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Higher oil prices supported the results of Repsol, which announced Thursday up 4% of its first quarter earnings, excluding the majority stake in energy group seizure YPF by the Argentine government.

On a pro forma basis, net income adjusted for exceptional items and storage costs stood at 474 million euros in the first quarter, supported by the rise in pe Petroleum and good performance in the liquefied natural gas.

Including YPF, its net profit fell 3% to 635 million euros, said the oil group.

At the Madrid Stock Exchange, the action Repsol gained 5.03% to 13.790 euros at 9:10 GMT, while the European index of oil and gas sector in Europe progressed by 0.3%. 

The title still shows a loss of 42% since the beginning of the year, heavily affected by the announcement last month of the seizure of his 51% stake in YPF in Buenos Aires.

This expropriation should result in a legal battle around the issue of compensation for Repsol.

The group, which opens new markets, to unveil his new strategy on May 29

Low-fat diet for households and businesses, slashing the state budget and credit crunch could lead bank for Spain by years of economic stagnation, and force her to ask, such as Greece, an international aid.

Forced by the European Union to reduce the deficit and meet the new budget rules, the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy promised that the draft budget presented Friday would be "very, very austere." 

While the Spanish economy is already on the verge of its second recession in three years, that unemployment exceeds 22% and that the costs of bonds go up, Some economists predict the country a "lost decade" like the one Japan experienced in the 1990s and which he never fully recovered.

Others, including the Italian Prime Minister, Mario Monti, consider that Spain could result in the entire euro area a new crisis.

"We signed a suicide pact, Europe, accepting that everyone could save," said Luis Garicano, an economist at the London School of Economics and a researcher in the circle reflection Spanish FEDEA. "Europe must admit that this creates a downward spiral that does a disservice to anyone."

The Spanish economy, characterized by a debt of nearly 70% of gross domestic product (GDP) and private debt among the highest in the euro area , represents more than twice those of Ireland, Portugal and Greece combined, which excludes its partners leaves the sink.

DRYING OF CREDIT

In financial markets, the financing costs of the Spanish debt have certainly receded after last year reached their highest levels for 14 years, but the recent renewed concern weeks resulted in a rise in yield spreads between Spanish and German bonds. 

"There is a risk that Spain forced eventually to seek financial assistance in order to borrow at reasonable interest rates," said Ben May at Capital Economics.

The draft government budget Rajoy will include at least 35 billion euros in savings and new revenues, including an increase in certain taxes and wage cuts and staffing in the Public .

And Budget 2013 promises to be just as rigorous.

Problem: Spanish domestic demand, a key driver of growth in the boom years before the crisis, is now more to go.

The country's GDP expected to contract 1.7% this year. In turn, property prices fell 11.2% in the fourth quarter of last year and some are predicting 30% price decline further. The construction sector, flourishing during the housing boom, collapsed after 2008, which resulted in several million additional unemployed.

The unemployment rate in Spain is thus twice the average for all EU and approach 50% among youth. The kingdom also displays the rate of development of the highest poverty in Europe.

POLICY DANGEROUS TURN

The situation of enterprises is not much better and even the most promising sectors are cutting their workforces, like tourism (11% of GDP), where the group Sol Melia had sell assets in late 2011 to reduce its debt, despite the increased number of visitors favored by the Arab spring.

"At this stage, in the absence of significant changes in reservations in view of the first book, we prefer to adopt a wait, and especially if we take into account the weak position of the Spanish market, "said the group managing director, Gabriel Escarrer.

Bank credit, it is virtually at a standstill. The financial sector, captured by a vast movement of consolidation and mergers, has instructed the government to strengthen its financial strength by injecting 50 billion euros in its balance sheets.

"I do not expect any credit growth this year: it will not accelerate as the economy slows," said a senior industry.

This drying up of lending in Spain affects both large, established companies that families bold enough to ask for a mortgage.

"We are one of the strongest Spanish companies but banks simply will not lend," says an executive from a leading company, who requested anonymity. 

His group nevertheless manages to borrow in the bond markets, which are obviously inaccessible to smaller businesses.

Some economists believe the situation in Spain is unfortunately similar to that of Japan in the 1990s. At the time, the shift to austerity operated by Tokyo in 1997 while the private sector was working to pay off debt had resulted in five quarters of contraction Japanese GDP and a soaring budget deficit.

"The recession will last much longer if the government continues to insist on fiscal consolidation at a time when the Spanish private sector debt reduction," said Richard Koo, Nomura Research Economist Institute in Tokyo.

