National, World, Business News

The Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo was reported Friday in a lower than expected earnings for the fourth quarter of 2011 and again expect a lackluster fiscal 2012, penalized by a dip in the European market.

From October to December, operating income of world number two sector stood at seven billion Swedish kronor (791 million) while analysts had forecast of 7.2 billion, according to Reuters.

The last quarter of 2010, Volvo had generated operating profit of five billion crowns. 

After enjoying the full recovery of demand in 2010 and during most of 2011, European manufacturers of heavy trucks must now deal with the crisis of sovereign debt in the euro area and fears of a slowdown in global economic activity.

"We maintain our assessment that the market 'Europe of 29' will be about 220,000 trucks in 2012. We anticipate a slow start to the year and a gradual improvement, "the group said in a statement

." We maintain our forecast of continued growth of the North American market at about 250,000 trucks in 2012, "he adds

…… The … backlog fell 7% in the fourth quarter, but the fall is more dramatic in Europe where it has shrunk 24%, overshadowing the 22% increase observed in America The Swedish North

. thinks that the truck market is now stabilizing, albeit at a low level, and should pick up gradually over the years. 

Volvo shows and more optimistic than its competitor Scania, who warned this week that it would reduce its workforce and the volume of some of its investments in anticipation of weak demand in the first half of 2012.

The title Volvo opened up 1.4% to 92.00 crowns.

Vinci said Thursday that its subsidiary had won five contracts Eurovia maintenance of road infrastructure in the UK for a cumulative value exceeding 1.7 billion euros.

The contracts, whose initial terms ranging between five and ten years, covering all aspects of road maintenance, such as routine maintenance, inspection and repair works of Art, emergency response, snow removal and street lighting, Vinci said in a statement.

Two of these contracts were won through a joint venture with the American consulting firm Jacobs.

Unibail-Rodamco said Wednesday night anticipating a growth in recurring earnings per share by about 4% this year after suffering a weaker than expected decline in 2011 in the context of consumption, however, difficult and unstable. Europe's leading commercial real estate has also maintained its target of annual growth in recurring earnings per share of between 5 and 7% on average over the period 2013-2015. "For 2012, the group remains confident about the growth in rents. This perspective is based on strong fundamentals: a low vacancy rates, as limited effort, rents rise and cost of debt content "said in a statement Unibail-Rodamco. The company explains that caution is when the impact of the crisis in the euro area consumption and the situation of teachers, however, can not be ignored. "The net assets has increased, thanks to growth in rents, which is a very positive point. ANR spring with a premium of 15% over the share price, which shows the value remains price, "said Thomas Aubert, the French manager at AM. Before the publication of these results, Unibail-Rodamco has indeed ended with a gain of 2.72% to 150.80 euros, compared to its net asset value (NAV) ERPA triple net stood at 130.70 euros at end-December (4.9% compared to end 2010). Analysts consensus Thomson Reuters I / B / E / S awaited a NAV 131.18 euros. PRIME on sales net rents stand at 1.262 billion euros in 2011 against 1.257 billion a year earlier. Shopping centers on net rents reached 984.1 million euros last year, up 2.4% year on year. At the end of December, the recurring earnings per share of the group came out down 2.6% to 9.03 euros, 8.89 euros against expected by analysts. When publishing its interim results in July, the group reiterated its outlook for a decline in recurring profit for 2011 of between 3% and 5%, given the impacts the exceptional payout in October 2010 and its program of asset sales. Unibail will propose to the General Meeting the payment of a dividend of eight per share in cash, representing a distribution of 89% of its recurring earnings per share as the market expected an average 8.08 euros. Despite the difficult financial markets in 2011, the group rated "A" by rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings, has raised a total of 3.1 billion euros of new financing , medium and long term, in the form of bank loans and bond issues. "It is also interesting to note that even on desks, Unibail managed to achieve growth while all sales were made at a premium," said Thomas Aubert, the net rents of offices increased by 4.2% on a constant basis. Unibail-Rodamco, the market capitalization of 13.8 billion euros, sold 1.084 million euros of non-core business assets and 242 million euros of assets from offices in 2011, with an average premium of 7.8% over the last values ​​of external expertise. The portfolio of development projects of the group, who will deliver this year including the mall Lyon Confluence, the end of 2011 amounted to 6.9 billion euros, 1.5 billion already spent. The market value of the portfolio of Unibail-Rodamco amounted to 25.9 billion euros late last year, up from 1.4 billion end of 2010.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended Friday in a piecemeal, according to a new low of two and a half years in session for the Nikkei, while France and Germany have not reached the day before to convince investors of the imminence of a consensus on the answer to the debt crisis.

The Nikkei lost 0.06% (-5.17 points) at 8,160.01 points, while the Topix, broader took 0.52 points (+0.07%) to 706.60 points.

For the week, the two indexes have lost respectively 2.6% and 1.9%.

