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Sony announced Thursday the outlines of a recovery plan providing for the elimination of 10,000 jobs worldwide, representing 6% of its workforce, hoping to return to profit despite the difficulty ; s division of his television.

Led by its new chief executive Kazuo Hirai, the Japanese manufacturer of consumer electronics said he wanted to strengthen its business in mobile telephony, digital imaging and gaming while seeking strategic investments in medical equipment and batteries for electric vehicles.

Sony suffers from declining demand for its televisions to compete more innovative rivals such as Apple or the American South Korea's Samsung Electronics. 

"We heard the many voices calling for change of investors," said Kazuo Hirai, the new boss at a crowd of journalists gathered at Sony headquarters in Tokyo.

"Sony will change," he promised, adding that he intended to become a key player in the global market for mobile telephony.

Kazuo Hirai, who took office as head of Sony last month, said the group aimed for a total turnover of 8,500 billion yen (80 billion euros) in fiscal 2014 – 2015 and an operating margin of over 5%.

Eventually, Sony also hopes to increase to 100 billion yen in sales in the medical field, has indicated Kazuo Hirai. 

In a statement released before the press conference, Sony said, anticipating a restructuring charge of approximately 75 billion yen (705 million) in fiscal year which ends March 31, 2013 .

The group intends to reduce its fixed costs 60% and 30% of its operating costs in televisions in 2013-2014 compared to this year.

Prior to these announcements, action Sony closed up 0.86% to 1,528 yen in Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Group's market capitalization has shrunk by almost 20% over the last month. Samsung is now ten times, while Apple – some Sony executives were considering buying in the early 90s – now represents 30 times its market capitalization.

Sony, like its Japanese rivals Sharp and Panasonic, has suffered in recent years a decline in demand for televisions, fierce competition and competitiveness weighed down by the strong yen.

The group said Tuesday forecast a record annual net loss of 520 billion yen (4.88 billion euros) for its 2011-2012 fiscal year, which is more than double the expected loss in February.

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GDF Suez said Monday he will propose to its shareholders to receive shares in a portion of the dividends for 2011 and 2012 to complete the refinancing of its tender offer to minority shareholders of Britain's International Power.

The group also said they received the unanimous support of its board of directors in the proposed bid at 390 pence per share, which values ​​the 30% stake in International Power holds that yet almost 7 billion euros.

GDF Suez said it offered its shareholder to receive the final dividend in 2011 (0.67 euro) in shares, the payment of the balance being shifted from April 30 May 24, 2012. 

The board of the group decided to offer the same option, subject to successful tender offer to minority shareholders of International Power, for any interim dividend for 2012 that could ê be decided.

"In this context, the French government and Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) have reported to GDF Suez of their intention to select the option in securities for their share of dividends," said GDF Suez said in a statement.

The State and GBL now hold 36% and 5% stake in GDF Suez.

The proposal aims "to complete the refinancing scheme of the proposed bid to minority shareholders of International Power, beyond increasing the previously announced divestiture program." 

GDF Suez said Thursday that he indeed could revise upward its program of asset disposals in case of completion of the transaction.

The GDF Suez closed Monday up 1.06% to 19.575 euros. The company said that the conditions of fixing the exchange value of the stock dividend would include a 10% discount on the average of the last 20 trading days before the general meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 23.

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".

GDF Suez plans to hire nearly 10,000 people in France this year, says its CEO Mestrallet in an interview with Le Monde, published on Monday.

"In 2012, we will hire 7,600 people in CDI and CDD in 2500," he said.

Since the merger between Suez and Gaz de France in 2008, the group has invested "more than 10 billion euros in France, employed 30,000 people and 7,000 signed contracts alternately," added Mestrallet.

"Globally, the group will maintain its investments to the tune of 30 billion euros over 2011-2013, while maintaining a sound financial structure to prepare for recovery."

GDF Suez will publish its 2011 results on Thursday.

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.

The Greek economy contracted by 5.2% annually in the third quarter, according to preliminary estimates by the national statistics agency Elstat and released Tuesday by the European agency Eurostat.

The pace of contraction in gross domestic product (GDP), however, shows a slowdown since the third quarter decline comes after a decline of 7.4% in the second and 8.3% in the first (revised).

Despite this slight improvement, Greece appears to undergo some pout its fourth year of recession in 2011 and there is no indication that things will work out in 2012.

The fall in GDP was largely the result of a drastic reduction in wages and pensions, loss of significant numbers of jobs and an increase of taxation, the measures imposed by international rescue plan for to save the country from bankruptcy.

Greece and its creditors to expect on a 2011 contraction of 5.5% of GDP.

This is an estimate adjusted data when figures released Tuesday are not adjusted.

"A significant improvement is unlikely in the fourth quarter in light of the deteriorating conditions at work with its major trading partners, a feeling depressed household and new austerity measures which took effect in September," said Plato Monokroussos, economist at EFG Eurobank.

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.