"It took ten years in Japan to recover from this error policy. I would hate to see Spain follow the same path."

A disappointing statistic relating to properties in the United States a pretext to the consolidation of stock markets Wednesday. European shares ended little changed in exchanges provided little in the wake of Wall Street at the same time.

In Paris the CAC 40 finished with a decline of 0.1% to 3,527.37 points. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 index of European banking achieves the worst performance, with a 0.9% decline, due to the unexpected drop in home sales in the old United States.

Home sales in the former fell in February in the U.S. and inventories of unsold homes increased, according to data released Wednesday by the National Federation of Estate Agents ( NAR).

After two sessions of declines, investors hoped that this statistic would be in line for a confirmation of the recovery in the United States.

According to observers, after the pause in Wall Street and European markets, markets will start rising. 

At the macroeconomic level, the British government announced a lower top rate of income tax and new taxes on large estates by unveiling a budget expected to provide better re ; partition of the burden of austerity while strengthening the announced reduction in the deficit.

The rumor of an ouster of CEO of Veolia Environnement in favor of Mr. Frérot Borloo, after a maneuver made by the boss of EDF Proglio, close to Nicolas Sarkozy, sparked a lively debate Monday politics. The former minister and the president strongly deny. The Elysée to maneuver to place Borloo Veolia? The accusation is "absurd", according to the Sarkozy camp.

"The arrangements between friends of Fouquet's''," a president of the combined business and "" … These are some qualifications of the various political parties to protest a possible arrival of Borloo to head Veolia. Mentioned by several newspapers, the hypothesis has fueled outrage among rival Nicolas Sarkozy denouncing his intervention in the appointment. According to Le Monde, Libération and Les Echos, the operation was led by Henri Proglio, the boss of EDF remained a director of Veolia. It would "head of Antoine Frérot", his successor, and would be heard "at the beginning of last week" on its replacement by Borloo, former Minister of Ecology.

Which formally denied: "If, for many months, several national and international groups have contacted me in particular so that I bring my analysis informally on their evolution and their business – this was the case recently for Veolia, neither more nor less-everything else is just speculation, manipulation, or even a desire to harm ". The former number two in the government then said: "As I always said, my schedule today is exclusively political. I have confirmed that I have not decided to end my political career and remains focused on building a future for France. "

For its part, Proglio said that Veolia deserved better than "those waves of political rumors". Antoine Frérot, he wrote an internal letter to employees of the group, citing a "company of destabilization".

Source close to the council, seven directors Proglio support the project, seven against and three are still undecided, that seeks to convince Alain Minc, another close to Nicolas Sarkozy. Officially, everyone is silent. In its presidential campaign, all the opposition – left, center and FN together – is leapt to denounce a "conflict of interests" and "arrangements between friends of Fouquet's", the Sarkozy camp trying to extinguish the Fire minimizing simple "press rumors".

Sarkozy: "It's absurd"

"Republic How are we?", Has protested Monday Francois Hollande, the Socialist candidate for favorite presidential polls, Nicolas Sarkozy in lampooning "the candidate of confusion, arrangements". Same story for Europe Ecology Party the Greens (EELV). This is a "farce", denounced the environmentalist Eva Joly, citing a "conflict of interests rarely seen" and "contempt of the Republic". "Before leaving, Sarkozy puts his friends," added the National Front, while the modem call to "turn the page on these practices." "It is abnormal that the policy interferes in the affairs of a private group like Veolia. What credit do we give to the group to negotiate with local authorities?" Railed Deroubaix Hervé, Steward CFDT.

For his part, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, speaking as Minister of Ecology, denied "formally" any government involvement in the possible appointment of Jean-Louis Borloo. "Veolia is a company under private law, the government does not meddle in any way the choices made by its directors. It does not get involved now and do not mingle in it", she said to the AFP. According to Le Parisien, Proglio seek to ensure his rear in case of arrival of the Left to power in May. Nicolas Sarkozy has swept the controversy with the back of the hand. the Head of State called on Monday BFMTV "absurd" the hypothesis of an intervention by the Elysée. "The Elysee is behind a possible appointment" of Borloo to Veolia, the question does one out of his campaign headquarters, in the fifteenth district. "It's absurd," he replied.

Currently, only businesses in tourist areas can open on Sundays. Nicolas Sarkozy, if elected, will extend these conditions, says Frédéric Lefebvre. Frederic Lefebvre, Secretary of State to the Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry, responsible for trade, craft, small and medium enterprises, tourism, services, professional and consumption

President Nicolas Sarkozy wants, if re-elected, "broaden the conditions for opening of shops on Sundays," said a statement read on his behalf Friday by Secretary of State for Trade Frederic Lefebvre. It's "give you more freedom, it's growth for your business is employment for the French," he added, among others, in this statement read to the Estates General of Trade at Bercy.  

