Archive for the ‘business success’ Category

Inflation in France to 1.8% expected in 2012

March 28, 2012 - 11:25 am Comments Off

Inflation, excluding tobacco, should register at 1.8% in 2012, Bercy announcement Wednesday after the meeting of the Economic Commission of the Nation, a group of economists that advises the Minister of Economy.

The last update of the multi-year strategy of public finances envisaged inflation excluding tobacco to 1.7% this year.

"Based on an inflation forecast of 1.8% excluding tobacco for 2012 adopted by the Economic Commission of the Nation, Baroin (Minister of Economy, Ed) and Xavier Bertrand (Minister of Labour) indicate that a 2.1% revaluation of pensions will be applied from 1 April next year, "the Ministry of Economy said in a statement . 

"At the 2012 inflation forecast, is added the difference between the inflation recorded in 2011 (2.1%) and the initial forecast for 2011 (1.8%) or 0.3%. Such adjustment ensures complete the purchasing power of retirees, "it added.

What is known about the wealth of candidates

March 26, 2012 - 11:55 pm Comments Off

What wealth conceals the nest egg of presidential candidates? All contenders at the Elysee are required to communicate their heritage to the Constitutional Council. For now, only that the candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has been officially released. Here are pictures, information available on the richness of the main contenders at the Elysee. Fifth

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Nicolas Sarkozy: 2.7 million euros Next Photo 2/5

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Francois Hollande: 1.17 million euros (property) Next Photo 3/5

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Bayrou: 836 881 euros Next Photo 4/5

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Jean-Luc Melenchon: 760 000 Next Photo 5/5

Previous Previous PauseSuivant Marine Le Pen: Heritage not found Next

Excess fees: what will change

March 22, 2012 - 11:55 pm Comments Off

A decree and a decree published Thursday in the Official Journal wants to charge higher fees the mutual most excessive. But the solution does not convince everyone. The overshoot of fees of ophthalmologists in France reached 60% in 2010.

Stop abuse of excess fees. This is the objective of the government on Thursday issued a decree and a decree in the Official Gazette binding the complementary health to repay overruns capped fees of medical specialists. It also set up a sector "optional", in addition to the existing sector 1 and 2. What will it change?

The measure comes into immediate application and requires complementary health (mutual insurance companies, pension funds) to reimburse patients for excess fees capped at 50% above the rate Safely.  

Are concerned overruns practiced by physicians in the operating room (surgeons, anesthetists, obstetricians) who are currently in "Area 2", that is to say, who are allowed to charge more for their patients that the rate paid by health insurance, unlike their colleagues in the majority, engaged in "an area".

These are practitioners who wish to opt for a new area, was called up to "optional AC" and now "option broader coordination". If they limit their exceedances Safely 50% discount for 70% of their technical procedures, health insurance will pay their social security contributions (health, retirement, etc …) about 30% of procedures they will costs continue to make enforceable.

In addition, these practitioners will know that their excesses will be capped and systematically reimbursed by complementary health of their patients, whereas currently they apply their own refund policy, more or less generous.

The decree signed by Prime Minister Francois Fillon forced health contracts known as "responsible", that is to say over 90% of those offered by complementary health, to include reimbursement for the excess capped.  

The order, signed by Health Minister Xavier Bertrand, complete a medical article of the Convention signed in July 2011 by health insurance and union of general practitioners and 50% fixed the permitted block for practitioners choosing " the option of coordination ".

If they were released discreetly, these official documents have provoked many reactions, all very critical. Mutuality French, spearheaded the opposition to "optional AC", condemned the measure. Its chairman Stephen Caniard spoke of "an unreasonable obstinacy of the government."

In a joint statement, Mutuality and the seven unions (CGT, CFDT, CFTC, CFE-CGC, FSU, UNSA) "disagreed (…) and called for" resolute action against the excesses of fees ". "This device runs counter-productive because it does not interest the specialists who practice overtaking the most important as he is a windfall for others", says the text.

The UFC-Que Choisir develops similar arguments and evokes a "black Thursday for access to care of the French," saying that this will cause "a new automatic dues increase of complementary health."

