The Facebook-COR Action begins with a bang

Facebook The action began about 13% above its IPO price on the Nasdaq Friday, completing one of the largest IPOs in the history of the United States.

The transaction enabled the world's first social network to raise $ 16 billion (12.6 billion euros).

Banks consulting group had set Thursday at $ 38 IPO price of the securities at the highest range of introductory, valuing the company at $ 104 billion (82 billion euros).

The action was trading at 42.05 dollars in the first few exchanges. At 3:33 p.m. GMT, three minutes after the first listing, the stock was trading at 40.64 dollars.

Building on the success of the operation, the company had increased by 25% the number of securities being sold to raise it to 421 million.

Friday, some 82 million shares changed hands during the first 30 seconds of official exchanges.

The group's founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, 27, rang the bell to mark the symbolic start of trading on the Nasdaq, since the California headquarters of Facebook.

Become in eight years a major U.S. fortunes, Mark Zuckerberg retains control of the company after the introduction.

Decline in unemployment in the first quarter in the UK

The number of unemployed people in the UK fell in the first three months of the year at their own pace strongest in nearly a year, according to figures released Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics.

The UK economy fell into recession at the beginning of the year, fueling fears that the private sector employees join the ranks of job seekers when State removes some 700,000 civil service posts as part of its austerity measures.

But following the methodology of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the number of unemployed fell by 45,000 in the first quarter to $ 2.625 million.

The unemployment rate actually fell to 8.2%, while the consensus gave unchanged at 8.3%. 

The number of unemployed youth, a very sensitive politically, also declined to 1.02 million, bringing the unemployment rate for those aged 16-24 to 21.9%.

British companies have also increased their workforce for the first time in a year, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (ICPD). The CIPD warns that the changing economic landscape could make it difficult in the short-term improvement on the labor market.

Aer Lingus plays cautiously by paying its first dividend

The Irish carrier Aer Lingus announced Friday it would pay the first dividend in its history as a listed company, but its amount has not been enthusiastically received by investors who expected much more.

Entered the stock market in 2006, the airline announced in July the payment of an ordinary dividend of 3 pence per share in the wake of the release by the group improved its re results.

In total, the group will restore a total of 15.9 million euros.

However, he ruled out any possibility of paying a special dividend, as it did before its competitors Ryanair and EasyJet. 

The financial director of Ryanair, Aer Lingus' biggest shareholder, has welcomed the announcement of a payment, while calling it "pathetic", arguing that a combination of 50 million euros have been ; more appropriate to the billion euros in cash for which the carrier is sitting.

"If we were at Christmas, I would call stingy," said Howard Millar.

Some analysts said that shareholders might be disappointed, but justify the cautious attitude of Aer Lingus in the context of uncertainty that surrounds it.

The gasoline prices recede

This is the first time since the beginning of the pump price move downward. But they remain at a high level. Per liter of diesel appears to 1.4295 euro.

The price of unleaded petrol and diesel at the pump fell last week, moving downward for the first time since January even if they remain at high levels, according to weekly surveys released Monday by the Ministry of sustainable development.

Per liter of diesel, the most fuel sold in France (over 80% of sales) fell to 1.4295 euro against 1.4362 a week earlier, away even further from its historic high (1.4584 euro) established in mid-March. Side of gasoline, a liter of unleaded 95 (approximately 15% of fuel sales) declined to 1.6507 euro against 1.6664 euro to a record last week, unleaded and 98 (about 5% the national fuel consumption) fell to 1.7001 euro, 1.7095 against euro a week earlier (and after peaking at 1.7121 euro at the beginning).

These sales prices at the pump are national averages calculated by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate (DGEC) from data provided by service stations and are greatly exceeded in some service stations. This is the first time since late January that the three fuel categories appear all down, according to statements DGEC.  

Proposal competition for candidates at the Elysee Palace

Since late 2011, fuel prices have been drawn into a spiral upward, due to geopolitical tensions (Iran, Sudan, Nigeria …) that keep crude oil prices at very high levels, and weakening of the euro against the dollar adds to the cost of black gold once its converted value in the European currency.