At the conclusion of a tripartite meeting in Strasbourg between the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the latter reiterated his opposition to any change in the mandate of the European Central Bank (ECB ) and the introduction of Eurobonds.

"Some investors bought oversold values ​​in the afternoon (Japan), but concerns about the situation in Europe remains" Judge Kenichi Hirano, Tachibana Securities.

According to the Uruguayan Minister, Louis Almagro, Nicolas Sarkozy was very upset to see that its proposed regulation, including tax havens, were not retained. Nicolas Sarkozy.

Luis Almagro, Uruguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs, said French President Nicolas Sarkozy was "very upset" with "the failure of the French strategy at the G20" and that he expressed in his statements on tax havens cause of a crisis with Uruguay.

"I think his statement (was dictated by) the bitterness and is linked with the failure of the French strategy at the G20", held in Cannes (south-eastern France) in early November, said M . Almagro in an interview published Thursday in the weekly Busqueda. "The four or five worn by strengths (Nicolas) Sarkozy at the G20 were rejected, as (the idea) to cap prices or on financial issues, etc..He used the G20 as a political platform, but it emerged weakened because the final statement did not address its program. I think it was upset and he has expressed in this unfortunate statement, "he added.

In early November, Nicolas Sarkozy said after the G20 summit that tax havens would be put "beyond the pale of the international community." He said that was part of the capital Montevideo which "did not have a legal framework for the exchange of tax information." These statements have angered Montevideo. The French government then explained that it was a statement on behalf of G20 and not of France and expressed its confidence in the willingness of Uruguay to fight tax evasion.

Areva's strategic plan will not result in job cuts in France, said Tuesday the Minister of Economy, following a meeting with the CEO of French nuclear group.

The government so far ruled out job cuts, leaving the possibility of voluntary redundancies or job cuts by not replacing departures.

The president of Areva, Luc Oursel said at the meeting that the plan would result "no job cuts, no voluntary separation plan, no impact on the French sites," said Baroin reporters.

Coca-Cola, the world of soft drinks, will invest $ 2 billion (1.46 billion) in India by 2017 to develop its activities in this rapidly growing market.

This represents the total investment in India over the past 18 years by the U.S. company.

Coca-Cola India and its partners wish to invest in marketing and brand image, the extension of distribution networks and the development of production capacity, the company said in a statement.

Coca-Cola employs 25,000 people in India, whose growth is the second fastest in the developed economies, it added.

After having declined slightly in September, prices of consumer goods in supermarkets rose by 0.2% in October. Carrefour supermarket in Antibes.

Prices of consumer goods in supermarkets are starting to rebound in October, with an increase of 0.2% over one month, after stability in September, announced Thursday the National Institute of Statistics and Studies economic (INSEE). Over one year, prices rose 3.2%.

In hypermarkets, these prices rose 0.2% last month after falling 0.1% in September. In one year, rising prices in hypermarkets reached 3.4% compared with a decline of 0.7% a year earlier. In supermarkets, prices rose 0.2% in October, after stability in September. Over one year the increase was 3.3%, after falling 0.4% in October 2010.

European households reduced by 0.8% think expenditures for gifts, holiday meals and outputs, according to a study released Tuesday. In France, spending will increase from 1.9% to 606 euros per household. French households plan to increase spending Christmas from 1.9% to 606 euros per household in 2011

Consumers in countries most affected by the debt crisis, such as Greece, are cut in their budget for Christmas, but the French and other Europeans should forget the rigor and loosen the belt a bit this holiday season, according to a study published Tuesday. Christmas 2011 appears as "the last opportunity to have fun, but without folly, before 2012 is awaited with concern," according to the Deloitte study, conducted among 18,354 consumers in 17 countries in September."The French may have gone too far" in some trade-offs since 2008 and "they relax a little," said Antoine de Riedmatten, a partner at Deloitte, saying they want to "have fun", but "with caution ". For 45% of them think that their purchasing power will deteriorate next year, against 36% last year.

Money and books at the top of desired gifts

The French buy more food and great brands for these feasts, having directed forward towards private labels. Similarly, they offer gifts to a few more people and make a little less gifts grouped, he says. If the criteria price and value guide further choices, well-being will also be preferred, as reflected in the intentions of gifts, third place in spa services, care or massage behind the chocolates and perfumes and cosmetics.

A source close to the government, China is considering investing 50 to $ 100 billion in the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF). Nicolas Sarkozy and Hu Jintao in Beijing, April 28, 2010.

China is considering investing 100 billion dollars to help the euro area to combat the crisis of public debt, reported the Financial Times on its Web site Thursday, citing a government source. "China might be willing to contribute between 50 and 100 billion in the EFSF (European Financial Stability Fund) or to fund a new mounted under his leadership in collaboration with the IMF, according to a person familiar with the intentions of the Chinese leadership" , said the British newspaper.

"If conditions are suitable then something a little over $ 100 billion is not inconceivable," said the person at the Financial Times.