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Inflation in the euro area against all odds accelerated in March, Eurostat reported Thursday, one week a meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) would probably raise rates interest.

According to estimates published by the European statistics agency, prices rose 2.6% annual rate in the 17 countries using the euro, against 2.3% expected and 2.4% in February .

"The fact that price inflation in the euro area rose more than expected to 2.6% (…) in fact endorses a higher interest rate on the ECB by 1.0% to 1, 25% at the meeting of 7 April, "said Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight.

"The ECB is determined to send the message it will be tough on inflation despite the continuing difficult economic situations in many countries in the euro area and global economic uncertainties due to the events in Japan, the Middle East and North Africa. "

The European Central Bank, which wants to contain rising prices at a level below but close to 2.0%, suggesting for weeks that she could fall in April its refinancing rate in response to rising commodity prices .

OTHER RATE INCREASES EXPECTED

However, economists expect that the prices remain above target for the central bank in 2011 and markets expect the increase in April will be the first in a series of increases that year.

"We anticipate a rate hike of 25 basis points in the second quarter, followed by two further increases during the remainder of the year to raise rates to 1.75% at the end of the year," said Daniele Antonucci (Morgan Stanley).

The estimate published by Eurostat has no detailed figures or monthly basis, but economists believe that rising oil prices and clothing is probably the cause of rising prices.

"A base effect largely positive energy and (date) late Easter would have allowed to contain, at least in part, the strong upward pressures related to soaring oil prices," noted Chiara Corsa, economist at Unicredit.

"However, garments and footwear may have contributed to the figure upward, with the new methodology introduced earlier this year."

The Finnish group accuses Apple of violating patents it owns. Nokia had been dismissed after his first complaint. A Nokia shop in Helsinki.

The Finnish giant Nokia mobile phones, the global industry, announced Tuesday it had filed a new complaint against rival Apple before a U.S. trade just dismiss. "Nokia has filed a second complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) believing that Apple is violating additional patents in almost all of Nokia's mobile phones, music players, computers and tablets," said the Finn in a statement."Apple has built its business based on our innovations and has not acknowledged its obligations," he told AFP spokesman Mark Durrant of Nokia.

On Friday, a judge of the ITC before the first complaint from Nokia for patent infringement had ruled in favor of Apple, without explaining its decision. "This is not the final decision, and the full committee of the ITC is already back in the past on the original resolution," said Durrant.

The ITC, captured first by Nokia in late 2009, has the power to prohibit the importation into the United States of products that infringe patents. The runaway success of Apple's iPhone Nokia has seriously undermined the lucrative business of high-end smartphones. Nokia had launched the legal battle against Apple in October 2009, which has already resulted in complaints to the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Milan prosecutors opened an investigation into the rise of French Lactalis capital of Parmalat's Italian counterpart, said on Friday a judicial source.

The managing director of Parmalat Enrico Bondi was heard as a witness in the morning as part of these investigations, the source added.

Parmalat declined to comment.

In a statement, Lactalis said he was informed of the survey by market information from news agencies.

Lactalis "confirms that it always acted properly and calmly awaits the opportunity to examine developments in the case," we read in a statement.

Lactalis, Europe's leading dairy, which markets brands such as President and Bridel, announced Tuesday to have strengthened in the capital of Parmalat and now hold 29% through the redemption of three funds.

Desiring to protect the first group food side of the peninsula and to thwart the aims of Lactalis, the Italian authorities promptly issued a decree allowing Parmalat to postpone a general meeting of shareholders, originally scheduled for April 14.

The postponement will allow more time to establish a rival Italian consortium, said Thursday Corrado Passera, managing director of Intesa Sanpaolo, which participates in discussions on this topic.

The title Parmalat closed Friday up 0.59%, to 2.38 euros, while the sector index European food and drinks showed a gain of 0.59%.

The Italian government also approved on Wednesday a package of measures to limit redemptions strategic companies by foreign entities in the sectors of food, energy, defense and telecommunications.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon has asked the Nuclear Safety Authority to issue initial findings by the end of the year. The nuclear power plant of Bugey, on the banks of the Rhone.

François Fillon has appointed the Nuclear Safety Authority to conduct the audit of the French nuclear power plants following the accident in Fukushima, Japan. The institution must provide "preliminary conclusions" by the end of 2011, according to a letter published Thursday by Matignon.

The decision is made public while EDF and the Greens have opposed earlier this week on the vision of the French nuclear.

Under the law of 13 June 2006 on the transparency and nuclear safety, I ask you to undertake a study of the safety of nuclear installations, nuclear power plants a priority, in view of the accident during in central Fukushima, "the Prime Minister in this letter to the President of the ASN, Andre-Claude Lacoste.

A practical response to his statements

Judging "essential" for the French "to have a transparent and reliable information available as soon as possible the consequences" of the disaster in Japan, he asked the NSA to "establish within a month and a specification a timetable "for this study.

