Industrial production in Japan benefits from the international recovery - January 31, 2011

The archipelago has recorded the highest growth in industrial production in December over a year, rising by 3.1%. Dynamism linked to the health sector automotive, electronic éindustrie and steel. An employee of Nissan Motor is working to assemble an electric car factory in Oppama plant in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo.

Industrial production in Japan rose 3.1% in December over one month and 15.9% for the whole of 2010, the archipelago advantage of the international recovery for export, according to official statistics issued Monday.This increase in December, the strongest since almost a year, owing mainly to the automotive sector, as well as the electronics industry and the steel industry, said the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in preliminary data.

"Production will resumed soon after touching a low in October," a period when high-tech industries have reduced their rate to sell their stocks, "said Naoki Murakami, an economist at the brokerage Monex Securities. Automotive Industries also seem to recover from late in the month of September, subsidies for the purchase of cars, "green", a stop that has hampered sales in Japan for several weeks, added Naoki Murakami."The Japanese manufacturing is sensitive to the global economy, it increases its production in the wake of the international recovery led by the United States," he said.

Also in December from November, shipments rose 1.1% thanks to higher sales of electronic devices and components, as well as cars, and stocks for their share rose 1.4% from by the sector of telecommunications equipment, said Meti.

During the same month, the nation's trade surplus has risen by a third, boosted by strong exports to China, the United States and the European Union, the government announced last week.This good business performance abroad seems to give a new health economy of the archipelago, after an air hole through the fall.

The Meti thus held that industrial production now showing "signs of increasing." He said Japanese manufacturers expect further production increases in January, 5.7%, before being reduced by 1.2% in February.

Domestic consumption remains mixed in a Japan plagued by deflation, intensifying the dependence of the Japanese economy vis-à-vis other countries. In 2010, industrial production surged in the final 15.9%, according to data published elsewhere to the trade, after falling 21.9% in 2009 as a result of the global recession which had badly beaten Japan. Plants of the archipelago have much better shot in 2010, but without finding their level before the crisis.

Green light for a joint venture between The Post and SFR - January 28, 2011

The Competition Authority said Friday it authorized the creation of a joint venture between The Post and SFR to give birth to a new virtual mobile operator Telecom called The Post.

The Post Office had announced to have been engaged in negotiations with the second French telecoms operator, a subsidiary of Vivendi, to launch a mobile telephony offer under its brand.

"The Authority considers that the deal posed no competition concerns, the La Poste Group is very little presence in the area of mobile telephony," said the institution in a statement.

The new company, which absorb the operator Débitel currently owned by SFR, will offer mobile services to individuals and professionals, says the Competition Authority. They will be distributed under its own brand in retail outlets in The Post.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended up 0.74% - January 27, 2011

The Tokyo Stock Exchange finished up 0.74% Thursday, erasing losses recorded during the previous session, supported by the positive results announced in the United States.

The Nikkei gained 76.76 points to 10,478.66 and the Topix broader took 7.02 points (0.76%) to 929.66.

The trend was also supported by the U.S. statistics for new housing and the appeal launched by President Barack Obama in favor of lowering the corporate tax.

The renewed optimism regarding the health of the global economy has supported crude prices, promoting values such as Inpex oil or mining companies such as Sumitomo Metal Mining. Inpex has been 2.7% and Sumitomo gained 1.31%.

British growth suddenly relapse - January 26, 2011

The UK economy shrank by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. A faster turnaround than expected. The prime minister continues his hunt for savings in Britain.

The United Kingdom has not come out of the crisis. GDP fell by 0.5% in the fourth quarter, a trend anticipated by no means the experts. This is very bad news for the Conservative government of Prime Minister David Cameron, who expected a strong recovery to offset budget cuts of unprecedented magnitude and whose effects are only beginning to be felt.

Economists have been caught short, most of them assuming a slower growth but still positive end of 2010, forecasts from 0.3 to 0.5%. British GDP grew by 0.7% in the third quarter, after growth of 1.1% in the second and 0.3% in the first.

With a strong first half, there is an increase of 1.4% over the full year 2010, but appears significantly below the official forecast, which was a growth of 1.8%. The UK economy has not yet plunged at this stage in the recession, a situation defined by most economists, a contraction of GDP for at least two consecutive quarters.

This unexpected fall is partly due to heavy snowfall which disrupted economic activity in the United Kingdom in November and December, paralyzing some places road, rail and air, and hampered the British Christmas shopping.

It does not explain fully the cons-Performance by the NSO, the weather has cut GDP by about 0.5 percentage points, meaning that if the climate was warmer, the British economy would have to best stagnated in the fourth quarter.

"This is a particularly bad result, and much worse than the most pessimistic estimates," said Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight, who said that "this weakness can not be solely on account of bad weather."

