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European shares opened lower Friday, risk aversion intensified significantly after Fitch downgraded Greece Moody's and that of several Spanish banks.
At 9:02, the CAC 40 index, which lost 1.2% Thursday, yields 0.74% to 2989.85 points.
The London Stock Exchange drops 0.88%, the Frankfurt up 0.9% and 2.02% fall of Madrid. The pan-European Euro Stoxx 50 index fell by 1.03%.
Fitch Ratings downgraded the sovereign rating Thursday of Greece "B-" to "CCC", citing the growing risk of the country leaving the eurozone.
Moody's lowered the rating Thursday from 16 Spanish banks, including Santander SAN.MC, the largest in the euro area, suggesting the reduced capacity of the Spanish State to provide financial support to ; more of them.
The Stoxx European banks index was down 1.56%.
Illustrating the renewed risk aversion of investors, the 10-year rate of borrowing has fallen under German 1.4%, against 1.43% the day before closing.
On the foreign exchange market, the euro continues to trade at less than $ 1.27, to 1.2660 dollar.
The German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, however, considered that the current turmoil in financial markets should subside within one to two years.
Munich Re has released the first quarter 2012 net income after minority interests of 780 million euros, a figure consistent with expectations that stage is explained by a higher revenue from investments and a low level of claims for damages.
The consensus was 776 million euros, according to 10 analysts and brokers polled by Reuters.
"Despite the economic situation remains difficult, we are optimistic for 2012 and are aiming for a profit for the year of about 2.5 billion euros," said Jörg Schneider , CFO of the first global reinsurer, said in a statement.
In the first three months of 2011, accounts of Munich Re had plunged into the red after billions of euros of damage claims after the effects of earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand.
Lagardère announced Monday the launch of a bid for the company LeGuide.com, publisher of the website of the same name, at a price of 24 euros per share, valuing the comparator prices at about 84 million euros.
The media group headed by Arnaud Lagardère hopes to complete its digital portfolio that already includes the particular site or financial information Boursier.com Doctissimo.fr , bought in 2008.
The offer of the media group, which is the entire capital of LeGuide.com, will be open from 9 May to 12 June
The price represents a premium of 31.2% over the average as the company three months, 25.4% on average in one month and 20.5% from its last closing price, May 4, Lagardere said in a statement.
"Lagardere Active wishes to preserve the autonomy of management and leadership team LeGuide.com maintain the policy of employment and entrepreneurial culture that made its success since its inception" the company adds.
Present in 14 European countries, LeGuide.com, which compares the offers of more than 76,000 online merchants, claiming an audience of 28.9 million unique visitors.
For the offer to be validated, the total shares held by Lagardère and tendered should be at least 51% stake in the company.
The operation will also receive a green light from regulatory authorities in Germany and Austria.
Vivendi has been considering its strategy and investment banks are preparing proposals for divestiture or restructuring to try and halt the plunge in its stock price, several sources have told Reuters.
The difficulties of SFR, the leading provider of liquidity, led the Board to revive the old debate about the relevance of a model combining media and telecoms and put under pressure its number one Jean-Bernard Levy.
Facing the bronca shareholders embittered by a share price at its lowest for nine years, President of the Supervisory Board Jean-Rene Fourtou promised last month that the conglomerate would not remain idly and that all subjects would be put on the table, no "taboo".
Jean-Bernard Levy told Reuters on his side to the group questioned constantly on optimizing its business portfolio.
"There is no doubt that they are in full introspection on what to do," said one investment banker. "Until now, the board supported management and strategy, but the situation becomes critical and there may be a split."
Investors who dream of a quick and radical, however, may have to be patient despite the excitement in the markets by the situation mentioned by Bloomberg for dismantling and the arrival of man in the capital stock shots, Vincent Bolloré.
The contractor, who is poised to sell its conglomerate channels Direct 8 Direct and Star in exchange for Vivendi shares, wants to be a long-term shareholder and looks forward to working with the council rather than to impose its views at the outset, according to two people familiar with the CEO of Bolloré.
