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A little over five months after launching a takeover bid (OPA) on UTS, Total, through its Canadian subsidiary, Total E & P Canada has finally acquired the developer of oil sands in Canada, including its core asset, With the project mininier Hilles (Alberta). Total: 1.15 billion Canadian dollars, or 866 million euros. "The asset quality will enable us to consolidate and realign our portfolio of assets in Canada's oil sands," said Yves-Louis Darricarrère, president of Exploration & Production, said in a statement.

"The exploitation of tar sands – a mixture of sand and bitumen – is more expensive than crude oil but is very profitable when oil prices rise.This makes sense if you think that oil prices rise again, "said one analyst.

When Total launched its takeover bid for UTS, his spokesman said: "To acquire interest in UTS Fort Hills project fits with the strategy by enabling us to acquire at fair prices and a relatively strong position with attractive an oil sands project and a significant shareholder competent operational, "says Floren.

This asset will strengthen Total's existing portfolio in the region that includes the Joslyn Project and Northern Lights located near the Fort Hills project and which Total holds 74% and 60%.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley, this approach shows that Total is interested in trading in relatively small segment of the oil sands rather than the purchase of large groups, even if the rumor has expressed interest in the Canadian Nexen whose capitalization approach eight billion dollars.

Through this transaction, shareholders will receive 3.08 SWU Canadian dollars per share and a stake in the merged entity to exploration and development after the acquisition, SilverBirch Energy Corp., said in a statement UTS. "This transaction allows shareholders to realize immediate UTS bonus cash on the current course of action while participating in the SWU significant growth potential of SilverBirch," said John Watson, president of UTS.

At the Paris Bourse, Total shares lost 1.76% to 35.99 euros in a market that declined by 1.62%, to 12 hours.

Finding the cheapest car insurance quotes can be an activity that requires a huge amount of time given the number of policies available on the market.

The U.S. stock market should take another step forward Wednesday. The index futures are predicting a slightly higher opening of U.S. markets. The index futures Standard & Poor's 500 index advancing 0.46% to 2033.50 points. The day the Dow Jones gained 0.23% and the Nasdaq 0.81%. In Asia this morning, the same trend with the Nikkei in particular that ended on a positive note (+1.74%).

Apple Earnings blaze

On Wall Street, the technology sector should benefit from the announcement after the stock market, a 90% surge in net income of U.S. computer maker Apple in the first quarter. Inflated by including a doubling of sales of iPhones, the company's net earnings to net apple exceeds $ 3 billion in the second quarter of its fiscal offset.Turnover was up 49% to 13.50 billion dollars.

Also in the technology sector, Yahoo! also published after the close a net profit group share in the first quarter more than doubled on a year to over $ 310 million payday loans. In contrast, the turnover has been disappointing. It increased only 1% to just under $ 1.6 billion.

On Tuesday, the financial sector, for its part, was carried by the strong quarterly results from investment bank Goldman Sachs, whose future remains clouded by fraud prosecutions brought by securities regulators in the United States and in Great Britain.The firm has more than doubled its net profit in the first three months of the year to nearly 3.5 billion dollars.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro was slightly lower Wednesday as investors watching the talks between Greek officials and teams from the EU, IMF and ECB on aid to Greece due to start Wednesday after a successful bond sale by Athens yesterday. In the early morning, the European currency was worth 1.3433 dollars against 1.3436 dollars the previous day.

Today on Wall Street, investors will monitor the traditional weekly crude inventories will be published in late afternoon.

It is an alliance that giant Credit Agricole is poised to build in the business of brokering, with China's Citic. Corroborating sources, the two groups, whose discussions began a year ago, will announce in the next few days their entry into exclusive negotiations.

Before yesterday, the Bloomberg spoke of the creation of a joint venture in Asia. The project is actually much broader. Cr?dit Agricole and Citic were preparing to share all of their brokerage activities, with the ambition to offer a comprehensive worldwide.For the Green Bank, this means that it will bring in the trash marriage the two flagships, CA Cheuvreux in Europe but also CLSA Asia inherited his nugget of the former Credit Lyonnais and the ex-Indosuez, which strike force in Asia is comprised of over 1 300 employees.

