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Carrefour, which announced results in line with its forecasts in the first half, on Tuesday confirmed its guidance for full year 2010 thanks to the dynamism in emerging countries, while expressing disappointment in the sales of July .

The number two worldwide in distribution, after Wal-Mart, reported a net profit of 82 million for the first six months of the year against a loss a year earlier.

Its operating profit stood at 1.096 billion euros over the period, according to the prediction of Carrefour in mid-July.

The group at the same time reiterated that it was an ordinary profit of 3.1 billion for all 2010.

"We are on track to achieve our 2010 targets," said Lars Olofsson, Executive Director of Carrefour, at a conference presentation of results.

"We're quite pleased with the sales in July, a little disappointed by sales cons of August, for his part said Pierre Bouchut, the group finance director of distribution, during a conference call. "The trend in emerging markets remains strong."

Around 9:50, after having opened down nearly 2%, the action Carrefour did not yield more than 0.3% to 36.00 euros.She is spending time in positive territory for the sole and increasing value within the CAC 40 index.

Since the beginning of the year, the title was up over 7%.

"The first half is in line with forecasts of July 15, 2010 target is unchanged and our point of view, (Crossroads, Ed) is a title" on hold "with a value greater than in the rest of the industry "said Justin Scarborough, analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland.

NO COMMENTS ON THE ASIAN ASSETS

Over the half, Carrefour has benefited from the dynamism of emerging economies to reach a turnover up 6% to 41.3 billion euros, offsetting a contraction in sales in Europe, mainly France, Belgium, Spain and Italy, as well as in other countries of southern Europe such as Greece or Romania.

Sales fell 0.4% in France and 3.1% in the rest of Europe. At constant exchange rates, they climbed 16% in Latin America and 8.9% in Asia.

The group, which seeks to save 4.5 billion euros over three years to improve its margins, also points to have reduced its costs by 236 million euros in the first half of the year, a target of 500 million euro per 2010.

Asked about the Asian assets of the group, Pierre Bouchut has refused to comment on reports about a possible sale of assets Malaysian, Thai and Singaporean group.

"We do not comment on such rumors," said the CFO.'Our goal is to build on certain markets and, over time, probably, to take the decision to abandon certain other markets. "

"At what point will we take this decision? Will we really?" Everything remains open, "he added.

According to several sources, Carrefour tries to sell its assets in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore to focus its efforts on China and India.

This could generate some 800 million euros in the French distributor.

PTT, Thailand first group in the energy sector, has already expressed interest in taking over the assets in Thailand.

The Sanofi-Aventis Multaq must be considered one of the main options for treating atrial fibrillation, one of the most frequent disorders of cardiac rhythm, recommended on Sunday the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

This recommendation is a key support rider for a drug that has so far achieved only modest commercial start.

The Multaq (dronedarone) is intended to replace an older molecule, amiodarone, and has fewer risk factors than the latter, but it has generated to date that relatively weak sales in the U.S. and Europe because several studies have found limited effectiveness.

In its new recommendations on the management of atrial fibrillation (AF), ESC Multaq attributed to a Class 1 recommendation, which means it is a safer treatment option even though it may be less effective.

"Given the superior advantages in terms of safety and potential outcomes, the dronedarone might be preferable as a first option antiarrhythmic" explain the recommendations, published at the ESC congress in Stockholm.

The paper also highlights, for the first time the importance of reducing the duration of hospitalization of patients with atrial fibrillation, a result of Multaq found in a pivotal clinical trial.

The drug is not recommended for patients with severe heart weakness.

"Sanofi-Aventis is pleased with this recommendation Multaq first line in the FA, which constitutes a recognition of the extensive clinical development program of the drug and the innovative results achieved in terms of reduced hospitalizations from cardiovascular causes," said Marc Cluzel, executive vice president in charge of research and development in the pharmaceutical group, in a statement.

The marketing of Multaq was approved in the United States in July 2009 and last September in the European Union.He is considered one of the main growth potential of Sanofi for years to come, which will be marked by the patent expiry of several key products groups, which include cancer Taxotere or anticoagulant Plavix.

The Multaq could generate an annual turnover of 1.2 billion euros in 2014 according to consensus estimates of analysts by Thomson Reuters.

The New York Stock Exchange ended down 0.22% Friday, the Dow Jones 30 industrial yielding 23.31 points to 10,651.67.

