Spain has officially fallen into recession in first quarter with a new economic contraction of 0.3% over the first three months of the year, statistics showed Thursday's final National Institute of Statistics.
On the other year, the Spanish gross domestic product fell 0.4%.
Spanish GDP had dropped 0.3% in the last quarter of 2011.
"The recession is advancing at a gradual pace, but if we take into account the latest surveys on activity, it seems that the economic contraction will continue into quarters come, "said Tullia Bucco, an economist at UniCredit.
The Spanish manufacturing sector contracted at its fastest pace in almost three years in April, while the service industry fell for the tenth month of row, according to the purchasing managers' index.
The export sector, the only one that has progressed over the last two quarters, slowed from January to March, the main economic partners of Spain is also experiencing the recession or slowdown.
Madrid seeks to convince investors that Spain is able to consolidate its public finances while reducing expenses, but the cost of restructuring its banking sector worries the markets .
The premium demanded by investors to acquire the Spanish debt rather than German debt has reached this week its highest level since the introduction of the euro, more than 500 basis points.
The one, who runs short of personal cards often face losses in the form of loss of new business orders. Running out of
business cards is the worst situation one can get in the commercial world.
Capgemini announced Thursday a turnover up 4.5% at constant scope and exchange in the first quarter and confirmed its financial targets in 2012.
The leading European IT services aim has confirmed a further improvement in its operating margin in 2012 but with limited organic growth of its turnover due to the re tion of public spending in Europe.
Capgemini, one of the American competitors IBM, the Anglo-Dutch and French Atos Logica, conducted in the first quarter a turnover of 2.565 billion euros, up 9.2% at current rates and perimeter.
Order intake amounted to 2.145 billion euros, down over one year, but the ratio of new orders to figure `s business for the consulting, of the integration systems and community services is positive (1.02 for the group), Capgemini said in a statement.
The Capgemini share closed up 1.29% to 28.95 euros on Wednesday, giving a market capitalization of 4.51 billion. It has rebounded 20% since the beginning of the year after falling over 31% in 2011.
Atos has in turn confirmed the end of April all its annual targets after completing the first quarter organic growth of 2.4% of its turnover, driven by the infogé rance, Germany and the UK.
The Capgemini share closed up 1.29% to 28.95 euros on Wednesday, giving a market capitalization of 4.51 billion. It has rebounded 20% since the beginning of the year after falling over 31% in 2011.
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.
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.
Germany experienced between 2001 and 2011, the smallest increase across the EU, with an increase of 19.4%, while hourly labor costs in France rose by 39.2%, more than double the same period. A poster of the employers' union Verdi against the introduction of a general minimum wage in Germany
Germany experienced a decade of more moderate growth in labor costs of the entire European Union, according to statistics released Tuesday, but the hourly labor cost is one third higher than the European average. One hour of work in the private sector cost 30.10 euros for German employers, a figure of 32% above the EU average and that places Germany seventh among 27 EU countries, according to these figures published by the Federal Statistical Office Destatis.
Compared to the great French neighbor, the labor cost is 12% lower and 23% lower than in Belgium, the leading EU countries. Germany experienced between 2001 and 2011, the smallest increase across the EU, with an increase of 19.4%, while hourly labor costs in France rose by 39.2%, more than double the same period, according to Destatis.
German wage moderation is a key factor in the competitiveness of the country, including its industry. The downside, often cited by the unions, wages are low, in the absence of widespread minimum wage and an increasingly precarious, with greater use in some industrial sectors in labor and temporary work.
Russia plans to give the International Monetary Fund (IMF) additional resources of over ten billion dollars but the exact amount will be determined in coordination with other emerging BRICS group says, has Saturday announced the Russian Minister of Finance.
"We have already said that the minimum contribution (Russia) would be 10 billion, the question now is to change this amount of increase to reflect the need for additional resources of the IMF" said Anton Silouanov to the press.
"We will coordinate with our colleagues in the BRICS and decide together what we can do," he said on the sidelines of a meeting between the IMF and World Bank in Washington.
The group said BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The G20 countries have pledged Friday to provide the IMF additional resources of $ 430 billion to address the debt crisis in the euro area.
According to Anton Silouanov, most of this amount, $ 362 billion, had already been promised before. "We have about 70 billion" to distribute among the contributors, he said.
Emerging economies, which were far more recipients of aid, this time have joined the effort, even if they expect, in return, that their weight within the international financial institutions increased at the expense of that of Europe.
NEW QUOTAS
The G20 committed on this road Friday, promising that the voting rights of emerging nations, called quotas, will be raised at the summit of the IMF scheduled in October.
Russia welcomed the decision, even though she was careful not to make quota reform as a precondition for the payment of its contribution. The new quota system must be clear and understandable, insisted Saturday the Russian Minister of Finance.