Most importantly, the tandem-Fourtou Levy, who oversaw the reconstruction of Vivendi after the debacle of the Messier era in 2002, is still in command.
Under the leadership of two men, Vivendi has cleaned up its financial position, streamlined its structure by acquiring minority stakes and settled a series of disputes.
The group also made acquisitions including that of the fast-growing operator GVT and tried to create synergies between its divisions with mixed success, however.
BACK TO SQUARE ONE
"All these years later, it is quite ironic that the group returned to square one: the action is at its lowest, there is still no synergies between the different business and it will be even harder to sell assets whose value has declined, "said one former executive of the group.
In a letter to shareholders dated March 27, the two leaders again rejected the idea that Vivendi would be a collection of unrelated activities with each other while judging " excessive "the conglomerate discount applied to the title, estimated at 40% by Jean-Rene Fourtou.
The challenge now is whether the group, which has previously rejected the dismantling scenarios, could this time take the plunge and abandon its hybrid structure.
"We can probably 216,000 scenarios, I do not fit into one of the 216,000 scenarios," said Jean-Bernard Levy told Reuters when he was asked about this hypothesis.
A seminar with the direction in June will be an opportunity to discuss the strategy and scope of Vivendi but a spokesman said the group meeting was held annually for several years and it was unlikely that it leads to major announcements.
According to several sources familiar with the matter, no bank has so far been commissioned for a sale or restructuring.
In a note, credit analysts at Société Générale consider the hypothesis of "break-up" unlikely unless a departure of Jean-Bernard Levy under pressure because of the difficulties of SFR.
The action of Vivendi has lost over 30% since its acquisition in April 2011 of the total SFR against 7.95 billion euros, an operation expected to result in a boost for the stock market Title and a dividend increase.
The arrival nine months later Free on the mobile market, has destabilized the operator which provides for 2012 down 12 to 15% in operating profit . Vivendi cut its dividend and the difference between the total assets of the group and its market capitalization has increased.
The AIGUILLON BOLLORÉ
Jean-Bernard Levy took the reins of SFR directly before passing the baton to a new CEO in the summer, with the promise to "tighten the bolts" within which the subsidiary recovery is deemed crucial to right the course of the action and for his personal future, according to several sources.
In this context heckled, the group is studying its options, reported by observers and bankers who do not see much to fix.
"Everything is reviewed. When they write in their letter to shareholders that nothing is taboo, it is a call for bankers to offer ideas, "said a person familiar with the group ….
….. "Unfortunately, it's not as simple as what people think when you look at the structure of the group"
.
According to sources, banks are working on a script assignment of Morocco Telecom, whose margin was still 55% last year despite a drop in sales
. Vivendi could also relaunch the IPO of Canal + France initiated last year by its other shareholder Lagardère before be suspended or sell its 60% stake in the video game publisher Activision Blizzard, the U.S. side.
But the sale of Telecom Morocco, 30% owned by the Kingdom of Morocco, could face political issues, indicates the same person, adding that the operations which appear more affluent, as Activision, have little influence on the other hand on the vision of the market prospects of Vivendi.
Some investors are pinning their hopes on the arrival in the capital of Vincent Bolloré, reputedly close to Jean-Rene Fourtou who said he would be welcome to the board.
A source close to the entrepreneur Vincent Bolloré hopes to reach 5% of the combined effect of the sale of its DTT channels and purchasing title to market. Societe Generale has recently become the largest shareholder with 7.86% of the conglomerate's capital.
"The emergence of a shareholder can bring a little more pressure on management will be forced to be accountable," said Gilles Guibout, portfolio manager at ; AXA Investment Management.
At the head of a family group, the entrepreneur would not invest one billion euros in Vivendi without an idea in mind, argues one contributor.
The leader of PASOK, Evangelos Venizelos, announced Saturday its economic program a week early parliamentary elections in Greece, promising reforms on liberalization professions rather than tax increases.
