The CAC 40 opens to the balance, the outlook on the Fed

21st September

After finishing the day in the green yesterday, gaining 1.50% to 2984 points, the CAC 40 tackles the session close to balance, falling symbolically 0.04%% to 2982.86 points on Wednesday, pending an important decision of the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed). After a two-day meeting, the institution is expected to announce measures to support the U.S. economy. The wait seems high, especially since the day before, the International Monetary Fund has raised the specter of a recession in the world by launching "a strong call to action" at the announcement of its lower growth forecasts for the global economy. This should amount to 4% for both 2011 and for 2012, 0.5 points less than the 4.5% announced in April.However, "given the weakness in economic indicators, it is almost certain that the Fed will do something but it is difficult to know exactly what," noted economists from Capital Economics.

Investors should in all cases be cautious on the Old Continent, especially after the deterioration of the Italian sovereign debt on Tuesday, which must be added the absence of a clear response from the area in the euro area on the Greek crisis. The conference held the day before between the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and the heads of mission of the "troika" of the creditors of the country has still not been completed. Only "good progress has been made," the European Commission ruled in a statement. Yet it must release the next tranche of aid and vital in Athens 8 billion euros.The Greek authorities are pressed by their foreign creditors to accelerate the reduction of budgetary expenditures, while the other side, protesters denounced the daily ravages of austerity.

Brazil could help the euro area

In addition, the Greek daily Kathimerini Athens unveiled Tuesday would consider holding a referendum on the continuation of Greece in the euro area to strengthen its legitimacy in its management of the debt crisis. A bill prior to the referendum would be discussed in the coming days, the newspaper said, quoting unspecified sources.Athens, however, denied such a referendum.

While the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) had indicated last week the possibility of supporting the euro area by increasing their holdings of bonds, the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, confirmed this position at Barack Obama on Wednesday at a meeting in New York.

On the macroeconomic front, the United States, home resales for the month of August are expected in 16 hours as the weekly inventory of crude oil at 16.30.

In Britain, the public finance figures for August are expected.

In Italy, the current account balance for the month of July will be published.

In Japan, foreign trade figures for August will also be unveiled.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro remained stable against the dollar Wednesday after Greece has reported "satisfactory progress" with the troika of creditors, but the markets remained nervous awaiting the announcements of the Fed . Around 8 am, the European currency was worth 1.3703 dollars against 1.3702 dollars the night before.

As for oil, it was down Wednesday morning in a market desperate to face the crisis of debt in the euro area, pending a decision by the Fed to promote economic recovery of the largest consumer of crude in the world.In early electronic trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for October delivery gave up 53 cents to 86.38 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery lost 37 cents to 110.17 dollars.

Values ​​to follow

• Banking

After the degradation of Italian sovereign debt, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole and BNP Paribas, which are exposed, will still be observed.

Attention will also Dexia, which would have allowed for 25 billion euros in loans toxic entities in 5500, according to Liberation.The additional cost of these credits was estimated at 3.9 billion euros at the end of 2009.

• Bouygues

The group filed with the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) the prospectus of the takeover of shares of € 1.25 billion announced on August 31, at 30 euros per share.

• Saffron

The aerospace equipment mandated banks Mediobanca and UBS to bid for the Italian manufacturer of aircraft engines Avio, reports the newspaper front page.

• Canal +

The Competition Authority decided Wednesday to withdraw the decision to authorize the merger of satellite packages CanalSat and TPS, completed in 2007, finding that Canal Plus had "failed to comply with a number of commitments" made to avoid misuse its dominant position.Groupe Canal Plus also sees a fine of 30 million euros.

• JCDecaux

According to Les Echos, the group won an exclusive contract advertising on two subway lines in Chongqing in China for a period of 15 years, but did not disclose financial details.

• Le Noble Age

The company announced in a press up all its results in the 1st half (34% to 3.68 million euros for the net) and confirmed the increase in its forecast of EBITDAR margin ( Operating income before depreciation, amortization and rent) at cruising speed greater than 27% by year end.

A German company refuses to pay its French employees

13th August

The plight of employees Sodimedical continues. For three months, the German group Lohmann & Rauscher, who owns the manufacturing company of medical equipment, refuses to pay the salaries of its fifty employees, says the "Parisien in France Today" on Friday.

A retaliatory measure following the invalidation by the court in February of the social plan concocted by management, who wanted to relocate its production to China. Considering the economic reasons cited by Sodimedical as unjustified (because the company depends on its parent, very profitable), the high court of Troyes was the beginning of the year pushed the rules of redundancy.

