Speaking after its annual review of the Italian economy, the head of the IMF European Department, Reza Moghadam, has shown strong support for the president of Italy Mario Monti. This has put pressure on European leaders to ensure that measures to promote growth in addition to the austerity plans response to the crisis.

"The policies implemented by the government have created a stability that is truly remarkable compared to the situation we had at the end of last year," said Reza Moghadam during a press conference.

The IMF confirmed its estimate of 1.9% decline in gross domestic product (GDP) Italian for 2012, after falling 0.8% in the first quarter.

The fund does not think that Rome should take further fiscal adjustment measures beyond what the country has already planned, although the government has raised its forecast for de government deficit from 2013 to 0.5% of GDP, against 0.1% previously. 

"Fiscal policy for this year and next year is a policy that the IMF fully supports," he said.

"Our recommendation is to proceed with plans to recapitalize banks, precisely to ensure that banks have sufficient capital to support credit activity in Italy," he added.

Sales of cement, concrete and asphalt decreased by double digit percentages in Europe and the net profit after minority interests stood at 10 million Swiss francs (8.32 million euros), far from the 41.2 million expected by analysts polled by Reuters.

Revenues increased 2.2% to 4.76 billion Swiss francs, compared with 4.718 billion consensus giving.

"The harsh winter has resulted in numerous decisions of sites in Western and Eastern Europe in February," said the second world cement in a statement. 

Cement producers, firms in a particularly energy intensive, face higher costs of fuel and electricity.

Holcim said it could offset the rising costs by raising prices, but Africa and the Middle East. As Lafarge, he observed that the costs of energy and transport seemed to stabilize.

European competitors Holcim, Lafarge and whose German HeidelbergCement, have warned that they would fall under their prices to offset rising energy costs. Holcim said it reverberate cost increases caused by inflation.

The Swiss group, which generates more than half of its turnover in emerging markets, expects increased demand for building materials in Asia, Latin America, Russia and Azerbaijan this year. It also provides an increase in demand in North America.

The new French president-elect, Francois Hollande, will soon have to hire tough negotiations with its European partners, led by Germany, if he wants to achieve its goal of "renegotiate" the pact of fiscal discipline to include a "growth component" . The handover will take place with Nicolas Sarkozy later than May 15

Without waiting, Mr. Holland should have an exchange on Sunday evening with Chancellor Angela Merkel, as his special advisor Jean-Marc Ayrault. "This is the key to the recovery of Europe, the reorientation of Europe in the direction of growth, in the sense of competitiveness, protection," said Socialist deputy mayor of Nantes, which the name is tipped to Matignon.

Berlin was on his side said on Sunday ready to do so. "We will put to work quickly to add to the treaty a fiscal growth pact for more competitiveness," said the foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, the German press.

The team intends to Francois Hollande music in the coming days promise emblematic of the newly elected through "consultations" with capitals. Objective: To complete the "memorandum" on "Growth Pact" for transmission to partners by the end of the month.

Upon taking office, Francois Hollande will meet Merkel to prepare the informal meeting of EU leaders scheduled for late May or early June, then the top 28 and June 29, devoted to the growth. For Angela Merkel, it is not a question of getting the treaty on the trade budget, signed in early March by 25 EU countries and already ratified by some of them.

This is all the ambiguity of Francois Hollande, who in turn promised to "renegotiate" or "complete" by the treaty of the measures intended to boost growth. The question is which of these terms the focus will be.

"In reality, the rules of fiscal discipline we generally agree," says the AFP near future head of state. "We ratify the treaty and to include it in a balanced package with a real growth component," he adds.

Discussions are possible?

In another near Berlin knows what to expect: in the absence of direct contact with the chancellor, "the German Embassy in Paris did the work to understand our positions." Francois Hollande is confident of having done move the lines: one after the other, European leaders are now in growth a priority, even if their income may differ from his. "The general impression is that, despite disagreements, it is possible to discuss" with the Germans, told AFP Karine Berger, team member of the former socialist candidate who recently visited with economic and financial circles across the Rhine. For her, "the points made by Francois Hollande are very pragmatic, it is to launch projects for growth."

Four areas to boost growth

In fact, the four pillars of its "Memorandum" seem to have been held in a spirit of compromise. This is to finance investments in infrastructure, new energy and industry, by several means: European loans ad hoc financing capacity of the reinforced European Investment Bank, of structural funds and European tax on unused financial transactions.

These proposals, pending in Brussels, "could benefit from a new impetus with the election of Holland," said a European diplomat. "The most complex is the legal form to be taken by these projects," said does one in the entourage of President-elect. Difficult for him to settle for a declaration of intent or a non-binding protocol. "The uncertainty will be lifted as soon as possible, including to reassure the markets," glides Does the same source.

Other controversial issues may resurface later. Francois Hollande has not completely dismissed the idea of ​​giving a greater role to the European Central Bank or to pool debts through Eurobonds, two projects which Berlin refuses to hear.

Read also: The unspoken debate on growth in Europe

The U.S. economy created 115,000 non-farm jobs last month, according to statistics from the Labor Department, and the unemployment rate fell to 8.1%, a level not seen since January 2009, when it stood at 7.8%.

The figures for February and March were revised upward, respectively 154,000 (against 120,000) and 259,000 (against 240,000).

Economists polled by Reuters had expected an average of 170,000 jobs created in April after the figure of 120.000 was originally planned for March.

