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U.S. stock markets close an increased very slightly on Thursday. The Dow Jones is 0.07% to 12,402.76 points, the S & P 500 gained 0.40% to 1325.69 points and the Nasdaq rose 0.78% to 2782.92 points.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro rebounded against the dollar on Thursday, helped by speculation about a coming increase in Chinese investment in the European sovereign debt.By late evening in Paris, the European single currency was worth 1.4135 dollars against 1.4083 dollars late Wednesday.

On the macroeconomic front, the U.S. GDP grew 1.8% in the first quarter, according to the second official estimate of the growth of winter, which confirms the original figure while analysts thought it would be revised upwards (consensus expected 2% growth).

New jobless claims in the United States are divided on the rise during the third week of May, 424,000 according to figures released Thursday by the Department of Labor (cons 414,000 the previous week), while analysts expected a decline, to 400,000.

Microsoft: 1.98% to 24.67 dollars

The investment fund Greenlight Capital, a shareholder of Microsoft, wants to remove the CEO of computer giant, saying that Steve Ballmer is a man of the past.

Computer Science: -13.02% to 38.35 dollars

For his part Computer Sciences announced yesterday evening after the close of Wall Street have registered for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2010/2011 earnings per share of $ 1.09 against $ 1.16 and $ 1.66 expected year past. Turnover was 4.2 billion, stable over one year.Over the full year, EPS fell 10.4% while turnover remained stable at 16 billion dollars.

Liberty Global: 1.51% to 44.92 dollars

Also after the close of U.S. markets, Liberty Global has received an indicative offer from Foxtel to buy back its subsidiary Austar United Communications owned 54.2% at a price of 1.52 Australian dollars per share, valuing the share of Liberty Global to nearly one billion Australian dollars.

NetApp: 6.92% to 55.31 dollars

NetApp reported for the fourth quarter earnings per share of $ 0.59 against $ 0.53 expected and $ 0.5 last year, while turnover reached 1.4 billion dollars against 1.2 billion last year.For the quarter, NetApp expects earnings per share of 0.52 to $ 0.57 and revenues of about $ 1.5 billion.

Google: -0.30% to 518.13 dollars

Also of note, Google has unveiled a contactless payment solution developed by MasterCard and Citigroup. The owners of Android phones will eventually make their phones instead of their credit card at the checkout.

A dozen people are working around the front of the Puerta del Sol. Armed with sponges, gloves and scrapers, they attack the graffiti inscribed on an iron curtain Internet Payday loans. The last letters of the word "Revolución" disappear as a result of …

The negotiations have accelerated over the past week between Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi, and its counterpart Vittorio Colao, CEO Vodafone. The two sides finally reached an agreement Sunday to 7.75 billion euros plus the payment of a dividend of 200 million euros in the first half, Vivendi puts his hand on the 44% stake in SFR it does not already own. The transaction is expected to close in late June 2011. This sum values ​​SFR to 17.6 billion euros, or 6.2 times its EBITDA. A valuation standards-compliant transactions in the telecom sector.

With this transaction, Vivendi finally control the entire second French telecom operator who weighs 12.5 billion euros in sales and has 21 million mobile customers and 5,000,000 fixed customers."For the first time since the creation of SFR in 1987 by Generale des Eaux (Vivendi ancestor) that the second French operator has a single shareholder," said Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi. However, SFR and Vodafone will retain preferential trade agreements for three years. These agreements relate to roaming subscribers of SFR in France and beyond those of Vodafone when they travel to France. The agreement also covers joint management of major international clients. "Now more SFR may be present outside of France and develop new services for its customers," said Jean-Bernard Levy. However, Vodafone will not be the operator of Vivendi's holdings abroad as Morocco Telecom and GVT in Brazil. For these operations, "Vivendi will retain management," said Jean-Bernard Lévy

SFR occupies an important place in the Vivendi group.During the years of crisis in 2002 when the group collapsed under 32 billion euros of debt, he found his salvation by acquiring a majority stake in SFR from British Telecom for 4 billion euros. Thus, Vivendi could access the cash flow of its telephone subsidiary, which enabled him to honor the payment of its debt. SFR, Morocco Telecom and GVT, Vivendi telephony is clearly becoming a telecoms group. Its media activities: Canal +, Universal Music and Activision Blizzard are now a minority. However, the group intends to use the cash from SFR to strengthen it.

"Last but not negligible for Vivendi shareholders, this transaction will increase our annual profits, which allow us to increase the dividend for 2012," promises Jean-Bernard Levy. The current dividend is 1.40 euro.

ALSO READ: "Vivendi cap on redemption of SFR and Canal +

The news will revive speculation about the succession to Maurice Levy. The boss of Publicis Groupe, the world number three communication, set this Wednesday, Jean-Yves Naouri head of Publicis Worldwide, its largest advertising network. A decision fraught with meaning, and "an important context for me," says the FigaroMaurice Levy, whose term as CEO was extended beyond the end of 2011, but no deadline is set .