The union of doctors, the Bloc, representing the specialists involved, the concern that not only practitioners of sector 2 are not interested, but those of a sector, whose rates are frozen for years decide to apply those of the option of coordination. In fact, most healthcare players think that a real solution to overflows through a tariff increase effective against a sector by health insurance.

Overtime: the perverse effects of tax exemption

March 21, 2012 - 12:55 pm Comments Off

Many employees who benefit from this measure have their premium reduced employment and housing tax increased. Incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy (here in Lyon March 17, 2012)

The "work more to earn more" is again chipped, supporting figures. According to the union unified tax, the additional income from tax-free overtime is nibbled to taxpayers on low incomes who qualify for the prime pour l'emploi (PPE), mechanically reduced when they earn more.

In his "five-year fiscal balance sheet" presented Wednesday, the Union Solidarity Snui South Treasury highlights the "perverse effects" of the exemption from overtime pay, a key measure passed in 2007, and "unpleasant surprise" for recipients of PPE.  

The additional income generated is not taxed on income "but it is considered in the determination of income tax reference" for the calculation of PEP, said Vincent Drezet, national secretary of the union. In fact, when an employee works overtime, his "reference taxable income will increase" and "this translates into a premium for employment revised down," and also "a housing tax revised upwards "when it was capped, said the trade unionist.

The Budget Ministry, it is not denied but this mechanical effect, it says, "people who work overtime have always seen their incomes increase. In other words," more work "continues to earn more." From the time the person is working overtime, it is normal that the premium for employment is less important, "the ministry.  

To illustrate this, the union made its tax calculations: a single minimum wage paid to declaring taxable income of 13,000 euros and has also received 500 euros for 60 additional hours, receive a reduced PPE of 96 euros (728 euros instead of 824 euros if he had not done overtime) and the amount of its housing tax will increase by 16 euros. Finally, the 500 euro extra income "have resulted in an overall effective tax charge of 112 euros", or 22.4% of the additional on which the employee would have expected count.

PEP is a tax credit, some taxpayers with modest incomes even see their tax increase (when the premium was less than the tax). This is the case for example, according to the union, declaring for a couple of 30,000 euros and 1,500 euros of wage income from overtime: it "will pay 290 euros plus tax."  

However, the union said, "the measure is neutral for taxpayers beyond the thresholds of the EPP." PEP, as Nicolas Sarkozy intends to remove if re-elected to fund lower taxes on low wages, benefits currently to 6 million people, with an average of 450 euros.

Down 16% to 19% of remuneration patterns of BNP Paribas

March 12, 2012 - 6:25 pm Comments Off

BNP Paribas will pay to its three top leaders pay lower by 8% to 19% for fiscal 2011, years during which European banks have begun to restructure to cope with the debt crisis.

Pébereau, in December became honorary chairman of BNP Paribas, and will receive a total compensation of 1.17 million euros, down almost 16%, for its last year as head of the French bank, the group said in its document.

Former CEO Baudouin Prot, who succeeded Pébereau as Chairman of BNP Paribas, meanwhile receive 2.16 million euros, almost 19 % less than in 2010. 

The remuneration of the new Director General Jean-Laurent Bonnafé be lower by 8% to 2.02 million.

BNP Paribas, which accounts for the fourth quarter of 2011 were burdened by greater losses than expected in the banking and investment banking (CIB), had said last month that bonus to be paid in 2011 for traders would be halved.

To adapt to the new regulatory environment that requires banks to increase their capital, the bank has taken since the late summer of measures to reduce the size of its balance sheet and wants to eliminate nearly 1,400 positions in its BFI. 

In addition, 373 positions will be eliminated in the business of asset management, while 433 jobs are threatened at Cofinoga, a subsidiary of consumer credit.

The standard of living minimum wage earners increased due to RSA and PEP

March 10, 2012 - 6:55 am Comments Off

Between 1999 and 2011, real disposable income of SMIC employees has increased by over 10% while the net minimum wage increased by only 5%, according to a study by the Treasury. This increase is due to PEP and RSA. The minimum wage (SMIC) increased from 8.86 to 9 euros gross time to reach 1,365 euros for 35 hours, or about 1,073 euros net per month.

