A few days ago, British fashion designer Stella McCartney presented with great fanfare the official uniform of British sportsmen at the Olympic Games in London. A choice at the initiative of Adidas, which has not hesitated to use one of the hottest designers of the moment to boost his image. Although the final result has not been universally accepted. But the detail is not so harmless, while dress codes of the great champions continue to evolve under the combined effect of economic and political pressures.

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The sexy outfits would only respoonsables the success of beach volleyball according to critics.

Nicolas Sarkozy retorted tit for tat. Questioned Tuesday by Anne Lauvergeon in an interview published by L'Express, the Head of State, on Friday invited to iTV, has applied to meet about the former president of Areva. "All this is of politicking," he judged. "What makes it less credible that Lauvergeon said was that she waited to be put out to challenge a system that she wanted to continue to participate in the first place as president of Areva," Nicolas Sarkozy has argued low fee payday loans.

He also underlined the political commitment of the former CEO, also old Sherpa Mitterrand: "It is now the president of Liberation, with a known commitment to the left". Lauvergeon has headed the supervisory board of the newspaper in July 2011.

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It is an exercise that required this year, just days before the presidential election, takes a turn for controversy. The government on Wednesday presented to the finance committees of the Parliament of the stability program years 2012 to 2016. Designed in Brussels, this document describes how France has reduced to zero by 2016 the cumulative deficit of the state of the social security and local authorities. Consolidation that will reduce gradually the weight of public debt to national wealth in 2014.

To balance its accounts, France must find 115 billion. The government has chosen, policy, to focus the effort on spending two thirds (74 billion) and third on revenue (41 billion). This is the roadmap that Nicolas Sarkozy has taken in its election manifesto. "Just focus on revenue, tax advocate hype as some ignoring the impact it would have on growth, is clearly not a political alternative," says Valérie Pécresse, Minister for the Budget, in an allusion to thinly veiled Francois Hollande.

Indeed, the government does not reduce expenses but limit the increase to 0.4% plus inflation, from 2012 to 2016. The 74 billion is savings compared to the natural drift. "The rise in government spending was 0.3% in 2010 and 0% in 2011, the never-seen since 1960. This shows that our target of 0.4% is credible, "says Valérie Pécresse personal loan for poor credit. To reach it, the government will pursue the course of recent years (knowing also that the reforms already enacted will generate even 39 billion savings in 2016): non-replacement of one out of two official journal of programs for lower government spending, freeze state transfers to local, rising Medicare spending limited to 2.5%.

Optimistic growth forecasts

On the revenue side, Bercy believes that tax increases enacted since late 2010 (on the plane niches, rising 7% VAT …) will generate 33 billion in revenues in 2016. It would be only 8 billion to find. Much less optimistic about the performance measures already adopted, the PS 22 billion talks to find and Nicolas Sarkozy accused of hiding tax increases to voters. Both candidates are fishing perhaps assuming a too strong economic growth (1.75% in 2013 for both, 2% from 2014 in the stability program taken up by Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Hollande to 2.25%) . But less growth means less revenue and more social spending.

However, Nicolas Sarkozy, unlike Francois Hollande, said the return to balance a priority, regardless of the growth. Francois Hollande and provides a zero deficit in 2017 alone. "We go out of adjustment in 2016, we take a serious risk, if not more," warned Baroin before the Members of the Finance Committee.

At L'Oréal, the experts of pharmacy have finally managed to wake a sleeping beauty. After stagnating for years, sales of perfumes, soaps and body care Roger & Gallet jumped 19% last year, reaching fifty million.

The brand certainly still tiny compared to Vichy and La Roche Posay, the flagship of the active cosmetics division (DCA) of the world's leading beauty products. But it is a growth driver for the industry, with Inneov, Sanoflore and Skinceuticals.

The "perfume apothecary", created hundred and fifty years ago by Armand Roger and Charles Gallet, whose stepfather had bought the Glover case of Jean-Marie Farina, inventor of cologne, had its hour glory before World War II.

Restarted after its acquisition by Sanofi in 1975, she was abandoned when the pharmaceutical company took over Yves Saint Laurent perfumes, in 1993. "Roger & Gallet was not a priority at YSL Beauté," says Thierry Vidart, its current CEO, who works for the brand since 1995, and saw her go from Sanofi PPR (1999) and L'Oréal .