This measure is also "purchasing power" for employees and will "strengthen the tourist attraction that France is strong," the statement added, without specifying what form these would take "flexibility" in opening Sunday. The Trade Council of France asked him the opportunity for traders to open free from 10 to 12 Sundays a year, even when they are outside the tourist area.

The Labour Law of Sunday August 10, 2009 can store openings on Sundays that vary with the type of business and location (specific tourist areas or perimeter). Apart from cases under that Act, all stores may open five Sundays a year on administrative authorization.

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.

Fever market does not seem to stop. So many voices calling for the ECB buys massive amounts of government securities in difficulty to break the panic and speculation. But is this really the solution? ECB

In the state of current market panic, the ECB is more than ever figure of last bastion of the euro area. Provided, however, she agreed to play this role … Italian interest rates still evolving around 7% Thursday, an unsustainable level on the scale of a few months. And fears of contagion from France have propelled the difference in interest rates between Germany and France to a new record (204 basis points difference, France into debt at a cost of more than two times higher).Sign that it is a disruption of markets, interest rates of other states in the euro area AAA rated – such as Finland or the virtuous Netherlands – are also affected.

In this context, increasing the pressure on the European Central Bank in order to redeem government bonds heavily attacked. The Nobel Prize in Economics Paul Krugman recently called for greater involvement of the ECB. "It should send a clear message and say" we buy as many (sovereign debt) than necessary. "In France, many economists on the left are also campaigning on this issue. Even in Germany, there are voices in this sense Like Peter Bofinger, an economist and adviser to the German government. "It's not attractive … But we must clearly realize that it's an emergency.

The coalition parties are divided on aid to Greece. The Prime Minister threatened to resign if the Slovak Parliament does not vote, this afternoon, strengthening the EFSF. If the vote is negative, the mechanism of rescue of Greece is paralyzed. Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova and the president of Freedom and Solidarity Movement (SaS) Richard Sulik in negotiations for el parliamentary vote of expanding the EFSF on 10 october 2011.

The Slovak coalition parties, on the brink because of a profound disagreement on strengthening the Rescue Fund of the euro area (EFSF), should continue their last-minute negotiations Tuesday morning, a few hours of the crucial vote in Parliament . A small party of the four-party coalition, the Freedom and Solidarity Movement (SAS), is willing to torpedo the EFSF during the vote, expected in the afternoon.

Facing the worst crisis since the installation of his cabinet in July 2010, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova threatened to resign if the coalition could not agree, according to the Slovak press. According to news agency SITA, has offered to link the vote on the EFSF a vote of confidence, to resign if the strengthening of the Fund does not go to Parliament or to resign before the election. "I will make a responsible decision, by tomorrow morning, on the proposal that I will do my coalition partners," she said Monday, without further details. She said it was his "ability to govern" is at stake

Bratislava does not pay its contribution of 7.7 billion EFSF

To enter into force, the expansion of EFSF must be ratified by 17 countries in the euro area.Entry into the euro area in 2009, Slovakia is the last of its members have not yet ruled on this issue. Malta has given the green light Monday night. Considering that the Slovaks are too poor to pay for the mistakes of others, the head of SaS Richard Sulik opposes EFSF, unless that Slovakia is provided to pay its contribution of 7.7 billion euros to the fund increased to 440 billion, a possibility already excluded by Brussels.

His liberal and Eurosceptic movement also requires Bratislava gets a veto on future disbursements EFSF and may disengage from the ongoing European Stability Mechanism (ESM) intended to replace the EFSF in 2013. A negative vote of Slovakia paralyze the financial rescue mechanisms decided on July 21 at a summit of leaders of the eurozone help the financially troubled countries, including Greece heavily in debt.

The ruling coalition in Bratislava holds 79 of the 150 parliamentary seats and therefore does not have a sufficient majority without the 22 members of the SAS. If the SAS continues to block the vote in Parliament, the coalition would seek the support of the opposition Social Democratic Party (Smer-SD) of former Prime Minister Robert Fico (62 deputies). But it said it would not support the EFSF unless obtained major concessions: a government reshuffle or early elections.

Greece hopes to conclude an agreement Tuesday with its international donors, so you can receive a new tranche of eight billion euros scheduled for October, told Reuters on Monday a senior Greek finance.