"An entry by the front door"

The negotiations will refine the assembly operation. It seems, however, have articulated a pattern in stages. Globally, the respective contributions show an economic weight of about 70% for Credit Agricole, 30% for its Chinese partner. In Asia alone, the ratio is 50-50.

In China, finally, market still very restrictive with regard to foreign players, the Green Bank would of course be a minority, but Citic would offer "an entry by the front door," said a source familiar with the matter.Both groups have the ambition to create a unique platform for implementation to the world. A strategy that sticks to the explosion of capital flows to and from the Asian region, particularly China. She also accompany the rise, very fast, of IPOs on the Asian markets for new local giants, but also of foreign cash advance payday loan. Western companies are increasingly likely to be tempted by either a dual listing-West Asia, either through public offerings in part of their activities in emerging markets.

In 2007, Citic had wanted to attempt the adventure of large-scale partnership in market activities.But the Chinese had backed the wrong horse by selecting Bear Stearns, number five on Wall Street, which was the first major victim of the financial crisis in March 2008. The company was swallowed by a weekend, for a pittance and under pressure from the Fed, JPMorgan.

By marrying his "brokerage" than CITIC, Cr?dit Agricole replicates the strategy already implemented in the field of asset management and derivatives: Green Bank has established two joint ventures with Societe Generale, Amund and Newedge . In both cases, there is access to the critical size. The problem applies to the brokerage, a business in which the challenge is to offset the costs of research teams and infrastructures, galloping amid technological revolution on the market.

Finally, the operation comes at a strategic refocusing of the Cr?dit Agricole group.The Green Bank in 2008 has imposed a severe weight loss at its investment banking subsidiary, which came early and suddenly in crisis. Now, CA IPC (Credit Agricole's Corporate and Investment Banking) is focused on three areas: structured finance, capital markets and brokerage. The planned offensive alliance with CITIC confirms this last job.

Nicolas Sarkozy has made to put things right in the Council of Ministers, just before receiving the UMP parliamentarians: "It does not affect the tax shield." A Council that was exceptionally held in late afternoon to cause of displacement of U.S. President. For deputies summoned to the Elysee, so there was more suspense before the start of the meeting.

"The tax shield is more than a campaign pledge is a real conviction on the part of the majority", pleaded Luc Chatel, a spokesman of the government, through: "If we want to attract investors, if we want to reconnect with family capitalism, it was necessary to end a confiscatory tax system. "Before concluding, unmoved:" I do not feel that the tax shield is starting to crack. "

Yet the controversy has continued to swell until the presidential will be known.Just when Luc Chatel made it public, Dominique de Villepin, who met with associations in a Parisian cafe, explained that the suspension of the tax shield is "common sense". "This is the wish of all the French, he claimed. That is what the majority wants today and I am glad, like what time to time it is worth persevering. "

A turning

Imprudent, especially as Baroin had paved the ground before Nicolas Sarkozy expressed. In an interview with Echo, the new budget minister had spoken to the "fiscal stability", explaining: "By nature, I always thought we did not leave enough time for a device to produce his tax effects.Let the system run on time and take stock. "But while describing the shield of" good principle of tax fairness, "he had served on his opponents he could hear their arguments, adding:" I have no doubt it will be one of the subjects, most notably, in the heart of the budget debate. "

In the meantime, the opposition continued its offensive, the voice of Francois Hollande. The former first secretary of the PS had rejoiced Monday that the "lock" is about to jump. On Wednesday, the Assembly, he questioned Francois Fillon, but Baroin who responded by strengthening even tone.He proclaimed his "pride" of having belonged to the government who set up the shield and, above all, he has refreshed his memory of leftist deputies by throwing them: "You're the first, with Michel Rocard, who have not invented the shield, but defined a certain idea of capping. "However, he was careful to recall that Alain Juppe was subsequently removed this cap.