The head of government said March 15 the National Assembly, four days after the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan as "demonstrations of safety at each plant in France" would be "checked in the light of lessons learned disaster "Fukushima. "We shirk any of the questions posed by this disaster," Bush said.

France has the second nuclear power in the world, accounting for 75% of our energy resources.

Bulgari opened Tuesday, with one exception, all its 40 stores in Japan, one of its main markets, but its CEO said he expected that sales in the archipelago remain low for at least one or two quarters.

The Italian jeweler, about to be redeemed the world's largest luxury group LVMH, has been affected, as the whole industry, by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11.

Sales were already relatively flat since the beginning of the year in the archipelago, which last year contributed 18% of the turnover of Bulgari, said Francesco Trapani, CEO of the group, in an interview Reuters.

"It is realistic to anticipate for one or two quarters of sales worse than before, and then a return to normalcy on the assumption that the nuclear issue is over," he added.

He declined to specify the magnitude of the decline.

Bulgari, which employs 500 people in Japan, has returned any of its employees, unlike many Western groups like LVMH and Richemont.

The only outlet that Bulgari has not yet reopened, located in Sendai, was badly damaged by the earthquake.If all the other stores have opened, they close early each day because of power cuts.

The American jeweler Tiffany said Monday that its sales in Japan decline by 15% this quarter after the closing of its stores in the Kanto and Tohoku, which accounts for over half of its sales in the country.

Japan accounts for about 11% of global sales of luxury.

Francesco Trapani was also felt that the military offensive on Libya could in turn weigh on consumer sentiment if the conflict should continue and expand to other countries.

Francesco Trapani in July, will head the division of LVMH watches and jewelry.He added that the question of his successor had not yet been decided.

Francesco Trapani was also felt that the strategy of Bulgari not change once the company integrated the French giant. "Of course, part of LVMH means we will have more resources, both financially and in terms of organization," he said. "The brand as a whole, will have more opportunities to grow faster."

Between 2.5% and 4% of GDP: it is the cost of the earthquake and tsunami estimated by the World Bank. An engine found 30 meters from the railway, Minamisanriku in Japan, a city that was almost completely destroyed.

The earthquake and tsunami of March 11 would cost the Japanese economy between 122 and 235 billion dollars (86 to 165 billion euros) or between 2.5 and 4% of its GDP, according to the latest report of the World Bank Economic East Asia and the Pacific. But reconstruction, which could last five years, should help revive the economy, said the World Bank.

"If it is based on past experience, the real GDP growth will be negatively affected by mid-2011," the report said.But growth should resume in the following quarters, "when the reconstruction efforts, which could last five years, accelerating," he predicted.

After a sustained growth in several quarters since the end of the 2008-2009 recession, Japan's GDP declined by 1.3% between October and December 2010, annualized. Before the earthquake, most economists felt that he should rebound in the first quarter of 2011.

Since last week, Japan is also campaigning to prevent a major nuclear disaster at the plant in Fukushima, damaged March 11. This cascade of disasters had plunged last week the Tokyo Stock Exchange to 10.22% and the Japanese currency had soared. Monday, March 21, while the Tokyo Stock Exchange was closed for the holiday, the yen was down slightly against the dollar and the euro in early trade in Asia.Investors seemed reluctant to buy the Japanese currency after the concerted intervention of central banks in rich countries of the G7 on Friday 18, which reduced the dollar above 80 yen, while the greenback fell Wednesday to its lowest level against the Japanese currency since World War II, at 76.36 yen.

According to Vikram Nehru, World Bank economist, catatrophes the Japanese could also have an impact on the rest of Asia, although it is too early to estimate the cost. "In the immediate future, the biggest impact will be in terms of trade and finance," he added. The 1995 earthquake in Kobe had led to a slowdown in the Japanese trade for a few quarters, but after a year, imports had returned to normal and exports had reached 85% of their level before the quake."But this time, disruption of production networks, particularly in the automotive and electronics industries, could continue to pose a problem" after a year, noted the Bank.

Large groups such as auto giants Toyota and Sony Electronics have suspended production at many sites after the earthquake. Some firms have been partially resumed their activity. In this context, the South Korean branch of General Motors, GM Korea, plans to cut production this week at least in anticipation of a possible lack of spare parts from Japan. The prices of computer chips, which Japan provides 36% of world production, have other increased 20% in some categories, according to the World Bank.

According to the international body, trade the rest of East Asia with Japan accounted for 9% of foreign trade in the region over the past five years.Exports from the region could well slow down from 0.75 to 1.5% if Japan's GDP declined from 0.25 to 0.50%.

American values ​​have again finished higher Friday, buoyed by the decision of G7 countries to act together to lower the yen and the authorization given to large U.S. banks to pay dividends again.

The Dow Jones gained 0.71% or 83.93 points to 11,858.52 points and the Standard & Poor's 500 index 0.43% or 5.49 points at 1279.21 points. The Nasdaq Composite Index has advanced by 0.29% or 7.62 points at 2643.67 points.

