My Business News

Winter sales begin in eight counties between 1 and 5 January. For the rest of France, it was not until January 12.

Winter sales begin in eight counties between 1 and 5 January, and in most of the territory on 12: an opportunity for consumers to buy cheaper and for merchants to sell their stocks.

In the DOM-TOM, the start dates differ for climatic reasons, while several departments have exemptions border to match the beginning balances of neighboring countries. Guadeloupeans open the ball on 1 January. They will be followed on January 3 by the four departments of Lorraine (Meurthe et Moselle, Meuse, Vosges and Moselle), which align with Luxembourg and Belgium. January 5, enter the dance Landes and Pyrenees-Atlantiques, synchronized with Spain. Guyana will begin the same day.

In the rest of metropolitan France, and Martinique, consumers will have to wait until Wednesday, January 12 at 8:00. This should not prevent some retailers offer last week of promotions, or even private sales with discounts for their loyal customers. The kickoff will be later in revenge for Saint Pierre and Miquelon (19 January), St. Barthelemy and St. Martin (May 7) and Reunion (5 February).

On the internet, it depends on the starting date of the department where the site is based. The market share of net apparel continues to grow (8.7% in first half 2010), and should benefit from the recent arrival of major retailers online stores like Zara.

Discontent professionals

The dates for exemptions for the winter sales are not welcomed by all professionals."We had requested the repeal," says Jean-Marc Genis, president of the Federation of clothing brands (FEH, chains). "It's supposed to fit across the border," but it comes at the expense of neighboring counties, "he laments. "It's completely unfair," adds Charles Melcer, president of the National Federation of clothing (FNH, independent), referring to adherents located near areas with derogations and who complain of "seeing the bags go."

In December, snow has delayed deliveries stores. Products originally planned for the holidays could "arrive after the battle," says Jean-Michel Silberstein, managing director of the National Council of Shopping Centers (CNCC), thus providing inventory and markdowns "very important".

The summer sales and winter have long been regarded as a ritual and a celebration of consumption. But buying cheap has become a necessity barred budget for a majority of French (56%), according to a report by the French Fashion Institute (IFM) and the documentary credit. Five years ago, it was still "happy" for 53%. "These are the groups most affluent and most vulnerable who benefit the most," said Evelyne Chaballier, director of economic studies at IFM.

The clothing market rebounded in 2010 after a fall of over 7% in two years, says she. "We should probably finish the year on a balance." "Retailers see from the animation was better outlets, better attendance, even though consumers are still a little chilly."

The balances are the only time where traders can sell at a loss to sell their unsold stock and make room for the new collection. Consumers must see a clear distinction between the sale items and open items. To be certain to receive a real discount, consumer groups advise to make scouting.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange lost 3.0% over the whole of 2010, the strong yen has strengthened investors in a cautious approach of the Japanese economy dependent on exports.

For its last meeting of the year, the Japanese market ended down 1.12% on Thursday, but a rebound was operated on last week under the effect of foreign appetite for the values of the archipelago .

Since November, and measures of monetary easing by the Fed and the Bank of Japan, a new dynamic was the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Foreign investors then sought Japanese stocks, considering them undervalued compared to other places of major developed countries.

In the last quarter, the Nikkei has gained 9.2% and colors taken after reaching its lowest year's meeting on 1 September at 8796.45 points.

On Thursday, the Nikkei lost 115.62 points to finish at 10,228.92 points and the Topix broader yielded 9.21 points (-1.01%) to 898.80.

Over the full year 2009, the Nikkei had gained 19%. The Tokyo Stock Exchange will remain closed Friday and reopen Monday.

China has cut its first set of quotas for exports of REE for next year by more than 10% despite the U.S. threat to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has allocated quota of 14,446 tonnes to 31 companies or 11.4% less than the 16,304 tons allocated to 22 companies during the first round of the 2010 exports a year ago.

The ministry said in a brief statement on its website that it had added producers in the list of quotas, but it had reduced the volumes allocated to commercial companies for metals used in high technology products.

Export quotas were set according to the volumes exported between early 2008 and October 2010, he said, without giving further details.

China produces about 97% of rare earths used in the world.This term refers to the electromagnetic properties of 17 metals in high demand in advanced technologies: hybrid and electric cars, renewable energy, electronics, lighting and weapons.

The decision to reduce export quotas and to raise tariffs stoked trade tensions with the United States, the European Union and Japan in particular.

In Washington, the office of U.S. Trade Representative expressed concern over Beijing's decision.

"We are very concerned about the limits posed by China for exports of rare earths.We expressed our concerns to China (…)", said a spokesman for the office.

Last week, the Office of Trade Representative said that China has rejected U.S. requests for a stop to these limitations, adding that Washington could complain to the WTO.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has not yet responded to this threat.