The President did little to dampen the ardor sustainable fiscal policies of the majority? In any case, the offensive against the shield was a turning point in relations between Nicolas Sarkozy and the expected parliamentary support. Hours before the appointment of the Elysee, three deputies announced the filing of a bill to "suspend" the tax shield.Among them, Villepin as Marc Bernier, Anne-Marie and Michel Montchamp reason, but also a centrist close to Pierre Mehaignerie Rene Couanau an "unclassifiable", Michel Piron, and even a hard-Sarkozyist Pierre Cardo. "As a national effort is needed to reform pensions, reduce deficits, supporting people in precarious situations, it is essential that this effort is shared by all," they write as an explanatory memorandum.

Jean-Francois Cope, who always professed that "we must come together when the family is in trouble, did nothing to defend the tax shield, which he implemented as budget minister. Admitting he had "no religion" in the subject, he allowed members of the New Center to celebrate their voices "began to be heard."

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Markets dissect ads Fed on Tuesday. The latter said that economic conditions continue to ensure the maintenance of interest rates to extremely low "for a long time." The Fed maintains its policy rate in the range from 0 to 0.25%. The institution also believes that "the job market is now stabilizing.

Investors reacted without enthusiasm to these ads. Around 19h25, the Dow Jones climbed 0.32% to 10,676 points while the Nasdaq is 0.57% at 2376 points. The S & P 500 gained 0.61% to 1157 points.

In addition, import prices in the United States declined slightly more than expected in February by 0.3% from the previous month after rising 1.3% in January, according to the Labor Department.Analysts expected a decline somewhat less pronounced, 0.2%.

Housing starts and housing issuing of building permits in the United States also fell in February by 5.9% from the previous month, falling to 575,000 units annually. But with very bad weather that hit much of the country, analysts expected a sharper drop, to 570,000.

Good news in Europe

Reassuring news came from the rating agency Standard and Poor's.This continued Tuesday in the long term rating of BBB + from Greece and announced not to consider a decrease in the short term, but accompanied the confirmation of a negative outlook.

Moreover, in Brussels, the Finance Ministers of the European Union have "supported the evaluation by the European Commission to the budgetary situation of Greece", says European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn.

The news has boosted European markets … and the euro. The European currency climbed from 0.64% to 1.3760 dollar.

The bank in the viewfinder

In all cases, caution is needed, particularly for the banking sector the most significant announcements of monetary policy committee of the Federal Reserve easy payday loans .Especially as yesterday, Democratic Senator Chris Dodd has introduced a text aimed at reforming American finance which seeks consensus. But he does not yet collect no Republican support. JP Morgan Chase (-0.20%), Goldman Sachs (0.66%) or Bank of America (0.71%) react in an uncoordinated manner.

On the side of values, PepsiCo (-0.14% to 66.06 dollars) announced after the close of Wall Street yesterday, up 7% of its dividend and authorized a new share repurchase 15 billion dollars before June 2013. This new program replaces the $ 6.4 billion, which expires next June.

Similarly, Limited Brands (Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fich …) has announced a special dividend of $ 1 and approved a share repurchase of 200 million dollars.Securities climbed 4.43% to 24.77 dollars.

Also in the luxury sector, the parent company of Calvin Klein, the Philips-Van Heusen (1.64% to 53.30 dollars) announced yesterday the acquisition of the brand casual wear Tommy Hilfiger fund of British investment Apax Partners.

Google (0.53% to 566.16 dollars) could close its search engine or a part of its activities in China. The U.S. group would be safe "99.9%" to abandon its Chinese search engine, reported the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal this weekend.

The results of FedEx (+0.21%) for the third quarter are expected Thursday. The numbers of specialist couriers are expected.They usually figure advanced barometer of business activity.

The record company Sony (-0.32% to 37.49 dollars) has signed a contract worth 250 million dollars to the heirs of Michael Jackson until 2017 to distribute new and derivatives of the "King of pop, died last June, the Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Announced in May, the marketing of coffee pods Casino compatible with Nespresso coffee machines, breaking for the first time the monopoly of the subsidiary of Nestl? on its capsules, should lead to jostling on the shelves of super, supermarkets and mini-markets group Etienne. It could also lead to a rush in the courtroom. "We will defend our interests in a very strong," says Le Figaro Richard Girardot, CEO of Nespresso.