Director sequestered

But since then, the situation of employees of Plancy-l'Abbaye, in the Aube near Troyes, stronghold Baroin, has not arranged.As of May, Sodimedical no longer paid the salaries of its employees guaranteed payday loans. "The employees are without work and without income illegally," said Mr. Brown, their lawyer.

Despite several convictions by the courts, forcing the company to pay wages on pain of penalty, financial difficulties accumulate. "The state is unable to enforce court decisions. We met with the Minister of Economy Baroin, who returned the ball to the prefect, "said an employee on a daily basis. Without success.

Twice in June, employees have unsuccessfully tried to succeed by sequestering their manager, later released by police.The Commercial Court of Troyes should again today to decide the fate of employees Sodimedical.

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Margerie explained on the benefits of Total

29th July

LE FIGARO. – Your net half-year euro rose 17% to 6.7 billion euros. Part of the French public displays Total estimated benefits "insolent." What do you tell him?

Christophe de Margerie. – What do you want Total to answer those who have already tried? However, I am ready to discuss the importance of our results and what they serve. In the first half, we invested 11.3 billion euros. We prepare the future, not just to look for oil and gas but also by positioning ourselves on new energy sources such as photovoltaic. In the second quarter, our results in dollars rose by 7% yoy and 19% in the first half.This is a more moderate increase than in oil and gas knowing that it mainly benefits the producing countries, our average tax rate was increased to nearly 60%.

It blames the gasoline pumps, starting with Total, a secret on prices …

There are no more transparent than the fuel market in France: the prices are posted daily on the Internet and on motorways. But the best protection for consumers is competition. The distribution market in France is hypercompetitive, with margins among the lowest in Europe, less than 1 cent per liter. This has led almost all the major oil companies to withdraw from the French market, but at least not total! For me, the fewer stations in France is a concern because it affects access to energy for all the French.Let us not forget that if our brand image of a monopoly, it is never that 20 to 25% of the market based on fuel. Far from the supermarkets, which account for more than 60%.

In France, Total is testing gas stations cheap, will you extend this experience?

The first results are satisfactory. We intend to extend the experience. Many issues remain unresolved, including the name and position in relation to our current network. One thing is certain, if we convert the try, we'll do it our way, with low prices, certainly, but also a real quality of service. Before any changes, a necessary preliminary: the dialogue with social partners.

You explore and exploit deeper and deeper, further. Is not it risky?

We do not manage a pension.Our goal is to identify and develop the reserves today that will meet the demands of tomorrow payday advance. For this, we must actually take calculated risks but the real risk of being hindered in accessing new reserves. So yes, we are going to countries 'difficult' in the political, technical or environmental: Burma, Nigeria, Libya or Canada and its oil sands … Production costs have soared. A barrel today is much more investment than ever, it is of a barrel of "high technology". Macondo after (the explosion of the BP platform in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, Ed), our security requirements are more than ever the priority but it will take part in rising costs, as well as requirements energy efficiency and reducing emissions of greenhouse gas emissions.I remind you that Total is committed to halving its volume of gas flared between 2005 and 2014.

What is your strategy to access these new reserves?

We are strengthening our strategy begun almost two years. We have made acquisitions of high quality. While we were rather conservative on sales, we prove that we know sell and sell well. We have sold our interests in the Spanish company Cepsa, to nearly $ 4 billion in an offshore block in Angola, most recently in the Norwegian gas pipeline network.We breathe our asset portfolio and disclaim cash flow for future growth on younger workers, focused on our growth areas in high technology – the ultra-deep offshore, liquefied natural gas (LNG) or gas as unconventional shale gas – while ensuring a good geographical balance. These eighteen months we have seen thus strengthen our position in Russia, Australia, Canada or in East Africa.

With shale gas, Total is it becoming a group more gas?

Our strategy includes both oil and gas. Today, gas is essential, it is cleaner than coal and oil to produce electricity. Gas now accounts for 45% of the total production, oil 55%. Shale gas has upset the market in the United States.In Europe, we start – when you can – just exploring, although many of exploration permits for the shale gas is already taken. However, we are already permits in Denmark, Poland, with Exxon, and Argentina.

