The figures published on Wednesday trade deficits German and French offers a shortcut striking about the strengths and weaknesses of the two economies. German exports hit a record in March. They rose 0.9% on month and rise to 98.9 billion euros, thanks to the success of products across the Rhine outside the euro zone. Its trade surplus amounted to 17.4 billion euros, up 16.8%. "A further sign of a healthy German economy despite the crisis in the euro area", decrypts Wirschke Constantine, an economist at Natixis.

If, at the same time, France has reduced its trade deficit of almost 500 million euros to 5.7 billion euros, it hides a global slowdown in trade. Clearly, exports fell twice as fast as imports. The first fell to 558 million euros, to 36.491 billion, when the second fell by 1.1 billion euros to 42.212 billion on March.

"The decline is more pronounced for imports after the substantial purchases energy (oil, gas) caused by the February cold snap, so the trade deficit is reduced, 'the Customs. Apart from lower petroleum products, purchases of industrial products decreased, which could reflect a slowdown in France, as the perceived leading economic index for April.

For their part, "exports of manufacturing industries are marking time, after their sharp increase earlier this year," are Customs. Computer sectors, including automotive and aerospace have been less successful in other countries.  

The good health of the German economy, however, allowed the industry to limit the hexagonal case. In March, Germany has indeed set a record for imports as well (78.1 billion euros over the month, up 1.2%) whose French exports have benefited. Particularly in the industrial machinery sector.

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Francois Hollande said today he hoped the French savings could be more "mobilized" to fund a portion of the debt, provided that the loan terms are more favorable for the country.

"I have an idea that the savings of French, which is very high (17% of our revenues are spared), can be mobilized for industry, housing and also for debt" , he said, asked about this during the "Grand Journal" on Canal +. His speech was recorded earlier in the day, due to the evening meeting in Bordeaux. "So that, the more you borrow from the French, the less you borrow from the markets," he said.

Run government bonds

When asked, "will launch on government bonds to individuals?", He replied: "I think about it. It already exists. What was formerly called T-bills, large bonds. The more we borrow in our own markets with the savings of French, it is less dependent on investment funds credit report. "" You will do it more consistently? "He replied," More systematic, yes. "….. …

Asked about the fact whether he had decided, he said: "Yes, actually. Then you have to see the conditions. It has to be a rate that is not greater than the market. Not worth paying a debt even more expensive if purchased by the French. "

In June 2009, President Nicolas Sarkozy had wanted to launch a new loan with the French. There were abandoned because the cost of a public offering would have been much higher than going market. The initiative of Nicolas Sarkozy was the first such operation in France since the famous "borrowing Balladur" in 1993.

At the end of 2011, 65.4% of negotiable government debt (in the form of securities) were held by non-residents, and 34.6% of French residents, according to data from the Agency France Trésor, which manages the French debt.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic

The end of the euro in a diagram, seen by Hermans Hurre

It is defined as a 'detective' Made in France '. " Sylvain Lescot, 33 years and commercial training, launched in December the site-Référence.fr France, with the ambition to "establish the habit of buying citizen." Specifically, this merchant, whose product catalog spans four themes (home, toys and entertainment, multimedia and gastronomy), offers users to compare one product with its foreign equivalent, manufactured in France. Thus, facing the mixer "Soup Maker" Cuisinart product in the U.S. and priced at 199.50 euros, it suggests to the consumer to buy the "Soup & Co" Moulinex to 229.90 euros. Salt and pepper to the duo Automatic One Touch range (29.90 euros), made in China, he opposes the salt mill Peugeot "Bistro natural" (16.50 euros).  

The concept is in tune with the times: 42.3% of French people think that promoting products "Made in France" should be a priority in the presidential campaign, according to a study site Testntrust. Or, buy French is often an obstacle course. Mentions on the origin of components and place of manufacture on the labels abound, sometimes inducing the consumer. "The offer on the shelves is a jungle," said Sylvain Lescot, that "the French do not know in general that there are local equivalents to foreign products the best known." With the exception of certain areas, such as multimedia or television, in which there is almost no offer purely French. To select products, France-Référence.fr is based on criteria adopted by the association Pro France, which manages the label "Origin France Guarantee ', the main requirement being that at least 50% of the value added product is produced in the Hexagon free business cards.