Unleaded gasoline and had hit a new record last week for the sixth consecutive week, while 98 unleaded climbed from summit to summit without interruption from February until early April, and the oil had chained the Records from February until mid-March. The surge in fuel prices, which hit motorists portfolio, triggered a competition for proposals and cons-proposals from the candidates in the presidential election. The Socialist Francois Hollande, who arrived Sunday ahead of the first turn, pledged if elected to block the fuel prices for three months, a measure deemed absurd and demagogic by outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy, who will play at the second round scheduled on May 6

Map of Bordeaux vineyards passed under the Chinese flag

Château de Viaud in Patache, through the Grand Mouëys, discover new properties fell into the hands of the Middle Kingdom. Since 2011, redemptions accelerated.

The wave of takeovers of Chinese vineyards in the Bordeaux region has increased since 2011. At least a dozen properties were acquired by the Chinese last year. And since the beginning of the year, four transactions were concluded. Among them, the sale of Grand Mouëys in mid-February to Jinshan Zhang, the founder of a major Chinese producer of alcohol goji berries.

And the trend could increase its intensity. This is the month that predicted Jean-Luc Coupet, creator of Wine Bankers, a reference to the wine market transactions. For him, "in this wave of buying, the biggest deals yet to come." The Chinese market is already the leading destination for exports of Bordeaux wines, with about 436,000 hectoliters shipped representing 334 million euros. Besides the 100,000 hectoliters sold in Hong Kong, for 348 million euros. China would it be the future of Bordeaux?

Here are our full investigation "Harvest in the Bordelais Chinese"

The recent Chinese acquisitions in the Bordeaux Appellation Names Purchase Date Buyer Village 1. High Brisson St. Emilion Peter Kwok, Taiwan 1997 Vignonet 2. Latour-Laguens Entre-deux-mers Haiyan Cheng (Longhai Group) 2008 St-Martin-du-Puy 3. Richelieu Fronsac A & A, Hong Kong 2009 Fronsac 4. Old Cy Zhejiang Brondeau Libourne Saint-Earth 2009 5. Chenu Lafitte Cotes de Bourg village Group Haichang 2010-sur-Gironde 6. Viaud Lalande de Pomerol-Cofco 2011 Lalande de Pomerol 7. Laulan Ducos Medoc Richard Shen (Tesiro) 2011 Jau-Dignac-and-Loirac 8. Lagarosse Cotes de Bordeaux Carlico, Hong Kong 2011 Tabanac 9. La Salle Cotes de Blaye 2011 Zhongai Saint-Genes-de-Blaye 10. Monlot Saint-Emilion Zhao Wei and Huang You Long 2011 11 St. Hippolyte. Lafon Listrac Marvelake Listrac-Médoc 2011 Wine 12. Barateau High Medoc Wine Marvelake 2011 Saint-Laurent-Médoc 13. The Bourguette Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux Beverly Koo, Hong Kong nc Saint-Philippe-du-Seignal 14. Lezongars Between the two world seas Dashang 2011 Villenave de Rions 15. La Roche Pressac Cotes de Castillon Skyvast Properties, Hong Kong 2011 Saint Magne de Castillon 16. The Patache Pomerol Peter Kwok, Taiwan 17 2011 Saint-Emilion. Grand Branet Entre-deux-mers 2011 Capian Cheng Qu 18. Branda Puisseguin-Cheng Qu Saint-Emilion 2011 Puisseguin 19. Laurette St. Croix-Mount Cheng Qu 2011 Sainte-Croix-du-Mont 20. Thébot Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux Cheng Qu 2011 Saint-André-and-Appelles 21. Tour-Saint-Christophe Saint-Emilion Peter Kwok, Taiwan 2011 St. Christophe-des-Bardes 22. Bertranon St. Croix-du-Mont Meng Gao Loupiac 2012 23. Between Cugat-deux-mers 2012 n.c. Blasimon 24. Grand Mouëys Entre-deux-mers Jinshan Zhang (Ningxiahong) 2012 Capian

Job creation slows in March in the U.S.