Between 1999 and 2011, real disposable income (taking into account inflation) paid to employees the minimum wage has increased by over 10%, reflecting gains in purchasing power, while the only net minimum wage No ' increased by only 5%, according to research revealed by Treasury Les Echos on Friday. "The disposable income of a single person without children, who have worked full time and paid at the hourly minimum wage increased 12%, while that of a single person inactive decreased by 2% in real terms," ​​said the study.

This "strong growth in household disposable income at minimum wage over the last decade is mainly due to the introduction of measures to support activity that are PEP and RSA," say the authors. The employment bonus (PPE) was created by Lionel Jospin in 2001. This is a tax credit enjoyed by tax households where at least one spouse works. It is reserved for lower wages. On the RSA (RSA) came into force in 2009. It replaces the RMI and provides additional income to the working poor.  

Both devices are often criticized because they have their faults, most prominently the fact that they coexist and are therefore redundant. The candidate Nicolas Sarkozy wants to also remove the PPE, to fund relief from social security contributions on wages els between 1 and 1.2 Smics.

Read about: Winners and losers of the elimination of the earned income tax

However, the assistance provided by these devices is "between half and all proceeds of purchasing power" of SMIC employees, the study says the Treasury, according to family structure and working hours. The RSA and PEP have particularly benefited one-income couples and part-time. This has resulted, says the Treasury to reduce the share of earned income in the household disposable income at minimum wage. The net salary represents only 56% of disposable income at the minimum wage for a single half-time, against 73% in 1999, and 93% for a single full-time.

Another contribution of the study population is very heterogeneous smicards. Only 45% are employed full-rate all year. 30% have owned a standard of living above the median, with the income of their spouses. The more modest 25% have a lower standard of living to 12 000 per year, against 19,400 euros for the 25% most affluent.

For VW, 2012 shows that the 2018 objectives are available

March 5, 2012 - 11:45 pm Comments Off

Figures solid vehicle shipments posted since the beginning of 2012 show that Volkswagen is able to achieve its objectives for 2018, said Monday the president of his Executive Martin Winterkorn.

"During the first two months of the year, vehicle deliveries show convincingly that VW has the resources," he said from Geneva, where stands a Motor Show.

In January, the group recorded a record number of 652,500 deliveries. This trend continued in February, he said without giving figures.

VW, already Europe's number one automotive, intends to sell more than 10 million vehicles by 2018 and achieve a pretax profit margin of around 8%.

The perverse effects of the bonus-malus automobile

March 3, 2012 - 8:55 am Comments Off

This device has not reduced CO2 emissions, however. Concerned, the greatest number of vehicles purchased, and higher mileage. In 2008, emissions of CO2 from cars rose by nearly 170 kilotonnes per quarter.

On 1 January 2008, the ink of the Grenelle Environment barely dry, the bonus-malus ecological comes into force. His goal: reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the French fleet, by encouraging financially the purchase of low emission vehicles. "This is to give a competitive advantage to virtuous products," brags Borloo, Minister of Ecology.

Las … Researchers at the INSEE recently shown that the device had actually resulted in higher total CO2 emissions. Yes, the French began to buy greener cars: average emissions of new vehicles increased from 149 grams of CO2 per kilometer in 2007 to 130 grams in 2010. But this performance was not exceptional: the period, France ranks only sixth European countries where such discharges have declined most. And, above all, it is not enough to say that the measure has actually rendered service to the environment. "The fleet size, composition, mileage per car [...] and the effect on sales of new vehicles must also be taken into account," insists the study.