"We propose that the quota calculation is based primarily on two main indicators, the size of gross domestic product (GDP) of each country and the volume of their gold reserves and foreign currency," said Anton Silouanov.
If such criteria were to be retained, Moscow's influence in the IMF would increase considerably, with Russia third of global foreign-exchange reserves, with 516.7 billion dollars.
Some countries of the BRICS group said, however, have argued in favor of a better consideration of the weight of GDP, acknowledged Silouanov.
"Many countries believe that further dialogue in this area. Some countries have a quota have no interest in it is recalculated and prefer, obviously, that we keep the current formula, without bring change, "he said
.
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.
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.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange closed up over 1% Friday, the good performance of the action Fast Retailing and relief related to the failure of the rocket launch North Korea has than offset the disappointment that followed the publication of a Chinese GDP worse than expected.
The Nikkei gained 1.19% or 113.20 points to 9,637.99 and the Topix broader took 5.60 points (0.69%) to 815.48.
Growth of the Chinese economy slowed to its slowest pace in almost three years in the first quarter, to 8.1% annual rate against 8.9% last quarter , said Friday the Chinese central statistics office.
Analysts polled by Reuters had expected an annual growth of 8.3% of gross domestic product (GDP).
The title Fast Retailing jumped 8.59% after the chain of clothing stores, owner of the Uniqlo brand, announced Thursday a second quarter earnings of its 2011-2012 fiscal year and a soaring increase in its annual targets.
North Korea conducted Friday to fire a rocket at the origin of a strong condemnation from the international community but this attempt was officially ended in failure.
European shares ended lower Tuesday, in response to statistics from the U.S. consumer confidence but more importantly to the decline in Total, which has stalled and resulted in values energy in its fall.
In Paris the CAC 40 showed a loss of 0.92% to 3469.59 points. Elsewhere in Europe, Frankfurt finally stable (0.00%), Madrid lost 1.03%, 0.56% and London Eurofirst 300 0.50%.
In the wake of Total, which lost 6%, the values of European oil and gas realize the worst performing sector of the day, with a loss of 2.37%.
The market is worried about the consequences of the gas leak occurred Sunday on the platform of the Elgin-Franklin French oil tanker in the North Sea.
U.S. consumer confidence fell in March and inflation expectations have never been higher for 10 months, according to the Conference Board index released Tuesday.
For its part, Wall Street pauses, ranging from missing a day after rising to peaks of nearly four years. However, the S & P 500 is on track to register its strongest quarterly performance since 2009.
Markets have also heard of another American Statistical relatively sluggish. The prices of houses have not changed in January, suggesting that this struggling sector just to turn the corner, shows the S & P Case-Shiller index released Tuesday.
Total accuses its biggest loss since December 2008, following discussions that represented a volume of five and a half times its daily average of 90 days.
"It reminds the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Difficult to know the extent of damage at this stage but when in doubt, it is better to sell. The action does BP is never recovered, "said a trader based in Paris
. BG, which has a stake of 14% in the deposit Elgin, lost 2.9%
. Philippe Gijsels (Fortis Global Markets) emphasizes that portfolio adjustments at the end of quarter amplified gains in the FTSEurofirst 300, which makes it vulnerable. "This is the usual set of month-end, which imposes an upward pressure to the side and makes the market very overbought. I think the beginning of next term will see profit-taking, "he said
. For Lynden Branigan (Barclays Capital) would require the FTSEurofirst 300 plunges below 1,050 points to break the uptrend. But he is relatively optimistic and sees a buying interest occur between 1069 and 1072, the Friday low and the 50-day moving average, respectively, with resistance at 1109, the peak in March.
Italy and Spain have sold debt without concern Tuesday, what can be interpreted as a sign of market confidence in their ability to recover their public finances and reform itself.
Italy has placed 3.8 billion of zero coupon bonds to two years with a yield of 2.35%, the lowest since November 2010, against 3.01% during the operational previous generation.
Spain sold 2.6 billion euros of treasury bills at three and six months yields moving in opposite directions to each other.
The Italian paper, however, suffered in the secondary market shortly after the auction, traders were saying that the award came too soon after the big award of € 7.3 billion of indexed bonds last week.
The dollar rose slightly against the euro and more markedly against the yen, maintaining its gains despite a statistical lackluster consumer confidence.
This increase comes in a market hit and little fluctuation, traders cautiously gauging the remarks made yesterday by the Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.
Growth of the U.S. economy will have to accelerate job creation that do fall further unemployment, Ben Bernanke said Monday.
Oil prices have turned down after Bloomberg, citing an official from the energy sector, had reported that the U.S. planned to tap into strategic reserves ; cal.
U.S. officials have been saying for months that draw on reserves is one of the options available to address market disruption. Reuters reported this month that London was ready to work with Washington to take on strategic reserves in the current year.
No details were available on information from Bloomberg, which is not known whether it signals a change in tone or intent on the part of the U.S. government.
Comments Off