Month after month, Europe confirms that it is a disaster area in the car. In April, sales of new cars fell 6.9% year on year, its seventh consecutive monthly decline. After falling 7.5% since the beginning of the year will likely decline in 2012 for the fifth consecutive year.

The situations are however mixed. Among major markets, only Germany (+2.9%) and Britain (+3.3%) rose last month. In France, the decline in registrations was limited to 1.9%. But they collapse in the countries worst hit by the crisis: Italy (- 18%) and Spain (- 21.7%). Greece (- 56.7%) and Portugal (- 41.7%), two opportunities are more limited, the situation is terribly wrong.

The companies have also had mixed fortunes. The brands are particularly general practitioners to the penalty. Renault sales, which lack novelties – the Clio 4 is scheduled for fall – and have tumbled 15.1% last month. PSA is, however, remained stable (+0.2%) thanks to the success of the DS series, the premium line of Citroën. Four months of concern both for PSA, Renault, whose sales fell by 13.6% and 21.3% in Europe. These two manufacturers remain very dependent on the Old Continent, which represented nearly 60% of their volumes last year.

Factories idle

To reduce inventory, they reduce the rate in French factories. The production of passenger and commercial PSA dropped 2.3% in the first quarter in the Hexagon, while Renault has shrunk by 12 online pay day loans.6%. Consequently, several sites are affected PSA for months by partial unemployment. In May, they set factories in Mulhouse, Sochaux and Rennes, as well as that of Vesoul, in the Doubs, penalized by the freezing of the activity of manufacturing spare parts for an Iranian partner. For its part, Renault has scheduled working days lost in Maubeuge this month.

Another side effect, the difficulties of PSA could penalize the joint venture it owns with BMW in the hybrid technologies, said Wednesday the boss of the German manufacturer, Norbert Reithofer.

Opel, whose sales fell 16.9% in Europe last month, is also in trouble. In the first quarter, its parent company, American General Motors, lost $ 256 million on the Old Continent, leaded by the underutilization of its plants, as his ally PSA, which it owns 7%.

Also impacted the volumes of Fiat, Toyota and Nissan were down 11.5%, 14.4% and 20%. The Volkswagen group outperformed the market, through its Skoda and Audi premium brand. On the same niche, BMW and Mercedes are also growing. As for brands like, Korean Kia is also continuing its spectacular offensive, with a jump of 19.1% last month.

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Five months after the sinking of Concordia, Costa Cruises ship owner wants to turn the page by launching a new ship, the Fascinosa, luxurious building 290 meters long, up to and seventeen bridges capable of carrying 3800 passengers. Some 510 million euros have been invested to build the fleet of the fifteenth unit in Fincantieri shipyards in Marghera group, deep in the Venice lagoon. His baptism, Saturday, resulting in a ceremony dominated by the desire to forget a tragedy that, as the CEO of Costa Crociere – the Italian name of the company – Pierluigi Foschi, "would never have happened and did again ".

Foschi, who forsake the end of July the operational management group, at age 65, to remain president, attributed the sinking "only to human error," that is reckless navigation of captain Francesco Schettino, still under house arrest pending trial. "Our company is cooperating fully with the law, provides the CEO with Le Figaro. The survey should be completed in October-November. But now, Costa has significantly strengthened the security systems on its vessels. "

Seven measures were adopted, the training of crew in lifeboat drills, now imposed on all passengers before departure. A satellite tracking will allow the monitoring center of Genoa at any time to know the exact position of each ship and to correct any unexpected change of course.

Bookings up

Regarding compensation for 4205 persons on board the Concordia, the CEO says the problem of the crew is set. "Two thirds of the 3,216 passengers took up the offer of the company (14,000 euros per passenger). Remains third with which legal disputes are open in various countries. The impact of such compensation will be minimal on the accounts of the company. They will be supported by our insurers. "Compensation for relatives of 32 victims is the subject of a separate chapter.

The drama was not a result of extended commercial for Costa. "After an initial drop, cruise bookings have resumed at a rate greater than 2011. Of course, we had to cut prices because of the crisis too. Twenty million passengers go on a cruise every year. Accidents are the exception, "insists CEO.

The wreck remains. The 2,200 tons of fuel were pumped in 31 days without any pollution. Last week, Costa Cruises has signed a contract with a consortium of Italian-American, and Titan Salvage Micoperi, to redress the huge carcass beached at the island of Giglio and tan up a shipyard in Livorno. "We are given twelve months to do this but we hope to do before winter. Never do such a rescue was attempted in the world. It is a daunting challenge … ", says CEO.