"The climate was better than expected," the official said, referring to a conference held on Monday between the Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and the "troika" (EU, IMF, European Central Bank).

The Ministry of Finance said earlier that this discussion had been "productive and substantial" and that it be repeated Tuesday night.

"We are close to an agreement and we hope to conclude tomorrow.The government will make an announcement likely on Wednesday after the cabinet meeting.We will continue the discussion tomorrow, "the official added.

Without this new tranche of aid, tied to the forefront of international bailout which Greece received last year, the Greek government said it would find itself short of resources in mid-October.

To avoid this, Greece has to reduce its public sector and improve its system of tax collection, consider its international donors.

"The ball is in the Greek camp, the key lies in the implementation of reforms," ​​said Bob Traa, the IMF representative in Greece, at a conference.

These reforms are required to Athens to collect a new tranche of eight billion euros in the first part of its bailout.

According to him, Greece has cut jobs in the public, reduce the salaries and pensions of civil servants and improve its system of tax collection rather than creating new taxes.

Bob Traa was concerned about the lack of public support for the IMF austerity program / EU, while saying that other countries in the euro zone were on the side of Athens, provided that the government showed that he was acting to control its deficits.

FIVE MEASURES

The euro, but Wall Street had cut their losses after an initial source of the Greek Ministry of Finance had said that an agreement was near on aid between Athens and the troika.

Earlier in the day, the euro was down sharply and European shares closed down for fear of a significant failure of Greece.

Greek media have published a list of 15 austerity measures that they believe the troika requires the implementation.They include a new deletion of 20,000 civil service posts, a reduction or a freeze on salaries and pensions of the public service, increasing the tax on heating oil, the closure of public deficit, reducing spending on health and accelerating privatization.

The EC stated that it did not ask to Athens to adopt austerity measures in addition to what has already been agreed in the reform program of government."What is on the table is in full compliance with the agreed objectives," said the spokesperson of the EC Amadeu Altafaj.

Asked whether Greece would receive the next tranche of aid, Venizelos responded to Reuters: "Yes, of course."

Even so, many economists and investors believe that Greece will end up in default on a debt that reached more than 150% of GDP, perhaps a few months.

Venizelos insisted on Sunday that the spending cuts would be the priority of the 2012 budget. He predicted a contraction of GDP higher than expected 5.5% this year.

The EU finance ministers agreed Saturday that special attention should be paid to the capitalization of banks, but without considering that they were in urgent need of new funds.

Eight European banks have failed the stress test last July and must raise a total of 2.5 billion euros, while sixteen others were narrowly successful and were invited also to make arrangements.

But faced with violent turbulence in August and early September in the markets, the executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde called for a broader recapitalization of the banks of the old continent.

"From our point of view, there is a clear need to recapitalize the banks' said Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg at the end of the informal meeting of finance ministers held Friday and Saturday Wroclaw, Poland.

"I think the IMF has expressed very clearly, the banking system needs to be more robust and it is primarily a question of capital," he added.

His Spanish counterpart, Elena Salgado concurred."There is a consensus that it would be good for our financial institutions increase their capital to comply with Basel 3 and deal with any eventuality of time," she told reporters.

She also acknowledged that the opening of branches of unlimited liquidity by central banks did not reflect a situation "optimal".

Thursday, central banks in Europe, Japan, Switzerland and Britain announced they would offer refinancing operations in dollars to banks so that they have to face a credit freeze as the worst of the crisis Fall 2008.

"CREDIT CRUNCH"?

Earlier this week, senior advisors to European finance ministers and heads of the Treasury of Twenty-Seven had warned about the risks of a new credit crisis like the one observed in 2008 if nothing was done to solidify the capital structure of European institutions.

They mentioned such a "risk of a vicious circle between sovereign debt, financing banks and the negative growth", which could cause a credit freeze.

"Spillover effects" could "feed a dangerous downward spiral between the financial sector and real sectors of the economy or financial problems (…) risk aversion (…) Could lead to a deleveraging of banks, a phenomenon that in turn would result in some Member States, a credit crisis, "they warned.

According to several sources who attended the meeting, the European Central Bank, the EBA and the European Commission echoed these demands Saturday and urged the Member States to ensure that the capital position of banks remained strong.

Some ministers, however, sought to disperse fears and minimized the risk of a repeat of the "credit crunch" of 2008.

"The general situation of European banks is stable," stressed the President of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker.

Luxembourg Finance Minister, Luc Frieden, has meanwhile found that the situation was "not alarming".