The party of former Socialist Minister of Finance, who played a key role in the financial rescue of Greece by the EU and the IMF last year, is ahead in polls voting intentions by his conservative rival, New Democracy.
PASOK came to power in 2009 with nearly 44% of the votes, May 6 should get between 14 and 19% of the vote, voters blaming him for the harsh treatment of austerity imposed by the donor in exchange for their financial support.
Evangelos Venizelos took the reins of a party in February capilotade in succeeding former Prime Minister George Papandreou. At the time, PASOK enjoyed a popularity rating of just 8%.
The new leader pledged Saturday not to declare the general fall in wages and pensions as long as the country continues on the path of reform.
"No Greek citizen should live in fear of what will be done in June," has tried to reassure the Socialist leader, referring to the new crackdown announced for next month's parliamentary elections. "We pledge (on this point) and we assure you that no new tax will be imposed."
He added before a crowd of enthusiastic supporters: "On the contrary, we will focus on structural reforms in order to have a state smaller and less expensive, open market and professions ; s and to allow everyone free access to economic activities and production. "
Last week, the leader of New Democracy, Antonis Samaras, promised if he wins election to cut taxes and increase social spending while meeting commitments budget set by foreign donors.
New Democracy and PASOK are the only two major political parties to support the Greek bailout the nation's finances, which bends under the burden of debt.
Bank of Japan announced Friday a further easing of monetary policy, pledging one hand to increase its program of asset purchases of 10,000 billion yen (94 billion euros) and secondly to acquire government bonds of longer maturities.
Despite signs of growing a resumed third largest economy, Japan's central bank and takes measures to support activity for the second time in just over two months and displays its determination to fight against the phenomenon of deflation beating down the country for over ten years.
Economists had expected an increase in the program of asset purchases two times lower. The BoJ has also surprised by announcing that it would expand its purchases of riskier assets such as Exchange Traded Funds and REITs.
"The BoJ has a bit more than what we expected, then its decision is a surprise" said Masamichi Adachi, senior economist at JPMorgan Securities.
"The bank is trying to get the message that it supports the market and economic recovery, as it did in February. This is a step in the right direction and we believe that the BoJ should do more to encourage the economy. "
The BoJ's decision, taken unanimously, carries its asset purchase program to 40,000 billion yen. The rate remains unchanged in a range of zero to 0.1%.
Immediately after the decision of the BoJ, the yen fell against the dollar. He was subsequently erased its losses and, to 6:40 GMT, gaining more than 0.3% against the greenback and the euro.
The BoJ has estimated that it would not "too long" to reach its inflation target of 1%, which could dampen expectations of further aggressive monetary easing measures.
It also found more and more evident that the third world economy was on the road to recovery. A series of indicators released Friday abounded in his direction.
Japan's industrial production rose 1.0% in March, posting its largest gain in three months in favor of a stabilizing external demand and the reconstruction of areas hit the country ; es by the earthquake and tsunami a year ago.
Also in March, retail sales jumped 10.3% year on year, against a 9.8% increase expected by analysts, while household expenditure increased by 3 4% in real terms, after growing 2.3% in February.
The unemployment rate meanwhile remained steady last month at 4.5%.
The International Monetary Fund should get, as expected, an increase of its means of at least $ 400 billion to take action against the global crisis. Executive Director International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde expects its member states that the funds of the institution are "substantially" increased.
The International Monetary Fund is about to get financial support to match its requirements. To act against the global crisis, the organization has requested an increase in its resources. It is not yet certain that everything is sealed off Friday in Washington, which met finance ministers of G20 countries, but the organization seems poised to achieve, as it wishes, an increase in resources of at least $ 400 billion.
"Among the results of these meetings, we expect that our strike force is greatly increased," said Christine Lagarde Thursday, executive director of the IMF. "I know it is in a lot the subject of the day," she noted.
Finance ministers of rich and emerging countries in the G20 will discuss on Friday, after a first working dinner Thursday night. Christine Lagarde expects to have a number. And all indications are it will succeed in light of recent promises made public through several countries before the start of the spring meetings in Washington.
