The U.S. Treasury announced Friday that CEO compensation of three major companies that received aid during the financial crisis "exceptional" remain frozen for the second ; me straight year.

The decision applies to executives of AIG, the automaker General Motors and the credit institution Ally Financial, three groups that received a total of 135 billion dollars that have not paid off.

Over the period 2007-2009, public authorities have provided $ 68 billion (52 billion euros) to AIG, 50 billion to 17 billion to GM and Ally Financial to help them avoid bankruptcy. 

The Treasury said the direct remuneration of 69 other leaders of the three companies would be reduced by 10% over their 2011 level.

Four other major companies that received a bailout from public funds during the crisis have since repaid the aid: Bank of America, Citigroup, Chrysler and Chrysler Financial.

The dissatisfaction in the opinion by salaries and bonuses received by executives of these companies was such that the Obama administration has created the post of "supervisor" in charge of oversee their compensation policies.

The Treasury statement does not specify the identities of the leaders of AIG, GM and Ally Financial affected by frost this year. But it is certain that the CEOs of these three groups will receive, despite the austerity displayed, wage and salary supplements comfortable.

The CEO of AIG and should reach $ 10.5 million including the "stock options", one of Ally Financial 9.5 million and that of GM 9.0 million, according to documents released by the Treasury .

The number of resale properties totaled 858,000 last year, according to solicitors. 21,000 or more than the previous record in 2006. But activity in the former will fall in 2012.

There has never been so many resales of houses and apartments in France than in 2011. With 858,200 transactions recorded by notaries, up 9% from 2010, the former real estate market hit a record high. The previous record for the last 12 months studied, was 837,000 in mid-2006, said the lawyers at a news conference. However, we should distinguish between the province and the Ile de France

For if the sales regions have reached a good level ever with 710,000 transactions, the capital region, she was "merely" of 148,200 operations, is far from the record of 167,400 set in 2005.  

This level of activity on the property market may seem somewhat old paradoxical as prices continued to soar last year, including Paris. It is partly explained by the desire of many owners to sell before the higher taxes on capital gains real estate, intervened in early February 2012, on second homes and rental accommodation. The end of the loan (PTZ +) in the former planned in late 2011 also prompted the first-time buyers to rush their proposed acquisition. But this device has funded about 300,000 operations. As many advantages that will boost the property market more this year …

The year 2012 should be much less favorable. Notaries predict a total of transactions between 700,000 and 740,000 in the former, a drop of 15% to 20%, predicted Bazaille Pierre, president of real estate notaries. And especially as the mortgage, both in the former than in the new, earlier this year saw an apocalyptic France.Selon the Banque de France, the amount of housing loans granted in February was the lowest for 32 months, a fall of 41% compared to January and by 49% compared to February 2011.

The Housing Credit Monitoring / CSA assesses in turn the decline in the first quarter to 36% over the same period last year. To the point that the economist Michel Mouillart is very pessimistic in the absence of new tax incentive schemes. "We will have a drop in business markets, including the market of the former, as no one ever has seen," he warns. With what effect on prices? He is careful not to indicate.  

This strong demand in any case continued to push the prices up in 2011, at least in the past three quarters permiers, find notaries. Prices of old apartments have increased by 6.5% in France in 2011 compared to 2010 but decreased slightly over the last three months of the year. The largest increase was recorded in central Paris (+14.7% year on year but the increase was only 0.2% last quarter). But big cities like Lyon and Bordeaux, recorded increases of almost 9%. For homes, the increase was more pronounced in the Ile-de-France (+5.7%) than in the provinces (1.3%).

Finance ministers of the euro area (Eurogroup) reached an agreement Friday to strengthen the response capacity of global emergency fund aimed at curbing the sovereign debt crisis within the bloc, without that it is assumed that this development meets the markets and non-European members of the G20.

The 17 euro zone countries have decided to combine the two existing bailout fund to dispose of 500 billion euros of additional funds in an emergency by mid-2013, in excess of 200 billion already pledged by the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF)-the temporary emergency fund to be disabled in July 2013 – in favor of Greece, Ireland and Portugal. 

The European Commission had proposed to increase the total funds available to 940 million euros, with 740 billion available, an amount considered too high by countries like Germany, Finland and Netherlands.

The compromise was welcomed by investors and the yield on government bonds has dropped Spanish after tense in the wake of a general strike in the country and prior to submitting an austerity budget.

