Kingfisher said Thursday that new stores and efforts to improve margins would enable it to withstand the difficult economic environment, having performed in 2011 an annual profit up 20% and above the consensus.

The first European chain of DIY stores, owns the Castorama and Brico Dépôt stores in France, has detailed its growth program "Creating the Leader" and said it would open 67 stores during the current year and would test new formats at the client.

The margin improvement will include a centralized purchasing with direct orders from countries with low labor costs like China. 

The annual profit before tax and exceptional items stood at 807 million pounds (968 million) for the year ended January 28, while analysts expected 799 million.

Revenues increased 3.6% to 10.8 billion pounds, while the annual dividend was increased 25% to 8.84 pence per share.

Kingfisher aims to earnings per share of 31.2 pence for the year 2013-2014 against 20.5 pence to 25.1 pence in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.

Action, up 23% over the last three months, ended at 300 pence Wednesday, valuing the company at 7.2 billion pounds.

The third largest economy in Asia posted a deficit close to 6% of GDP. The government wants to reduce it to a point by 2013, without giving up the farm subsidies. India rice, drying rice in western India, Ahmedabad.

Forgotten, the speech which placed India followed by China on an economic plan. The Asian giant is also caught by the downturn. Like Western countries, its growth is weakening and widening its deficit forcing the country to move towards more fiscal discipline.

The Indian government, weakened by an electoral setback in local elections and accused of inaction, posted Friday its intention to reduce the public deficit, betting on a recovery in growth to fund new social and agricultural subsidies.  

During the presentation to Parliament the 2012-2013 budget, the finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, said targeting an annual budget deficit equal to 5.1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), against 5.9% in 2011-2012 . "I am firmly set a goal to return to the path of fiscal consolidation," said the great financier of the third largest economy in Asia in a speech-river in which he also called upon to lend a accelerator for the reform program.

The government has said it expects annual growth of 7.6% next year, forecasts are more optimistic than the 6.9% expected this year, a disappointing figure for the administration of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Finance Minister hopes that the return to strong growth after the slowdown this year due to a drastic monetary policy to fight against inflation, will help fund new grants.

He, among others, announced farm subsidies, food aid for the underprivileged, health programs to reduce malnutrition and infrastructure projects for drinking water. However, he promised that the grants would not exceed 2% of GDP. A mid-term, before the general elections scheduled for 2014, the center-left government is weakened in the political and economic. He had to backtrack on a key reform to liberalize retail trade.

Mukherjee, however, assured that efforts were underway to reach a consensus policy on allowing foreign multinationals to open supermarkets in India. The Congress party, at the head of the governing coalition, has also won a majority in only one of five states which were conducted in recent local elections. These elections were seen as a popularity test for the government, and Rahul Gandhi, last link in the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Wall Street was up Tuesday in opening, as expected by the experts, reacting to the statistics of retail sales and a decline in concern vis-à-vis the situation the euro area.

Retail sales in the U.S. in February posted their biggest increase in five months, thanks to sales of vehicles, show statistics released Tuesday by the department improve Rican Trade.

Finance ministers of the euro area have endorsed Monday night the second aid package to Greece for better pass next hot topic, Spain, where they demanded a deficit target tighter this year for its budget back in the nails in 2013. 

Investors expect also that the U.S. Federal Reserve, which meets today, maintain interest rates unchanged and a slight improvement economic prospects without excluding further monetary easing.

In early trade, the Dow is 0.36% to 13,006.56. The S & P 500 is 0.52% to 1,378.18, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.67% to 3003.54 points.

A few minutes after the close, the S & P hit a session high not seen since June 2008.

Carlsberg said on Monday forecast a stable operating profit in 2012 due to a decline in sales in Northern Europe and Western Europe, after increasing its profits in fourth quarter broadly in line with expectations.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, the company posted an operating profit of 1.83 billion Danish kroner against 1.82 billion expected by analysts surveyed by Reuters, for a turnover of 14.85 billion crowns against 14.30 billion expected by the consensus.

For all of the current fiscal year, operating income is expected to remain stable and adjusted net income should increase slightly, says the Dutch brewer. 

The group also expressed its intention to purchase "as soon as possible" 15% of the remaining shares in its Russian subsidiary Baltika, an operation that will cost up to 6.5 billion Danish kroner (874 million).

Once completed the buyout of minority, by the month of May, Baltika Carlsberg will scratch the coast.

In early trade, the Carlsberg share fell by 2.0% to 420.40 kronor.

Edison Tuesday reported a gross operating profit (EBITDA) of 1.003 billion euros for 2011, a figure better than expected, while spending a depreciation of 928 million in its annual accounts.

These figures are close to those reported in the night of Monday to Tuesday by Reuters on witness statements from a source close to the second board of the Italian electricity.

Financial analysts had expected an EBITDA of € 910 million, according to Thomson Reuters consensus I / B / E / S.