The Conservative government of Mariano Rajoy provides a slight increase in gross domestic product next year and a 1.4% growth in 2014.

The Standard & Poor's downgraded Thursday by two steps the sovereign rating of Spain to bring it back to BBB +, only two notches above speculative grade ("junk") in highlighting the risk of recession on public finances deteriorate further.

Friday, the government said it expected to reduce the public deficit to 1.1% of GDP by 2015 from 2013 by renewing with a primary surplus (excluding debt service). 

To achieve this, he said, he will increase taxes on consumption next year to raise eight billion euros.

The debt / GDP will peak at 82.3% next year and to decline 81.5% in 2014.

President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Mario Draghi agreed Wednesday that he hoped the massive loans made in recent months by the institution to European banks would benefit more quickly to the real economy.

The ECB has lent some EUR 1,000 billion over three years on terms very favorable to the banks of the euro area at two outstanding operations in December and February, hoping thereby stimulate lending and thereby the economy as a whole.

But in the economy right now "demand is therefore contained the credit application is contained," Draghi said at a hearing before MEPs. Lending operations have improved the financial position and allowed to "buy time", said Mr. Draghi, which is "not negligible", "but we can not compensate for the lack of demand," Has he added.

For the head of the ECB, the lack of credit is explained more by the crisis, which reduced demand for financing of households, by the cautious behavior of banks. The IMF, however, points to the prudence of financial institutions.

"The pressure on European banks remain high. They face the risk of public debt, weak economic growth, higher requirements when renewing their loans maturing and the need to strengthen their reserves to regain investor confidence, "say economists Fund

. The IMF also estimates that 58 major European banks may have to reduce their assets 2,600 billion by end 2013 to comply with the requirements of the European Banking Authority in terms of capital ratios. Such a perspective is not only bad for financial markets. It would also limit the ability of bank funding, particularly in countries where interest rates remain high, and decrease further loans to businesses, potentially creating a vicious cycle, explains Fabrice Cousté, CEO of CMC Markets France

.

The airline needs to spend a large order by the end of 2016 to reach its goal of doubling its capacity to 150 million passengers a year.

An order before the end of 2014 is unlikely, however, said Michael O'Leary told reporters.

The CEO of Ryanair also said that if his group paid a special dividend in respect of fiscal 2013, it does not pay a second in 2014.

In Paris at 10:01, the CAC 40 was down 0.31% (-9.51 points) to 3,283.00 points. In Frankfurt, the Dax is almost unchanged, while in London, the FTSE gained 0.19%. The pan-European index Stoxx 50 is down 0.59%.

"The markets are experiencing a phase of consolidation after a strong rebound since the beginning of the year and Spanish bond auctions go well Thursday, investors' appetite for risk resume more beautiful, "said Hirokazu Tuihama, a strategist at Daiwa Securities.

Values, the British retailer Tesco, which has announced plans to spend one billion pounds (1.2 billion) to overhaul its operations in Britain to regain market share and reconnect with sales growth, gaining more than 1.6%. 

Accor (1.64%) stands out from other CAC 40 stocks Wednesday morning after the hotel group released a sales growth of 4.5% to 1.371 billion euros in the first quarter, slightly above market expectations (1.358 billion).

The world number two home appliances Electrolux sells more than 3% in early trade after the announcement of a decline of 16.7% of its supplies to the market North America's six major product categories.

ASML is the title back in the same proportions as the world leader in machinery engravings of semiconductors declined to disclose its prospects of orders on the occasion of the publication of its quarterly results . 

In the euro area, investors will monitor the issue of 5 billion euros of debt in two years in Germany before the auctions of two and ten years in Spain and BTAN and a new line on inflation indexed by France on Thursday.

The Swedish Central Bank held rates unchanged while preventing an increase in inflationary pressures would lead to the rise, but not until next year. Other monetary policy decisions are expected during the day in Turkey and Brazil after the publication by the International Monetary Fund of its global economic forecast in which the international organization has raised its forecast for growth while warning against the fragility of the global economic recovery and highlighting the continuing challenges of the euro area.

In China, the fall in house prices continued in March and could lead the authorities to alleviate the measures taken two years ago to reduce speculation in this market , while the slowdown in the Chinese economy continues to be a concern in the markets.

After almost a year of discussions, the CEO of Exxon Rex Tillerson has signed this agreement with his counterpart from Rosneft, Edward Khoudainatov, at the residence of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Novo- Ogariovo, not far from Moscow.

This strategic cooperation agreement was announced by Reuters in mid-day, before it is signed.

It will give Rosneft, majority owned by the Russian state, a 30% interest in three projects for Exxon in North America, described the two groups in a joint statement. 

Exxon and Rosneft will also study the feasibility of the exploitation of deposits of Rosneft in western Siberia.

According to a first agreement in August, Exxon and Rosneft must spend $ 3.2 billion (2.45 billion euros) to the exploitation of oil deposits in the Russian Arctic and Black Sea. Seismic studies starting this year, indicated that the two groups.

The social network plans to complete the transaction in the current quarter.

Instagram was launched in January 2011 and now has thirty million users. The application allows in particular to apply filters and effects to photos taken with a smartphone.

This acquisition is unexpected since Facebook is preparing an IPO.

"This is an important step for Facebook because it's the first time we acquire a company and a product as accrued," said the Director General General of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg.