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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.

Motorola profit and publishes a quarterly sales above Wall Street expectations, greeted by a rise in its pre-market action.

The American group as it prepares to split into two operations in early 2011, has achieved the second-quarter earnings of $ 162 million or seven cents per share, against 26 million (one cent per share) for the same period the last year.

Excluding items, earnings per share came to nine hundred, while analysts were expecting EPS of eight hundred according to Thomson Reuters I / B / E / S.

Turnover fell to 5.414 billion dollars against 5.497 billion in the second quarter of last year, but it exceeds the market consensus, which gave 5.19 billion.

Motorola shipped 8.3 million mobile phones in April-June, 2.7 million smartphones equipped with the Android operating system developed by Google.

Analysts were expecting deliveries of 8.13 million units with 2.69 million smartphones by seven analysts polled by Reuters.

In the first quarter, Motorola had shipped 2.3 million smartphones for a total of 8.5 million handsets shipped.

The action group has risen by 3.5% in pre-market trade to $ 7.95.

The French consumer sentiment has stabilized at a low level in July after five months of degradation, according to the monthly survey of consumer confidence survey released Thursday by the INSEE.

The summary indicator of households' opinion on the economic situation remained unchanged at -39, its lowest level since May 2009.Seventeen economists polled by Reuters on average expected a further deterioration to -40.

The survey, conducted at the time of the announcement of the proposed pension reform and measures to reduce public deficits, shows that concerns about the future national fade a bit while still fears about the labor market.

"The impact of pension reform was probably fully integrated in the June survey," Judge Dominique Barbet, economist at BNP Paribas.

The index had dropped one point to -39 in June fell to their lowest level since May 2009, bringing to nine points to fall since the beginning of the year.

CONCERNS ON UNEMPLOYMENT

In July, households' opinion on their past personal financial situation has lost two points, with a balance cons -26 to -28 in June

Their opinion about their personal financial future (-20) remained stable, as well as their views on the advisability of making major purchases (-24).

However, the outlook for living standards in France, in decline since the beginning of the year, edged with a net increase of two points

-52.

The households' opinion on the level of past life in France remained stable at a very low level, with the balance to -71 compared to an average of -40 from the inception of the survey in January 1987.

Among the balances do not count in calculating the summary indicator, that the prospects of unemployment has stabilized at a high level (69), reflecting concerns still alive.

This balance, said Insee, was increased from eight to 89 points between January 2008 and June 2009 and then fell until October. He has since remained around 65 points, well above its long-term average is 33.

The balance measures the opportunity to spare jumped eight points to 19 in July, near its historical average (20), but opinion on the ability to save has the same time lost three points to -14.

Officers at INSEE interviewed approximately 2,000 households from June 29 to July 19.The survey did not take place in August, the next issue will be published in late September.

Alstom reported a sharp drop in orders received during the first quarter of the year, major projects that are difficult to find in the electrical field, but its sales came out slightly beyond expectations over the period.

The specialist in energy infrastructure and transportation have made the April-June quarter sales of 4.74 billion euros, down 1% from one year to another as reported and down 5 % as organic.

The nine analysts polled by Reuters expected the drafting of an average AC4.67 billion.

"The turnover (the division) Transportation progresses, while the (Energy Division) Power began, as expected, lower following a sharp drop in orders during the last year," said CEO of Alstom, Patrick Kron, in a statement.

If he observes a good place new orders for medium and small sizes on the three "major projects are difficult to reach because (…) customers continue to shift their investments in new power stations," Has added.

Orders received by Alstom have dropped by 36% to 3.07 billion euros in the first quarter on a reported basis and 38% as organic.

The group added that its backlog was still unchanged at 42 billion euros at June 30, thanks to a positive currency effect of 1.3 billion euros and represented 27 months of turnover business.

It also confirmed its forecast for an operating margin of between 7 and 8% for the year 2010/2011 and the next one, "based on a performance contract and a gradual recovery in demand. "

The action Alstom closed Monday at 36.85 euros, giving a market capitalization of nearly 11 billion euros. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has lost about 25% of its value, after a gain of nearly 17% throughout 2009.

The Paris Bourse falls even slightly up in early trading Wednesday, after six sessions of consecutive increase, buoyed by better than expected results from Intel in a market trough for a public holiday.

The better than expected start to the season results should stimulate the market this morning, pending the release of retail sales in June in the United States at 14:30.

Around 9:25, the CAC 40 index posted a gain of 0.21% to 3645.29 points, after taking 1.96% yesterday.

Technology stocks are leading the gains, including the semiconductor sector, with a gain of 2.9% from STMicroelectronics, the largest increase in ACC, and 5.2% of Soitec, the largest increase DTH.

Computer services such as Cap Gemini (+2.3%), Steria (+1.7%) and Altran (+1.4%) also benefit from the optimism that followed the results of Intel, and that Alcatel-Lucent, which is 1.6%.

Other major European markets are slightly higher: 0.16% ahead of London and Frankfurt 0.5%. As for the European indices, the EuroStoxx 50 wins 0.3% and 0.23% Eurofirst 300.

The euro is maintained around 1.27 dollars while U.S. light crude was steady at 77.13 dollars a barrel.

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 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.