Doubts about the car "ultra-low-cost" of Renault in India

16th July

If its economic potential is enormous, India as a country is decidedly difficult to grasp. The leaders of Renault and Nissan just to experience it. Friday morning, they learned by reading the Wall Street Journal as Bajaj, the Indian partner with whom they work since 2007 on the launch vehicle "ultra-low-cost," had decided to suspend the project. "We do not intend to get into the niche of low-margin cars," said Rajiv Bajaj to the director of Bajaj Auto. The announcement surprised Renault, which evoked a statement "uncoordinated". And for good reason: in the afternoon, Bajaj stated, in a statement that "the project Bajaj-Renault-Nissan was continuing and that the new platform would be presented to Renault-Nissan in January 2012."

Officially the project is not stopped.Communication amazing Indians necessarily leads to questions. The target market for these vehicles at very low cost, that is to say less than 3000 dollars, however, is huge. The goal is to put millions of Indians who use two-and three-wheeled rickshaws that the famous Bajaj is one of the leaders in the car.

Difficulties for the Nano

But the economic model is not easy to find, as shown by the difficulties encountered by the Tata Nano, the pioneer of its kind launched in 2008. Tata has indeed had to increase the price of the Nano several times since its launch. Today it is sold at a price of about $ 4,000 against $ 2,500 at the presentation of the project. In addition, the model has undergone a number of technical problems, which has dented its image among consumers. Result: sales prove disappointing.At June 30, less than 22,000 had been passed Nano on the previous twelve months. Far from the target of 250,000 vehicles in stride.

To compete with the Nano is that Renault and Nissan sign an agreement with Bajaj in 2007. Bajaj should design the vehicle, which will be sold by Renault and Nissan. The first date given for such marketing is in 2010. It then slides to 2011 and 2012. Yet this is a purely theoretical date, since the decision to launch this vehicle has never been officially made. And nothing says it will be taken, especially after the delay yesterday. It would not be the first disappointment for Renault in India. In April 2010, the group had in fact ended a joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra, which produced, with little success, Logan. These difficulties do not however call into question the ambitions of Renault in India.The Diamond brand has even made one of its three priority countries in development. It has a factory in Chennai, which already manufactures the Nissan Micra. And introduced an aggressive new product launches. For a month, the Fluence sedan is marketed. The Koleos 4 × 4 will follow in September. And announcements are expected for the new salon in New Delhi, to be held next January.

Medicare: 2.2 billion of savings proposed in 2012

6th July

Twenty-six proposals to save 2.2 billion euros next year, a "natural" tendency of increase of 6.9 billion. Like every year, Medicare will send the Government's proposals for the 2012 budget of Social Security. The executive will draw freely but in general it holds most of the suggestions. Recommended no action shall impose on the insured – no further change or delisting rules to support 100% of long-term illness. What to avoid controversy, the approach of important elections …

Lower prices on medicines and prostheses

The pharmaceutical industry, which would be greatly put to use, will not fail to warn on jobs and innovation at risk.Medicare proposes that for more expensive drugs than in other European countries (PPIs, statins …), the price of new generic is 70% below the price of branded products, instead of 55% on average. It also calls for reductions in tariffs on drugs dispensed in hospitals and on the hip and knee, where prices were set 15 years ago. These are ceiling prices. If health facilities are getting better, they are expected to return half of the economy to health insurance. The controls will be strengthened as the "Safely" has recovered as well as 500,000 euros in 2009, while the gap between actual rates of prostheses and ceilings … reached 100 million!

Use more effective against private insurers

In traffic accidents, the driver's fault auto insurance reimburses the Medicare health care costs guaranteed fast personal loans.But last year, in 90,000 cases, auto insurance had acknowledged responsibility for his client, but Medicare had covered any claim. 300 million euros in waiting! The procedures could be revised to reduce delays.

Reduced use of hospitalization

Medicare proposes to create "autonomous centers," halfway between medical practice and hospital, to perform acts of simple outpatient surgery such as cataract operations. She also imagines the "technical package" for the city can equip practitioners in their offices and perform acts usually performed in the hospital (extraction of wisdom teeth, interventional radiology …). Interest: a lower cost than hospitalization.Finally, institutions of hospital at home who do more than other acts also achievable by independent nurses – to 4 times less in the case of complex dressings – would be put under prior agreement.

"Coaching" and insured for more prevention

Tested in the Sarthe, the "Active Health" offers workshops – advice and soon the Internet – on heart health, back pain and diet. A key, less medication use, care and work stoppages. It could be extended to ten other cases. The program Sophia (accompanying diabetes by nurses over the phone), launched in 19 counties, it would be generalized and extended to asthma.

