In these times of crisis, fuel prices at the pump are endlessly to climb. New records were achieved in France last week. Diesel, which represents about 80% of fuel sales in France rose to 1.4584 euro per liter, according to weekly surveys posted by the Ministry of Sustainable Development. It has surpassed for the first time his previous record dating from 2008 to 1.4541 euro.

As for gasoline, a liter of unleaded 95 (approximately 15% of French consumption of motor fuels) euro jumped to 1.6451 and that of unleaded 98 (5%) to 1.6883 euro, beating and both of their records dating back to the previous week, respectively 1.6211 and 1.6610 euro euro.

These sales prices at the pump are national averages calculated by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate (DGEC) from data provided by service stations. But they largely already exceed these levels in some places. Thus, the price per liter of MS 95 has already surpassed last week the symbolic threshold of two euros at the pump of a Parisian park payday advance online.

Since late 2011, gasoline prices beat record after record in France, powered by a dual effect of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that keep crude oil prices at very high levels, and weakening of the euro against the dollar, which boosts the cost of black gold once its converted value in the single currency.

The surge in fuel prices, motorists hitting the portfolio, has elicited numerous comments and proposals from the candidates in the presidential election. The socialist Francois Hollande wants to block temporarily the price of gasoline, as an incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy has described as "populism" and "demagoguery."

(With agencies)

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The main presidential candidates did not wait for the election to take one of their promises. Determined to fight for the Made in France, they sent their activists dressed in Finistere. In January, the campaign manager Francois Bayrou has commanded Armor Lux 5000 T-shirts.

Since then, Young Pop, the UMP and, more recently, the PS bought at MSY Finisterian its famous knitwear knitted cotton. In total, 17,000 Armor Lux has sold T-shirts in the colors of political parties. "From the mesh knitting, dyeing, through cutting and making up the printing of the logo, everything is done here in Quimper," said Jean-Guy Le Floch, CEO of the SMEs of 550 employees, which distributes its products under the Armor Lux, Land and Sea and Bermuda.

Riding this wave of local purchasing, the leader readying ammunition for the coming weeks. He launched the production of gray fabric needed to manufacture 100,000 pieces. "Until the second round of the presidential election, our online t-shirt will turn right", says he. The price difference is however quite sensitive: depending on the model, Armor Lux sells between 7 and 5.50 euros each, while made in China is on the market at around € 1.20.

60% of production is delocalized

In 2011, the company achieved a turnover of 82 million euros, against 75 the previous year. "We develop our downtown retail network a hundred square meters, and around the stores between 700 and 1 000 m². Undoubtedly, consumers want authentic products, "said Jean-Guy Le Floch. On the first two months of the year, sales to the public increased by 12%. Armor Lux has forty outlets and will open in the second half of four new stores, including one of 1,500 m² in Plaisir (Yvelines). A test for the Breton brand, wishing, after creating three stores in Paris, make its products known to Parisians.

This growth in business volume also comes from major public commissions won by the manufacturer. After the Post Office in 2003 and Aéroports de Paris and SNCF, the national police, the Regional Council of Brittany and Truffault Armor Lux entrust today to achieve the work clothes of their employees. Result: this sector represents 40% of the activity. But the logic of increasing prices dragged down leads Jean-Guy Le Floch to outsource nearly 60% of production in Morocco, Tunisia, Romania and Bulgaria. The presidential candidates are notified.

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Halal or not halal. Since the controversy launched by Marine Le Pen, before the cuts of meat, the question arises. In response, Nicolas Sarkozy wants a clear distinction between the classical deduction, that is to say, after stunning the animal, and depression according to Muslim ritual or Jewish, is very funny. "We recognize everyone's right to know what he eats, halal or not. I therefore wish the labeling of meat according to the method of slaughter, "said the head of state on Saturday during his meeting in Bordeaux.