In 2012, Edison, who suffered a net loss of 871 million euros last year due to depreciation, said he foresaw an EBITDA equivalent to that of 2010, without taking into not account Edipower. 

The margins of Edison in its gas business are under pressure because of long-term contracts that the group has forged a course higher than spot prices.

In early trade on the Milan Stock Exchange, as the Edison yielded 0.3% to 0.8350 euro while the index grouping the European values ​​of utilities lost 0.12 %.

EDF reached an agreement late December to take control of Edison, but at the cost of disposal of Edipower, considered by some analysts as the nugget of the Italian group.

At the Paris Bourse, EDF shares fell by 0.43% to 18.38 euros.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the Greek parliament as MPs must vote in the late afternoon a bill consisting of austerity measures demanded such drastic and unpopular es by the EU and the IMF in exchange for a new rescue plan.

Greek Prime Minister of Greece Lucas Papademos warned against the "economic chaos" in case of rejection, while Germany has warned that Greece should stop being a "well bottomless "`.

After three days of tension and political threats, Parliament began shortly after 14:00 (12:00 GMT) to examine the bill to save 3.3 billion euros thanks to lower wages, pensions and job cuts public. 

The vote must take place before midnight (2200 GMT), said the finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos, "because on Monday morning, the banking and financial markets should have received the message that Greece can and will survive. "

"If the law is not adopted, the country will go bankrupt," warned the Minister that a Communist deputy threw the pages of the bill on the floor of the Assembly.

About twenty members of the coalition of Lucas Papademos have threatened in recent days to vote against the text and six government members submitted their resignations, but the Prime Minister will still theoretically supported by a large majority. 

Outside the parliament, police fired tear gas to try to disperse demonstrators who threw stones and Molotov cocktail at Syntagma Square.

This is the largest mobilization since the month of demonstrations against the security measures. Most protesters retreated but clashes continued in the middle of the afternoon.

"There is tear gas into the interior of the Assembly," said one Communist deputy, Panagiotis Lafazanis.

"Bottomless well"

The new austerity plan is the price to pay for the release of an aid program of 130 billion euros from the EU and the IMF – the second since 2010.

Greece has to touch the money before March 20 to repay a state loan of 14.5 billion euros.

Germany has turned up the heat a notch Sunday warning that Europe expected actions and not words.

"The promises of Greece are no longer sufficient for us," warned the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble. 

Referring to the new austerity plan in which the Greek deputies must vote this Sunday, the minister said in an interview published by the Welt am Sonntag that the previous did not e ; tee implemented in their entirety.

Wolfgang Schäuble said that the Germans are largely in favor of an international aid to Greece. "But it's important to say that it can be a bottomless pit. This is why the Greeks will finally have to clog the well. Then we can put something. At least people are now beginning to realize that it will not work with a bottomless pit.

"Greece must do its homework to become competitive, it requires a new rescue plan or some other way that we do not want to (…)" he says referring to an output the euro area.

Asked if such an outcome is possible, Wolfgang Schäuble responds: "Everything is in the hands of the Greeks themselves. But even in that event, on which no table, they remain an integral part of Europe ".

"We are pleased to offer our assistance, but we should not give others the impression that they have not done enough. Each state is responsible for itself," explains he said.

Eiffage reported Friday a net sales increase of 4.8% in the fourth quarter of 2011, thanks to its good performance in work and in the concessions.

The construction group and concessions, owner of motorway networks Paris-Rhin-Rhone (APRR) and Area (Ain), said in a statement that its turnover reached 3 , 61 billion euros, 1.04 billion for the construction division.

Of all of fiscal 2011, revenues grew 3% to 13.73 billion euros.

Eiffage also know that its backlog at January 1, 2012 was up 25% over one year to 13.5 billion euros. It represents more than 11 ½ months of activity of divisions.

At the Paris Bourse, the action Eiffage closed Friday at 26 euros, down 2.14%, showing a market capitalization of 2.26 billion euros.

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.

Altran Thursday confirmed a large increase in operating margin for 2011 following growth of 7.2% of its turnover for the year, and said he was "reasonably confident" in 2012 despite ; economic uncertainties. Sales of specialist technology consulting totaled 1,419.5 million euros last year, growing "economy" of 8.1% (on a comparable basis excluding the impact of exchange and changes in working days). The fourth quarter alone, sales of Altran amounted to 370.6 million euros, increasing by 6% and an "economic growth" of 8, 6%. "Despite an uncertain macroeconomic environment, the Group is reasonably confident for 2012," he said in a statement its CEO, Philippe Salle. Philippe Salle had told Reuters in October Altran, a deficit in 2010 would remain negative in 2011 but would profit in 2012. The group will publish its annual results on March 12. Altran has completed action on Wednesday during a 3.801 euros, representing a market capitalization of 550 million.