

The second, which will host a special fund investments from foreign countries, including China, Brazil or Russia. This fund should be "in close cooperation with the IMF," the text.Here are the reactions to the EU summit.

9:51: China welcomes the "European Consensus" should "support market confidence" and breathe "new vitality" to European integration as a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beijing should be involved in the rescue of the euro via the mechanism of strengthening the EFSF. China already holds $ 500 billion European bond analysts said. It has 3200 billion in foreign reserves. Russia – which could also help Europe – show for its "cautious optimism"

9:49: The British Finance Minister George Osborne welcomed the "very good progress" in the euro area, on the airwaves of BBC Radio. He now asks that the European leaders set out the "details".Britain was illustrated last week by demanding to be further consulted on decisions affecting the euro area.

9:31: Daniel Cohn-Bendit called the agreement a "small step". He finds that the eurozone is the book "bound hand and foot to emerging countries" and especially to China. "You can not discuss a protection against social and environmental globalization and ask those with whom you negotiate this coverage to pay for your crisis". It is "a bad solution, politically dangerous," said co-chair of the Greens in the European Parliament.

9:26: BNP Paribas ensures it will be able to reach the minimum capital ratio "hard" of 9% set by the European regulator at the end of June without raising funds on markets

9:15: The World Bank President Robert Zoellick speaks "a milestone" that will "save time"."I hope that this important first step will lead to a broader approach to help the world economy to resume growth," said the president of the World Bank.

9:00: European stocks up sharply

Paris opens up sharply from 2.43% to 3246 points and takes more than 4% in early trade. The Dax gained 3.43%, 1.72% London, Milan 2.7%, 3% and Madrid. The Athens Stock Exchange is 4.9% Bank stocks soar despite the need to give up 50% of their claims on Greece. Societe Generale climbed 13.5%, 12.8% of Credit Agricole and BNP Paribas of 12.7%. In Germany, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank takes nearly 9% to 7%."These measures could mark convincing the prelude to a rebound in banking stocks in particular French and overly abused since August 2011," strategists believe Credit Mutuel-CIC in a note.

8:27: The agreement reached in the night saved the single currency, according to Economy Minister Baroin interviewed on RTL. "The agreement is a response that night ambitious, comprehensive and credible," said the minister. "That's what will solve the case, that's what we come out of the turbulence, that is what will the economic rebound, that's what will stabilize the euro area and global growth", at he said.

8:19: Alain Minc, an economist and close to Nicolas Sarkozy said on Canal + in Brussels that the agreement "should calm the markets." Moreover, the Economist sent a picnic to the Prime Minister of the second country that threatens to pitch after Greece and Italy."The day falls Berlusconi – which will eventually happen – there is no problem because Italian is a wildly emotional issue and therefore how we set up even appear to be very important," he analyzed the specialist.

8:18: The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended sharply higher than 2%. Investors welcomed the Europe Agreement against the debt crisis in the eurozone.

8:00: The euro briefly reached $ 1.40 after the summit. This is the first time since Sept. 7 that the European currency reaches that level. The euro also rose to make the Japanese currency.

8:00: Daniel Cohn-Bendit calls for "a federation of the United States of Europe" in an interview with Liberation."Today is the economic war, it is the markets, as immoral war is immoral, we impose that choice: give up and go, or move up a gear towards the federalization," says co-chair of the Greens in the European Parliament.

The stock exchanges of Paris, Frankfurt and London have opened up Friday, after falling the previous day as investors hope for feeding a step towards resolving the debt crisis. In Paris the CAC 40 index advanced 0.8% shortly after the opening.

The European banking sector shows some of the strongest performances, gaining 2.4%.

"Investors remain optimistic about a favorable outcome to the debt crisis in Europe.Markets are driven by the hope that the leaders agree on 23 October a viable solution to turn the EFSF, recapitalize the banks and save Greece (…) European leaders could announce release a sum of 940 billion euros to fight against the crisis "Saxo Bank in a note.

At the request of Paris and Berlin, an additional peak in the euro area will probably be held next Wednesday to not only agree on how to maximize the firepower of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), one of the expected by the market to combat the crisis, but also review the new plan to rescue Greece.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended down slightly from 0.04%.Title Olympus closed on a new fall of 6.81%, yielding about 50% of its value since October 13.