Additional means to help the euro area
Notable exception, the United States, the largest shareholder of the Fund, have refused to pay any extra dollar. The uncompromising stance of Washington has also forced Christine Lagarde to review its initial ambitions downwards, estimated in January after the needs of the Fund to some $ 600 billion.
"Today, there is less risk," she assured, even if Europe "is not pulled out of the rut." The French felt that this money would help address the problems of the world economy, including "high unemployment, sustainable in many parts of the world," growth "slow" or "of potential increases in oil prices".
Executive Director of the IMF did not name Spain in its list of "dark clouds" looming always above the global economy, but the situation there continues to preoccupy the international financial community. "If there is a need, the IMF must be there for all its members" but "there is no need of this kind at the moment," she assured, however.
The IMF can now hire up to 382 billion dollars, according to the weekly final point on its resources. But Christine Lagarde Lagarde, supported by the Europeans, want to add at least $ 400 billion to this total. She can already count on some 320 billion thanks to the commitment of Japan to the tune of 60 billion over the three Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Denmark), with just over 26 billion, that of Poland, 8 billion, and finally that of Switzerland and other countries not identified, to the tune of $ 26 billion.
The Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche warned Wednesday that he would not fall under its offer of $ 6.8 billion (5.18 billion euros) on the Illumina American and he will not extend the period of acceptance thereof.
Its current proposal, $ 51 per share Illumina, can not be improved without penalizing shareholders of Roche, said the group, which should give up its offensive.
The offer expires Friday, Roche said not wanting to prolong it, expressing regret the refusal of the Board to engage in constructive dialogue
Illumina sequencing of genes specialist, self-proclaimed "Apple genomics", for its part has rejected offers of Roche and called its shareholder do the same.
Consulted Wednesday during a general meeting, a majority of them have also shunned.
"Roche will not be affected if it sends a signal showing that it is ready to give up these offers," said Navid Malik of Cenkos Securities.
The acquisition of Illumina would have allowed the Swiss group, world leader in therapies against cancer to benefit from its expertise in sequencing of genes play a role forefront of personalized treatments, which represent the future of the pharmaceutical industry.
Roche did not give up its ambitions for external growth.
"Roche will continue to examine all options and opportunities to further develop its business portfolio to expand its leading position in diagnostics," said Severin Schwan, director General of the Basel group, in a statement.
At their general meeting, shareholders of Illumina supported the four nominees to fill board seats, while rejecting a proposal from Roche to bring to 11 the number of directors with the objective to take a majority.
The prospect of a failure of Roche has not been punished by investors, its title having closed up 0.99%, unlike the Illumina who lost in the third me time to 4.10% to 42.20 dollars.
Volkswagen has further increased its stake in truck manufacturer MAN, as part of its planned merger of its two main activities of trucks.
The German automotive group now owns 73% of the shares of MAN and 71.08% of the total capital, MAN announced in a statement Friday.
Volkswagen previously held 55.9% of the voting rights and 53.71% stake.
VW wants to increase integration between MAN and Swedish Scania, he also controls, in order to save at least € 200 million in procurement, production and research and development.
In addition, the Wolfsburg group wants to encourage cooperation between the two truck manufacturers and its own activities to create vehicles capable of exceeding a set Daimler and Volvo.
Volkswagen holds 71.8% voting rights in Scania and 49.3% of its capital.
MAN has declined to comment, a spokesman for Volkswagen could not be immediately available for comment.
TPSA has renamed itself Orange before Poland hosts the Euro 2012 late June, hoping to compete with an integrated offering, said Thursday the CEO of the subsidiary of France T LECOM.
"Selling Orange and TPSA separately is not very sensible economically," he told Reuters Maciej Witucki. "Customers expect a bundle of four services, which is why it is better to sell them under one brand."
"Rename the brand was included in our 2012 budget and we confirm our objectives," he added. "It will be neutral on our EBITDA and we also confirm our objective of slowing the decline in revenues this year."
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