Zynga wants to raise a billion dollars

4th July

Facebook has brought together people around the world. The publisher of online games Zynga has sought to occupy, creating applications fun to explore with friends, as Farmville, World Café and the recent Empire & Allies. In four years, Zynga has become the leading provider of online social games. Above all, the company has developed a profitable business it is preparing to introduce the stock market.

According to the draft filed Friday with the U.S. authorities of the Exchange, the company plans to raise $ 1 billion. It already has shareholders including Mark Pincus, CEO and founder (16%), Kleiner Perkins funds (11%) and Institutional Venture Partners (6.1%), Russian DST also present in Facebook and Groupon (5.8 %) or Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn. Only part of the capital would be put on the market. The document does not specify the timing or the valuation of the company.Its shares traded, however, already on the gray market at a valuation of $ 20 billion. Other estimates place it at $ 15 billion.

A destiny linked to Facebook

Therefore, these amounts bet on the growth of highly profitable business model. Zynga pulls up the majority of its revenue from the sale of virtual goods, while just over 5% comes from advertising. In 2010 it sold its games for $ 839 million of tractors and apple virtual pixels. The turnover of the editor, who must pay back a 30% commission to Facebook for hosting games and payment management through its Facebook Credits, reached $ 598 million.Its net income totaled $ 90.6 million for the year.

The rise of social networking takes Zynga and sales: in the first quarter of 2011, it jumped 133% to account for 235.5 million dollars in revenue. Some analysts place and the turnover of the company in 2011 to nearly $ 1.5 billion.

But this success Zynga is intrinsically linked to that of Facebook. "If we fail to maintain a good relationship with Facebook, our business will suffer," admits the company. A change of terms and conditions of alienation or social network users to the site and will impact directly the activity of Zynga. Another challenge for start-up: it must successfully implement its business model to success in the mobile, from which a growing number of users connecting to Facebook.Finally, the majority of revenue is generated by Zynga a few games. To sustain and develop its income, the publisher could therefore benefit from its IPO to buy competitors. The company already has $ 995 million in cash.

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Nikos Aliagas joined Europe 1

22nd June

Nikos Aliagas will make his return to radio. It will be on Europe 1, to interview people in the new morning Bruce Toussaint. Just a month after announcing his departure from the "6 / 9 'NRJ, with a simple tweet, the host TV and radio back then the tape. Denis Olivennes, the head of the Lagardère group's television station, confirmed Tuesday morning on Twitter.

For its first grid back, the CEO of Europe 1 has muscled its morning. At the helm, Bruce Toussaint, a defector from Canal +. To maneuver for political and big personalities: Jean-Pierre Elkabbach retains his interview. For humor, Nicolas Canteloup has re-signed for a season and retains his column, which is a peak audience of the station with 1.4 to 1.6 million listeners.In a grid, which reaffirms the primacy of the information, Nikos Aliagas therefore takes the side of people who had been introduced by Marc-Olivier Fogiel in his morning.

Moderator contract of TF1, Nikos Aliagas presents "50 Minutes Inside", the magazine of a people. On the radio, he has succeeded in redressing the morning of NRJ in two seasons only.

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The global economy may derailment

18th June

Lehman syndrome is in everyone's head. The debt crisis in Greece and other countries in the euro zone could "derail the economic recovery in Europe and perhaps in the world," said Friday in Sao Paulo (Brazil) Olivier Blanchard. The chief economist of the IMF keeps clearly in mind the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers and the effect of stupor that had followed. A few weeks later, international trade plunged by more than 15% and the global economy went into recession.

With a new version of its forecasts, this time slightly down from last April (world growth is reduced from 4.4% to 4.3% in 2011), the IMF is concerned about the risk of "destabilizing defects" on sovereign debt.The feared scenario is thus described: "In the event of a severe market event, a shock could reverberate beyond the euro area by the game at a time of exposure border (bank's debt these countries) and a general decline in risk appetite. "

Overheating of the emerging

Long shared the conduct more or less expansionary economic policies deemed desirable by governments, the IMF now delivers an unambiguous message: "Policy makers should strive to make rapid progress in the consolidation of the financial system." He took the opportunity to ask the U.S. Congress to meet "immediately" the ceiling of federal government debt, currently the subject of disagreements between the Republican and Democratic members personal loan for poor credit.