Jean-Yves Naouri, who also remains CEO of Publicis Groupe operational, takes the place occupied since 2006, Richard Pinder, who is leaving Publicis' to carry out personal projects. "

At 51, Jean-Yves Naouri still does not inherit the scepter, but puts its new mission as a worthy successor.While giving him the keys to the brand's founding group Publicis, Maurice Lévy offers him the opportunity to "complete the range" of its capabilities: to manage the operational activity of a network of nearly 10,000 employees, serving client world leaders in their sectors such as Renault, L'Oreal, HP, Nestle and Procter & Gamble.

His appointment and the departure of Richard Pinder concomitant further reduces the range of possibilities, especially after the release of the game by David Kenny, former head of Digitas, acquired by Publicis in 2007, and Vivaki – which includes activities and digital media group payday loan online. The latter joined the Internet Akamai solutions specialist.

Initiatory journey

The trajectory of Jean-Yves Naouri has it, all of the initiatory journey.He joined Publicis in 1993 after a stint in the cabinet of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Minister of Industry from 1991 to 1993, this X-Mines co-founded Publicis Consultants, assumed the chairmanship of Publicis Conseil in 2000, and his classes internationally, including the charge recovery activities in northern Europe, or that the healthcare division.

Organization man, Jean-Yves Naouri has risen through the ranks of the group. Appointed Executive Vice President of Publicis Groupe in 2004, Deputy Director General in charge of operations in 2006, then Chief Operating last year, he is a member of the Board since 2007.

Challenge beautiful "and" great opportunity "in the words of Jean-Yves Naouri, the post he was offered Wednesday is" a step closer to the finishing line, "which places" in an excellent position in the race "warns Maurice Levy.

U.S. stock markets open up Thursday. The Dow Jones gained 0.53% and the Nasdaq advance of 0.98%. On Wednesday, Wall Street closed slightly higher, achieving withstand a blow of hot oil, including through private employment figures better than expected and the last situation report from the Fed.

The human resources firm ADP said that the U.S. private sector had created 217,000 jobs in February, far more than in January, more than expected by economists. Moreover, as the beige book for the U.S. central bank (Fed) "the overall economic activity continued to grow at low to moderate in January and early February."This situation report was made on the basis of information supplied by the twelve regional branches of the Federal Reserve based on their field observations and contacts with the corporate world before February 18.

Investors, however, keep an eye on oil today. Despite a moderate decline Thursday morning gold prices remain under pressure.In mid-session, a barrel of Brent North Sea traded in London at 115.72 dollars, down 63 cents from the close of the day, while in New York, a barrel of Light sweet crude (WTI) let go 62 cents to 101.61 dollars.

AIG repay the state

On the foreign exchange market, the euro off again down slightly against the dollar on Thursday, traders moved cautiously before the monetary policy decision of the European Central Bank (ECB), which could adopt a more aggressive stance to counter the Inflation in the eurozone.By mid-afternoon in Paris, the euro bought 1.3946 dollars against 1.3867 dollars late Wednesday, after reaching 1.3891 dollars Wednesday, its highest level since early November.

On the macroeconomic front, new jobless claims fell to their lowest level since late May 2008 the United States, according to official figures released Thursday in Washington and identifying the deposit of 368,000 applications for unemployment benefits one week guaranteed fast personal loans.

Productivity gains businesses have been revised upwards to 3.9% for all of 2010 in the United States, according to new estimates from the Labor Department released Thursday in Washington.

At 16 hours will be issued ISM Services February.

AIG: 2.98% to 38.41 dollars

The side of values, the insurance giant AIG American sold its stake in rival MetLife for $ 6.3 billion, a sum that will enable it to repay much of the money owed to government U.S. Treasury said Wednesday the United States.

Apple: 1.27% to 356.58 dollars

Apple on Wednesday unveiled the new version of its tablet computer iPad, with two cameras emptied, one in front and the other on the back.

Citigroup: 1.52% to 4.67 dollars

Spanish bank Santander, the U.S. asset manager BlackRock and a fund run by a former Citigroup, Bob Willumstad, interested in the resumption of consumer credit from Citigroup, the Financial Times reported.The deal could reach two billion.

CME Group: 0.85% to 306.61 dollars

CME Group would launch a service for futures market in London to develop the volume of transactions with emerging countries.

Also note, the SEC, the policeman of financial markets in the U.S., is trying to fight against pay excessive bonuses which, it increases the excessive risk-taking in the field of finance. The stock market watchdog will for the first time, require details of the bonus awarded.