The S & P 500 is broader, lost 4.38 points, or 0.39%, to 1121.43.

The Nasdaq Composite fell on his side of 4.75 points (0.21%) to 2288.31.

For the week, took the Dow 1.8%, as the S & P 500 and Nasdaq fell 1.5%.

The Paris Bourse was up slightly in early trading Thursday, in a market dominated by a wait before the rate decisions from the European Central Bank and Bank of England.

Around 9:15 am, the CAC 40 rose 0.15% to 3766.18 points.

Lagardère, the largest increase in ACC, after gaining 1.72% RBS increased the purchase on the title.

Michelin, which had already taken more than 8% since the beginning of the week, ahead even of 1.14% to 64.20 euros.S & P Equity Research raised its target price of 62-73 euros with a board of purchase.

EDF, which had climbed 5.5% Wednesday after the announcement of an imminent increase in electricity rates, yields 0.47%.

Out ACC, SSII Sopra is 2.52% after its interim results up and confirmation of its 2010 targets.

Other major European markets are also reluctant: London (-0.04%) and Frankfurt (-0.03%) are almost in balance. As for the European indices, the EuroStoxx 50 is unchanged (-0,01%) and back slightly Eurofirst 300 (-0.08%).

The euro was steady at around 1.3125 dollars after losing a little ground Wednesday. U.S. light crude is practically stable and treated around 82.30 dollars a barrel.

BP wants to sell its network of Aral gas stations in Germany for about two billion euros, the German weekly reported on Saturday Wirtschaftswoche, citing banking sources.

The French Total, the Russian Rosneft and as the European Avia Service Station are among the possible buyers, the newspaper business.Rosneft is also interested in two refineries that BP has in Germany, says he.

BP, Rosneft and Total had no immediate comment.

The British oil giant recently announced its intention to sell for $ 30 billion in assets over the next 18 months to meet the cost of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sources close to the industry, the sale is deemed unlikely because the chain of service stations is included in BP's refining operations and disposals of assets of the company focus more on the upstream oil and gas fields and gas.

Aral is the market leader Germany with about 2,400 service stations operating under its brand, according to its website.BP acquired the chain in 2002 as part of a broader agreement with the German energy group E. ON

U.S. stocks opened lower Monday as investors remain concerned about budget problems and the situation of banks in Europe, but activity in the area of mergers and acquisitions limit their decline.

A few minutes after opening, the Dow Jones gives 31.15 points, or 0.3%, to 10,166.88 points. The S & P 500 was down 3.77 points (0.3%) to 1074.19 points while the Nasdaq went up into the green and gained 0.3% to 2203.37 points.

Wall Street took a breather after the biggest weekly increase recorded by the S & P this year and before the start of the season results will be given after the closure of Alcoa.

The questions also persist about the strength tests conducted on the European banks.The magazine Der Spiegel reported this weekend that the test included a discount on the German debt, a hypothesis that several sources had previously rejected.

"There is a risk that banks are not doing that well in these tests," said Dan McMahon of Raymond James Financial."We do not know how likely it is but there is a certain pessimism.

Aon Corp., the first global insurance broker, announced that it would buy services company Hewitt Associates human resources for about 4.9 billion dollars (3.9 billion euros) in cash and stock.

The action Hewitt burns 33% to 47.05 dollars while Aon was down 7.4% to $ 35.50.

"This new (fusion) is very positive when we start to earnings season," said Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer Hugh Johnson Advisors. "It's very positive when we see money flowing into this market."

Title Playboy Enterprises also jumped 34.3% to 5.29 dollars.The eponymous magazine founder Hugh Hefner has presented an agreement to leave the company of NYSE, proposing to buy all shares it does not already own for $ 5.50 in cash.

Boeing said Friday it has formally responded to the call for tenders for tanker aircraft, the U.S. Air Force.

The aircraft proposed by Boeing is to replace 179 KC-135 U.S. Air Force Eisenhower era.

The Boeing said to have the ability to produce at a rate of production will be required.

The European EADS has submitted his proposal on Thursday.

Registrations of new cars in France fell 1.2% in June on a year to $ 240,587, announced the Committee of French Automobile (CCFA).

The month of June were 22 working days, against 21 last year.A comparable number of working days, the decline in sales stood at 5.7%.