In early 2008, the king of cosmetics has offered YSL Beauté for 1.15 billion euros to strengthen its luxury division with a French perfume creator. He has since sold most other fragrances of YSL Beauté (Boucheron, Oscar de la Renta and Zegna), and retained the fragrance license Stella McCartney.

Ambitions in Brazil

It remained to determine the fate of Roger & Gallet, finally recovered in January 2010 by the active cosmetics division, which attempts to revive the brand, sold in pharmacies to 85% and 15% in department stores and perfumeries as Marionnaud.

The new management is doubling, with the aim of "creating the category of well-being by the perfume pharmacy," said Brigitte Liberman, patron of the DCA, and "a new offer to attract new customers to energize the circuit, "which progresses more slowly than the cosmetics market in France. Roger & Gallet products launched to rejuvenate its clientele, such as body care Sublime Oil and fragrance of Osmanthus Flower. Result: Sales jumped 22% last year in 5,000 pharmacies in France where the brand is present.

Roger & Gallet, which generates 85% of its sales in France, was also launched last year to conquer Europe's. It is present in 3,500 pharmacies in Germany, Italy, Spain and England.

It also operates 550 outlets in Brazil, second fragrance market in the world after the United States, with the ambition to make the country its third largest market in three years. "Our goal is to double sales within four to five years, reaching 100 million euros," says Brigitte Liberman.

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The CEO of Geodis would flip-flop. According to Libération on Monday, the freight subsidiary of SNCF should ultimately maintain its takeover offer Sernam. "I say again very clearly that we have made an offer with the intention to resume Sernam. [...] We will present in court Tuesday, "assured the head of Geodis, Pierre Blayau.

These comments contrast with those held this weekend in the columns of the Sunday newspaper. Pierre Blayau there considered "not dramatic" the hypothesis of a carrier's bankruptcy. And remember that Geodis accompanied its takeover offer on two conditions.

The first, on the € 642 million illegal aid demanded by Brussels, has been fulfilled. The European Commission agreed Wednesday that the buyer does not inherit Sernam the repayment obligation. But the second, concerning the financial health of the carrier and the state of its cash, however would default. Geodis claimed that Sernam to work only for 30 to 45 days, which would require a cash of about 30 million euros.

Government pressure

Earlier in the week, Pierre Blayau, who considers the financial position of Sernam very poor, had signified to the unions that the recovery was compromised. "It made us realize that it will not be able to maintain its offer," explained Alain told AFP Wednesday Delpuech CGT carrier. According to Libération, Pierre Blayau has even said that the resumption of Sernam could "endanger jobs at Geodis."

For the newspaper, citing several sources, only pressure from the government would explain the reversal of Geodis. "The Elysee has called this weekend for Blayau maintains its offer," says a source close to release the file.

The transport minister, Thierry Mariani, has so far invested actively in this matter. The effect of the liquidation of an enterprise of 1441 employees on the eve of the presidential election is considered disastrous. The Commercial Court of Nanterre travel Tuesday its decision on the future of Sernam.

If Air Mediterranean, the French company in difficulty which had relocated to Greece part of his job by creating a local structure, is the perfect illustration of what is wrong with the management of aircrew in France, according to members of the Federation National aviation market (FNAM). Thursday, members of the employers' organization presented a dozen proposals to candidates in the presidential election.

The first of these is to reduce labor costs in the airline industry for companies based in the Hexagon. "Once a company is engaged in a third country with fiscal conditions of the country of origin, the competition promotes the competition governed by social charges and taxes lower," regrets Pascal de Izaguirre, president of the Economic Committee of FNAM. The French sailors cost 20% more on average than elsewhere in Europe, according to Lionel Guerin, President of FNAM.

To restore the French flag in the skies over Europe, members of FNAM require "a shift in the social security contribution base of other taxes and a reduction of employers' costs especially for the sailors, pilots, hostesses and stewards. " Clearly, the French companies require a social framework "harmonized" to address critical gaps between European countries. "In return, we could expand our business and create jobs," says Pascal de Izaguirre.