The retreat from Brussels is not merely cosmetic. A week after being criticized by Nicolas Sarkozy, the European Commission published on Wednesday in Brussels, its report on raw materials and access to rare earths.

As expected, the text – including Le Figaro has obtained a copy – was amended. Unlike the first version, it admits a link between speculation, more frequent on the futures markets and commodity prices in physical markets. But this link is not considered self-evident nor in the formation of prices."While it is clear that there is a strong correlation between the positions on derivatives markets and prices on spot markets, we read in the report, it is always very difficult to fully assess the interactions and impact of market movements derivatives on the volatility of the underlying physical markets. "In other words, there is no evidence that speculation, in itself, makes up the prices of raw materials, which cater primarily to the law of the supply and demand.

The EU executive does not fold completely to the orders of Nicolas Sarkozy, who as chairman of the G20, has made the fight against speculation in agricultural markets one of his priorities, saying that it plays a role and proved disastrous in the recent rise in prices and price volatility.

Limiting positions

For the rest, the Commission agrees without blinking in the direction of the French Presidency.Especially when it comes to demand more transparency on the physical and financial markets and prevent market abuse. If not matter for Brussels to ban speculation, for we must "let the physical market participants to hedge against price risks, we must however consider taking enforcement action, including" imposing position limits "on the markets where justified. That is what the policeman American futures markets, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is trying to do for several weeks in the United States to quell the speculation. On this point, Europe is lagging behind.It has no legislative instruments or the gendarme to intervene on the futures markets for commodities, especially active in London and Geneva.

The Commission is more proactive when it comes to defending his strategy to secure its supply of "rare earth", priority of EU Industry Commissioner, Antonio Tajani. Brussels has already identified 14 rare earth materials essential to its most innovative companies. Totally dependent on imports – 97% of rare earths are in China – Europe is ready to monetize access to its domestic market to attract partners.

Commissioner Tajani must travel to Russia and Latin America soon to negotiate privileged access. The Commission also wants to promote the exploitation of rare earth buried beneath its soil, particularly in Sweden and Finland, but also in France (tungsten).To do this, Brussels will have to tweak the blow to European ecologists, negotiating an amendment to Directive Natura 2000.

French justice had the heaviest hand for the former boss of Vivendi, Jean-Marie Messier, his American counterpart, which had acquitted a year ago. After eight years of investigation and trial on one of the most sensational bankruptcies in recent years in France, the court ruled on Friday, the fate of Jean-Marie Messier, spent two years at the helm of the General Waters, he transformed into a giant media and led to the near-bankruptcy in 2002.

This icon of French capitalism in the early 2000s has indeed been sentenced this afternoon to a term of three years suspended sentence for "spreading false or misleading information" about the financial health of the group, and "abuse of social good. " It also scoop a fine of 150,000 euros, and shall indemnify dozens of small shareholders of Vivendi cheated by the rout of the telecommunications group.It was however acquitted of the third charge, "price manipulation" of Vivendi. He has already indicated through his lawyer that he will challenge this decision on appeal.

Behavior "prestidigiteur debt"

"Jean-Marie Messier has adopted towards the market behavior of real 'magician debt' behavior that could at most be detected by analysts and financial professionals (…) but certainly not by individual shareholders, which this communication was also addressed and which could only be deceived by its abbreviated and misleading, "reads the ruling.

Justice did not spare the closest collaborators of Jean-Marie Messier. Edgar Bronfman Jr., chief executive of Warner, was sentenced to fifteen months suspended sentence and five million euro fine for insider trading.His former right hand man and chief financial officer of Vivendi Universal, Guillaume Hannezo, was handed his side a penalty of 15 months suspended sentence and a fine of 850,000 euros free online credit report. Eric Licoys finally, former deputy director general of the group, was sentenced to six months suspended sentence.

Messier admits mistakes but no offense

Jean-Marie Messier has already indicated through his lawyer that he will challenge this decision on appeal. He admits indeed have made mistakes but no offense. The former boss, 54, and grants, the Wall Street Journal: "I was young, I've said too much and I became a symbol." Whatever the Horns of Canal + J6M nicknamed (for Jean Marie Messier, Myself Master of the World) even regretted his "arrogance" at the time. But beyond its mismanagement, Jean-Marie Messier also challenges a softer environment.He recalled that the bursting of the dotcom bubble and September 11 were particularly devastating for the values of the new economy traded.

He especially insists he did not deliberately sought to mislead analysts and shareholders. "Some of my decisions in the management proved wrong, but a fraud? Never, Never, never! "He says. And he points out the flaws in the file. The indictment for abuse of social good based on a negotiated golden parachute … but never touched. As for price manipulation, it acknowledges the massive purchase of Vivendi shares after the attacks of Sept. 11, but in order to protect the business speculators.His defense has also appeared for a time be satisfied that the prosecution had asked for his release, believing that he did not deliberately sought to mislead analysts and shareholders.

