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Paris and Moscow to negotiate the delivery of Mistral

Discussions on provision by France to the Russian carrier helicopters Mistral continues in concrete, said Tuesday the Elysee and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The issue was discussed during an interview Nicolas Sarkozy with the Russian ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov and Anatoly Serdyoukov present in Paris for a meeting of the Council of French-Russian cooperation on security issues (CCQS).

Both sides agreed that the latest contacts on the back Mistral were "encouraging", said the French presidency.

"We are continuing our discussions with great confidence.This is the message that both the Russian and the president expressed "she added.

Sergei Lavrov confirmed that assessment.

"Negotiations are ongoing and concrete," he said at a press conference with French Foreign Minister and Defence Minister Bernard Kouchner and Hervé Morin. "These negotiations are about the transfer of technology."

Bernard Kouchner told a French delegation visited Moscow a week ago to continue the negotiations continued in Paris on Tuesday.

"We trust and negotiations are continuing.The technical negotiations on the transfer of technology ", he said.

RUSSIAN POSITION UNCHANGED, SAYS LAVROV

The head of Russian diplomacy said that the Russian position had not changed from what President Dmitry Medvedev announced last March, namely that negotiations were "exclusive" with France.

Russia has yet announced the end of August to launch a tender for the supply of two helicopter carriers, while Nicolas Sarkozy had secured in late July that the contract would be to France, even if it was still being negotiated.

But Sergei Lavrov said that the launch of a tender being a mere legal issue and that the Russian government was compelled to submit.

On the tender, the Elysee said that Nicolas Sarkozy noted that he had been released in accordance with Russian legislation and said "understand this procedure.

Buildings Projection and Command (BPC) Mistral class have a length of nearly 200 meters long and weigh 21,300 tons.They can carry up to 16 helicopters and four barges carrying materials or two landing craft and 900 men.

They can also carry a heavy tank and quarantine host a headquarters capable of conducting a joint operation sea of limited size.

All these characteristics have worried the former Soviet Union republics such as Georgia or the Baltics, and the United States.

France has broken a taboo by agreeing to hand over these buildings to Russia, as this is the first export of high technology military equipment to a NATO countries to Russia.

But a French diplomat said he was not a high-tech equipment and that Moscow did not need for operations on its borders, since his land-based helicopters are perfectly capable of conducting missions in Georgia or the Baltics.

Paris and London exclude build together an aircraft carrier

France and Britain agreed Friday to pool some of their defense programs, including the A400M aircraft, but have ruled out building an entire aircraft carrier.

The defense ministers of both countries met in Paris to discuss their weapons programs in times of fiscal austerity that strikes the two countries.

'It is logical to examine the issues where we can share the assets rather than acting separately, "said the British minister, Liam Fox."It's a purely pragmatic."

His French counterpart Herve Morin said a series of tracks were considered, including on the A400M transport aircraft, tanker aircraft and naval assets.

On the A400M EADS, he added that cooperation would cover the maintenance, operational maintenance and possible pooling of fleets.

But he stressed that the use of common carriers was not currently planned.

Axa, focus on margins rather than growth in 2010

Axa announced Wednesday better than expected financial results for the first half despite an increase in half-mast, a performance in line with its objective to give priority to the recovery in margins rather than its development.

The second group of European insurance by market capitalization has reaffirmed its commitment to reallocate capital to its geographical margins of the most promising, even to withdraw from certain activities in mature areas.

"That does not mean that we do not have aggressive strategies in certain areas at present" said CEO Henri de Castries, and in an interview broadcast by the insurance group.

The manager has shown this strategy through the recent sale of several business lines in Britain and a willingness to invest in countries and trades in Asia, South America or Eastern Europe.

"This strategy is not as simple as when the whole world was growing at the same pace," he said.

Axa has benefited in the first half of rebounding financial markets and a better performance of its life insurance business, savings and pensions business, which offset the damage, which has suffered many natural disasters earlier this year .

NO CHANGE OF SENTIMENT

If these results are rather a good surprise, two analysts issued notes in the wake of the results fell they should not substantially change investor sentiment vis-à-vis the company.

At 09:15, the title was up 1.4% at 14.94 euros, after opening up over 2.6%, while the CAC 40 index yielded 0.2%.

Axa has lost about 10.9% since the beginning of the year, underperforming the European index DJStoxx insurance, which gained 3.16% over the same period.

The group's net profit stood at 944 million euros, a figure well above the 623 million approached by the consensus of analysts conducted by the editor of Reuters.