90% of products are purchased French

While websites offering a selection of products "Made in France" multiply, France-Référence.fr claims its status online retailers. "The consumer is free to choose the foreign product, we also have in stock," says Sylvain Lescot. "We respect the individual tastes and budgets." If the French massively plébiscitent local products, the price point is important in these times of crisis. Only 49% of them are willing to pay more, the last notes of the brand Observatory France. A concern that shade Sylvain Lescot. "While some French products can be twice as expensive than their foreign counterparts, others have a price lower than 20%."

Still, with this system of comparison, the offer tricolor appears to be doing on the game-Référence.fr France, 90% of the products purchased are French, welcomes its founder. "The 'Made in France' is not a utopia, but a way of future consumption," wants to believe. Therefore, after investing nearly 60,000 euros in building his company, the latter provides a second phase investment of 100,000 euros in the next three months to boost its offer of 300 references to over 1000. France-Référence.fr be able to respond to a request which, according to forecasts by Sylvain Lescot, should quickly jump from 5 to 50 orders per day.

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Too complicated and too expensive to manufacture. Boeing does not veil the face. The B787 Dreamliner, the first of which came with three years late to All Nippon Airways (ANA) in late September 2011, a program remains at risk and lost.

The device, which has passed through many vicissitudes since its launch, has new technical problems. A "calibration problem between structural elements" of the rear fuselage was discovered during tests carried out in factories in Seattle. Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), admitted that the first 55 Dreamliners already built might be affected by this defect. The Boeing launched an inspection campaign and hopes to address this problem in the "ten to fifteen days." Meanwhile, industrial production ramp-up "is difficult," notes one observer. Boeing has delivered five devices from late September to ANA. Under these conditions, managing to deliver fifteen more by the end of March, as the company hoped the Japanese, is an impossible mission.

Suddenly, the group announced last weekend a radical decision afresh at the industrialization of the B 787 and review its relations with its 50 partners from rank 1 to the successful ramp-up and exit the program losses .

Permutation of managers

"There is no magic formula to improve productivity on these planes. That will come from simplification of production, employment under companions and a review of the supply chain, partner by partner, "said Pat Shanahan, general manager of the development of BCA paydayloan. Boeing is a savings of $ 1 billion. It has not been more forthcoming about how to allocate effort productivity, nor on the calendar.  

He specified, however, that the boss of the program changed. Scott Fancher, who arrived in 2008 to replace the B787 on track, gives way to Larry Loftis, the boss of Boeing 777 it replaces. The switch should allow Boeing to better prepare its "organization for the challenges ahead," said Jim Albaugh. Larry Loftis brings experience in production (lean manufacturing) tested on a mature program, and Scott Fencher, its achievements in the management of a new generation aircraft with Boeing which has made several breaks.

Technology first with the massive use of composite materials (50% against 1% for the B 747). Then outsourcing industry with 70% of manufacturing with major partners in the U.S., Europe and Japan against 21% for the B 777 and 16% for the B 767. Taken to extremes, this model inspired by the automobile industry has shown its limits for a subject as complex as an airplane. Boeing has had to overcome the difficulties encountered by these partners.

For months, the group is considering the future of the Boeing 777 entered service in 1995. His successor, or a modernized 777 B that would heavily loaded with composites have much to learn from failures and successes of the B 787.

]]> http://wtwoodsoncrew.org/boeing-needed-a-plan-b-to-save-787/feed/ 0 http://wtwoodsoncrew.org/the-eu-is-considering-108-billion-to-bail-out-banks/ http://wtwoodsoncrew.org/the-eu-is-considering-108-billion-to-bail-out-banks/#comments Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:04:10 +0000 admin http://wtwoodsoncrew.org/the-eu-is-considering-108-billion-to-bail-out-banks/ Creditor banks in Greece will have to accept losses "substantial" in the new bailout of the country, warned Saturday that the European Ministers of Finance. Last night, the central bankers of the euro zone had "agreed to say that we had to have a substantial increase in the contribution of banks" in the form of a depreciation of their claims, said the leader of European finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker.