"Today's decision is a classic European compromise. It goes as far as the German government is ready to go and is the minimum of what the other member countries of the eurozone hoped, "said Carsten Brzeski, an economist at the bank ING

. "Obviously, a larger increase in line options discussed above would have sent a stronger message and would have been more convincing, "he said

." After strengthening decided today, the ECB will continue playing the role of firefighter driving the euro area. "

The combined capacity of EFSF loans and MES has been increased from 500 to 700 billion euros by the Ministers of Finance, said an official statement

. "The overall ceiling of the lending capacity of EFSF and MY … will increase to 700 billion euros, "the statement said

." In total, the euro area mobilizes a firewall of some 800 billion, more than 1,000 billion dollars, "the statement said

. This includes $ 500 billion of MES, the fund permanent emergency that will be operational in July and 200 billion already committed by the EFSF plus the amounts already paid in the first bailout of Greece and funds paid in connection with the bailout funds guaranteed by the budget of the European Commission. 

SHORT MEETING

The 500 billion of new money for the EFSF and combined MES by July 2013 reflect the gradual start of the activity of MES, which will occur as and when the payment of its equity over a period of more than three years.

The EFSF with a total capacity of loan of 440 billion euros, 240 billion will be mobilized not a mattress in an emergency within 15 months, during which the EFSF and MES operate in parallel.

The French Minister of Finance estimated that the decision would strengthen the position of Europeans in discussions with partners on capacity building of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"We are now in a strong position for the discussions on the IMF in April. This is a good signal, "said Baroin sidelines of the meeting of the Eurogroup Some investors

. however ask whether the strengthening of European firewall will be enough if Spain-the fourth largest economy in the euro area, needs a bailout to weather a banking crisis caused by the bursting of the housing bubble in the country

. The Eurogroup meeting was cut short by President Jean-Claude Juncker, leaving open the debate on the estate and the possible entry of his compatriot Yves Mersch of Luxembourg to the Executive Board of the European Central Bank. 

He explained his decision to shorten the work of the Eurogroup by the fact that the Austrian Minister of Finance, Maria Fekter, announced the terms of the agreement while the meeting was still ongoing.

He said the decision regarding the designation of replacing the Spaniard Jose Manuel Gonzales at the expiration of its mandate to the ECB Executive Board was referred to the mid-April.

The incident also allows to postpone the debate on his succession to the head of the Eurogroup for which the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, is favored according to statements from several sources ; Reuters. 

While the campaign for the French presidential election enters its final stretch, French President Nicolas Sarkozy would prevent the possible appointment of Wolfgang Schà ; üble at the head of the Eurogroup can be presented as a new sign of German rule in the euro area, however, diplomats said.

The British group International Power said Thursday it had received from its majority shareholder GDF Suez a non-binding offer to purchase shares of the capital it does not already own, at a price of 390 pence.

The announcement comes after months of speculation about the intentions of the French group, which already owns 70% of International Power.

The proposed price is only slightly higher than the closing price on Wednesday (383.4 pence).

After the announcement of the offer, the title International Power gained 5.53% to 404.6 pence at 9:21 GMT.

The U.S. labor market continued to recover at a rapid pace in February, confirming the widespread economic recovery in the U.S., which could lead the Federal Reserve ; eral to reduce its support to the business and credit.

The economy created 227,000 non-farm jobs last month, showed the statistics released Friday by the Labor Department, and the unemployment rate remained at its lowest level three years, to 8.3%, despite the return to the labor market of part of those who had given up looking for job.

This is the first time since early 2011 that the new posts remain above 200.000 for three consecutive months, a development that, if confirmed, could be an asset in favor of President Barack Obama during the presidential election in November.

The figures for December and January were also revised upward, from 61,000 in total.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected an average of 210,000 jobs created in February after the figure of 243,000 was originally planned for January.

The last three months, job creation show a monthly average of 245,000.

"I think we'll begin (…) discuss an exit from the Fed's policy of ultra-accommodative faster than expected," said Omer Esiner, responsible for the analysis of Commonwealth Foreign Exchange market, in Washington. 

The New York Stock Exchange opened slightly higher after the release of employment report, while government bonds remained on the downside and the dollar rose against the euro and the yen.

INDUSTRY AND ACTING IN POINTE

The manufacturing sector, which was recorded in January the largest increase its workforce last year (52,000 jobs) remained strong in February with 31,000 designs, focused on the durable goods sector, a tendency to which is added the acceleration of temporary employment (45,200 after 32,100 in January).