Ethical Coffee Company (ECC), the young Swiss company founded by a former boss of Nespresso and Casino, has negotiated exclusive distribution in France capsules designed by ECC, ensure not to violate any of the patents filed by the subsidiary Nestle. Those who protect the first generation of capsules are supposed to fall into the public domain until late 2012 payday advance low fees .ECC claims to have found a loophole allowing him to circumvent the patent protection. "It seems very surprising to our lawyers," stressed the head of Nespresso, which states that the 1700 patent filed by the group to protect the faith the capsules and how they are used in coffee makers.

The leaders of Nespresso, which could not see, and because the capsule competing, let alone taste it, do not count undertake preventive approach, both towards Casino, ECC or its sub Folliet contractor, the roaster Chambery which supports the production of pods. But with their lawyers, they will likely be the first to rush into the shelves of Casino.

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Minister of Budget, Public Accounts and Public Administration, ?ric Woerth formally on Thursday at the High Council of State Civil Service Decree controversial mobility agents.

LE FIGARO. – What this decree on mobility will he?

Eric Woerth. – Simply apply the law passed last summer after much consultation! For officials, it will provide real career paths: a government can no longer retain an agent who found a job that interested in another jurisdiction, and it will lose more pay or seniority changing job …

Meanwhile, we are reforming the administration in depth. Services are merged, computerization is progressing: the final positions disappear.For staff whose post was abolished, the law "mobility" obliges the administration to make them three real proposals and to train them if they need while maintaining their full salary. If he refuses, the officer may be placed on standby, after consulting the Joint Administrative Committee (PAC) which comprises unions. Three new offers made on it. If he still refuses, he may be fired after a new shift in CAP.

Unions speak of a "provocation" …

This is not a red flag, but rather a white flag! The future procedure is far less brutal than the current established by the Government Mauroy. When an item is removed today, the official must accept the first assignment given to him. If he refuses, he is regarded as having abandoned his post and removed frames. He loses his rights to unemployment benefits.The rule is so harsh that it is rarely enforced.

The administration therefore pays workers who no longer work?

Twenty layoffs barely held each year for this reason. So, yes, people – especially managers – are paid when their post was deleted. It is acceptable to anyone.

Officials fear being forced to relocate or accept a position unrelated to their skills. What assurances can you give them?

The nurse turned into a sports teacher, is a cartoon! The law provides that the jobs offered will reflect the professional competence of residence and family status of the official guaranteed payday loans . The employer must meet these criteria, with review of the Joint Administrative Committee. And the agent will always go to court if he believes violated the law.The law will be applied to the quality of offers but also the consequences of six straight refusal. I reject both the caricature and the angelic being official, it is a status with rights and duties, including ensuring continuity of public service.

Seven of eight civil servants' organizations boycotted Thursday's meeting. Is this a sign of social tension?

I will chair this meeting, open to everyone to come in today – the crisis, but also the regional approach. The dialogue, at least, remains friendly, dense and direct association between unions and me. The evidence we have signed several landmark agreements, the latter again in November on the health and working conditions. Six of the eight organizations have also signed in mid-2008, a major text that redefines the union representativeness and establishes the principle of majority agreement.A slot is provided for the Assembly in late March to transpose it into law. As for officers directly involved in the reorganization, some feel, it's true concerns. This is normal because we are real reform! For us to respond by taking better account of human realities and providing clear career prospects.

Nicolas Sarkozy spoke on TF1 tenure of contract. Will you work there?

We will settle the issue this year. There are normal situations: people with CSD because they meet occasional needs or those who have chosen a permanent, sometimes better paid than the incumbents. And there are clearly abusive situations: people with recurrent CDD or CDI "sustained" on sustainable positions for no reason not to be tenured. These are cases that we review.The challenge is both financially – these people are already paid by the state – human. We must especially see how their establishment may involve the recognition of their experience. It makes no sense to send them the same competitions as external candidates as they have been working for the State.

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"Officials from the vague to the soul

To review the year ended and provide an outlook of the beginning. It is this traditional exercise – and a little tedious – that was delivered Friday the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde, surrounded by his secretaries of State, on the occasion of greeting to the press.

