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The U.S. trade deficit widened slightly more than expected in December and the negative balance of trade between the U.S. and China on a new record the entire 2011-295500000000 dollars.

The monthly deficit in the overall balance of trade stood at $ 48.8 billion, showed the statistics released Friday by the Commerce Department, as imports reached their highest level since July 2008.

Analysts polled by Reuters on average expected a figure of 48.0 billion. The November deficit was revised to $ 47.1 billion against 47.75 billion originally announced.

U.S. exports rose slightly in December (0.7%), but nearly two times less than imports (+1.3%).

Over the full year 2011, the trade deficit increased by 11.6% to 558.0 billion, a level not seen since 2008.

Exports grew by 14.5%, exceeding for the first time the threshold of 2,100 billion, while imports recorded an increase of 13.8%, to nearly 2700 billion.

Values ​​to follow on Wednesday at the Paris Bourse, where the CAC 40 advances 0.57% to 3,430.96 points at 12:15, investors hoping that in Greece, leaders policies validate the draft agreement on the reforms demanded by its lenders in exchange for the second aid package of 130 billion euros.

* THE BANKING among the main beneficiaries of the market in hopes of a solution in Greece, while the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) will, according to Director General ral Assistant Christopher Frankel, probably have to play a key role in restoring the situation of the Greek debt.

FARM CREDIT advance of 3.74%, 2.91% BNP Paribas and Societe Generale 2.48%. The Stoxx sector index was 1.25% grants.

* The CYCLIC also benefit from the possible impact on growth in the euro area of ​​a favorable outcome to the crisis in Greece. ALCATEL-LUCENT rose 1.86%, 1.78% of Renault and Lafarge of 1.33%. The Stoxx auto sector is 1.21% and the resource base 1.33%.

* ArcelorMittal (4.25%) is ahead of increases in the CAC 40, the value advantage as the eve of its earnings forecast for 2012, and its solid fundamentals judged by the market ;.

* VINCI (1.79%) said Tuesday night expect a stabilization of its operating margin in 2012 to its 2011 level, in a context of expected stagnation in activity due to uncertainties in Europe.

* TF1 (7.29%) is ahead of increases in the SBF 120 and M6 earns 2.51%, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has raised its recommendation on the two values ​​of "neutral" to "buy" . 

* NEXANS (6.98%), the world of cable, said he was confident for 2012 after a year 2011 marked by strong organic growth but also by a net loss of 178 million euros, a result of provisions related to an investigation of European competition authorities.

* KLÉPIERRE (1.84%) will propose for 2011 a dividend up 7.4%, to 1.45 euros per share, after last year's growth of 3 , 6% of rent, but the land has made no comment on the possible reduction of the participation of BNP Paribas.

* A reverse trend, SANOFI (-1.75%) shows the largest decrease in the CAC 40, 2012 announcing the exercise more difficult than last year with the loss of patents of several of its major EM ; medicines, including its anticoagulant Plavix. 

* EADS lost 1.24% while the euro rose against the greenback in morning its highest level since mid-December to 1.3290 dollars.

* BOURBON (-2.49%) signed the largest decrease in the SBF 120 on profit-taking, analysts said, after rising 29% since the beginning of the year . The group reported an acceleration of growth in the fourth quarter of 2011, which allowed him to cross the symbolic milestone of one billion euros in annual sales, and pre see a continued improvement in 2012.

* FAURECIA lost 1.32% after a gain of 37% between late December and February 7. The supplier has confirmed its 2015 target of sales after a strong 2011 for the automotive supplier, with North America and China and despite an expected slowdown in 2012 in part because of Europe.

PSA Peugeot Citroën, which owns 57.4% of Faurecia, gaining 2.08%.

* THALES (-1.36%) has published an annual turnover down 1% and slightly below market expectations, but confirmed its operating margin targets for 2011 and 2012.

* ADP was down 1.04%. HSBC lowered its guidance on the title to "underweight", against "neutral".

Facebook has made Wednesday a first step towards what will undoubtedly be the IPO the most anticipated of the year, an operation likely to Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the first global networking site, the sixth my largest personal fortune in the world.

