Greek parliament vote austerity in a climate of violence

The Greek parliament approved on the night of Sunday to Monday for new austerity measures in an atmosphere of considerable tension in Athens, where buildings were burned in clashes between rioters and security forces, while violence were reported in several other cities.

This law, which provides 3.3 billion of budget savings through drastic new cuts in wages and pensions and a new wave of job cuts in the public service, is required e by the donors of Greece – European Union (EU), European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) – in exchange for a new aid of 130 billion euros considered essential to avoid bankruptcy at home. 

While MPs were debating Sunday in the walls of parliament, tens of thousands of Greeks had gathered outside, on the Constitution Square (Syntagma) , to denounce this new course of rigor, two years after the beginning of this policy of austerity.

In the late afternoon, violence erupted, the worst in Greece since the weeks of riots in 2008 which succeeded the death of a teenager 15 years killed by police.

Cinemas, cafes, shops and bank branches were burned in the center of the capital while the masked demonstrators battled riot police near the Parliament . According to police, a total of 34 buildings caught fire and 150 shops were also looted.

State television reported violence in the resort island of Corfu, Crete, Thessaloniki, northern Greece, and in cities across the center of the country , Volos and Agrinio.

LESSER EVIL

Technocrat appointed in November at the head of a government backed by the country's two main, Lucas Papademos has denounced the violence. "The vandalism, violence and destruction have no place in a democratic country and will not be tolerated," he told parliament.

Shortly before the vote, he warned MPs they would commit a grave mistake if they did not approve of this new package of savings which represents for him a lesser evil compared to the possible consequences of bankruptcy.

"We have before us a comprehensive and credible economic program to overcome the economic and fiscal crisis. This is a program that preserves more than anything else, the country's place within the euro area, "said Lucas Papademos, while recognizing the level of effort demanded to his fellow citizens, especially facing a 22% decrease in the minimum wage

. "The implementation of full, effective and timely in this program will not be easy. We are fully aware that this economic program involves short-term sacrifices for the Greek population. "

Finally, 199 members of 300 approved the text but 43 ¨ elected PASOK (Socialist) and New Democracy (conservative) did not comply with the watchword of their party and were excluded on the scope of their training

. Outside the parliament, the air in Syntagma Square was wrapped with tear gas and Police charged the young men throwing stones elusive and Molotov cocktails. In heaven stood wide columns of smoke from buildings on fire

.

"We are facing destruction. Our country, our house is about to burn. The center of Athens is in flames. We can not let populism reduce our country to ashes, "exclaimed the elected Conservative Costis Hatzidakis

. At the inside the parliament, we could hear the explosions of grenades used by police

. Frightened, the residents and tourists took shelter in hotel lobbies to escape the violence and irritating gases

. "ENOUGH, C IS ENOUGH "

Among the buildings burned included Attikon Cinema, a building of neoclassical style built in 1870, and a building housing the cinema Asty, a room in the basement converted into a torture chamber by the Gestapo during World War II

… …… For many Greeks, the new austerity measures that do delve a little deeper into poverty. 

"Enough is enough!" Exclaimed Manolis Glezos, 89-year historical figure of the Greek left, at the rally in Syntagma Square.

"They have no idea what it means to an uprising of the Greek people. And the Greek people, ideas all political persuasions, is beginning to lift, "said the hero of the resistance during World War II, who had managed to remove a Nazi flag from the Acropolis in 1941

. The Greek political leaders are under intense pressure from the EU and IMF, who accuse them of not to implement the promised reforms since 2010 and thus threatening the whole euro area

. Germany, first saving Europe, has launched a new call to order Sunday as Greece needs of international funds by March 20 to pay on that date of € 14.5 billion of debt coming to e ; personshall lose. 

Asked about Greece by the Welt am Sonntag, the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, said: "It is important to say that it can be a bottomless pit . This is why the Greeks will finally have to clog the well. Then we can put something. (…)

"The Gre it must do its homework to become competitive, it requires a new rescue plan or some other way that we do not want to (…) ", he added, referring to an output of the euro area

.