If the result is displayed down 28% over the same period last year, this drop is due to the supply of 1.478 billion euros spent by the group following the sale of assets United Kingdom, cited by Henri de Castries.

Without this extraordinary loss, net income would rise by 81% while revenues only increased it by 1% to 49.925 billion euros.

The decline in operating income amounted to 3% to 2.082 billion euros, superior performance under one billion to 1.884 to Reuters.

Axa has not commented on the offer of 11.5 billion dollars from the National Australia Bank on its subsidiary AXA Asia Pacific.

The subsidiary has announced a profit of 219.2 million Australian dollars for the first six months of the year, a figure in line with market expectations.

The offer, which clashed with the Australian authorities to the competition runs until August 31.

Car registrations fell by 12.9% in July in France

Registrations of new cars in France fell 12.9% in July over a year to reach 169,804 units with the continued weakening of the effect "scrappage" announced the Committee of French Automobile (CCFA).

The month of July had 21 working days, against 22 last year.A comparable number of working days, the decline in sales stood at 8.7%.

Of the first seven months of 2010, registrations in France, however, still stand up 2.8% in raw data to 1,382,240 units, and 2.1% in comparable number of working days compared the same period of 2009.

Sales only French brands fell 15.4% in July, while those of foreign brands fell 9.9%.

Car sales of PSA Peugeot Citroen shrank 15.0% last month, and those of Renault were down 7.6%.

Registrations only Dacia (Logan, Sandero and Duster) jumped 47.5% on month, while those of Renault fell 15.9%.

For PSA, sales of the Citroen were down by 17.0% and Peugeot were down by 13.3%.

Plastic Omnium second half sees a "dynamic"

Plastic Omnium said Thursday confident the second half after a first half of the year marked a rebound in net income and revenue thanks to the automobile and the environment.

The group specializes in large plastic parts for the vehicle (body and tanks) or for the collection of waste (containers), posted first half net profit of 72.3 million euros, against eight million a year earlier.The results of the last six months is more than double that achieved all of 2009.

"The activities of Compagnie Plastic Omnium will continue to appear dynamically in the second half of 2010," the group said in a statement.

The title, which earns more than 106% since the beginning of the year, bringing its market capitalization to nearly $ 700 million, has risen by 4.5% to 39.82 euros ten minutes after the opening of trading Paris.

If the turnover of Plastic Omnium has fallen 15% in France, total sales were up by 28.5% to 1.52 billion thanks to a near doubling of sales in North America and Asia.

Emerging markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China) now account for 9% of turnover Automotive Group, a proportion expected to rise "significantly in the next three years," said Plastic Omnium.

This balance, which specifically involves the construction of five new plants should help offset the slowdown in the European car market anticipated the second half of the year with the gradual disappearance of the last car scrapping.

Plastic Omnium has also stated that the acquisition of 50% of the Belgian Solvay Inergy Automotive Systems, a leading global fuel systems and fuel tanks, which the project was announced in June, is expected to close shortly and completed by the end of the year if the competition authorities give green light to the operation.

In the environment, the group's turnover increased by 6.2% in the first half thanks to the development of sorting and of underground containers for the collection.

The hope of good results supports Wall Street

Wall Street has ended sharply higher on Tuesday, posting a sixth win in a row, in response to results and forecasts of Alcoa aluminum companies.

Alcoa reported Monday better than expected quarterly results while revising upwards its forecast for global demand for aluminum.

Alcoa shares closed up 1.2% to $ 11.

"The fact we think this trend (solid results) will contribute to re-confirm the risk in the market," said Peter Cardillo (Avalon Partners).

The Dow Jones gained 1.44% to 10,363.02 points. The S & P 500 has been 1.53% to 1095.29 points.The Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.99% to 2242.03 points.

The S & P has gained over 5% last week, the highest weekly gain this year and scholars eagerly awaiting the results of companies to see if this rally is justified.

But the decline in volumes worries some analysts. The volume on Monday fell to a new low of six months, observes Scott Fullman (WJB Capital Group). He also noted a decrease in the total volume of options.

Low volumes generally pass to denote a lack of conviction of investors.The summer period, however, may also explain the slowdown.

Statistic of the day was the trade deficit widened in May to its highest level since November 2008.

The Apple stock has yielded 2% to 252.11 dollars, after the site specializes Consumer Reports had indicated that he did not recommend the iPhone 4, his tests have confirmed a loss of signal when the handset is required to somehow.

Action Research In Motion, maker of the Blackberry competitor, has instead increased from 3.35% to 55.6 million.

Intel, which was to publish its quarterly after the close, gained 2.14% to 21.01 dollars.