• Discount of up to 60% of the Greek debt

According to diplomatic sources, the ministers agreed to effectively negotiate with the banks at a discount of "at least 50%" against a target of 21% decided on July 21 with the banking sector. They thus de facto endorsed the conclusions of an expert report which was presented by the troika of donor funds in Greece (EU, ECB and IMF).The paper believes that a discount of 50 or 60% hope to stabilize Greece without having to increase in the amount of gigantic international loans that have already been promised.

A "discount" is the term used in relation to the financial depreciation of the value of loans taken by creditors in this case private banks and investment funds that hold government debt. A discount of 50% borne by the private sector, the second program of financial support pledged July 21 to Greece, however, should be slightly revised upwards with government loans (Europe and IMF) to 114 billion euros, against 109 billion euros.To maintain the envelope of 109 billion euros unchanged, it would bring the discount to 60%, according to calculations by experts.

• Recapitalization of banks to the tune of 108 billion euros

The question is whether the banks that have so far dragged its feet to give the pot, will accept a negotiated settlement does not pass through a default of Greece. In return for the effort required on the Greek claims, there are plans to recapitalize banks in Europe. Following a meeting of EU finance ministers, this Saturday, in preparation for the summit Sunday, no agreement had been finalized on this point, due to the persistence of disputes.

"We have made some progress on the banks" and "we have laid the groundwork for an agreement" which will still be subject to "discussions between heads of state" and called for European governments to meet in summit Sunday said Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg. Countries of the European Union are considering a recapitalization of its banks to the tune of 107 or 108 billion euros to help them cope with the crisis, has also said a source familiar with the matter.

But according to European diplomats, "there is no agreement on the recapitalization, it gets stuck a little." According to one of these diplomatic sources, "Spain insists on having a comprehensive, not only on the recapitalization of banks but also on strengthening the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF)." On the other hand, "the ministers are trying to agree on the minimum capital."The European Banking Authority (EBA) has proposed that banks reach a level of capital of 9% by mid-2012. A diplomat acknowledged that some countries in the viewfinder of the markets, like Italy, Spain or Portugal, feared that the recapitalization will further undermine public finances.

• The Fund will not support a bank

Moreover, the French proposal to grant a banking license to the Fund support the euro area (EFSF) so he can refinance with the European Central Bank "is no longer on the table," said Minister Dutch Finance Jan Kees de Jager. Only two options are being discussed to increase the firepower of the device, he told reporters Saturday.These two tracks on the agenda now that the mechanism acts as a partial insurance of the public debt of countries in difficulty or higher participation of the IMF to the device, according to a German government source. But there is "significant differences between countries" on the issue, said Jan Kees de Jager.

How to leverage the capacity of the EFSF was the main sticking point between Berlin and Paris at the approach of the EU summit. France, worried about its budget deficit and are "triple AAA" prefer tap into the existing European funds, starting with the ECB. Germany, also sensitive to the separation of powers as inflation risks, refuses anything resembling a crisis by printing money in Europe.France was not only to advocate the involvement of the ECB, arguing that this system worked very well in the United States or Great Britain. She was supported by Spain, Italy or Belgium.

The European Relief Fund currently has a lending capacity of 440 billion euros, part of which is already committed for Ireland and Portugal. This envelope is considered insufficient to prevent contagion of the debt crisis in countries as large as Italy and Spain, increasingly in the firing line of credit rating agencies.European countries negotiate so hard for weeks on the best way, via a "leverage" to multiply by up to five response capacity of the Fund's financial debt of fragile countries.

(With agencies)

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But two days after the announcement of new austerity measures, the Greeks hardly accuse the coup.To get the sixth installment of the loan of 110 billion euros, or 8 billion euros, the government's attack this time directly to households: 20% discount on pensions in excess of 1200 euros months, 30,000 employees laid off and placed in lowering the threshold of non-taxation to 5000 euros per year.