In total, private companies have created 233,000 jobs last month while the public sector in 6000 removed. 

But even if the labor market returns to form, its recovery is insufficient to reduce the ranks of the 23.5 million Americans unemployed or involuntary part-time.

The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, ruled last week that the employment situation was "far from normal" and that further improvement required a higher demand for goods and services in the United States.

Conversely, he suggested it would darken the outlook to convince the Fed to initiate a new cycle of purchases of securities markets to lower interest rates, est. 

U.S. figures confirm the date that the United States remains one of the main drivers of global recovery at a time when China's growth is showing signs of deceleration and the area where Euro struggles to extricate from the crisis.

The unemployment rate of Seventeen was 10.7% in January, its highest level since the creation of the single currency.

Conversely, the U.S. unemployment rate fell 0.8 percentage points since August. And economists see it return to below 8% by the election deadline of November, even though the current upturn would result in an increase in the number of unemployed returners.

The participation rate of labor force (the percentage of people of working age who are employed or are seeking), rose last month to 63.9% against 63.7% in January.

The acceleration of new posts is not enough to reduce the long-term unemployment: some 43% of the 12.8 million unemployed Americans are for over six months.

Vivendi announced Thursday a decrease in its dividend to cope with increased competition in the mobile with the arrival of Free Mobile should put pressure on margins from its subsidiary SFR.

The new entrant has tumbled in early January on the market of mobile telephony with two offers at bargain prices, forcing competitors to lower prices of some of their offerings to attempt to limit the exodus of their subscribers.

Vivendi expects for 2012 a decline of 12% to 15% of EBITDA of SFR which is mainly due to increased competitive pressure on the French market for mobile. 

"The overly favorable terms granted to the new mobile operator by the regulator, the State and the incumbent operator SFR lead to review carefully both its commercial offers that its expensive ; ts "said Jean-Bernard Levy, chief executive, said in a statement.

"These efforts will weigh adaptation in 2012 and 2013 on the results of Vivendi," he adds, saying anticipate a return to earnings growth in 2014.

Behind the second French operator France Telecom has lost 1% of its customers since the beginning of the year, said the head of Vivendi.

Its competitors also suffered from the arrival of the new entrant.

Bouygues Telecom, a subsidiary of Bouygues, said Wednesday it lost 159.000 customers in mobile telephony between the start of the year and February 15, which represents 1.4% of a total of 11.3 million customers, and announced a 300 million euro cost savings.

France Telecom has meanwhile announced the loss of 201,000 mobile customers in the same period, 0.7% of its fleet of 27 million customers in France, and lowered its pre ; vision of dividend for 2012.

Like the incumbent, Vivendi will adjust its dividend policy by paying more than one euro per share in cash for 2011 – against 1.40 euros in fiscal 2010 – more one bonus share per 30 shares held.

From 2012, the group will distribute 45% to 55% of adjusted net income in cash, against more than 50% historically. 

Adjusted net income of Vivendi rose to 2.95 billion euros in 2011, slightly above the forecast of the group, revised e down in November. At that time it had reduced its estimate of three billion to 2.85 billion euros.

The turnover came out up 0.5% to 28.8 billion euros.

Kraft Foods posted a quarterly profit Tuesday as expected and said anticipating a growth in operating income of at least 9% this year, despite pruning announced its range in North America.

The first U.S. food group, which holds particular LU biscuits and coffee Carte Noire, will split into two companies later this year.

One will be dedicated to its snacks marketed worldwide as Cadbury chocolate and biscuits Oreos, the other brands in North America specifically, the e ; door leaf thereof being referred to shrink. 

To prepare for this separation, the group will fund a special charge of $ 1.6 billion to $ 1.8 billion (1.2 to 1.4 billion euros).

Kraft has said it expected a net increase its turnover by around 5% in 2012. This forecast takes into account the negative effect of around one percentage point reduction in its range in North America.

The group said also anticipate an increase of at least 9% of its operating profit at constant exchange rates, despite higher taxes and pension costs.

The action Kraft gained 1.9% to 38.73 dollars to 4:20 p.m. GMT on Wall Street, while the Dow Jones progressed from 0.37%.

The group recorded a fourth quarter profit of $ 830 million, or 47 cents a share, against $ 540 million (31 cents) a year earlier.

Excluding items, earnings per share were 57 cents, according to Thomson Reuters consensus I / B / E / S.

