Financial News, Economic Education, Analysis

Alstom confirmed on Wednesday its operating margin target of between 7% and 8% in 2011-2012 but warned that the weakness in sales, down 12% in the first quarter, would affect its performance in the first half.
The specialist in energy infrastructure and transport, adversely affected by the low level of orders received during the [...]

Volvo Cars, owned by Chinese Geely, is on track to sell more than 400,000 cars this year, says Olle Axelson, communications director of the manufacturer, quoted by the newspaper Dagens Industri.
"We can already say that we will finish the year above 400,000.The range is from 400,000 to 450,000 and (…) I think we [...]

The price of crude oil closed lower Monday in reaction to the decision of the IEA to make available 60 million barrels of oil stocks, amid economic uncertainty in the United States.
On the Nymex, the contract in August of U.S. crude (WTI) ended on a loss of 55 cents, or 0.6%, to 90.61 [...]

U.S. markets ended Thursday night in a disorganized, but far from their low of the day, the indices have erased much of their losses, even closing up for the Nasdaq after the announcement of an agreement in Greece.
Citing sources close to the situation, Reuters announced that evening, before the information is later confirmed [...]

France and Russia signed an agreement Friday in Moscow for the supply of two helicopter carrier Mistral manufactured by a consortium of predominantly French.
We do not know the price but decided, sources familiar with the matter had been quoted a price of around EUR 1.2 billion.
According to contract details received from [...]

Carrefour said on Thursday the appointment of Christmas Prioux to head its operations in France and that its first half results in France were below its forecasts.
The second global distributor, who battle to recover the profitability of its hypermarkets in France, had already warned that its performance was not up to expectations.
[...]

European banks have debt Greek stock seems to move towards an agreement for renewal (rollover) in which they take possession of new debt replacing the bonds matured.
Germany last week proposed an exchange of bonds which, in effect, would extend the debt maturities of seven Greek. But banks appear to favor the softer option [...]

And one in two believes that the office is conducive to dredge or amorous encounters …
The corporate world is not impervious to feelings. Nearly a third of French men and women (31%) say they have had a romantic relationship at work and 55% believe that being in love has a positive impact on their [...]

Lagardere announced Tuesday it had completed the bulk of the sale of its international magazines in U.S. Hearst, which should have a negative impact of EUR 35 million on operating profit of Lagardere Media for 2011.
These disposals will impact is the objective announced in March a growth of around 10% of its 2011 [...]

Europeans see the victory of the Minister of Economy acquired after the declaration in favor of the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Europeans consider the appointment of Christine Lagarde at the head of the IMF for granted after the declaration of the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised his candidacy, it was said an EU [...]