An announcement of the president candidate is a surprise: there is only one week, the government has withdrawn a bill (with a leader Françoise Hostalier, MP North UMP) up very precisely in this sense. Recently, also, the Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire recalled that it was not "stigmatize" the affected communities, bolstering the positions-very-powerful clerics and the food industry, which fears that such labels do disrupt the meat market. In 2010, another member Nicolas Dhuicq, the UMP too, suffered the same setbacks, still under government pressure.

Labeling unlikely

Today, the labeling of halal products is not mandatory. The "Halal" appears prominently on thousands of products, and proves to be an excellent marketing strategy. Nevertheless, it is nothing regulatory. In other words, you can eat a product marked "halal" is really without his. And you can also consume a product that is not stamped "halal", but he is yet.

Label products to better distinguish them, the solution seems simple. But only in theory because in practice the regulatory framework does not allow it. This would, in the same way as for the AB logo affixed to the products of organic farming, that Europe gives the green light. For labeling becomes mandatory, the proposal would have "obtain a qualified majority of the European Commission and Parliament," assures us there at the Ministry of Agriculture.

But Europe has already said no: in 2009, the debate on the conditions of slaughter was then opened, and in 2011, consumer information, "but this has not been retained, while several states EU did not see the need, "says one cabinet ministry, even if the pressure of industrialists and representatives of Jewish and Muslim communities is also denounced. If Spain and Lithuania have defended such a project, others are turned. Sweden and Austria, for example, the ritual slaughter as it is even forbidden, these important country all their halal or kosher.

A risk of rising prices

Thus, if the labeling became mandatory method of slaughter, an ox killed without stunning is cataloged "halal" or "kosher" from head to toe. Or for example, according to Jewish tradition, only the "top" of the beast can be consumed. The rest – the back – going on in the conventional circuit. Thus, a tab or a bib, that Jews do not eat, labeled "very funny" could remain on the shelves. The butchers are concerned about having to sell off the pieces. And these losses through higher prices elsewhere.

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In the Pink City, the label high-tech is not confined to aviation. The textile industry may also be asserted. The Department of Defense – the Pentagon – just choose an SME Toulouse, Paul Boye Technologies, to provide the required protection in nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC).

The contract of 96 million euros over four years concluded after months of effort sounds like a win for that reference SME of 201 people.

"Winning the bid to the Pentagon will help us win other international contracts," Boye hope Jacques, president of the family business, which carries 62% of its sales (63 million euros in total year past) in the area of ​​defense and security.

To succeed overseas, it created a subsidiary in the United States and has partnered with local partners, Tennessee Apparel Corp. and Creative Apparel Associates. "It was mandatory to win the decision in a market sensitive," says Jacques Boye. The contractor does not want to indicate whether a part of the production of combat clothing with high added value or not will be produced in one of his four French factories.

This firm, which already dressed firefighters and some French soldiers, won the famous contract masks to protect from flu "H1N1". This investment of 3 million had allowed a turnover of 70 million. "We managed to be better than the Chinese," recalls Jacques Boye who participated in the conquest of America and coveted markets on other continents.

SNCF will release on February 16 as "good" annual results, in the words of its leadership. Yet they will undergo a severe movement of the plane. On 14 February, the president of SNCF, Guillaume Pepy, unveiled to participants of a seminar on "business model TGV" that his group would carry out an impairment of € 700 million on its TGV . "The value of TGV, now in the books of the SNCF, amounts to nearly 4.5 billion euros," he said, according LaTribune.fr who reports his remarks. We will depreciate the 700 million euros because we have too many trains and they are mostly old. "

The fleet has 457 SNCF trains whose average age is 17 years. This decision comes as the SNCF profitability of the branch TGV group – very profitable long – has deteriorated in recent years. An evolution largely attributed by the public company to the concomitant increase in tolls which it must pay with Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), owner of the tract. Since late last week, SNCF and RFF have agreed on changes in rates of tolls until 2018. Guillaume Pepy was this medium-term visibility a prerequisite for engaging in orders for new trains. He said Tuesday that such investments would only be possible when the operating margin of the travel industry would reach 20%. Or it tops out at 14% today.