The company, founded in February 2004 in a dormitory at Harvard by Mark Zuckerberg, was subject to Exchange Commission a draft on the market that would remove five billion dollars (3.8 billion).

The operation, which promises to be the largest operation of its kind developed for a company in Silicon Valley, is expected by mid-year. It could enhance Facebook to about $ 100 billion.

In documents submitted to the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), said Facebook as 845 million active users.

The group adds that in 2011 registered a turnover of 3.71 billion, from 85% of advertising revenue, and net income of one billion, an 65% increase compared to 2010.

Facebook has selected Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan as leaders of the operation. The other "book makers" are Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital and Allen & Co.

In documents filed with the SEC, it is stated that the base salary of Mark Zuckerberg is $ 500,000, which sum will be reduced to one dollar from 1 January 2013, the bonus of the founder Facebook of being stood at 220,500 dollars in the first half of 2011.

Zuckerberg FACEBOOK COMPARE TO THE PRESS AND TV

"We often talk of inventions such as print and television. Today, our society has reached a turning point, "Zuckerberg wrote in a letter accompanying the documents.

" There is a huge need and huge opportunity to ensure that everyone is connected, to give everyone a voice and contribute to the transformation of society. The extent of technology and infrastructure to be built is unprecedented, "said he.

Total

securities held by Mark Zuckerberg Facebook -1.11 billion-worth some $ 33 billion, based on the value per share of 29.76 dollars per share assigned by the company to its shares on 31 De ; December 2011.

Besides Mark Zuckerberg, who owns 56.9% of the voting rights of the company, the capital before introduction Facebook Stock Exchange is essentially divided between Greylock Partners, Meritech Capital Partners and Technologies DigitalSky and contractors Reid Hoffman, Mark Pincus and Sean Parker.

Group said it employed 3,200 full-time employees at the end of 2011, representing a total increase of 50% compared to 2010. 

Facebook says that its sales would "suffer a negative impact" of the increased use of its services on mobile devices, unless the group starts to run ads on these applications.

Some think that Facebook could raise more than five billion dollars projected in documents sent to the SEC, which further widen the gap between the IPO of the community site and that of Other Internet-related companies that made their debut stock in recent years.

The online game developer Zynga, which contributed 12% of the turnover of Facebook in 2011, has raised a billion dollars at the end of last year. 

At its IPO in May 2011, the professional social network dedicated to LinkedIn, has raised $ 350 million via a placing of shares in the stock market valued at $ 8.9 billion.

In 2004, the Internet giant Google had sold nearly two billion dollars of shares in its IPO.

According to a survey, less than a third of French say they are willing to buy the French public debt. The survey refers to the success of the "day Treasury Bills" in Italy where the people were invited to invest in government debt. 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.

An economic recession can be avoided in Europe, but we must mobilize sufficient resources to calm financial markets, said Thursday the head of economic research of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In an interview published Thursday by La Stampa, Pier Carlo Padoan added that the forecasts on Monday will present projections of growth and very low down on the basis of a negative scenario reflects the severe financial crisis in the euro area.

"No, (a recession) can still be avoided.

Generali, the third European insurer, reported Friday a 37% drop in net profit over nine months under the influence of losses on its debt investments and Greek stock market.

The group, which has had to face write-downs of 824 million euros, 329 million at its own Greek bonds, is now anticipated for all of its fiscal operating profit in the lower range of 4.0 to 4 , 7 billion previously announced.

Its net profit for the first nine months of the year stood at 825 million euros, against 840 million expected by analysts polled by Reuters.

Operating income for the period it is in line with expectations, down 1% to 3.1 billion euros.

The new team will implement the agreement bailout $ 130 billion spent with the European Union and will be sworn in Friday at 24:00 GMT.

"I am convinced that the country's participation in the euro area is a guarantee of stability. We should all be optimistic about the outcome as we will show unity," said Prime Minister-designate.

He said no specific date had been arrested on early parliamentary elections in 2012, being that of 19 February, he said, that a preference.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended down 1.27% Tuesday as investors fearing a deterioration in the European debt crisis when approaching a crucial parliamentary vote in Italy.