The euro turned down against the dollar and the price of U.S. light crude continues to rise.

Countries of the European Union agreed Thursday to recapitalize their banks to the tune of 100 billion euros but profound differences between Paris and Berlin on how to reform the fund to support the euro area led them to re- postpone the most important decisions.

This Friday is held an extraordinary meeting of European finance ministers for the summit on 23 October.

BSkyB reported Wednesday a net increase in quarterly profit, sales of additional products to existing customers offsetting the expected decline in new subscriptions.

The FTD British satellite television was the target of a takeover by News Corp., its largest shareholder, until the abortion offensive in July, following the eavesdropping scandal News of the World.

Operating income adjusted for the fiscal first quarter came out better than expected, up from 16% to 295 million pounds (336 million).

Turnover increased by 9% to 1.66 billion pounds, suggesting that the new strategy group, which consists primarily of selling new products to existing customers, seems to be working.

"In difficult market conditions, our movement towards a more broadly based growth and product variety makes us good service," said CEO Jeremy Darroch said in a statement.

The market expected a slowdown in new subscriptions, rising unemployment and inflation in Britain affecting household spending.

During the period from July to September, 26,000 new subscribers joined BSkyB, slightly less than expected by the market and far from the 96,000 new subscribers registered in the same period last year.

"This is not an environment where you can add many new customers through improvements offers TV, but that does not mean that society can not grow and increase its profitability and cash," said Paul Richards, Numis analyst.

By 0800 GMT, the action BSkyB gained 3.26%, while the European sector index media progressed from 0.55%.

The French Economic Observatory forecasts growth of 0.8% in France in 2012. Pink is the scenario. The black scenario, if the rigor is increasing: a decline in GDP of 0.5%. View the Ministry of Economy and Finance at Bercy.

Three years after the start of the global crisis, the potential for economic recovery of France will be constrained by budgetary savings plans in the country and its European partners, provides for the French Observatory of Economic Conditions (OFCE). Research Center of Sciences-Po expects growth of 1.6% in 2011 and 0.8% in 2012, while the government expects 1.75% per year.

"This performance is particulièrment poor and far from the normal path of an economy in crisis," said the OFCE in a study released Friday.The rebound potential perceived by the OFCE correspond to a growth rate of 3.8% per annum in 2011 and 2012, which would make up for five years after the crisis began accumulating the output gap. France, then regain its unemployment rate in 2007.

But two external shocks will affect such a scenario. The first, soaring commodity prices, will result in a resurgence of inflation in France and limit spending. It will cause a slowdown in its trading partners, reducing their demand for French products. This shock will reduce growth by 1.3 percentage points over the period 2011-2012. The second shock is linked to policies of fiscal restraint led by European countries.

A recession is not excluded

"In trying to reduce their deficits early, too quickly and synchronously, the governments of European countries run the risk of a new downturn," said the OFCE. The unemployment rate in France is expected to increase steadily to 9.3% and 9.7% end 2011 end 2012, according to the institute. "The low cost of capital discourages businesses not yet set up costly and risky projects", the study also points out, "the investment should not be in 2011 and 2012 an efficient link to make permanent the rebound in growth. "

The OFCE is also considering "a darker scenario" if the government would take "whatever the cost to meet its budget commitments' (deficit down to 4.5% of GDP in 2012 and 3% in 2013), with a decline of 0.5% of GDP in 2012.If the other major European countries were to adopt the same strategy, the activity would fall by 1.7% and unemployment was close 11%, according to the OFCE.

The resident of Calvados in September which won the sum of 162 million euros in the Euro Millions became known to the French Games. He was thinking of "investing in the French economy." If the Euro Millions grid costs two euros across Europe, certain terms of games vary from one country to another.

The winner of the jackpot of 162,256,622 euros in the Euro Millions draw of 13 September, which had approved the ballot in Calvados, became known to the French Games (FDJ) and received his check, said Thursday morning the JDF in a statement.

This player, who wishes to remain anonymous, has the highest gains in French Euro Millions and all-time record earnings in a money game in France.He "thinks about investing in the French economy", or to real estate projects adds the JDF without elaborating, at the request of the player, on the date of payment or the locality where the Calvados has been validated winning newsletter . {P}

Scavengers and transport agents have been on strike for eight days in Athens. They protest against wage cuts under the new austerity plan. Their movement caused the accumulation of tons of garbage in the city. Thousands of "outrage" expressed Sunday, June 19 against the austerity of Syntagma Square in Athens.