Maintaining night flying

Air France made its accounts if the company was based in Amsterdam, it would save 750 million euros due to the difference between the tax and benefit systems between France and the Netherlands. "The goal is to avoid seeing happen in the air what happened in the shipping industry where employment is now completely relocated," says Lionel Guerin, also CEO of Transavia, a subsidiary low -cost airline Air France. The answer candidates for this proposal is surprisingly consensual. Nicolas Sarkozy's advisers have estimated that this track orally should be studied. For his part, Francois Hollande replied in writing that "state aid and tax breaks" should go "to companies that invest in our country, who will locate their operations. However, it is clear that future developments should respect the need to balance our accounts. "

Among other proposals, the decrease in security tax, currently borne by passengers; the establishment of a European regulatory framework facing international competition to avoid the payment of state aid in favor of certain carriers, maintaining night flights, easier access to hub airports, but also investing in research to prepare energy developments.

Members of FNAM, who had already launched similar proposals five years ago, hoping this time to be heard. "At the time, Air France and other companies were going well, the price of fuel was half the price … Today, we take the alarm. In five years, we can not say that we had nothing planned, "says the chairman of TUI France.

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At the entrance, the staff welcomes you with a "hello-namaste." In the room, remind you of Paris macarons, but the decor is no doubt: you are in India. At the table, it offers a good curry and burgundy … Welcome to the Sofitel Mumbai KBC, the first hotel brand in India since its move upmarket, which began in 2007. The first stone was laid that year in the new business district of Bombay, near the largest stock of diamonds. The hotel was inaugurated this week. "The biggest challenge in India, the construction time. There are a lot of bureaucracy. We had to ask more than one hundred licenses, "said Robert Gaymer-Jones, CEO Sofitel Worldwide.

The 5-star luxury 302 rooms (first prize $ 250 a night) employing 520 people is to compete with the chains located in Bombay: Indian Taj and the Oberoi, but Four Seasons, Hyatt, Westin and Shangri-Here which opened its first facility in mid-June "There is not enough supply, so there is market share to take," said Denis Hennequin, CEO of Accor, decided to accelerate in India. The group has 15 hotels today and will end the year at 23. We stay away from the expansion in China, where Accor has more than 120 addresses. "There are high barriers to entry into India. Everything takes time. We must find the right partners, "explains Denis Hennequin. Eleven openings are planned this year, with five this month, the first Pullman and Formule 1.

Goal of becoming the first hotel outside India

By 2015, Denis Hennequin is 90 hotels open or under construction and the place of the first international hotel group in India. "This represents a sixty hotels open," says Christian Karaoglanian, managing director of hotel development, which indicates that 30 to 40 million euros are invested annually in India, where the group is developing with local partners. The Sofitel Mumbai represented an investment of about fifteen million euros for Accor, which owns some of the walls. All operations undertaken in India is so far a total of 223 million euros worth of assets of 1.15 billion.

The leading position covered by Denis Hennequin is occupied by Carlson, with 52 hotels. The battle promises to be tight. "We have a very privileged position in India that is the envy said Hubert Joly, CEO of Carlson. We will try to keep it. "The group plans to build 48 hotels and has signed a partnership agreement with the Indian Bestech Hospitalities to open fifty Park Inn by 2024.

But places are to be taken. "There are 150,000 hotel rooms across India, as well as in the city of Shanghai," said Christian Karaoglanian. Accor, the openings will be especially Formula 1, Ibis and Novotel. Sofitel two are scheduled to Bombay with a "So Sofitel" contemporary design. Outside of Bombay, Robert Gaymer-Jones looks as opportunities in Delhi, Bangalore and Goa.

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Burger King goes on the offensive to win back customers less and less convinced. Director North America of fast food chain, Steve Wiborg, detailed this weekend at USA Today's battle plan. It comes in three areas: promoting healthier recipes to the menu (chicken, fruit smoothies …), new decoration of restaurants and extensive advertising campaign. 2500 U.S. restaurants and should be renovated in the next three years, while celebrities such as footballer David Beckham will be mobilized for the campaign.

Miami-based chain, bought in 2010 for $ 3.9 billion by the fund 3G Capital, had to react. Last year, it lost its traditional position as the second largest seller of hamburgers in the U.S., restaurant owners and franchisees alike. According to research firm Technomic, Wendy's has topped the pole with $ 8.5 billion hamburgers sold, 100 million more than Burger King, but still far behind the 34.2 billion King McDonald's.