The First Minister has taken the form of the president that "the crisis is not a parenthesis" developments which France needs.And said to have taken four resolutions for 2010 around four "r": the "recovery" to accelerate and bring in jobs, the "reforms" to continue the "financial regulation" to expand and the "restoration of public finances" implement to reduce the deficit below 3% in 2013.

Christine Lagarde took the opportunity to recall the devices it intends to implement in the next two months – ahead of regional elections traditionally put a brake on projects.

It particularly stressed the measures to be presented January 20 in Council of Ministers. First the national debt, which will be a supplementary budget, and would fulfill the government's ambition to intensify research efforts to "increase our sustainable growth rate" and the competitiveness of France .On the other hand, the reform of the French system of financial supervision and the creation of the new supervisory authority of banks and insurance companies, via an order. "We want to create a true watchtower without blind spot, able to monitor risks across the financial sector," said Christine Lagarde insisted.

The boss of Renault at the Elysee

The side agreed to the performance of Friday was a bit shaken by the news about the Renault group. Invited to speak on the subject, the Minister of Industry, Christian Estrosi, said that the choice of Renault on the possible production of the Clio IV in Turkey, would be made Saturday "at the Elysee, where Nicolas Sarkozy will receive the President's automotive group, Carlos Ghosn.

Christian Estrosi went so far as to say aloud what usually expressed in more muted terms: whatever the weight of the state capital – "we have 15% stake that we have 20% – or the number of directors around the table (there are now two out of eighteen) is the Elysee will determine the strategic choices and industrial enterprise. Despite the shade provided by Christine Lagarde – which was considered "legitimate" than the French state was "consulted and give its opinion" and that "then the appropriate body to take its decision." The board will assess …

After closure of Wall Street without trend Monday, European stock markets are heading into the red Tuesday. In Paris the CAC 40 yielded 1.06% at 4000.05 points, in London, the FTSE-100 lost 0.71% to 5498.71 points and in Frankfurt the Dax concedes 1.61% to 5943 points.

The Central Bank of China has announced two measures to try to curb the overheating of the economy: raising the reserve requirement ratio for banks and rising interest rates on treasury bills to one year.

On Tuesday, the Bank of France issued at 8:30 its monthly business survey for the month of December: the gross domestic product (GDP) of France is expected to grow 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2009.For the full year 2009, the government expects a drop in GDP of 2.25%.

Fifteen minutes later, the Budget Ministry said the budget deficit of the French state has widened to a record 143.3 billion euros on 30 November, against 66.6 billion a year earlier, and is expected throughout 2009 slightly below 140 billion.

Yesterday after the close of U.S. markets, the g aught aluminum Alcoa has announced a return to the red in the fourth quarter with a net loss of $ 277 million, widening its losses to $ 1.151 billion in 2009.In the series of American publications yesterday, Electronic Arts announced that it raised its forecast for losses in 2009-2010.

In an interview with Le Figaro, Christine Lagarde, economy minister, justified the measure "exceptional" tax on the bonus, resulting in a bill for the banks of around 360 million euros.

Across the Atlantic trade for November will be highlighted at 14h30.

As for currencies, the euro begun to rise again against the dollar Tuesday after the rebound of the single European currency yesterday. The euro gained 0.09% to 1.4526 dollar. The oil in turn is sharply down.The barrel of Brent North Sea crude for February delivery lost 1.70% to 70.67 dollars per barrel "Texas Light Crude (WTI) traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange for the same maturity, nibbles 1 53% at 81.61 dollars.

Penalized by EADS subsidiary Airbus

The deputy CEO of Airbus (EADS subsidiary, -2.62% to 14.10 euros), Fabrice Br?guier said that "the goal is to double Airbus A380 deliveries in 2010 in Echos in an interview published Tuesday. The direction of this group today in Seville's balance of trade in 2009 and its 2010 outlook. Louis Welsh, CEO of EADS said that the difficulties will persist into 2010. The European aircraft manufacturer announced on Tuesday a record number of deliveries for 2009, with 498 aircraft, against 481 for its rival Boeing. He has delivered 15 aircraft more than in 2008. However, the difficulties of the Airbus A400M and undermine the results of EADS.This ad revenues down 4% in 2009 to 41.7 billion euros against 43.3 billion euros in 2008.