Athens was again denied Monday transport due to a 24-hour strike, while tons of garbage piled in the streets after more than a week of mobilization scavengers against wage cuts. No subway, bus, trolley and tram, with only the train interbanlieue running, the main lines of the Greek capital was delivered to huge traffic jams, as on several occasions in recent weeks.

Employees of organizations from the metro and buses, which are manifest in the early afternoon in the center of the capital, protesting against investment in short-cuts and new salary, recently announced by the government, under pressure from country's creditors, the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In turn, municipal employees responsible for waste removal began their eighth day of the strike, while the only landfill in the city remained closed. Torrential rains in the morning had drained the garbage on the roads, aggravating the condition of the streets.

Several government agencies, such as the National Agency for Medicines (EOF), the National Laboratory of Chemistry and the Society of IT Management of Social Security (Idika) were also occupied by their staff.To protest against new measures to cut public sector officials have observed a 24-hour strike Wednesday, the day some 30,000 employees of government departments and public bodies demonstrated in Athens and Thessaloniki (north).

A general strike in the public and private sectors is also scheduled for Oct. 19. The representatives of the troika of the country's creditors (Commission and European Central Bank, IMF) Monday also continued their audit of the Greeks, for the discount provided by 24 October of a report based on which area euro to decide the payment of a portion of eight billion euros, vital to the country always on the verge of bankruptcy.

He who led the PS group in the Senate for seven years was elected by his peers Saturday President of the Upper House of Parliament. He promises to respect the opposition. Jean-Pierre Bel, an elected Ariège, 59, was elected on October 1 by his peers first socialist president in the history of the Senate.

Jean-Pierre Bel, an elected Ariège, 59, previously unknown to the general public, was elected the first Saturday in October by his peers first socialist president in the history of the Senate and became the same time the second character of the Republic. President of the Socialist Group in the Senate since 2004, he burst onto the front of the stage with the unusual shift to the left of the second chamber of Parliament during the renewal Senate last Sunday.Candidate of the new Senate majority PS, PCF, PRG, EELV, he was elected on the first ballot by 179 votes against 134 votes for President outgoing UMP Gérard Larcher, and 29 votes for the former Secretary of State François Fillon, Valérie Létard, centrist candidate. Jean-Pierre Bel got seven votes more than the absolute majority of votes cast in the individual and secret vote in the gallery.

After receiving félications Gerard Larcher, Jean-Pierre Bel delivered his first address as president. "We also heard the deep anger" of the territories of the Republic "for" have been stigmatized, disoriented, perhaps abandoned their face immense difficulties, "he said. He announced the meeting" soon "to States General of elected officials.'s voice choked with emotion, he paid tribute to his family, and communist resistance, and its southwestern region."We will not go into some sort of bastion," "I'll never be there to serve a clan or a Customer: I want always to turn to the collective interest," promised the sixth President of the Senate since the beginning of the Fifth Republic. He called for a "refurbished bicameralism in which the opposition will be respected." It could well be left to the right as President of the Committee on Finance.

François Rebsamen likely chairman of the PS in the Senate

The first task the new president will also get on with the new governance of the Senate, a site not easy given the narrowness of his majority, 177 elected, two more than the majority. No political group will not hold its own. He expressed support for lowering the threshold for the creation of groups of 15 to 10 senators, as claimed by the 10 senators EELV.This may allow the RDSE (mostly PRG), which had 16 members to survive the departure of its three senators on the right, including Jean-Marie Bockel (GM), who joined the centrist group. It will also order of battle group PS with a new president should be the senator and mayor of Dijon, François Rebsamen.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon has asked "to meet him at Matignon in the coming days." During their telephone conversation, Mr Fillon told him "that he wished the government and the Supreme Assembly to work in a climate of responsibility." Martine Aubry welcomed her as a "great day" for the Republic and "victory rally" of all those "who want to change in our country."For the Mayor of Lille, "the election of a Socialist President shows the frustration of elected officials in the field who are tired of being despised by the outgoing President and see every day our Republic a little damaged." François Hollande, a favorite of the primary PS, said he was also "happy" with the election of his "friend" to the presidency of the Senate, seeing "the consecration of the story of a man who gave a portion of his life to activism. "