The CDC meets on Wednesday resumed Dexma

The final pattern of the recovery of Dexma, a subsidiary of French bank Dexia being dismantled, should be arrested by the end of the week while Caisse des Depots (CDC) meets on Wednesday its supervisory board on the subject, Reuters reported Tuesday sources familiar with the matter.

Agreement on the resumption of Dexma (Dexia MA), specializing in refinancing loans to local authorities, is crucial in today dewatering of loans to community ; s French local. 

Caisse des Depots, who had already participated in the rescue of Dexia in 2008, and the Post Bank should take over from the Franco-Belgian bank in this market with the launch, expected to ; mid-2012, a new public bank dedicated to local governments.

"The supervisory board of the Fund is meeting tomorrow (Wednesday, Ed)," Reuters said a source familiar with the matter.

"There will be a point on Dexma," said a second source confirming the meeting of the supervisory committee of the CDC.

Two other sources familiar with the talks added that an agreement on Dexma was now imminent.

"This is about one to two days. It will be before the end of the week, "said one of these sources

. The Fund deposits declined e to comment while no one was immediately available to respond at Dexia

. Under the dismantling of the former world leader in financing local government, the French state could eventually take a stake of around 25% to 33% in Dexma to defeat the re ticences of the Deposit to resume this structure whose loan portfolio, valued at approximately EUR 80 billion, could be toxic ……. FOUND AN INVOICE

.. TOO HEAVY FOR THE CDC

The Post Bank would in turn take a minority stake of 5% in the initial plan provided last fall. News reports have mentioned these days a stake of up to 7%.

In recent weeks, several members of the parliamentary committee to monitor the CDC has expressed concern over the increase in numbers of the Deposit in favor of businesses hit by the crisis, as was the case with the bailout of insurer Groupama.

Fearing that the CDC can not alone bear the brunt of the resumption of Dexma, some of them felt that direct intervention of the state was desirable to reduce the invoice. 

A final agreement on Dexma will also submit to the creation of new public bank for local communities, some of them likely have to abandon or postpone investment projects due to lack of credit banking.

According to forecasts by Dexia Credit Local, some 10 billion euros in 2012 could fail to secure the financing that French local authorities have required banks deserting the market because of the crisis and new prudential rules.

Plastic Omnium wins a contract with Audi, the title jumped

Plastic Omnium said Thursday it had won, through its subsidiary, Inergy Automotive Systems, a contract to supply from 2015 to Audi system to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides for engines diesel (SCR).

This order represents an annual volume of 500,000 SCR systems for a estimated turnover of 500 million euros over the life of the vehicle, said the e quipementier car in a statement.

Around 11, the title won 3.63% to 21.13 euros, and signing one of the highest increases in the SBF 120 (0.07%). Stoxx index of auto sector was down 0.58% on his side.

"While this is great news n'impactera the group accounts as from 2015, it nevertheless proves that its focus on reducing emissions and 'relief of the vehicle makes sense, "said in a note CM-CIC Securities.

"We believe that the group has the necessary weapons to continue to grow revenue while maintaining its good fundamentals (…)", added through the purchase of the title.

The value also has a remedial purpose, Plastic Omnium has fallen by nearly 16% between late July and February 1, against a decline of 10% of Stoxx index automotive sector.

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.

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.

Death is expensive in France

Bury or cremate their dead costs on average 3,000 euros, according to a survey of the UFC-Que Choisir. The difference between the cheapest quote (1300 euros) and the most expensive (6100 euros) shows that competition is not enough. Cemetery of Pantin, near Paris

Bury or cremate their dead is a complex and costly journey to the consumer who must deal with often exorbitant prices and specifications are difficult to obtain or abuse in an industry where competition is not. The cost of the passage from life to death can be multiplied by five, depending on the selected services and burial.A survey of UFC, released Tuesday, provides a range of 1300-6101 euros between the cheapest quotes and the highest, at an average cost of 3098 euros, almost equivalent to a burial or cremation.