The IMF estimates that Japan will suffer a decline of 0.7% of GDP this year, following the earthquake that struck the archipelago on March 11, but its economy is expected to rebound 2.9% in 2012. International experts acknowledge the slowing U.S. economy since the beginning of the year they consider "higher than expected." This leads to belittle the Fund from 0.2 to 0.3 percentage points growth figures for the United States in 2011 (2.5%) and 2012 (2.7%). "In contrast, growth has surprised on the upside in the euro area, driven by investments more generous in Germany and France," he notes.For the second consecutive year, the German economy will grow at a rate above 3% in 2011, while its French neighbor to grow by 2% this year and 1.9% next year.

Emerging countries, whose annual growth will exceed 6% in 2011 and 2012, are facing a problem of "overheating". Without naming any countries by name, Olivier Blanchard believes that "inflation rises above the increase in raw materials and food prices." Hence the recommendation made to them to tighten their monetary policy, "The more long rates remain low, the greater the risk of a crash landing."

Drought: the boost from the state to farmers

9th June

The government is very worried by the drought that has spread to 61 French departments and is willing to provide aid to farmers. Nicolas Sarkozy, who is in the Charente on Thursday presented a plan to help farmers affected by drought which includes a "shift one year" repayment of loans granted to farmers in 2009, and waived the Tax on undeveloped land.

"It is essentially a cash flow problem is (…), you repay your debts, or you pay for your food animals," said Nicolas Sarkozy after visiting the operation of a cattle farmer Montemboeuf . "We will find you some leeway and we will shift all the payments of a year," he added. "Essentially this is a map of deferments," stressed the head of state.He stressed that the "encryption" of this measure, the state will take over the payment of interest owed by farmers, could not be established "now" does not exclude other measures if necessary .

A budget of 500 million

At a roundtable in La Rochefoucauld, the Head of State later clarified that this related only to the reimbursement of aid paid under the plan launched in 2009 Poligny (Jura). "I just do not tell the difference repayment of all loans in French agriculture, it must be serious," he said. During the roundtable, the president also said that "farmers in the affected areas would benefit from an exemption from tax on undeveloped land (…) which represents 300 million euros."

In the process, he said that the state would pay the national guarantee fund against agricultural disasters, mobilized by the Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Le Maire, a budget of around EUR 200 million to enable the payment Advance compensation "from the month of September." "On 12 July there will be a first test session files (…) the first payments will be held in September," he said.

Facilities of National Defence made provisions

Finally, Nicolas Sarkozy has announced, next week, a meeting of professional agricultural organizations with the Ministers of Agriculture, Ecology and Defense, as well as the CEO of SNCF to adjust logistical problems posed by the movement of fodder from farmers in difficulty."The problem is less a production problem at those you book (fodder) that a massive logistical problem," he said, adding that "national defense facilities" will be made available to allow storage straw and fodder.

In his speech, the head of state has ruled out any direct assistance to farmers in difficulty. "Do not fall back into bad habits to give you benefits that would be declared illegal (by Brussels, ed) in a few months," he said.

In addition to these economic measures, Nicolas Sarkozy also announced the establishment of a five-year plan to create water reservoirs and reduced volumes of water used by agriculture."We must learn to make better use of water," he résumé.Les farmers cautious

The President of Young Farmers Jean-Michel Schaeffer has cautiously welcomed as a "first step" measures that have just been announced by the head of state, hoping they will soon materialize. "These are statements of good intentions. Now we must see action, wait and see what's behind. We know that the devil is in the detail. Awaiting implementation, "said the farmer, who is the head of a union representing 50,000 members. His remarks mainly concern 200 million euros to allow advance payments of compensation. "The damage, we will evaluate them between July and August. Will this be enough compensation? It is far too early to tell, but it is a first step, "he said.

François Fillon evaluated Thursday before the senators, "nearly one billion euros" as the sum of national solidarity will have to spend to support farmers.

(With AFP)

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Hunters Gold parasitize virtual video games

8th June

In the video game world, the news is a bombshell. May 25, shortly before the show at E3, which opens Tuesday in Los Angeles, the Guardian revealed that in addition to forced labor, Chinese prisoners were forced to play World of Warcraft, the famous game of massively multiplayer online role. Dali Liu, a former prisoner, told the British daily's website how his jailers forced him to reap gold, swords and other virtual goods for their own account. These unscrupulous guards then sold the artifacts to other players via the Internet. But against the euro or dollars, them real.