For Thanassis, college teacher, the situation has become untenable. "For eighteen months, we wake up every morning with a knot in my stomach until the next sunset," says he. So far, Thanassis did not participate in strikes, but this time he is running out: "My wife earns only 400 euros per month and will now be imposed.As for me, in addition to the reduction in my income, it imposes upon me a new solidarity tax … I can not pay, they send me to jail, it will always be better than being homeless ".

Strikes cascade

Thursday, the streets of Athens were paralyzed by the strike of public transport and taxis, while teachers and municipal employees will do so instant payday loan. As a result, the Greeks had taken their cars, contributing to the formation of traffic jams. In turn, air traffic controllers stopped work four hours, forcing airlines to cancel or delay flights. And this is only the prelude to an end of September and October ahead particularly hot socially.

Even today, the whole country will again be largely private transport.From next Tuesday, taxi drivers planned a second strike of forty-eight hours, renewable. Before the nationwide general strike scheduled for 19 October, Greece is going to live on a chaotic rhythm.

For Pavlos Tzimas, a political analyst, the malaise is deeper. It may even, says he, to turn against the government: "This can not continue. Every three months, it was announced to the Greeks a new package of austerity measures. The government has overestimated its austerity program and has underestimated the weight of the recession. "

The business concern as well. "There is no compass, this government does not know where it goes," Constantinos Michalos rebels who heads the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Athens.

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The rating agency also reserves the possibility to study "the implications of such an event on the ability of management to grow the sales of the investment bank in a suitable manner in terms of risk and the potential impact on profits of another setback on that front free business cards. " And Moody's adds: "Similarly, we will consider the potential implications of such an event on the reputation of UBS to its customers of its private banking and wealth management."

However, Moody's believes that the examination of the situation "is unlikely to lead to damage of more than one notch."The bank in turn stated that the case was likely to plunge into the red its third quarter results, but that customers should not suffer directly.

Markets, the penalty was immediate: the title UBS closed Thursday down 9.75% to 10.80 Swiss francs in a market up 0.29%. It must be said that the bank accumulated problems. In 2008, she was among the banks most exposed to subprime. More recently, the bank paid the $ 780 million U.S. in tax evasion Affiris. And some observers are quick to mention the outright end of the business of investment bank UBS.

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But these sharp increases conceal a very strong tension that dominated the entire session, enhanced by the excitement of Wall Street in the afternoon. The indices have been a roller coaster, changing direction at the rate of market rumors regarding the euro area.For example, one on a veto of Austria to strengthen the European support fund, has reduced the CAC in the afternoon, before being denied and allow a rise in prices.

Operators have reacted strongly to all new they had prior to the call for debt in Athens tonight, between the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They expect this meeting to real progress on the issue of Greece's debt.

The Polish Finance Minister, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, has poured oil on the fire by stating that Europe was "in danger". Conversely, José Manuel Barroso has played the appeasement card confirming the presentation of a study on options for the creation of Eurobonds, desired by the market mechanism guaranteed online personal loans.Pending possible support more concrete, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in turn referred to a strengthening of Chinese investment in Europe.

Side values, the banking sector has best illustrated the nervousness of investors. Despite degradation by Moody's debt of Societe Generale and Credit Agricole, and the maintenance of a negative watch for BNP Paribas, the banks had continued to rebound early in the day. But the trend was reversed late in the session. Finally, BNP Paribas 3.93% drops to EUR 26.90 and signs the worst performance of the CAC. Societe Generale lost 2.88% to 17.38 euros (the share was still over 8% in half an hour of closing). Crédit Agricole manages to stay in the green of accuracy (1.22% to 5.21%).

Areva decline (-2% to 20.58 euros) despite the announcement by the BBC of an order of over one billion euros by EDF (3.20% to 19.98 euros).Michelin, which maintains its targets for 2011, gaining 5.13% to 46.49 euros.

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