The growing strength of Wendy's has been attributed to its new range of sandwiches more upscale and upgrade its stores, operated in 2011.

The snub did not extend to the international market, where Burger King is an undisputed number two easy payday loans. The chain is present in 81 countries through 12,500 of which only 1,300 are restaurants owned.

By expanding the franchise

Both franchises expected to widen again over its international expansion. In late 2011, Burger King realized indeed still two thirds of its revenue – $ 2.3 billion versus 2.5 billion for fiscal year 2010-2011 – North America.

The new shareholder intends to continue its growth in emerging countries and Europe, where Germany, Spain and Great Britain predominate. An upcoming opening in France, which would pass through a franchise with Autogrill's partner Burger King in Italy, is expected.

The choice of an expansion franchise by offering the chain, heavily in debt since it was bought by leveraged capital 3G, greater financial flexibility. Negative, it restricts its ability to control the implementation of its campaigns, often very expensive renovation in restaurants. In the U.S., the owner of a fast food must put on the table between $ 300,000 and $ 1.5 million, as merely a lick of paint or he rebuilt his building for s adapt to new standards group.

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Full marks for ver.di. The first major wage negotiations this year in Germany was crowned the success of service trade union leader and his mustache, Frank Bsirske. Negotiators side employees were claiming 6.5% increase to two million civil servants and local authorities. The increase will be 6.3%. This historic increase will be gradual (+ 3.5% of salary plus retroactive to March 1) and spread until August 2013. Four negotiation sessions and forty hours of discussion for the last round resulted in spectacular agreement. The only intransigence Bsirske, who has earned his stripes as a figure of unionism on the occasion, does not explain everything.

The strong protests by the workers during the strikes of March preventive in hospitals, public transport and airports as well as the fear of employers to see the movement repetition employees placed in a strong position. Up to press the government to "pain threshold", in the words of Interior Minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU), government negotiator.

Election and purchasing power

The union knew they could rely on the benevolence of power: Ursula von der Leyen, Minister of Labour, close to Angela Merkel, had incurred the wrath of employers claiming earlier this year substantial increases in salary . At stake, the advantage for the government to support domestic demand. Chancellor, his eyes fixed on his re-election next year, wants to position itself as the candidate of purchasing power, in a campaign that will address the general issue of minimum wage business cards. This agreement sets the tone in a Germany whose optimism is reflected now on pay slips. Even the liberal FDP, punctilious in the use of public funds, welcomed the outcome of negotiations (amounted to 5 billion euros) for civil servants, it is "fair" they also benefit from growth.

In general euphoria, a blast of cold air came down in Copenhagen. The Danish capital where he was attending the meeting of the Eurogroup, Jens Weidmann, the Bundesbank president, fears that "this increase, combined with the expected rise in energy prices, fueling inflation." He hopes that "this result is not used as a benchmark for other industries." Since 2012 is described here for years "Megatarif". The pay slip 4 million German employees will be the challenge of negotiations in the sectors of metallurgy, power industry, chemical and telecoms. The 33,000 ground employees of the airline Lufthansa have already obtained an increase of 3.5% and 130,000 Deutsche Post up 4%.

And like a vicious cycle, inflation eats the magnitude of the claims. Officially increased by an average of 2.3% last year, German workers have received only an increase of 1.1%, after deducting price increases. One more argument in the quiver of the unions.

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Electricity bills and fuel have been salted for the month of February. According to INSEE, household consumption has jumped from 3% in February as a result largely of the "sharp increase" of 11.7% in energy costs over the month. Moreover, "the cold snap would boosted purchases of winter clothing," notes INSEE, which noted a 5.7% rebound in apparel purchases, after a fall on the last two months.

This unexpected buoyancy (the market had forecast a rise in consumption of 0.2%) is unlikely to last. For starters, "we expect a drop in energy consumption in March, the weather being much milder than usual," Analysis Dominique Barbet, an economist at BNP Paribas guaranteed personal loan approval. Spending on "durable goods" (household goods, autos) fell slightly in February (-0.7%).

Especially, the prospects are not good. According to the latest survey of consumer sentiment, they do not plan to make major purchases, likely to support consumption, and therefore French growth. Finally, "stagnating incomes suggests that households will not increase their spending significantly," anticipates Alain Carbon, an economist at Natixis.

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»Gas and Electric: unpaid bills for after the cold