Alstom close among the largest declines the CAC 40 (-3.02%). S ociety General went to "sell" cons "hold" on the manufacturer of infrastructure for the energy and transport, with a target price unchanged at 47 euros.

Air France-KLM (-2.39% to 12.06 euros) is monitoring the stock market while the CEC must explain to Dominique Bussereau, Secretary of State for Transport on the hole of 20 million euros in its accounts.

Side Renault (-2.17% to 38.36 euros), the State has assured shareholders it does not stand "idly" on a possible relocation of the production of future Clio in Turkey manufacturer Renault.

Total (-1.32% to 45.65 euros) is ready to close its refinery in Flanders, according to information from Figaro.

Accor is sanctioned (-2.21% to 36.76 euros). The group was assured that despite the announced devaluation of 50% of the Venezuelan bolivar, the performance targets were maintained between 400 and 450 million euros for 2009.

Ubisoft has one of the largest declines: -5.35% to 10.27 euros.The group is affected by the downward revision of annual estimates of its competitor Electronics Arts and negative comments from analyst firms.

The defensive form

In this gloomy meeting, the CAC 40 is only supported by defensive stocks: Pernod Ricard (+1.33% at 59.28 euros, boosted by a favorable recommendation from Credit Suisse), Danone (+0.61% at 42 84 euros) and France Telecom (+0.32% to 17.35 euros), only CAC 40 values which enclose up this Tuesday.

CAC Hors, Ipsen has one of the largest increases of the SBF 120 (1.22%). The latter is driven by an increase in Chevreux recommendation of 48 euros to 53.50 euros.

CAC Hors, Wendel appears in decline (-4.10% to 43.58 euros after a sharp rise in mid-session (+2.07%)).The group said today supporting the launch of the IPO of helikos, a company whose sole purpose is to invest in Germany in an unlisted company.

In the news Tuesday, the station will create a joint venture with U.S. giant IBM computer, which will cover the services of the French railway company, said Tuesday's Tribune, which amounted to 1.7 billion 'euro amount of the contract.

CAFOM announced having doubled its net profit in the first half.

On Tuesday, the turnover of Toupargel Jacquet Metals and Xiring will follow.

Wall Street on Monday addressed the sixth session of consecutive increase. Half an hour after opening, the Dow Jones gained 0.1% to 10,537 points while the Nasdaq gained 0.30% to 2292 points. The S & P gained 0.19% to 1128 points. Before the Christmas break, the U.S. places had registered a new annual record after the 14 December. The meeting on Monday also looks into the green even if the volume of trade should be still very low due to leave later this year.

Neither statistics and results are expected during this session.However, markets will follow tomorrow, Tuesday the S & P / Case Shiller index of house prices, the index of investor confidence in State Street and the index of consumer confidence from the Conference Board in December.

The airline industry lags behind

Fannie Mae (20%) and Freddie Mac (23%) bound in exchange for information following the U.S. press that the U.S. Treasury agreed to provide two groups of funds as necessary within three years.

The Amazon is under 1.91% to 141.11 dollars. The group announced that its digital book reader Kindle article had become the most offered in its history.It was first sold more books than books, digital paper on Christmas Day.

The airline industry should also move following the tightening of security measures imposed by Washington after the assassination attempt Friday during a flight from Northwest Airlines (0.35%). Continental Airlines lost 1.45%.

Delta Airlines fell by 2.72% and American Airlines lost 1.84% in response to rumors that the Japanese public funds Turnaround Enterprise Initiative Corporation of Japan (ETIC) seek to place Japan Airlines (JAL) in bankruptcy as part of restructuring the airline.A news that could complicate ongoing discussions with the two American companies.

Alexander Ananenkov, vice chairman of Russian gas giant Gazprom said Monday that his group expected to conclude in 2010 an agreement with U.S. energy company Exxon (+0.28%) on the supply of gas from the Sakhalin – 1.

Finally, the Italian Ferrero is still considering a bid for Britain's Cadbury after the latter rejected the proposal of Kraft Foods (+0.22%)