"Given that GDP shrank even before the austerity budget does not play full, it reinforces the already serious concerns about the ability of the economy to grow, while the budget cuts and tax increases are will feel increasingly hard this year, "he added.

He said the cons of the blow-performance should dissuade the Bank of England to raise interest rates, despite the slide in prices in the United Kingdom, inflation climbed to 3.7% year on year last month .

The new investors also took in the rear, dropping the pound sterling, which fell to 1.16 euro to the pound to 10:20 GMT cons over € 1.17 the previous evening, and the London Stock Exchange, which retreating from 0.53% at the same time as she was close to balance in early trading.

"No question of taxing more work to compensate for the ISF" - January 24, 2011

The UMP Jérôme Chartier has stirred controversy last week by proposing to tax capital gains on resale of primary residences. He confirmed and signed. Explanations. In your report on the fiscal convergence Franco-German, you advocate should only pay the solidarity tax on wealth to the holders of a heritage of more than 4 million euros, excluding primary residence. According to calculations of Snui (National Union of unified tax), the number of taxpayers in the TFR would increase from 500,000 today to more than a few tens of thousands. You also offer a single rate tax of 0.5% against 1.3 to 1.8% today. Why not simply delete the ISF?

It is true that my proposals would reduce taxes by about 450 000 households.However, it is necessary to maintain a bond of solidarity between the French and the wealthiest nation, without deter or engage or possess. The TFR reform advocates as I generate more than one billion euros in annual revenue.

Be a shortfall of over two billion euros compared to the current device. How to compensate?

My belief is that we can not compensate for the shortfall of the ISF by a single new tax on property, but by a combination of measures. This effort must be offset by supporting a broader basis than the only currently obliged to ISF.I therefore propose to raise property taxes on second homes, to cap the tax deduction enjoyed by companies on their charges and interest on loans, to pay the transfer taxes for foreign companies and finally to tax capital gains realized on the sale of a principal residence when the property value exceeds 1.2 million euros.

The latter proposal raises an outcry among real estate professionals, who fear it will block the market and lead to a price increase …

Let's not exaggerate. Despite soaring property prices, the number of transactions in excess of 1.2 million euros is tiny. This would apply between 3500 and 5000 sales per year, less than 2% of total transactions. The middle classes would be spared.The threshold of 1.2 million euros is also the trigger of the ISF after abatement.

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Jean Arthuis, deems it necessary to increase the tax on very high incomes, through the creation of an additional about 45% to compensate for the elimination of ISF. Y do you agree?

No. If you put in the perspective of fiscal convergence with Germany, it is true that since 2007 there is a marginal tax rate of 45% for income above 250,731 euros. But this increment tax was created only ten years after the abolition of wealth tax in Germany. There is no question more taxing labor income to compensate for the shortfall associated with the removal of a wealth tax.

The Central Bank of Tunisia denies theft 1, 5 gold per ton of the clan Ben Ali - January 22, 2011

The strategic reserve of the bank has not changed for twenty years, says she. Former President Ben Ali in November 2009.

The strategic reserve of gold for Tunisia, which is 6.8 tons, is unchanged for 20 years, said Friday in an AFP source at the Central Bank, again denying reports the theft of a , 5 tons of gold by the wife of former President Ben Ali. "There are 5.3 tons of gold in the vaults of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) in Tunis and 1.5 tonne at the Bank of England in London. This amount has not changed over the past two years," said a source from the BCT, who requested anonymity.

According to the television channel TF1, Le Monde, the wife of the former dictator of Tunisia Ben Ali would have fled to Tunisia with 1.5 tons of gold ingots, worth estimated at 45 million euros.

BCT had once denied the reports Wednesday in a statement saying that the stock of gold stored in its vaults, 5.3 tons, had been no change in recent years. But according to the World Gold Council (BMC), Tunisia has gold reserves estimated at 6.8 tons. Two international auditors are currently conducting an audit of reserves to the BCT and the preliminary result shows no change in gold stocks, "said Friday it.

According to French intelligence services cited by Le Monde, Leila Trabelsi, the president's wife, "allegedly went to the Central Bank of Tunisia to look for gold bars," and would have turned down the governor, before he hands over under the pressure of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. According to TF1, the withdrawal of amounts of gold would have occurred in late December."This is a political history to discredit the former governor of the BCT," lamented Friday the source of the Tunisian Central Bank, told AFP, citing "claims to affect the integrity and Taoufik Baccar hurt his image for political purposes. "

Barely formed Monday, the transitional government had announced the sacking of the governor of the BCT, Mr. Baccar replaced by Mustapha Kamel Nabli, a former World Bank economist. The government provided no official explanation for this change. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on Friday his country fled to Saudi Arabia after a month of protests suppressed in the blood that ended 23 years of a reign unchallenged.

Oil prices have once again ended down - January 20, 2011

The futures price of oil ended lower Wednesday after the announcement of an unexpected rise in crude inventories in the U.S. and on expectations of tighter Chinese monetary policy to fight inflation.