Better known as the "gold farming", the process-illegal because contrary to the licensing of Editors, is not new. It developed in the course of the 2000s with the rise of video games massively multiplayer online.Among the best known: the game is medieval style Everquest, Eve Online Space Simulator … And of course the blockbuster of the moment, World of Warcraft. Published by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004, he assembled to date no less than 11.4 million players worldwide. And as many avatars, virtual alter ego, who jacked, cast spells and traded in a fantasy world of dungeons and dragons. All seek to ramp up. To skip steps, or simply lack of time, some are willing to change. There involved the "gold farmers", organized into groups of players 'professional'. According to a World Bank report published in April, there are about 100,000 to live in this activity, whose main body (80%) is based in China. Despite their efforts, videogame publishers are struggling to fight against this practice.

Because the Web is full of more of these "gold hunters, who conduct their business with impunity. Gamesinfun.com the site, a player can buy World of Warcraft 2000 gold virtual for the modest sum of 2.85 euros. To reassure its customers, the site (which did not respond to initial figaro.fr) ensures having "a great professional team of full-time employees. All are 'the' players 'veterans', with an "experience of at least three years in this position." Leben for Henri, a lawyer specializing in video game and intellectual property, "put an end to the activities of the 'gold farmers' is very complicated.""Most of them are based in China, they are small and have no legal existence." It is almost impossible and too costly to attack them legally, especially in the absence of a real international legislation on the Web.

Hackers looking for easy money

Besides these gold hunters, the rarity of these virtual objects also attracts hackers looking for easy money. Hacking into the accounts of certain players, they can then offload the avatar attacked its artifacts to sell on the Web. If Blizzard did not respond to our questions, the hotline operator of World of Warcraft French confirmed that "more and more players are seeing their accounts hacked." Similarly, Henry Leben, confirms that "the counting of avatars is becoming more common."Recently he has also held the record of a "wise guy" who took advantage of a vulnerability to supply his account rare objects, and reach a high level. Result, "he was stronger than everyone, and many players have complained," he says.

Director General of the French Agency for the video game (AFJV), Emmanuel Forsans is hardly surprised by these developments. "While this may seem a bit absurd to spend sometimes hundreds of dollars for a virtual object, which is nothing but a line of code … But we must understand that players purchase and time Thurs And that, to remain competitive compared with the community.

He added that many fans braved the ban by marketing them directly to their avatars or rare objects, without the publishers on the frontline.In 2007, a player has spent no less than 9500 dollars (7300 euros) to afford the "Double Blade Azzimoth", a unique weapon for World of Warcraft. To justify the tolerance of editors in such cases, Emmanuel Forsans evokes a desire to preserve the "playability" of the title. "In this type of game, players are organized into guilds. So, if one of its most powerful members has to leave, he puts the whole group at risk, "he argues.

An economic model changing

Publishers were they caught in their own trap? This would explain why their policy is based more on educating players to take repressive measures too, which might displease the subscribers. On its website, Blizzard, just to alert the community about the negative consequences of "gold farming" on "performance and stability" of the gameNot really enough to discourage "gold hunters" and their customers …

However, some massively multiplayer games beyond successfully "gold farmers" and their negative impact in terms of image. This is the case of Dofus, the title most in France played in its category (three million fans logged per month), which claims 40 million accounts created in the world. And for good reason: it has still not been translated into Chinese. If Florence C Ruocco, the communications manager of the game developed by Ankama denies any deliberate strategy to avoid the "gold farmers", she concedes that "this is probably why the title suffers less from these problems" .

Still, the economic model of these games tends to evolve, especially because publishers see a dim view this parallel market their escape.Clearly, according to Henry Leben, they want their share, which amounts to $ 3 billion, according to the World Bank. Thus, the game Castle of Heroes, developed by the Chinese Suzhou Snail Electronic offers its players to gain levels or various objects through the purchase of gPotato, the currency of the game at this rate, betting that the price of 'virtual gold could one day face the same bouts of fever that the real yellow metal.

"The leaders of the prison were earning up to 570 pounds per day"

After five years in the camp Jixi in Heilongjiang province in China, Liu Dali, recounted her ordeal at Guardian Digital. "We worked for twelve hours straight. [The guards] Never turn off the computers. If I could not reach my quota, they punished me physically.They forced me to stand with their hands in the air, then hit me when I came back in the dorms. We continued to play until you can barely see the screen. "According to him," the leaders of the jail earned more money by forcing prisoners to play online by requiring them to do manual labor. " In this way, these unscrupulous jailers could pocket "up to 570 pounds per day," said the former prisoner.