These differences show that the competition is not enough, and especially since customers weakened by grief often accepts the estimate prepared by the provider first met. "Play competition, even in the case of death, it's not butt, although some operators do not hesitate to make this argument vicious" to corner the families to pay a high price, told the AFP Alain Bazot, president of the association.The "first condition" of healthy competition, he says, is a quote "transparent and legible for comparing and sorting" between mandatory services and plenty of optional services (flowers, toiletries, conservation , dressing, porters etc. ..) always available.

The price of the coffin varies from 950 to 1300 euros, care to the deceased from 90 to 150, the burial chamber from 250 to 400, and administrative procedures handled by the operator 110 to 263 euros. However, the benefits required by law, can be summarized in a coffin 22 mm – 18 mm for a cremation – a mechanical seal, four handles, an identification plate, and a vehicle authorized to transport the deceased.

Reinvigorate competition

A ministerial order intended to force since August 2010 funeral operators to establish transparent and legible quote, did not provide a satisfactory answer, according to Mr.Bazot: 97% of estimates collected by UFC does not conform to the regulatory model, 39% only partially meet the criteria, and 18% of 997 shops visited refused burial to establish a personalized quote. The constraint can not be effective if accompanied by sanctions, and this, according to Bazot, the Directorate General for Competition (DGCCRF) must become a "deterrent" in imposing penalties financial.

DGCCRF objected that "this is the field establishing PV" including crimes (in case of deception on benefits). Paid for justice to follow. DGCCRF also conducts investigations "to identify more discrete agreements between operators or abuse of dominant position". For in this local market, franchisees and independents, too often only locally, abuse of that exclusivity.

"There are ways to enhance certain operators and avoid the ill will of others," says Bazot proposing to inform consumers through brochures available in hospitals, nursing homes, and town halls. "It's not revolutionary, he says, but it can revitalize the competition."

Are we really rich with 6000 euros per month?

For the French, a person is rich if its income reached 6,308 euros per month. This is six times less than the threshold set by the government for the implementation of the future tax on the rich.

What a rich? As defined by the Oxford, Cambridge, is a person who has "a relatively large amount of money." The French have a much more accurate definition of wealth. For them, on average, a person may be considered "rich" when its income reached 6,308 euros per month, according to a poll published in the Journal Ifop Sunday. Two-thirds (66%) of respondents, a person is rich when it gains between 2000 and 5000 euros per month.

These figures are the wealth to 5 or 6 times the monthly poverty threshold (954 euros net per month).They are mostly in line with the scale of income tax: the marginal tax rate (the top rate of income set at 41%) apply from 70 830 euros per year, or 5900 euros monthly.

This perception of wealth of the French is in any case far from the government. Tax the rich announced in late August by the Government to fight against the deficit, a key measure of the budget in 2012, provides for taxing income at 3% tax above 500,000 euros per unit per year, or 41,666 euros per month. Parliamentarians should, however, as part of the budget vote in the Assembly in October and November in the Senate, lowering the threshold to 250,000 euros or 20,833 euros per month.

In the first case, the tax affects 10,000 homes. In the second, 25 000 households.Which corresponds to only 0.01% of the French richest, according to Insee, while 10% receive an average income of around 6000 euros per month threshold at which the French are wealth.

Increase in the morale of U.S. households

The index of U.S. consumer sentiment rose in September but the Americans have no faith in the future, the sub-index measuring expectations being at their lowest since 1980.

Index Thomson Reuters / University of Michigan on Friday stood at 57.8 (provisional figure) in September against 55.7 in August. The index in August was the lowest since November 2008. The consensus of economists polled by Reuters gave 56.5.

The expectations sub-index fell to 47.0 against 47.4, the lowest since May 1980.The outlook 12 months decreased to 38 against 40, the lowest since February 2009.

The sub-index of current conditions rose to 74.5 against 68.7 (consensus 68.0).

The sub-index of inflation expectations one year falls to 3.7% against 3.5% and at 5 to 10 years at 3.0% against 2.9%.