The rebound in the dollar after the announcement of weekly jobless claims in the United States less than expected also supported prices.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the contract for February delivery, which would expire lost $ 2 or 2.2% to $ 88.86 a barrel.He was down for the third straight session.

In London, Brent North Sea due March ended down 1.58 dollars or 1.6% to 96.58 dollars.

Crude inventories in the U.S. rose 2.62 million barrels last week, the first increase in seven weeks, said the U.S. administration. The market anticipated a decline in inventories.

As for China, she finished with a bang in 2010 with growth above expectations, bringing the growth in gross domestic product (GDP) to 10.3% over the year, after 9.2% in 2009. Inflation also fell less than expected, which calls for further monetary tightening initiated by Beijing.

Rail-Trenitalia Veolia joint venture in Europe - January 19, 2011

The Italian railway company Trenitalia and Veolia Transport will create a joint venture of passenger rail in Europe, announced Wednesday the two companies.

This joint venture should be placed on calls for tenders for services to regional and international high speed. Links Paris and Rome-Venice-Paris will open probably by the end of the year, adding the two companies said in a statement.

The European Commission asked European Union countries to open their networks to transport passengers to competition by the end of 2012.

The state will pay the retirement of high-level amateur athletes - January 17, 2011

2500-3000 athletes were involved. The annual cost of this measure for fiscal is estimated at 4 million.

The state will pay the social security pension contributions for high-level amateur athletes during the years when they wear the jersey of the France team, promised Monday, January 17 President Nicolas Sarkozy with his wishes in the sports world .

"I pledge to you that sports fans on the lists of top level can enhance these years of service to France in the calculation of their pension rights," Sarkozy said. "We can not tell a young athlete when he wears the national jersey he serves his country and ignore in his career for years that this young athlete to serve past," he said before hundreds of athletes and leaders at the Elysee Palace.

"There are sports where there are more ways than others. Here there is no problem, they are paid, well paid. Everyone can tell, it's his opinion, if sometimes too much or not contribute and they can hold their retirement. (…) But the reality is that many more sports and athletes who are not so fortunate, "added the head of State.

"The problem we will fix them before the end of the year, I promise it's about (…) 2500 to 3000 athletes, these are amounts that are perfectly assimilated by the state," Mr Sarkozy has ruled. According to the Elysee, the annual cost of this measure is estimated at 4 million.

Chairman of the National Olympic and Sports (CNOSF) Denis Masseglia stressed that this was "insistently requested" by the sports movement."We're going to work very quickly with the Minister (Sports, Chantal Jouanno) for the problem is resolved," said Masseglia AFP.

"This intention was announced for the first time in clear terms. It's really hopeful," he said. "We can not ask someone to represent his country and then not receiving recognition for his future life," concluded Mr. Masseglia.

Young men, the first victims of unemployment in 2009 - January 15, 2011

2.6 million people were unemployed in France in 2009. The employment rate for men dropped 1.2 percentage points.

Men, especially younger ones, were most strongly affected by rising unemployment in 2009, the year in the heart of economic and financial crisis, which has also seen a rise in underemployment and unemployment part, according to a INSEE study published Friday. In 2009, metropolitan France, the proportion of people aged 15-64 who work (64%) decreased by 0.8 point compared to 2008, says the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies in the Labour Force Survey 2009. "This drop was mainly affected men," according to INSEE. Indeed, the fall in the employment rate was three times higher for men than for women (-1.2 points -0.4 points against).

It also essentially concerned the 15-24 years (-0.9 point), an age more occupied by short contracts and working mostly in the sectors of construction, hotels and catering. In this age, almost a quarter (24.6%) of active males were unemployed (22.5% active girls) – for an overall unemployment rate of 9.1% (+1, 7 points from 2008), according to Insee, which measures unemployment as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO).

"Young people, especially the least skilled, remain the most affected by unemployment," notes the organization. There were "27% more unemployed 15-24 year olds, 23% among 25-49 and 26% for 50 years and over," says the Institute. Older people are therefore also not been spared and for them, unemployment is a matter of long-term: more than half of the unemployed looking for work for a year or more.

In total, 2.577 million people were unemployed (500,000 more than the previous year) and 25.7 million were employed in 2009. But some of these persons in employment (5.5% or 1.4 million people) have wanted to work more and are classified as persons "in a situation of underemployment. Underemployment, an increase of 0.7 percentage points between 2008 and 2009, significantly more managers spared, with only 2% wanted to work more, the workers (5.2%) and most employees (10.3 %).

Similarly, work part time, overwhelmingly done by women, most often the result of a choice among professionals and associate professionals, so that employees and workers there were forced, after failing to find full time .INSEE based on the results of a survey conducted continuously every week in France with a rotating sample of tens of thousands of people.