The spokesman of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jiang Yu refused Tuesday to comment on the situation at a news conference, referring the matter to a "relevant department", without elaborating.

The dispute adds to China-US relations already strained and deteriorated this year because of disagreements on many issues, the issue of Tibet and Taiwan than the value of the yuan. President Hu Jintao will visit the U.S. next month.

IMPROVING THE ORGANIZATION OF INDUSTRY

Japan has also been hard hit by these reductions in exports.Japanese imports of rare earths has continued to decline in November, within the scope of the ban on shipments by China rare earth has been closed at the end of last month.

Japanese companies have complained of the limitations imposed by Chinese customs after a dispute over the islands prized in eastern China Sea which led Beijing to suspend its exports from the end of September.

The European Union has also expressed concerns about these restrictions, but the EU trade commissioner said earlier this month that China had confirmed that the supply of rare earths would be maintained.

The Chinese authorities have indicated that these restrictions were due to environmental issues and sought to guarantee supplies of domestic industries, but they also insisted that the dominance of China as a producer should give it more control over world prices.

Beijing has eagerly tried to impose discipline in its field of rare earth and disorderly should create an association of rare earth industry by May 2011, provided Caifeng Wang, a representative of the Ministry of Industry and Technology information.

He added he hoped the forum fills the same function as the Association of Iron and Steel in China by providing the "orderly development" of the sector through the setting of prices and export quotas.

More stringent environmental regulations for the rare earth sector should also be unveiled next year, China Business News reported Tuesday.

The action Technicolor fell sharply Monday in the Paris Bourse, after an article in La Tribune that hedge funds seeking to challenge the validity of nullity of a conservation plan of the group.

At 11:37, the action loses 4.04% to 3.848 euros, thus showing the largest decline of the SBF 120, which yields 1.05% at the same time. At this stage, the security loses 47% of its value over the year.

La Tribune newspaper reported that five hedge funds may soon initiate an appeal in cassation.

Technicolor was not immediately available for comment.

The supplier of equipment and services for film, television and advertising is out in February to open a backup end in November 2009 to conclude a restructuring of its debt.(See)

Holders of subordinated notes (TSS) have filed an appeal against the plan, which came into force in May, but they were dismissed last November by the Court of Appeal of Versailles.

According to La Tribune, the five hedge funds that hold these loans hybrids should "in principle" to appeal to the Supreme Court soon.

"These are just blackmailers", denounces the former CEO of Thomson-Frederic Rose, in The Tribune.

The Russian authorities have accepted the bid of a consortium of DCNS, STX and Russian shipyards OSK to build two warships projection and command (PCB) said on Friday the French presidency said in a statement.

Russia has an option for two additional vessels, the statement said.

"President Medvedev and President Sarkozy welcomed the implementation of this unprecedented cooperation that will benefit the industry and employment in both countries, and illustrates the willingness and ability of France and Russia to develop partnerships in all major areas, including defense and security, "says the French Presidency of the Republic.

The construction of PCBs represent Russia for the French industrial DCNS and STX equivalent of 5 million hours or 1,000 people for four years, mostly in Saint-Nazaire.

Japanese export growth accelerated in November for the first time in nine months, mainly due to reflux of the yen, but signs of slowing demand overseas weigh on the outlook, analysts said.

Exports grew by 9.1% over one year in Japan, against 7.8% in October, according to figures released Wednesday by the Ministry of Finance. Economists had forecast, however, on an increase of 10.0%.

Exports to China, the largest foreign market for Japanese companies have accelerated by 18.3%, after rising 17.6% in October.The pace of sales to the United States has instead slowed to +1.2% +4.7% against the previous month.

Japanese imports were up 14.2% versus the consensus of analysts stood at 9.0%.

The risks to overseas economies – unemployment in the U.S., debt crisis in Europe and monetary tightening in China – suggest a slowdown in Japanese exports in the first quarter of 2011 before emerging again fueling a rebound.

The 2010 assessment of the labor market in France may disappoint. Certainly, the hemorrhaging of job losses in 2009 was halted, but the recovery is too small to significantly lower unemployment.

Compared to 2009, a year marked by bleeding in the number of salaried jobs (-2.3% yoy), the year 2010 can only be better. In fact, the recovery in employment recorded since January is real. But very modest.

In the third quarter, employment in the private sector recorded an increase of 0.3% or 53,000 net new after 61,000 the previous quarter. In one year, employment increased by 0.7%, according to data released in December by ACOSS, the umbrella organization for Urssaf and takes into account even very small businesses.

These net new jobs are mainly taken by the interim. In this sector, employment rose in November by 3.7% over three months and 18.5% year on year.However, the number of temporary jobs is still well below its pre-crisis (the lack of temporary jobs is about 200,000 compared to March 2008).

Acting Out, the number of Declarations of hiring more than a month has declined slightly in November (-0.3% over three months). These figures confirm the level seen since July, after accelerating in the second quarter due to the end of the device "zero charge" in the companies.

