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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.

Citigroup reported Friday a net profit of 2.7 billion dollars for the second quarter, down 37% year on year, due to lower revenue in the banking business.

Per diluted share, net income stood at 9 cents.

In the second quarter of 2009, net income was set at 4.28 billion dollars or 49 cents per share.

Analysts on average expected a profit of 5 cents per share excluding exceptional items for the second quarter, according to Reuters Estimates.It is not known if the EPS of 9 cents can be compared to the consensus of 5 cents.

The bank, which the U.S. government is a shareholder, said its credit losses are down for the fourth consecutive quarter.

In pre-market value fell by 2.2% to 4.07 dollars.

M6 posting a 2.1% increase in advertising revenue of the chain in the first quarter for an increase of about 10% in March, the trend has continued into April.

The television group saw its total consolidated turnover increased by 10.3% over the period, to 361.1 million euros thanks to a jump of 16.7% of non-advertising revenues, which for the first time, represent more than half the total.

The action takes 0.66% to 19.82 euros at midday, the published figures that exceeded analysts' expectations, and the pan-European media index falls by the same magnitude.

The increase in advertising revenue channel in the first quarter, despite declines in January and February, following a 1.5% increase in fourth quarter 2009, the first in a year and a half.

The chief executive Nicolas de Tavernost, told Reuters after the meeting of the group's advertising revenues had increased M6 of "approximately 10% in March.

"The pace is good in April. This is not very different," he said, noting that the visibility was still low.

RESUMPTION OF ADVERTISING MARKET

TF1 will publish its figures for its part May 11In mid-April, its chief financial officer had indicated that TF1 should have recorded a double digit growth in advertising revenue in the chain in the first quarter. He had reported a continued recovery of the market and favorable comparisons.

In the first quarter of 2009, TF1 had indeed suffered a fall of 27% of its advertising revenue, while M6 had limited its decline to 11%.

ZenithOptimedia (Publicis Group) reduced to 1% in April (against 1.5% previously) its growth forecast for the TV advertising market in France in 2010, after a decline of 10.3% in 2009.

M6, which shows a net cash of 553.2 million euros at end-March, has sold its stake in February from 5.1% in Canal + France to Vivendi for 384.2 million euros.It distributes about half of its shareholders in the form of a dividend of 1.50 euro per share, bringing the total to 2.35 euros.

Nicolas de Tavernost confirmed to shareholders that the group had slightly increase the cost of grid M6 in 2010 was 303.5 million euros in 2009.

He told reporters that his group would invest between 50 and 100 million euros in the general entertainment channel which will occupy the channel "bonus" which M6 – as TF1 and Canal + – will be entitled to termination of the distribution of television Analog scheduled November 30, 2011.

Nicolas de Tavernost said this estimate, which depend on the volume loss of the chain and the market, accounted for all the losses accumulated prior to becoming a recipient – which took three years to W9.

The pattern of M6 has reaffirmed its interest in a TNT channel in addition to W9, while TF1 completes acquisition of TMC and NT1 Groupe AB for 192 million euros.

But it Bolloré Lagardère announced in March the sale of Virgin 17 for 70 million euros.

The National Assembly passed the night of Monday to Tuesday, the French plan for emergency aid to Greece, 16.8 billion euros in bilateral loans over three years, of which 3.9 billion in 2010, A total of 110 billion announced Sunday by the EU and the IMF. Unusually, the UMP and the Socialist Party voted together for the loan at 5% for the financial rescue of Greece. Only members PCF and the Left Party, and Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Arise the Republic, former UMP), voted against.

The bill amending finance (Budget Act) was passed by show of hands without amendment, after an evening of discussion. The text is now starting a shuttle to the Senate for final approval, probably Thursday. France, like other European countries and the IMF, must move fast to fight against market speculation on the Greek debt.It also requires Greece to honor the time for repayment of its debt on May 19 The contribution of France represents 20.7% using the EU (80 billion euros, plus 30 of the IMF, ie 110 in total). This contribution has been multiplied almost by three this weekend at the meeting of economic ministers of the euro area.

In his speech to the Assembly, the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde said she would be "extremely vigilant" about the implementation of austerity measures taken by the Greek government in return for the aid plan concluded Sunday Brussels (deletion of the thirteenth and fourteenth month in the civil service, VAT increase, decrease in the departure of the retirement age …). "It is not a gift or grant. It lends at a rate of about 5% fixed rate," said the minister.

Read also: aid to Greece, the best deal from lenders

"To discourage speculators"

Unsurprisingly, the UMP has fully supported the government: "It is a plan whose scope will help deter speculators," said the spokesman for the UMP for the Budget, Jerome Chen, welcoming the first major policy decision of the euro area ".

Even more rare, the Socialist Party (PS) also voted with the government and his majority: "I do not support the government, I support Greece and I support the euro. We're not there in a left-right debate We're here in a European debate and policy debate, "said the former first secretary of the PS, François Hollande.

The spokesman Benoit Hamon PS, which is not a member, however, said that his party voted "aid to Greece but not the austerity plan" imposed on the Greeks.PS The President of the Committee on Finance, Jerome Cahuzac, and other elected officials have also asked for a rate of 5% too high for them: "We made a little profit on the backs of the misery of a people "(Christian Eckert, PS).

Facing the CPF and twenty deputies Left Front voted against the plan, "because it comes with creditors who have put Greece in a terrible situation by extending loans at high rates ( Jean-Pierre Brard).

On the right, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Arise the Republic, former UMP) also voted "against the false rescue plan that has any plan to scuttle". He believed that the austerity imposed on Greece would "kill" save this country without the euro, calling for the release of the single currency Athens.

The Thales group has been sentenced by a tribunal in Paris to repay hundreds of millions of dollars in litigation on Taiwan frigates, said Monday the AFP Thales and a source familiar with the matter confirmed a report in Le Figaro.

By this decision, the arbitral tribunal (three judges selected by agreement by both parties) condemns Thales to repay overpaid commissions to middlemen to get the contract for sale of six frigates to Taiwan by France in 1991.

"The award was notified today (Monday, editor's note) to Thales in Paris by an international tribunal. Thales was ordered to pay damages.It is notified of a total and we will specify in the evening figures concerning Thales ", told AFP a spokesman of the group.

According to Le Figaro, Thales will pay 591 million dollars, a sum plus interest and costs of arbitration, which should be about one billion dollars.

Article 18 of the contract "Bravo", codename file frigates, explicitly prohibited from paying intermediaries under penalty of restitution payments made in Taiwan.

But an investigation by a Swiss magistrate found that substantial sums had been paid by Thomson-CSF (now Thales) to intermediaries whose principal, Andrew Wang, had been asked to persuade Taiwan to choose the French ships. The Swiss court has blocked 520 million belonging to Mr.Wang.

This discovery has led Taiwan to enter an arbitration tribunal in 2001 for the reimbursement of fees.

Although Thales has been a leader in the contract "Bravo", 70% of the contract frigates returned to the Directorate of Naval Construction (DCN), a public company and whose intervention in the contract was guaranteed by the state.

According to several sources familiar with the situation who spoke before the decision notified on Monday, if convicted of Thales, the state would have to pay 70% of the total sum claimed to Thales.