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The Economist, to be published next Saturday personal loan for poor credit.

A textile company, for lack of sewers it needs for its plant in Quimper, creates a pathway of learning to train its future recruits? The SME Armor Lux, well known for its white wine, made the headlines this week, at a time when all candidates for president are the re-industrialization of the country one of their campaign themes.

This situation is not isolated and number of industrial jobs – welders, boilermakers, milling … – are pulling their hair to find candidates and encourage vocations. "There is a real paradox between a high level of unemployment in France and companies who are not candidates for positions in recruitment, whether welders, millers, coppersmiths, payroll technicians, seamstresses …. In total we estimate that roughly fifty so-called shortage occupations. In our business we miss about 30% of requests from our customers because we do not have the resources and this situation has been deteriorating for a decade, notes François Beharel, group president of Randstad and staffing agencies. Concretely, this means that our group could generate 30% of turnover and more. "

For him, the problem is essentially related to the collective image What these professions in public opinion. "We imagine that in the textile industry and is like 50 years ago, while the environment has changed, that wages were revised upwards and that career paths are possible." "We have to get into people's heads, and young people in particular, that the industry is clean and not necessarily noisy. In this regard, the construction was successful for several years to reverse its bad image, "says Anne-Marie Bjornson, Director of Transitions AFPA.

Develop learning

A UIMM, Joel Mendez, Director Employment and Training, said that one communicates primarily on job losses. Yet in all sectors of metallurgy, the recruitment needs estimated over the period 2007-2015 are always evaluated. Between 60,000 and 80,000 jobs per year, including 30 to 40% reserved for graduates, according to a study by the study-which will be updated in early 2012 over a 2013 to 2020 -. "There is a big educational effort and support to achieve with the companies to become more involved in processes of looking management of jobs and skills (GPEC) and assessing their future needs" says he.

According to Anne-Marie Bjornson Afpa transitions, there are ways to mount training particularly in the context of operational readiness to employment (job center) or as part of training contracts. "We are also working on the issue of transferable skills, which allow for example to a textile worker to work in the weld or a working precision to go in the car." But anticipating needs is a prerequisite and essential step, she insists.

For Joel Mendez, it is also essential to adapt the training devices to the needs, both in initial training in continuing education. And take the example of learning where the numbers in the branch of metallurgy grew 6% in 2011 (with a total of 26 000 apprentices). "At the last school year, nearly a thousand offers of learning could not be met and at the same time, the same volume of young people did not find any company. This shows that learning can be further developed and the various mechanisms put in place recently should help solve these problems. "

A situation that in any case, Francis led Beharel hammering: "stop sending generations of young people in jobs without opportunities. Spend money to know that jobs are to be filled with real careers, especially if the areas are not attractive. "

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The space devoted to luxury brands, to leather goods, watches and jewelry and shoes, already expanded several years ago, will be further expanded. As the ground floor, first floor will be devoted to accessories. The "shop in shop 'Vuitton, Cartier and Chanel spend even on two floors, each with a private staircase. Rays ready-to-wear, over five levels will be, themselves, brought three floors, the ray discs just closed, and placeholders to cosmetics and toys will be reduced. "However, we will dedicate the entire fifth floor apparel child," says Michel Roulleau, executive vice president of Galeries Lafayette.

Accommodate more tourists

Even men approach the store (customers expected to grow), whose ground floor will also be devoted to luxury. "We are also studying a possible transfer project space at Lafayette Gourmet store house, where we consider a new concept," says Paul Delaoutre, the Director General. The space freed up could be turned into shoe department.

"Most of our revenue is realized by the clothes, insists Paul Delaoutre. Our sales are increasing, while the market goes down. Last year, we became the leading seller of clothing in value, in France, in front of Carrefour. "

However, most of the chain growth comes from the upmarket tourists. Operators completed last year 60% of store sales of Haussmann. Ongoing work will double the surface to receive tourists, with no less than three dedicated areas: one Japanese and Americans in the basement, another to the Chinese on the ground floor, and the last to others, especially the Brazilians, called to become a growth driver.

"Improving the profitability of the brand allows us to increase our 50% annual allocation of investment," said Paul Delaoutre. The latter has earmarked 800 million euros by 2017. The bulk will be devoted to work in 58 provinces of Galeries Lafayette (whose sales increased by 2% annually on average since 2006). "The concept of Haussmann is declinable everywhere in varying degrees, says Michel Roulleau. Prada, Gucci, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent will arrive in Strasbourg. The objective is to deploy anywhere Zadig & Voltaire, Kooples and Sandro, already present in thirty of our stores. "

Italy is close to a historic agreement to reform the labor law, but negotiations stumble in the home straight on the amendment of Article 18 governing the right of dismissal.