Another sign of the apathy of the employment market: In October, the number of overtime hours rose 5.7% yoy, to nearly 45 million.This level is certainly lower than that observed two million two years earlier, but it tends to prove that companies now prefer to adjust the renewed activity by a lengthening of working hours of their employees rather than recruiting.

On a more positive financial indicators of firms remained firm overall: default rates have been stable since the beginning of 2010 and requests for payment deadlines remain on a downtrend.

According to INSEE, the French economy is expected to create around 170,000 net new jobs this year. Not enough to offset the 420,000 jobs lost in 2009. 2011 will prove more dynamic, with only 41,000 jobs created in the first half. The unemployment rate, which reached 9.7% in 2010, should decline only 0.2 points over the next six months.

The Bolloré Group will invest at least EUR 100 million in "Autolib", which will offer residents of Ile-de-France electric cars, self-service, said Friday its CEO Vincent Bollore.

Paris City Hall announced Thursday that it entrusted the Bolloré group managing the project, modeled on the Vélib 'and enter service in October 2011.

"I remember that for us Autolib ', is at least a hundred million. We write sixty and sixty, it is the minimum," said the contractor at a press conference.

The initial work to begin in April for a public opening in October 2011.When the project is fully deployed in late March 2012, Autolib 'will have a fleet of 3,000 vehicles available in 1,000 stations in 40 municipalities in the Ile-de-France.

At a news conference Thursday, the joint association Autolib was revealed that Bollore would provide 60 million euros in the capital of the company to be formed to operate Autolib ', and would take over operation of the service.

The government will also contribute funding to the tune of about 50 million euros for 1,000 stations.

"I can tell you that we would not have made this investment if we did not think we would succeed," said Vincent Bollore, adding that above all "a big investment picture" .

Autolib 'should put seven years to break even, "he added.

The text adopted Tuesday by the State of Andhra Pradesh aims to curb the zeal of collectors accused of harassing the borrowers to repay loans at interest rates sometimes approaching 36%.

A state in southern India has adopted a bill to regulate the sector of micro-credit, recently pointed the finger for its high interest rates and aggressive collection practices debt bordering harassment. The text approved Tuesday by the state of Andhra Pradesh, the hub of activity of microfinance in India, aims to curb the zeal of collectors and high interest rates which have raised an outcry against industry professionals, accused of trying to make money on the backs of the poor.

Under the bill, borrowers will repay their loans, for example in government offices, which means they will no longer receive home collectors accused of abuse to collect their debt.

Critics point out however that the new laws could undermine the very concept of micro-credit, one of the pioneers is the Nobel Peace Muhammad Yunus, who is helping millions of poor people to survive, including many women. "The law will make the impossible loan operations in the state and professionals are deserting," predicted Vijay Mahajan, chairman of the network of microfinance institutions representing 44 structures (MFIN).

He said the collection of loans has already fallen below 10% in Andhra Pradesh, where more and more farmers and villagers refuse to repay their loans.

In India, the area of micro-credit was previously presented as a remedy for saving the millions of poor people being denied a loan in the large commercial banks. It exists in this country of over 1.1 billion people more than 3,000 microfinance institutions that lend a total of over seven billion dollars to nearly 80 million customers.

But the tide has turned for professionals, some were accused of harassing the borrowers to repay their loans at interest rates sometimes approaching 36%. Recently, 85 suicides were reported in Andhra Pradesh.

The rating agency Standard & Poor's said Tuesday that the sovereign rating of Belgium could be reduced within six months if the deadlock persists and if the political state of the debt does not improve.

For this reason, the agency has placed the note in Belgium under review with negative implications, while holding to AA + / A-1 +, respectively note the long-term debt and that of short-term debt .

"We could lower the rating a notch sovereign of Belgium if we conclude that the lack of consensus, the government can stabilize the trajectory of debt to initiate reforms," said S & P said in a statement.

"If Belgium can not form a government quickly, a downgrade may occur, possibly within six months."

Since the parliamentary elections in June, the Belgian political parties failed to agree to form a coalition government and a new vote could now be organized.

This warning puts Belgium in the group of countries whose situation is most disturbing in the context of the fiscal crisis of the euro area.

The rating agency adds that U.S. concerns about the fiscal outlook of Brussels, particularly about the objective of reducing the deficit to 4.1% of GDP in 2011.

Debt reached about it almost 100% of GDP.

On Monday, the International Monetary Fund said that Belgium was quickly put together a plan to reduce its deficit and avoid the anxiety of the market would jeopardize its economic recovery.

Growth in Belgium is expected at 1.7% in 2011 against 2% this year, growth driven by strong exports and inventory rebuilding.

Fitch has a rating of AA + for Belgium with a stable outlook. Moody's gives the Aa1 rating.