The number of jobs créésa been well below expectations in March in the U.S., which suggests that the Fed has leeway for further monetary easing, although the unemployment rate fell to a three-year low of 8.2%.

The number of jobs créésa was 120,000 in March, reported the Labor Department Friday, the lowest since October 2011.

Economists polled by Reuters expected a number of 203,000 and an unchanged unemployment rate of 8.3%.

Despite the low number of jobs created, average hourly earnings rose five cents per month, while the workweek fell to 34.5 hours against 34, 6:00 in February.

The price war moves lines, mass dismissals

French consumers' purchasing power stagnant or even declining, leave no alternative: the price war is declared over and intensifies, leading to casualties until the hushed offices s branches.

Treasurers and volatile, consumers hunt for bargains, not hesitating to visit several stores or surfing the net to find the best prices.

"Consumers are facing a first tightening of tax and price increases, wage freezes, not to mention the consequences of rising unemployment which lead them to save by cutting their defi ; think, "explains Alexander Mirlicourtois, an economist at the institute Xerfi. 

"In this context of zero-sum game where everything that is earned by some is lost by the other, the short-term strategies of both producers and distributors are very constraints and go through domination by prices and costs, "he adds.

"This is illustrated by the arrival of Free Mobile."

Frank Esser, head of the mobile operator SFR, which contributes 40% to operating income of its parent company Vivendi, has been sacked for not much anticipated the arrival of Free (Iliad).

This is the latest example. In large groups with the French market still represents a significant portion of revenues and profits, it is not good to be in charge of France.

At Carrefour, the replacement in May of the Executive Director for France did not allow the CEO of leading food retailer in France to save his head and Lars Olofsson will leave in June.

Earlier this year, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, whose market share of passenger cars in France fell in 2011, appointed his finance director Frederic Saint-Geours at the head of the management of brands.

POWER AND WANTING TO BUY

"Households have a strong feeling of restriction. They are bombarded with commercial offerings and have the desire to consume, but they feel very strongly that their purchasing power is not up to their 'will to purchase ", said Franck Lehuédé, Department of Consumer Research Centre for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions (Credoc)

……. .. "They make choices, and the first sector they highlight is the recreation and communication. There is a generation effect: even in times of crisis these areas remain safe havens, "he continues

……. .. "Health is another area that goes well the crisis. In an aging society, crisis or not, health spending increases. "

We must also consider spending constraints , some such as housing and energy soared, pushing consumers to restrict all others, especially the equipment housing, automotive, clothing and even food

. In the car, which has largely lost its role as a social marker, the price war is raging in particular small cars entered e range. This segment, which has benefited most from the scrappage scheme, is struggling since the demise of a measure which, in turn, has used drivers at prices even lower.

Household spending in textile-leather were down 5.6% yoy at end-January, according to INSEE.

In food, arbitrations are equally radical. The sector experienced in 2008 and 2009 two consecutive years of decline, the most since World War II. In 2011, these expenditures have stagnated in volume.

"If households do not necessarily consume less in volume, they consume less," notes Franck Lehuédé.

Carrefour, which France represents 43% of turnover and 39.5% of operating income, failed to divest itself of an image of higher price s that some competitors, and sees the market share of its hypermarkets erode steadily.

ABOVE THE INDEPENDENT

Food service, at the confluence of entertainment and food, is symptomatic breaks imposed by the price dynamics with purchasing power at half-mast. The concentration of the industry structured around clusters, chains and brands, will continue.

Independent restaurants with fewer than three employees, representing 60% of institutions-have seen their market share in the turnover of the sector from 30% in 1994 to less than 20% in 2007 and 2020 groups will distribute 45% of meals provided against 38% in 2007, according to research firm Eurogroup presented March 20 by the National Union of ho ; i-bays, restaurants, cafes and caterers (Synhorcat).

"When consumption is down, there is no other choice but to take customers to the competition through a strategy of capturing market share with a continuous expansion of networks distribution, "Alexander Mirlicourtois analysis. "The price war is no thank you and independents will be the main victims in 2012."