The association of small shareholders assets (APPAC), a civil trial, was on his side on Friday welcomed the "great victory for French justice, up to the expectations of shareholders."

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"No need for Messier required in the Vivendi

"Minutes Vivendi espionage trial is not finished

The purchase of McAfee, world number three security software, the world's leading microprocessor, Intel's U.S. team more than 90% of PCs worldwide, will it leave room for its competitors? The answer is "Yes," said David DeWalt, McAfee's CEO since 2007. "Our software will not be integrated in silicon. But they will serve to be better connected to the microprocessor to perform security operations such as remote wake up your device or turn it off especially in case of loss or theft, as it connects to the Internet, "says it. McAfee's competitors, including Symantec, Kaspersky and Microsoft could, if they wish, offer comparable solutions."We have been selected by Intel as a result of our most advanced technology in the world, opening our 200 partners and competitors, because we will have a positive impact on its results and because of our geographical position," says CEO McAfee. Both groups have their headquarters within the city of Santa Clara (California).

Thus the acquisition by Intel should serve the world's largest "flea" after winning the battle of the performance of microprocessors, then the energy savings, to try to raise a third pillar, that of the security.Recent revelations of Wikileaks, and also the virus that has infected the systems of control orders, Iran, sensitive installations supplied by Siemens reflect the fact that "the old security breaches that were almost exclusively due to piracy Cards are migrating to business espionage guaranteed high risk personal loans. We can meet these new threats, "said David DeWalt.

Finally, to ensure that the site will remain at its competitors, the CEO of McAfee, says that "marriage will be modeled on that between EMC, the world leader in storage systems, and VMWare (specialist virtualization data). After joining the company VMware, EMC has decided to spin off while retaining control with 86% of the capital to enable it to offer its solutions to competitors like Hitachi, IBM and NetApp. "It would be the same between Intel and McAfee.

The question is even more critical that the marriage to 7.68 billion is considered by Brussels and Washington. "We delivered on Monday of last week, the documents to complete our acquisition in Europe, the European Commission and the United States, the Federal Trade Commission. We have the first answers in about a month, "said David DeWalt, CEO of McAfee.

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The giant Intel swallows McAfee for $ 7.7 billion

Two thirds of the Spanish air traffic controllers on strike since Friday night, began to regain their positions, 109 of 159 strikers. The Spanish Minister of Transport José Blanco announced on CNN + that the airspace of the country was now "totally open".

Traffic has not yet been able to take the big foreign companies and the national airline Iberia has already planned to cancel all flights until Sunday. The minister also does not return to normal traffic before 24 to 48 hours.

State of alert

The Spanish government had met this morning to decide what action to take to the air controllers' strike that paralyzed the country, and had declared a state of emergency. A fateful decision.Under this decree, air traffic controllers can be mobilized and strikers are punishable as criminal, up to the prison. This decision means "that the controllers are summoned to their posts and if not, they would be in the crime of disobedience under the military penal code," said Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba after a meeting Crisis Cabinet. This is the first time the government takes such a position since the death of General Franco in 1975.

On Friday the government had already assigned to the Army the responsibility for air traffic control. despite this, no traffic recovery has taken place this morning. Iberia and Ryanair even announced they were canceling all their flights until Sunday morning. Air France, KLM, Thai Airways and EasyJet also.Almost all of Spanish airspace has been closed since Friday night, whereas many Spaniards were preparing to leave Friday for a five-day long bridge, the beginning of next week being a holiday in Spain.

Opposition to the maximum working time

Air traffic controllers have abandoned their jobs late Friday afternoon to protest against a measure adopted shortly before the Council of Ministers, peaking at 1,670 hours per year working time.

This is part of the device of partial privatization of airport management Authority (Aena) adopted by the government under new anti-crisis measures. The Minister of Public Works, Jose Blanco, condemned what débryage wild as a form of "blackmail."

Tourism accounts for 11% of Spanish GDP and the Spanish hotel confederation said that these disruptions in air traffic would result in a shortfall of millions of euros for the industry and a blow in terms of tourist destination image Spain.

(With agencies)

It is the effect the fuel pump! In October, marked by the intense news surrounding the battle of pensions, news websites have set new records. With 7.3 million unique visitors a month, according to hearings Médiamétrie NetRatings, the site lefigaro.fr moves clearly ahead. The audience jumped 31% from the previous month. This is the second best performance of the site's history. The peak attendance was recorded on 19, 20 and 21 October at the height of protests against pension reform, when the students took to the streets and especially when the French feared the effects of the shortage of gasoline. The website of Le Figaro ahead of the World, who also surfs on the news very rich to reach an audience of 5.8 million unique visitors.