Measure the effects of mixed origin CO2 (1) short-term (2) long-term (3) releases due to the "greening" of cars – from 80.4 to 155.0 releases due to the increase in the number of kilometers traveled per vehicle + 6.1 + 73.0 releases due to the construction of additional vehicles + 232.1 + 29.0 releases due to the rising number of automobiles in circulation + + 10.4 + 9.5 Total 168 , 2 to 43.8% in total emissions (actual or projected) + 1.2% – 0.4%

All this put together, emissions of CO2 from cars have actually increased by almost 170 kilotonnes per quarter for 2008 alone. The French, encouraged by the extent and fearing it disappears, bought more cars: the overall volume of sales in early 2008 was 13% higher than expected without the device. Hence an increase of the mechanical quantity of CO2 emitted. Besides the automobile manufacturing industry is very clean: from the Environment Agency and energy management, it generates 5.5 tonnes of CO2 per tonne produced. Added to this is finally a "rebound effect": the households buying more economical vehicles may tend to use it more.

The device has boosted sales of diesel, more polluting

In the longer term, the INSEE experts are somewhat less negative about the bonus-malus. Admittedly, the government tightened the device in 2010 because it was too costly for public finances (1.5 billion euros in cumulative). The new scale would push manufacturers to innovate and bring to market cars less polluting. Over time, this would offset the negative effects already mentioned.

But this is an argument "all things being equal". In real life, the economic crisis has pushed the State to establish, shortly after the creation of no-claims bonus, a "cash for clunkers". According to the Court of Auditors, the two measures, together, have had "a positive effect on purchases of smaller vehicles, to the detriment, at least temporarily, public transport". With, ultimately, a zero profit for the environment.

Worse, if one takes into account all of the pollution emitted by cars, the impact is even strongly negative. Also according to the Court of Auditors, it is unfortunate that "the bonus-malus system based on the single objective of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, without taking into account [...] nitrogen dioxide, fine particles or nitrogen oxides ". This led to a postponement of buyers to diesel vehicles, more efficient in terms of CO2 emissions, but much less regarding these other pollutants. But these are very harmful not only for the planet, but also for the health …

Quarterly loss greater than expected for Credit Agricole

February 23, 2012 - 8:24 pm Comments Off

Credit Agricole said Thursday a net loss more severe than expected in the fourth quarter of 2011, to 3 billion euros, due to heavy writedowns related to the crisis area euro and restructuring costs of its banking and investment banking (CIB).

The bank, listed vehicle Crédit Agricole group, said in a statement it had also passed a new supply of government debt, 220 million euros, bringing the discount on debt public of this country to 74% against 75% for BNP Paribas and Societe Generale.

The last three months of 2011, its provisions have generally been multiplied by 2.5, while its net banking income rose 4%. 

As announced in December, Crédit Agricole has recorded for 2.5 billion euros of writedowns in the fourth quarter 2011.

The bank also said that apart from these impairments, restructuring costs amounted to 482 million euros.

"Net banking income was impacted by EUR 258 ​​million in corporate and investment due to the disposal of portfolios," said she.

According to the consensus reached by the editor of Reuters, analysts on average expected a loss of 2.7 billion euros.

For the full fiscal 2011, the bank falls into the red with a net loss of 1.47 billion euros. 

Taken together, the Crédit Agricole group, however, shows a net profit of 812 million euros, which compares to a profit of six billion euros for BNP Paribas and 2 , 4 billion for Societe Generale.

Like many other institutions, Credit Agricole, already enmeshed in the difficulties of its Greek subsidiary Emporiki, has launched a restructuring of its BFI that includes: the removing more than 1,700 positions.

At the Paris Stock Exchange, the shares finished agricultural Wednesday down 3.76% to 5.01 euros. The title has nonetheless gained nearly 15% since the beginning of the year after plunging more than 50% in 2011.

November 28, 2011 - 11:15 am Comments Off

Groupama will raise 1.8 billion euros through asset sales, including a 44% stake in the group of real estate Silic and Eurocourtage GAN insurance broker, said on Monday in a source familiar with the matter.

The French mutual insurer wants to raise 800 million euros by the end of the year by selling its share in silica, which is now the subject of preliminary discussions with several companies of real estate and insurance, said the source.

Groupama is also looking to sell its subsidiary GAN Eurocourtage, which he expects at least one billion euros, she said.