If the market is already locked by major retailers, the development is done either by transfer of a sign shop to another, like the 46 Carrefour stores recently spent ; s the flag-U system, whether by merger to the image network of garden centers and Pollen Villaverde who have come together to give birth to a group uniting 185 stores, now the fifth player in the sector.

The same logic was the end of 2010 the approximation of jewelers Histoire d'Or and Marc Orian, who formed a network of over 500 stores under six banners, high of 370 million euros of turnover. 

When the market is not locked or not, the chains held in place their denser mesh and open new stores. This allows them to have an additional strike force with their suppliers to drive prices down and capture the business of the independents.

But "low prices all year need to go deeper into offshoring, to pressurize perpetual sub-contractors, as soon as possible to substitute skilled jobs by unskilled jobs, "notes Alexander Mirlicourtois.

"If, initially, the price decline is pleasing to consumers, deflation is a deadly poison, it's a vicious cycle that becomes self-sustaining and that destroys the value of all goods than that of labor. "

Casino has sued the Galeries Lafayette on Monoprix

Casino confirmed Tuesday it had sued the Galeries Lafayette and their representatives on the board of Monoprix, a joint venture at the center of a conflict between the two groups.

This new episode of the standoff between the legal and financial concerns the two distributors one-year extension, from 1 April, the mandate of the President of Monoprix Philippe Houze, then he should initially return to Jean-Charles Naouri, CEO of Casino.

"Casino confirms having issued a subpoena last week to the Commercial Court of Paris Galeries Lafayette, Philippe Houze, Ginette Moulin (Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Galeries Lafayette and whose family controls the group-ed) and Philippe Lemoine (Monoprix administrator) ", says one in Casino. 

"The objective is to obtain compliance with the agreements between Galeries Lafayette and Casino Casino which provide that holds the Presidency of Monoprix from 31 March 2012."

Casino and Galeries Lafayette, each holding half the capital of Monoprix, put in the public last month their disagreement on the valuation of the sign.

Under a memorandum of agreement between them, the Galeries Lafayette can exercise since January 1 of an option to purchase their shares. But the two sides differ on the value thereof and the Galeries Lafayette assigned Casino courts on this part of the file.

In late February, Jean-Charles Naouri ruled that the climate was "not conducive" to discussions between the parties and said he was ready to assert the rights of his group.

Casino estimates the value of the participation of Galeries Lafayette to 700 million euros while the department stores the value to 1.95 billion.

HeidelbergCement sees 2012 profit up, dividend statement

HeidelbergCement said on Thursday anticipating a rise in operating profit in 2012 thanks to growth in demand in all markets except Western Europe and new measures cost reduction.

The fourth global manufacturer of cement did not specify the magnitude of the expected increase in profit, which should grow well for the third straight year.

"The growth rate expected to ease on most markets because of measures taken to strengthen public finances," said Chief Executive Bernd Scheifele said in a statement.

"Growth rates in emerging Asia and Africa are expected to remain significantly higher than those of mature markets of North America and Europe."

The competitor Lafarge will propose an increase of 40% dividend per share in 2011, to 0.35 euros. Analysts had forecast 0.38 euros, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine

.

BP stock market jumped after agreement on the oil spill

The action was sharply higher BP in London Stock Exchange Monday, boosted by the settlement of a dispute related to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

Around 9:05 GMT, BP gained 2.12% to 507.0 pence. The European oil and gas index lost 0.25%.

BP has entered into an amicable settlement with the plaintiffs' lawyers who had seized American justice. Still pursued by the government and its industrial partners, the British company said it had proposed $ 7.8 billion, of which 2.3 billion to offset losses for fishermen. She stressed that the agreement did not value recognition of its responsibility.

Some analysts argue that the slate is less than expected for the heavy oil.

Jason Kenney, oil analyst at Santander, for its part, BP sees "progress to a margin of 530 to 550 pence in the short term (or more), and perhaps even grow over subsequent quently ".

In all cases, the agreement next week increases the exchange of a negotiated settlement with the U.S. government, in the opinion of analysts.

"This agreement, if implemented, encourages even more the direction of BP to try to reach an amicable agreement (with the U.S. Department of Justice)," said Iain Armstrong ( Brewin Dolphin).