Until 2015, the fleet will continue to welcome new trains: 15 "Euro Duplex" will be delivered by Alstom in 2012, 11 in 2013, 11 in 2014 and seven in 2015. According to its chief financial officer, David Azema, who intervenaitle February 15 parliamentary days when the rail is in fact particularly after 2025 that the station should replace trains end of life.

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Visa Europe and MasterCard compete imagination to make their cards more attractive. Thus, Visa deploys a program of benefits for some 4.2 million Visa cardholders Prime. They now benefit from price reductions in a list of partner stores (Sephora, Lapeyre, Opinion …) by simply presenting a coupon to download on the Internet (visa.fr). April 1, this program will be expanded to Lenotre, ready-to-wear or Bensimon to Nature and Discovery. "Historically, the world of credit cards was rather that of the travel and leisure. Now the goal is to approach the everyday consumer, "says Catherine Soubirou, partnership manager at Visa Europe. MasterCard, meanwhile, has developed an online shopping mall which also offers discounts to holders of the Gold card.

But for the most prestigious cards, these benefits are not enough. The 150,000 holders of a Visa Infinite card will then be offered, to April 1, new services very chic. As Jet Taxi, which for 2200 euros an hour, take four people in Le Bourget to the destination of their choice. Or the opportunity to attend events are difficult to access (the Grand Prix of Monaco Formula 1, the Cannes Film Festival …).

Extensions guarantees

Open doors to places or events was the confidential trademark of the very VIP Centurion Card from American Express. The same idea will wow now the holders of other cards. MasterCard has already embarked on this path, imagining private parties for its Platinum card holders who dream of visiting a quiet art exhibitions or attend concerts circle Payday advance. A taste for the Parisians, what awaits them when Paris will join the Priceless Cities program, launched by MasterCard in New York last summer and launched from London and Toronto. It offers cardholders Platinum – but for some offers, a Gold – privileges: previews or priority seating for events to, in the highest rated restaurants

.

"Exclusive offers, which consumers aspire today," says Francois Gandon, marketing manager of MasterCard France. Thus, the card interest is not limited to insurance they offer … even if they are perfected. Visa is for example to review his.  

The foreign assistance was not playing in the event of natural disaster? This exclusion has been removed. Children of divorced or separated parents received guarantees only if the parent traveling with the cardholder? They are now protected even if they move without him. "The goal is to avoid maximum disappointment of our customers, guarantees on misunderstood or exclusions that surprise them," says Emmanuel Robert, head of product offers from Visa Europe France.

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Bernard Tapie and his son, Laurent, are never where you expect. Two years ago, they had hit the headlines by launching an online shop called simply bernardtapie.com. They promised to very significant reductions (-40 to -50%) on a variety of products (cars, insurance, clothing …). A concept that has not done much about him since.

Today, the colorful businessman, actor and son return to the front of the stage. Their new project? Redeem the U.S. site online poker, Full Tilt Poker, which was still number two global market last year with 4 million active players, half out of the United States. "It was then after-tax profits of about $ 150 million," says Bernard Tapie in Figaro.

Attention GBT (Groupe Bernard Tapie) would not be alone in this.It would provide only 5 to 10% of $ 80 million needed to use this company. The other shareholders are primarily interested in American casinotier diversify into online poker. Financially, Tapie have the means to their ambitions. Longer insolvent, the former president of the OM was compensated in 2008 to 220 million euros in the case that pitted for fifteen years at Credit Lyonnais in connection with the sale of Adidas. And now his fortune is estimated at 260 million.

However, the case against Full Tilt Poker is far from complete. "In one month to six weeks, we will decide with our partners if we acquire this site," suggests Bernard Tapie. This file is exceedingly complicated. The site has been closed since April 15.