The auction site eBay jumped from 4% to 21.02 dollars.

And even if it is pursued by XPRT Ventures company which is claiming nearly four billion dollars in damages for alleged infringement of six patents related to the development of related payment systems such as PayPal.

Wall Street hesitates before the start of the season results

After three days of consecutive increase, Wall Street opened Friday on a tentative note, pending results of the first companies to be published next week.

A few minutes after the start of trading, the Dow Jones fell by 0.05%% to 10,133.70 points and the Standard & Poor's 500 by 0.07% to 1069.46 points while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0 , 09% to 2177.45 points.

If the optimism shown by State Street in mid-week its quarterly earnings outlook is considered auspicious by analysts for earnings season, investors prefer to wait for their actual publication, especially since there no important macroeconomic indicators on Friday.

The wait-market is reflected in low volumes and partly explains the volatility seen this week on Wall Street.

As for values, Boeing gained 0.12% after formally responded to the call for tender for the tanker to the U.S. Army.

Google took him 3.31% in favor of renewing its operating license by the Chinese authorities, a decision that allows the U.S. group to remain on the largest Internet market in the world.

Monceau Fleurs accelerates its international expansion

Monceau Fleurs Group wants to expand its international presence and is aimed primarily Germany and Asia to boost its sales, told Reuters CEO Laurent Amar.

To support this development, the florist has launched a bond issue in May to a maximum of 12 million euros, which ends June 25 The unit amounts to 500 euros maturing in June 2015, with a coupon of 8%.

"It was rather a good home," said Laurent Amar in an interview. "The receipt of the loan shows that the financial reputation is being done.And the financial reputation is essential for the liquidity. "

Laurent Amar said it had rejected the option of a capital increase because he believes that the current valuation does not reflect his company or its doubling in size after the company acquired in 2008 Rapid'Flore nor its international success.

"As I have my heritage that is in, I refuse to dilute the value then," he said.

Laurent Amar counting on improved financial visibility to see the group increase its capitalization today of 52 million euros.

The group, which already has over 450 stores in eight countries, confirms its objective of growing its network of sales by 20% during 2009-2010, which ends Sept. 30.He added that the pace of store openings to accelerate the international over the last year.

"We went from 6% to 10% in number of stores opened abroad. It'll go faster," said group finance director, Eric Villedieu. "We aim for 1,000 stores in five years," said Laurent Amar.

The group is particularly Monceau penetrate the German market, which he estimated at seven billion euros a year against three billion to France.There is already present through a joint venture with Lagardere Services which owns 40% stake.

The company, which owns the brands Monceau Fleurs, Rapid'Flore and Happy, already extends for several years its international presence by establishing joint ventures with partners.

They have a franchise for periods of seven to ten years in exchange for a fee and a requirement to provide priority via the Monceau group.

"We went further we got from our partners to be the capital of these companies that hold rights in the country.It is quite rare to get this from its partners, "said the CEO.

ASIA, FLORISSANT CONTRACT

Monceau Fleurs said having well through the crisis because of its policy of low prices, achieved in particular through the integration of its suppliers, in addition to its innovative products like its pink bioluminescent.

The CEO also said to have benefited from the crisis to negotiate leases for new retail outlets on terms much more favorable, thereby facilitating its expansion.

Already present in Japan with nine shops, Monceau Fleurs placed on the dynamic Asian markets and their high consumption of flowers, partly due to the multitude of temples in the country to develop.

"It's part of our priorities is a market that is made for us.It would be a mistake not going there, "said Laurent Amar.

Besides the development of the network through franchises, the group does not make acquisitions as opportunities arise, but he says he remains "extremely cautious".

"In terms of developing countries, through acquisition, we do not refuse any opportunity," said Laurent Amar, whose grandfather created Monceau Fleurs in 1965 in Paris.

The group was incorporated in 1985 by the Compagnie Financiere Edmond de Rothschild.

After a degree in business law, Laurent Amar, confident that the flower industry was promising and mostly impervious to attacks, developed the network in the province from 1998 in 2002 before acquiring the company, which now holds , 38, 69% of the capital.

Monceau Fleurs, whose competitors are the Jardin des Plantes in France or the U.S. 1-800-Flowers internationally, has seen its turnover grow by 72% in 2008-2009 due to external growth, 66, 4 million euros for an operating profit (EBITDA) of 1.2 million euros.

At the Paris Bourse, the title listed on Alternext Monceau Fleurs showed a stable course Tuesday to 9.00 euros. Since the beginning of the year, he sold 17% after surging 101% in 2009.