The Nikkei lost 111.58 points to 8,655.51 and the Topix, larger yielded 12.42 points (1.66%) to 738.03.

Title Olympus plunged 29%, the group acknowledged having made M & A loans to cover losses on investments in stock dating from 1980.

The Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis announced Tuesday the elimination of 2,000 jobs at the group level and a series of measures designed to absorb the price pressure.

These reductions, announced in conjunction with the release of third quarter results will speak mainly in Switzerland and the United States, and will be offset by the creation of 700 jobs in low cost countries and other countries, Novartis said in a statement.

The group also plans to close two locations in Switzerland and Italy. Part of the research will also be transferred from Switzerland to the United States.

For the third quarter, Novartis presented figures in line with market expectations.Revenues totaled 14.8 billion francs (12 billion), up 18% in dollars and 12% at constant exchange rates.

Net income rose to 2.49 billion francs, an increase of 7% a year in dollars and 15% at constant exchange rates.

Analysts polled by Reuters on average expected a turnover of 14.86 billion francs and a net profit of 2.84 billion.

At 9:25, the title yielded 1.64% to 50.95 francs, while the European Health Index fell back 0.4%.

The French authorities are willing to lower their growth forecast for 2012, considered too high against the global economic slowdown, and thus provide for other relief budget for next year.

Widely expected, the prospect of saving measures or additional revenue in 2012 is only anticipating the re-shaping of the budget after the scheduled presidential and parliamentary elections of spring, whatever the outcome.

The government was caught in August, choosing to keep its forecast of growth of 1.75% next year, while lowering its forecast for 2011, a decision that French officials were justified by the desire not to show a "pessimism" excessive, in an atmosphere of high anxiety related to the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone.

For comparison, the Reuters consensus of economists sees French growth to 0.9% or 1.0% in 2012, Deutsche Bank provides such a very low 0.3%.

The finance minister, Baroin, acknowledged Tuesday that the current target is "probably too high" and it expressed its readiness to further action to meet commitments to reduce the public deficit.

Among the factors explaining these statements, confirmation of the global economic slowdown is reflected in recent indicators and the announcement by Moody's estimated that the stable outlook associated with the French sovereign rating, the famous "triple A".

Germany this week it lowered by almost half its growth forecast for 2012, waiting now 1.0% instead of 1.8%. The German Minister of Economy, Philipp Rösler, explained that "the pace of expansion slowed, as expected."

PRESSURE INCREASED MARKET

The pressure of financial markets has intensified significantly over France since the announcement of Moody's.

The yield on government bonds to 10 years rose sharply, exceeding 3.2% Friday while it was 2.6% in early October.The yield spread with German debt (the "spread") has further increased to over 120 basis points (or 1.2 percentage points) during the meeting, beating the highest in 19 years recorded this week.

No leads have yet been revealed on possible additional measures to keep the deficit reduction promised by France, 4.5% in late 2012 after 5.7% in late 2011. The government has just promised not to touch the devices that it considers useful to support employment, consumption and hence growth.

Baroin said that "we still have enough tax loopholes, if necessary, we will remove them."Hundreds of derogating tax revenue amputate the tens of billions of euros each year.

Personalities of the majority, the rapporteur of the Committee on Finance of the National Assembly, Gilles Carrez, one of the leading experts of the budget in Parliament, to find out that 5 billion or more next year on a public expenditure of about 1,000 billion euros, would not be a problem.

Members who are currently discussing the draft budget for 2012, however, rejected amendments socialists who cut 10 to 15 billion euros of additional tax loopholes next year.

A study by rating agency Standard & Poor's issued Friday said the risk posed to the States a possible return of the recession in the euro area.The scenario of a dip recession could well lead the agency to downgrade two notches notes Portugal, Italy and Spain, the French note of it from AAA to AA +.

A senior Fitch meanwhile said Friday that the agency did not intend to lower the sovereign rating of France. "We have no plans for decommissioning of France," said David Riley, responsible for scores of sovereign debt, to reporters.