• On the principle of austerity plan

To: "Rigorous, that means we are trying simply not to spend more than we earn, defended Gilles Carrez (UMP), General Rapporteur of the budget to the National Assembly. This is still the least serious. It's been 35 years since we spend more than you win. "

Cons: Attention Cycle "infernal restraint, lower growth," warned the Socialist Michel Sapin, close to François Hollande.(…) Must be avoided that there is more possibility of moonlighting. "

More broadly, the self-entrepreneurs fear that their services are subject to VAT, which would increase the cost to the customer and complicate their efforts. "If the specific regime of VAT on maintenance, repairs had to be increased from 5.5% to 7% to meet the economic challenges in Europe and that of the euro", the Union of self entrepreneurs ( UAE).

• Taxing more large companies

To: The boss of bosses Laurence Parisot is not opposed to the principle: "It is possible to consider things temporary, exceptional measures, time adjustments. But we must not imagine a device that would be sustainable.

For the first time since the outbreak of the sovereign debt crisis in Greece, in November 2009, the EU will apply directly to other states and their sovereign wealth funds. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which manages the Norwegian fund (397.5 billion euros), has already applied for, according to Reuters.

Technically complex and politically inglorious to the extent that members of the euro area rely on foreign savings failing to show solidarity with each other, the project outlined this weekend in Brussels would be a real barrier fire.The strike force "would be the height of Spain and Italy," said Gilles Moec, an economist at Deutsche Bank in London.

The proposed scheme is to leverage both the capabilities of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) and to mobilize capital from financial surplus. First and foremost, China and emerging countries but also in advanced economies such as Norway and Japan. These contribute in trusts, administered primarily by the IMF, which will not put himself in the pot, says we are.

The highlight of his EFSF 440 billion euros, which have been entrusted by the countries of the euro area – the envelope will remain unchanged – no longer be content to make its guarantee to the issuance of securities, as it has already done for Ireland and Portugal.It will also play the role of "credit enhancer," according to a model used in the United States, for better or for worse, for local authorities and housing loans. This type of intervention will return to ensure a certain percentage of potential losses to purchasers of government securities guaranteed payday loan. A new role for the EFSF: "He was supposed to guarantee loans, it would ensure ex post losses," said Bruno Cavalier, economist at Oddo Securities.

Assembly at several levels

Klaus Regling, the director of EFSF, was responsible for establishing an assembly at several levels in order to create a maximum leverage. According to the recipe holdings cascade in private groups.

On one level will be set up special funds supplied in part by the EFSF, which would bring its security, and other states.On a second level, you will find a special fund involving purely European private capital, always with the guarantee of EFSF. A third channel is considered, on the same principle, but this time shareholders will be provided by non-European states, in a "trust" administered by the IMF – what others call a "special investment vehicle". Note that the IMF has experience of this device, through the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust, which raised $ 13 billion for the poorest countries.

No one seems yet able to determine the exact allocation of funds that could be offered. Knowing that it is 250 billion euros of capital available, according to a diplomat, the EFSF would likely raise at least five times that amount on the basis of an insurance rate of 20%. Many technical issues remain.In particular the involvement of such a system on the debt of the guarantor countries, including France and its "triple A".

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The annual summit between China and the European Union, to be held Tuesday in Tianjin (northeast China), will probably be postponed to a later date, according to European sources consistent.

The inability of Europeans to agree on remedies to the crisis of sovereign debt and the prospect of an additional emergency summit in Brussels next week will prohibit the EU President Herman Van Rompuy to honor its meeting with President Hu Jintao and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told the BBC a European official.

The involvement of China and its financial resources in a regulation of the European crisis was one of the issues implicit go to Tianjin.Was the first time that the three European leaders, Herman Van Rompuy, and José Manuel Barroso and Ashton had to go all in China.

The last EU-China Summit was held October 6, 2010 in a tense atmosphere in Brussels, Europe has called on China to let its currency appreciate more and make progress on human rights two days before the announcement of the Nobel Peace jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.