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.

According to the association of consumers, distribution margins reflected in the service stations would have increased by almost one third in ten years. CLCV denounced a "surge" margins at service stations.

The consumer organization CLCV Tuesday denounced a "surge" of nearly a third in less than ten years of distribution margins impacted by service stations in the fuel prices at the pump, now close to their record in France .

According to a barometer of the association, which is based on the statistics of the French Union of Petroleum Industries (UFIP) and administration, and distribution margins are increased from 2001-2003 to 2008-2010 from July to September , 6 cents for gasoline and 6.3 to 8.6 cents for diesel.

Airbus anticipates a decline in orders in 2012 compared to 2011, the success of the A320neo, announces CEO Thomas Enders.

"There will not be the same kind of firework of new orders in 2012 as there has been this year," said Tom Enders daily Börsen-Zeitung, in an interview published Thursday.

Despite expectations of a recession, the two major aircraft manufacturers worldwide have accumulated very large orders this year after deciding to upgrade their best-selling models, namely the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, by equipping them with new engines capable save 12% to 15% fuel.

Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, is leading the race by promising that the A320neo would be available by 2015.It has sold more than 1,000.

The manufacturer plans to increase its production rate to 44 A320s per month. He must make a decision soon.

But first we must weigh what is happening economically, said Thomas Enders at Börsen Zeitung.

"But the airline demand is there, and for the second half of the decade, when the" neo "released in 2015, a further increase of production is quite possible," he adds.

The boss of Airbus also points out that in the tough current economic climate, some suppliers of small and medium sized have difficulty obtaining financing and banks are reluctant to finance aircraft construction.

"We must find new sources of funding.

Statements are increasing demand for greater involvement of the European Central Bank in supporting countries' debt fragile. Germany opposes even his veto. But until when? German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The list of support for bold action from the European Central Bank (ECB) on the European debt grows by the day. On Tuesday the United States have supported through the U.S. ambassador to the European Union. William Kennard suggested essentially the ECB to take as an example the action of the Fed during the crisis. Much more direct, the former head of Credit Lyonnais Jean Peyrelevade said that "if one does not involve the ECB, while Petera." This does not prevent the leaders of the Central Bank to resist these demands, aided by Germany, its largest shareholder.

European markets opened up after the appointment of Mario Monti to form the new Italian government and the cabinet formation Papademos in Greece, which offers fresh hope for a gradual improvement on the forehead of the debt crisis in the area euro.

The government of technocrats being developed in Rome and the national unity cabinet was sworn in Athens are expected to regain some confidence to investors.

"The fact that Italy and Greece have avoided the political vacuum is a good thing. The question is whether the governments of national unity will work", says Katsunori Kitakura of Chuo Mitsui Trust Bank in Tokyo.

The Eurostoxx 50 0.63% progressed to twenty minutes after the start of trade.In Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.58% to 3167.52 points while the Milan stock exchange rebounded 2.1%.

Among banking stocks exposed to Italy and Greece, Credit Agricole, BNP Paribas and Societe Generale rose 2.25%, respectively, 3.66% and 2.12%. UniCredit took 4.42%.

Caution should however be in order before the first real test that will, in the morning, the award of three billion euros of five-year bonds by the Italian Treasury.

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.

Eviction announced by Pierre-Henri Gourgeon Air France-KLM and the takeover of the group by its president Jean-Cyril Spinetta, could be a lifesaving shock to the Franco-Dutch company, hit by financial indicators in the red and controversial management of the disaster of the Rio-Paris.

In this scenario mentioned in the press Monday, Juniac Alexander, former chief of staff Christine Lagarde, not only would the management of Air France, a decision that was already widely expected, but is positioned to take forward direction General of the entire Air France-KLM.

A spokesman for the group declined to comment, confirming only holding a board in the afternoon and the likely release of a statement later in the day.

Pierre-Henri Gourgeon became Group Chief Executive in January 2009, while Jean-Cyril Spinetta, architect of the merger between Air France and KLM, retained the presidency.

The shelving of Pierre-Henri Gourgeon reached in just over three months after its renewal in early July for a four-year term by the shareholders of the group by an overwhelming majority.

"It's a shock. It is a little surprised because Air France is not a company that used to act like that.However, it is rather good news for Pierre-Henri Gourgeon not really good news to analysts, "said one analyst who requested anonymity.

Around 24:15, the title gained 4.4% to 5.753 euros.It has fallen 62% since the beginning of the year, bringing its capitalization to only 1.7 billion euros, underperforming both the largely German Lufthansa and IAG, an entity formed by the merger of British Airways and the Spanish Iberia.

Pierre-Henri Gourgeon and pay the price for its management of the company, which the French state holds 15.7% stake, which is too much debt, too slow to react and too wasteful, including labor costs well above those of its competitors.

According to press reports, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon Juniac Alexander would have required the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer of Air France as Jean-Cyril Spinetta supported the candidature of Lionel Guerin, CEO of Transavia France.

The catastrophe of the Rio-Paris flight in June 2009, the third serious accident suffered by Air France in a decade, has also raised questions about the technical training of its pilots, after publication of the interim report of the Investigation Bureau and Analysts (BEA).

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 budget deficit widened further in Greece in September due to a recession driven by austerity measures, in spite of new tax measures that were supposed to increase revenue.

The budget deficit increased by 15% annually, to 19.16 billion euros over the period from January to September, show statistics from the Ministry of Finance released Wednesday.

In September, Athens increased VAT on catering to 23% and began collecting a special tax of 1% to 5% on gross revenues.

However, tax revenues fell by 4.2% over the nine months January to September, after falling 5.3% over a period of eight months.

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. "