For the week, the Dow has sold 1.5%, the S & P 1.9% and Nasdaq 2.6%. The S & P posted its strongest weekly decline since November.For the Nasdaq, it is the strongest decline since August.

The central banks of the G7 intervened in concert Friday on the exchange market to curb the soaring yen, which could plunge Japan into recession after the earthquake of 11 March.

Values ​​on the forehead, the bank was sought, the Federal Reserve has announced that some of the key institutions of the country were allowed to resume paying a dividend or increase their payments.

Wells Fargo and JPMorgan were immediately announced dividend increases.Wells Fargo gained 1.5% to 31.83 dollars and JPMorgan 2.64% to 45.74 dollars.

Cisco Systems has made 0.82% to 17.14 dollars after announcing the first dividend payment of its history, at six cents per share.

General Mills gained 1.44% to 36.65 dollars after announcing the takeover of French Yoplait.

Tokyo accused speculators of provoking an outbreak history of its currency, which could worsen the plight of Japanese exporting firms already hit by the consequences of the earthquake.

The yen rose to its highest level against the greenback since the Second World War, boosted by purchases very important day late Wednesday in New York and then on Thursday morning in Asia. The dollar fell to 76.52 yen, before recovering somewhat and evolve around the 79 yen.The previous record dated from 1945 to April 1995, when the dollar fell to 79.75 yen.

This surge of the Japanese currency may seem paradoxical as the country goes through its worst crisis since the end of the war, threat of nuclear disaster in addition to the heavy damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 to North east of the archipelago.

Investors have apparently he gambled on a massive repatriation of funds to the archipelago held by Japanese insurance companies abroad to finance the huge allowances for the victims.The Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Kaoru Yosano, assured that they were "unfounded rumors" and that Japanese insurers, who have enough cash, would not need to sell assets held in foreign currency.

But operators still have bought large quantities of yen, hoping to sell them more expensive later. For if insurance companies convert large foreign capital in yen, the Japanese currency could appreciate further. Kaoru Yosano has denounced the movement "highly speculative", when the government tries to calm markets worried about the third world economy.

For the fever of the yen are losing a lot of money to Japanese exporting firms: they reduce the yen value of their income earned in foreign currency and then converted into local currency.Companies that want to keep their margins intact abroad are also constraints to raise prices, thereby undermining the competitiveness of their products.

Brokers thought that the Japanese authorities could not tolerate such disabilities when businesses are already faced with huge logistical problems caused by the disaster of 11 March. "I have no comment," said Minister of Finance, Yoshihiko Noda, in response to a question about a possible government intervention in the market.

On Thursday, the activity was indeed still slowed in most parts of Japan, the earthquake has caused supply problems for companies, while public transport remained disrupted in the megalopolis of Tokyo.The power supply remained tense following the arrest of eleven nuclear reactors, and the Ministry of Economy has warned that a major power cut was possible in the evening when energy consumption was not reduced.

The government had intervened in the market on September 15, buying dollars against yen to try to stop an earlier outbreak of the Japanese currency. With support from the Bank of Japan, it had sold 2.125 billion yen, or 18.5 billion euros, a record amount for a single intervention. After falling initially, the yen, however, was quickly returned to its levels before surgery.

Wall Street closed lower Tuesday, penalized by a net return of risk aversion caused by the situation in Japan where it excludes more nuclear disaster of great magnitude.

The decline in New York markets, however, was limited compared to those observed in Europe and especially in Asia, investors are confident saying that the U.S. economy will not be permanently affected by the consequences of the earthquake in Japan.

The Dow Jones lost 1.15%, 137.74 points to 11,855.42, the S & P 500 index fund managers, dropped 14.52 points, 1.12% to 1281.87 while the Nasdaq, heavily weighted technology has yielded 33.64 points, 1.25% to 2667.33.

The S & P is not far from the threshold of resistance 1.257, its closing level in late 2010.

Investors have also welcomed the decision of no great surprise to the Fed to keep the Fed funds target between zero and 0.25%.They appreciated the statement that the economy is accelerating the benefits to employment.

"At present, it should not be prolonged disruptions and the effect should not exceed the short term the United States," Justice Jim McDonald of Northern Trust Global Investments.

"Certainly the prospects of nuclear accidents are scary, but otherwise, the nuclear issue will have limited impacts on U.S. stocks and is the most likely scenario."

Values, General Electric, which has partnered with Japan's Hitachi Nuclear finished down 1.55% to 19.61 dollars, while Shaw Group, part of a consortium building nuclear reactors has lost 2 , 1% to 34.14 dollars.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) injected Monday 12,000 billion yen (146 billion) market, the largest injection of liquidity in its history, trying to reassure the markets after the earthquake and tsunami on Friday.

The BOJ announced a first step a first injection of 7,000 billion yen in the market before adding 5,000 billion yen.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the central bank could discuss a possible easing of monetary policy in a meeting Monday.

The BOJ also announced that Japan's financial institutions did not report funding problems, including those located in areas affected by the disaster.