Council President Mario Monti today convenes unions and employers for a new round he would have liked, if not definitive, at least open to a deal by Friday. Elsa Fornero, Minister of Labour and the law expert of the work she has long taught at the University of Turin before joining the government in November in "technical" professore, tirelessly led consultations with social partners since early January.

So far, no union, not even the most powerful and most recalcitrant of all, the CGIL, has left the negotiating table, which is itself a success. Yet this same CGIL, which began last Saturday through an agreement approved by the employers and political parties including the Democratic Party.

The support of Silvio Berlusconi

The boss of the union, Susanna Camusso, requires that a worker dismissed for reasons deemed "unfair" to be reinstated in firms with fewer than fifteen employees, as is the case in large companies. A term is deemed economically unsustainable by SMEs, which represent 95% of the industrial Italian.

For its part, the government proposes to leave the decision in court and to establish a compensation of up to 24 months' salary in case of redundancies. Ten years ago, March 23, 2002, at the call of the CGIL, three million workers were demonstrating in Rome against the relaxation of the right to dismiss. Silvio Berlusconi, who was then forced to backtrack, now endorses Mario Monti in his attempt to reform.

Jungle contracts

According to La Repubblica, the CGIL can not easily accept a reform so difficult, after being imposed in December, a pension reform which it disapproved. Workers Confederation criticized moreover the government not unlock 1.2 billion euros in state subsidies to reform the Labour Code who claims 5 billion.

Surprised by the reversal of the CGIL, the moderate unions have undertaken to consult with the Democratic Party to mediate. They should submit a proposal to cons-Mario Monti Tuesday. For its part, the employers threatened not to sign the reform, should it be watered down.

Elsa Fornero is determined to move forward. "We will not discuss endlessly," she said. The Government believes that reform "crucial" for renewed growth. The size in the jungle of contracts and collective agreements, reducing it from 40 to 8.

In addition, to stop the proliferation of temporary contracts that place young people in precarious situations, it provides a three-year apprenticeship during which companies will be entitled to terminate, after which they will be forced to hire permanently. Lack of social agreement, Elsa Fornero announced that the government will submit its draft to Parliament.

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If the timing of the IPO Facebook is still not known, investors are in turmoil. And gendarmes stock alert. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the authority of U.S. financial markets, has struck a major blow this week by denouncing irregularities in the market called "pre-IPO" or pre-IPO. She has filed suit Wednesday against SharesPost, a leading specialized platforms in exchange for shares of unlisted companies, like Facebook or Twitter. His main mistake "of having effected transactions in securities without being registered in advance with the regulators as a brokerage." Clearly, the operations were carried out in a strictly regulated market.

Finally, the SEC and the founder of SharesPost, Greg Brogger, reached an agreement. The company must pay a fine of $ 80,000, and its founder will pay $ 20,000 bonus. In addition, SharesPost acquired a brokerage, which allowed him to register with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), another regulatory body. The SEC announced parallel lawsuits against two managers of private funds – Felix Investments and Free Facie Management Associates – "created solely to acquire shares of Facebook and other Silicon Valley companies, deceiving investors and pocketing commissions unspecified ". The managers of these two companies have sold securities to Facebook prices up to 66 dollars per share, nearly twice the rate at which they had got hold of it, denounces the regulator.  

Gamble "even for sophisticated investors"

"While we applaud innovation in financial markets, new platforms and new products must obey the laws and ensuring fairness and transparency are the basic mark of a good financial regulation", argued a officials of the SEC, Robert Khuzami, said in a statement. This is a very sensitive issue because Facebook is trading on a gray market with a valuation of nearly $ 98 billion! However, in the first approach, the experts were hoping for a stock of Figaro valuation of approximately $ 75 billion. Finally, it should rather be on the order of $ 100 billion, they say.

The issue of pre-IPO market is considerable, at a time when the SEC ensures restore investor confidence. "When you do not trust your neighbors are happy to see that there are police on the streets," said Max Wolff, in charge of research on the secondary market at GreenCrest Capital in New York, in the columns World. SharesPost and SecondMarket platforms are best known on the secondary market. A market that has allowed tens of thousands of wealthy investors to take their share of companies very popular, as were also Zynga or Groupon before their IPO. Caution, however, not to lose feathers, warns Marc Fagel, director of the SEC office in San Francisco, said in the statement: "This secondary market (…) is dangerous even for sophisticated investors."

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