Chemistry weigh on profits of Bayer in Q4

The benefits of Bayer, the first German manufacturer of drugs, emerged below expectations in the fourth quarter 2011 due to disappointing sales in its chemicals division, and the group has demonstrated caution for this year.

MaterialScience division, the world of polymer foams and polycarbonate for automotive glazing, has seen its quarterly results adjusted to fall by 64%, price increases were not sufficient to offset the higher commodity prices.

Bayer said it expected a significant rebound performance at MaterialScience in the first quarter of this year over last in 2011 but they reach their previous level. 

For 2012, Bayer expects a slight increase in its adjusted EBITDA, with an increase of about 3% of sales excluding currency effects and acquisitions, taking advantage of a rebound expected in the second half thanks to emerging markets.

The group sees the other hand, a real growth in 2013, both for its sales to its adjusted EBITDA.

His four most promising molecules, foremost among them the anticoagulant Xarelto, have a potential combined turnover of around EUR 5 billion, he said. But this potential, however, should not be felt this year.

In the fourth quarter 2011, EBITDA (EBITDA) adjusted fell 8.8% to 1.54 billion euros, while analysts polled by Reuters had forecast average 1.62 billion.

Quarterly net income stood at 397 million euros, while the consensus was 479 million, and revenue was 9.19 billion euros, against 9.114 billion expected.

These ads Bayer contrast with those of its competitor BASF, which surprised investors last week by his decidedly optimistic tone for 2012.

In exchange, the action Bayer yielded 0.8% to 55.45 euros at 1130 GMT, underperforming the European sector index to chemicals (0.1%). BASF took title to 0.6% 66.23 euros.

Consumer confidence unchanged in February

The index of consumer confidence in France is almost stable in February compared with the previous month, announced Friday INSEE.

The composite indicator is 82 against 81 in January.

In February, consumer confidence about their personal financial situation went down 2 points, INSEE said.

That their future personal finances rose 2 points, while remaining below its long-term average. Households are also more numerous than in January to consider it advisable to make major purchases (5 points).

Rome does not want to organize the Olympic Games 2020

Due to the economic crisis, the Italian capital has decided not to host the Olympics in 2020. Mario Monti, President of the Council, estimated that a candidate is not "responsible".

Rome will not host the Olympics in 2020. Council President Mario Monti said on Tuesday the withdrawal of the candidature of the Italian capital for the organization of the summer Olympics in 2020 stating that it would not be "responsible". Tokyo, Madrid, Istanbul, Doha, Baku remain in contention. The host city will be unveiled Sept. 7, 2013 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Mario Monti announced the renunciation of Rome on the eve of the deadline for submitting applications, explaining it by the current economic crisis and the considerable investment necessary to host the Games. "We came to the unanimous conclusion that the government thinks it would not be responsible, under the present conditions in Italy, to assume these guarantees," he said at a news conference.

The U.S. rating agency Moody's announced late Monday lowered the credit rating of Italy by one notch to "A3", together with that of Portugal also one notch to "Ba3", and that of Spain by two notches to "A3".

"We do not feel able to make a financial commitment that could burden the Italian finances for years. At another point in our history we would have taken the risk, but not now," he said Italian Prime.

The City of Rome, who organized the Summer Games for the last time in 1960, needed a letter of commitment from the government to send its official bid to the IOC. "We lost a great opportunity, but we can only accept the government's decision," responded the president of the Promotion Committee for Rome in 2020, Mario Pescante. "The government's decision was well thought out, and due solely to economic reasons," he admitted, admitting, however, "a lot of bitterness". "Our plan for 2020 Rome was very serious, but the government has been steadfast on the accounts," he added.

Like the European stock markets, Wall Street soared Monday, gaining more than 4% in response to the coordinated action announced by the major central banks to maintain liquidity in markets shaken by the debt crisis, a measure that removes the specter of a global recession.

The Dow Jones industrials gained 30 4.24% or 490.05 points at 12,045.68. The S & P-500, wider, took 51.77 points, or 4.33% to 1246.96.

People's Bank of China (PBC) also supported the rating, reducing the reserve requirement ratio for the first time in nearly three years to ease tensions in the credit market and to give back up to an economy that knows its lowest growth rate maintained since 2009.

Investors were also reassured by the larger than expected number of jobs created in the U.S. private sector – 206 000 130 000 in November against expected – and one PMI purchasing managers in the Chicago area well above expectations.

According to a survey, less than a third of French say they are willing to buy the French public debt. And you, would you be willing to lend to the state? Do you have confidence in his ability to repay? It goes from 8.86 to 9 euros gross time to reach 1,365 euros for 35 hours, or about 1,073 euros net per month.

Less than a third of French say they probably or definitely willing to buy the French public debt if they were given the opportunity, according to a Harris poll for the site information and the agency Jolpress Image & Strategy to be published Tuesday in the Tribune . Only 6% of French people would buy "certainly" the debt of the country at rates comparable to those charged by banks, and 24% would buy "probably" of such bonds, said the survey.