Turnover increased by 6.6% to $ 14.7 billion. Organic growth – is out acquisitions, disposals, calendar effects and exchange – rose 7% in North America, 3.1% in Europe and 7.2% in emerging markets.

Ben Bernanke on Tuesday reaffirmed the commitment of the U.S. Federal Reserve to do anything to prevent the financial crisis does not penalize the European economy United States, repeating comments made in the Senate Thursday before the House of Representatives.

"We are in regular contact with European authorities and will continue to closely monitor the situation and take all possible measures to protect the U.S. financial system and the economy, "said the Fed chairman, according to the text of a speech for the Budget Committee of the Upper House. 

Ben Bernanke remained cautious citing the economic outlook in the U.S. and did not allude to the release Friday of unemployment to its lowest level in nearly three years.

"We still have a long way to go before we can say that the labor market is behaving normally," he thought, using formulas similar to those of his speech on Thursday.

The three-party coalition government in Greece have agreed on a reduction in public spending of 1.5% of GDP in 2012 and are expected to give an answer to the proposal of credit ; the country's international nancial Monday at noon.

"Political leaders should in principle give an answer tomorrow at noon (the EU) so that it can be presented to the Eurogroup in Brussels," said Panos Beglitis, spokesman for the Socialist Party, Sunday. 

As negotiations dragged on for weeks, Beglitis acknowledged that leaders of the three coalition parties (the Socialist PASOK, New Democracy conservatives and the far-right party LAOS) have still things to negotiate, particularly on labor reform and support for national banks.

"There are two big problems, work and banks, which were left for tomorrow," he acknowledged.

Party leaders will then discuss the plan of the troika (International Monetary Fund, European Commission and European Central Bank) at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Lucas Papadé mos.

"There will be a meeting of political leaders chaired by Papademos tomorrow afternoon," said Beglitis. 

But no work session was not officially scheduled with representatives of the Eurogroup on Monday and everything could happen by teleconference or a face-to face at the last minute.

The chief minister said for his part that the various managers of the government coalition have agreed on a reduction in public spending by an amount equivalent to 1.5% of GDP this year.

This includes measures to reduce salaries and benefits costs to make the Greek economy more competitive, he added. 

He also confirmed the meeting of heads of coalition parties on Monday to conclude negotiations on the second aid package of 130 billion euros to be implemented by the mid-March to avoid a collapse of public accounts.

The two main Greek unions called for a 24-hour strike Tuesday to protest against austerity measures and reforms demanded by international creditors.

"We expect one-day strike on Tuesday," said Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of the ADEDY representing public sector employees.

"Despite our sacrifices and despite the recognition that this policy mix is ​​bad, they ask even more austerity," he added. 

ADEDY and its private counterpart, the GSEE, representing about two million workers in Greece, about half of the workforce.

BAROIN OPTIMISTIC

Creditors of Greece had requested a reduction in spending worth one percent of GDP, slightly more than two billion euros for 2012.

The negotiations on the restructuring of the Greek debt held by the private sector rose "relatively well", said his side the French Minister of Economy and Finance, Sunday .

"I think it progresses smoothly on the part of private sector involvement to be made on a voluntary basis," said Baroin under the "Grand Rendez-Vous "Europe 1-Le Parisien-i> Télé. 

"We would not get away from the level at which one must move the Greek debt in 2020, that is to say around 120%," said the French minister. And "it is because we do not withdraw these objectives that the discussions are difficult," he said.

"Anyway, it's later than February 13," continued Baroin.

February 13 is the deadline posed by the euro area to launch the operation, which should bring the Greek debt around 120% of gross domestic product (GDP) to in 2020 against over 160% today.

The private sector should accept a discount of around 70% of its obligations under the exchange program of the Greek debt. This will help to lower than 100 billion euros of debt of Greece.

In exchange for a loan of at least 130 billion euros by 2015, the troika of institutional creditors requires further structural reform and further reforms of austerity authority to clean up its public accounts.

Troika calls including a lowering of wages in companies and supplementary pension, which measures face many political and union resistance.

In the absence of an agreement, Greece is threatened with failure to pay on 20 March, when mature 14.5 billion euros of bonds.

The Swiss Federal Council announced Wednesday it had decided to renew its fleet of combat aircraft with 22 copies of the Saab Gripen of Sweden, preferred to Dassault Aviation's Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon European consortium which includes EADS.

Switzerland was launched three years ago the tender for the renewal of its fleet, now consisting of F-5E / F Tiger built by the American Northrop, whose older copies have been flying since 1976.