Of the first six months of 2010, registrations in France stand up 5.4% on a reported basis, to 1,212,492 units, and 3.7% in comparable number of working days from the same period of 2009.

Sales of French brands fell 7.9% in June, while those of foreign brands rose 7.8%.

Sales of passenger cars by PSA Peugeot Citroen fell 5.6% in June, while those of Renault were down 1.0%.

Registrations only Dacia (Logan, Sandero and Duster) almost doubled (95.8%), while those of Renault fell 11.1%.

Sales of the Citroën show a decline of 7.3% and Peugeot were down 4.1%.

The main indices of world stock markets should end the year at a level higher than that which is theirs now, but fears of slowing economic recovery could limit their gains in some developed countries, shows a Reuters poll.

Contrary to the previous Reuters poll predicted, most financial markets should finish the first half down.

According to the median estimates of over 300 policy makers, the second half of the year should be more favorable, while the 12-month forecasts show that places emerging markets are expected to record growing faster than that generated on Scholarships developed countries.

However, investors surveyed expect a slowdown in economic activity in coming months because of the debt crisis of the euro area that has weighed on markets in the second quarter, which remains unresolved, and austerity measures in many countries belonging to the 20 largest economies (G20).

"The risks of a crisis within the euro area remains high," warns Philip Gijsels addition of BNP Paribas Fortis Global Markets."The global economy will slow in the second half, the big question is how much."

STRENGTH OF QUARTERLY RESULTS AND RATE DOWN

However, investors believe that most world stock markets should finish the year on strong gains compared to their levels of late last year.

The Dow Jones U.S. Index and S & P 500 are expected to register increases of 11.7% and 12.6% by the end of the year, while that on June 23 they had lost 1.24% and 2 , 07% since the beginning of 2010.

In France, the CAC 40 should finish the year at 4,000 points, 3,939 points against the end of last year and 3642 points at the close Wednesday.

The quarterly results ahead of listed companies in Europe and the U.S. should be the key to recovery of markets in the second half of the year, said the investors interviewed for the survey.

Expectations of continued very low levels of interest rates by major central banks on the international balance of the year accentuate investor optimism about changing exchanges.

In this case, the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) should not increase their rates until 2011, while the Federal Reserve said it would maintain its rates at a record low for a prolonged period.

EMERGING MARKETS POSSESSING THE LIGHT

The financial centers of the largest emerging markets like Brazil, China and Russia, have experienced a turbulent start to the year, like the Shanghai Stock Exchange has lost 21.7% of its value since January .

However, strategists expect that the situation improved and anticipate an erase losses earlier this year on the second half of the year.

Investors are even predicting that emerging markets perform better than the developed countries within the first half of 2011.

The benchmark Hang Seng Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, the Russian RTS and the Brazilian Bovespa should also earn more than 20% over the next twelve months, while the BSE Sensex index India could win over 18% the same time.

"The market remains very liquid, and the rates are at historically low," said Francis Kwok Bright Smart Group.

Emerging markets are not expected to be the only ones to show a strong performance by the end of the first half of 2011, as the Australian index flagship A & P / ASX 200 and that of the Milan Stock Exchange should jump 22.8% respectively and 18.1% YoY.

"There is always a cloud associated with sovereign debt problems of Europe, which is still in my view, a significant risk to the future in terms of confidence," warns George Clapham Arnhem Investment Management.

"But in terms of recovery, at present, the market is very, very attractive," he adds.

The German car market shrank in April for the fifth consecutive month, falling 32% on a year which remains linked to the ruling of the scrappage scheme in the country.

Adjusted data the number of working days, the new car registrations fell by 10.2% compared to April 2008 before the entry into force of the support plan for the sector.

In the first four months of this year, new car sales in Germany fell 25%, show figures released Tuesday by the federation VDIK foreign carmakers.

"Initial estimates show that new orders for our members are at the same level as in April 2008, what I consider to be the first sign of spring in the car in Germany," said Volker Lange, President the VDIK, in a statement.

The budget of five billion euros allocated by Berlin to scrap bonus was exhausted from last September, causing a drop in orders weighing gradually on registrations in the months that followed.

Germany, Europe's biggest car market, is not the only country affected by this phenomenon: in France, registrations have slowed significantly in April, displaying only a 1.9% increase over one year , against 17.9% in March.

In the U.S., sales of new cars rose by about 20% last month compared to April 2009.