Conversely, 65% of French people would not buy "definitely not" (34%) or "probably not" (31%) of French debt. Two countries, Italy and Belgium have recently suggested to individuals to buy government bonds, and these operations have been successful. The "day Treasury bills", during which the Italians were called Monday to buy the debt of the country, met a great success, while in Belgium, the government launched Thursday a government bond which has was well received by individuals.

In addition, a majority (56%) of the French believed that the acquisition by the European Central Bank (ECB), a significant portion of the debts of the states of the euro area would reduce speculation in debt. But 56% believe that it would deter states to make real efforts to reduce their deficits and 53% that it could foster inflation.

Carrefour Friday categorically denied press reports suggesting a possible change at the head of the group.

Le Figaro wrote that the main shareholders of the supermarket group, funds Colony Capital and Groupe Arnault, have courted Plassat George, the patron of the group distribution of shoes and clothing Vivarte to replace the current CEO Lars Olofsson.

"Faced with rumors successive change of any officer of Carrefour, the Board of Directors of the Company expressly disclaims any information on this release," the group said in a statement.

No one was immediately available from Colony Capital and Groupe Arnault to comment.

Source familiar with the matter, it tells Reuters that George Plassat has been approached by the shareholders of Carrefour to take the CEO of the group but he refused the proposal this month.

"It has been proposed and he said 'no'. It was during November," said the source.

"There is still no candidate to succeed Lars Olofsson," she added.

According to Le Figaro on Friday, the board gave Lars Olofsson to the end of the year to prove itself, especially in terms of achievement of financial targets for 2011.

"(Georges Plassat) is courted for months by the main shareholders of Carrefour.

International creditors of Greece will press Saturday the country's political parties to commit in writing to support the austerity measures required for a new rescue plan and avoid bankruptcy.

Representatives of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will meet with the leader of New Democracy (ND preservatives) was said openly reluctant to provide support for the treatment of austerity imposed by donors.

Asia continues to draw clear of global economic growth, but may be affected by a worsening crisis in the euro area because of its trade and investment links with Europe, said Saturday the director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde.

The latter was speaking at a press conference after his meeting with Japanese Minister of Finance, Jun Azumi.

Former French Minister of Economy has called for strengthening international cooperation and a determined political action in order to ensure a strong, sustainable and balanced.

"(…) We discussed the consequences of the crisis in the euro area, and that it would have for the rest of the world, especially Asia, if it gets worse again."

"In current circumstances, no country can be immune, regardless of its development, its level of emergence or advancement," she warned.

Before arriving in Tokyo, Christine Lagarde visited Moscow and Beijing, hoping to convince Russia and China to invest part of their huge foreign exchange reserves in the bailout funds in the euro area .

The large emerging group of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) are reluctant to invest directly in the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), and prefer to help Europe through contributions to the IMF.

Increase in grants, including Milan slight easing of interest rates in the long run Italian … Silvio Berlusconi's announcement he will leave soon to relieve the financial markets. The Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi

The markets applauded Wednesday morning the next departure of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose ability to recover the finances of his country were strongly questioned by investors. So much so that the pressure on interest rates threatened to kill Italian Italy asphyxiation.

In the wake of the Asian stock market, the European equity markets have in turn opened up. Italian interest rates at 10 years have slightly relaxed the bond market and oil prices climbed. The euro, however, was stable.

Paris and London and took a little over 0.8% at the opening.

"The risk appetite increases, investors favor cyclical stocks at the expense of defensive background of relief related to the resignation of Berlusconi," he told Dow Jones Newswires Justin Rooney, head of sales at CBA in Sydney.

The Italian 10-year rate is slightly relaxed: they amounted to 6.65% Wednesday morning in Asia, after reaching a day high of 6.77% in Europe. Before the announcement of the forthcoming resignation of the head of the Italian government, the 10-year rate had risen to 6.77%, a level unprecedented since the inception of the euro, slightly more than the previous record which dated from the morning same (6.73%).

Sanctioned markets and Italy for its policy and had considered lax in their sights the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, seen as unable to apply the meusres rigor demanded by the European Union.

Lloyds posted a new quarterly loss Tuesday and warned it may need to extend certain financial targets because of the current economic turbulence.

The bank, 40% owned by the British government for a public bailout granted during the credit crisis of 2008, reported a loss for the period January to September of 3.86 billion pounds (4.5 billion euros), of which 607 million for the third quarter.

The group has suffered from declining margins and funding costs rise and warned that it may not achieve some of its performance targets in the medium term until 2014.

The group, however, maintained its annual target of the margins and a reduction of its losses on bad debts, an announcement appreciated by investors.

The action Lloyds, which has lost more than half its value since the beginning of the year, gained 8.3% to 11:00 GMT.

She recorded the largest increase in the European banking sector index, just ahead of Societe Generale (+7.9%), who resigned Tuesday to pay a dividend to its shareholders for the year 2011 to strengthen its capital without public support.

Lloyds was taken aback investors last week by announcing that its chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio was suffering from stress and taking time off, leaving a possible vacancy at the top of the first British bank details.