The "blunder" by Standard and Poor's comes almost timely for the European Commission. Brussels Wednesday will unveil a range of measures to regulate rating agencies, and the announcement erroneous degradation of France by S & P should increase the willingness of European regulatory agencies. Details of the measures to be adopted.

Suspend a rating

The Commission will decide to suspend the rating of a State in case of excessive volatility or if the country is under European aid program. The decision can be explained by the previous in Greece.

Attack to justice agencies

Any investor can now sue an agency and ask for damages when it deems necessary. Brussels wants to create "a European framework of liability in case of serious misconduct or gross negligence." A new measure that should appeal to France after the "true-false" degradation Standard and Poor's.

Impose a turnover in the agencies

Brussels wants to put some competition in the "Big Three", Moody's, Standard and Poor's and Fitch Ratings. The idea of ​​creating a European agency was dropped, now Brussels wants to impose a rotation to the actors who are noted. Clearly, companies and states will be required to change agencies every three years, to encourage competition between agencies. But the idea is not only criticized by the rating agencies but also by some of their clients.

At 311.7 million euros, sales of the group recorded organic growth of 8.8%, Orpea said in a statement.

"The dynamics related to both France and abroad, including the continued rise of Belgium and Italy," said Yves Le Masne, CEO of Orpea, quoted in this release.

It says that the group confirmed "with serenity, its goal of a turnover of 1,230 million euros (27.5%) accompanied by sustained profitability" for the full year 2011 .

Net income for the Swiss reinsurer has more than doubled in the third quarter to $ 1.35 billion (988 million) against 618 million in the comparable period in the previous year.

Swiss Re said the performance by "a moderate level of natural and unique effects positive."

Premium income rose to 5.74 billion against 5.05 billion a year earlier.

The combined ratio, a key indicator of operating profitability in the sector, however, has deteriorated to 80.8% against 76.4% last year.The combined ratio was expected at 89.7%.

The world's second largest reinsurance confirmed its medium-term objectives, for an ROE of 700 basis points above the average over five years and an average annual growth of 10% of earnings per share.

"Our financial targets in 2011-2015 reported in February 2011 is our top priority and we are fully dedicated," said CEO Stefan Lippe in a statement.

The group also expects a modest turnaround in the market but general damages, liability and accidents.

FARM CREDIT * (+20.3%), BNP PARIBAS (16.23%) and Societe Generale (14.8%) are leading the CAC 40, with AXA (13.9%).

Out CAC 40, Natixis is 11.6%.

BNP Paribas, Societe Generale and BPCE (People's Bank, Savings Bank) have additional capital needs between 2.1 and 3.4 billion euros, while Credit Agricole is regarded as sufficiently capitalized, reveal tests by the European Banking Authority (EBA).

BNP and SocGen said they could come into compliance with new rules without recourse to the market.

* Dexia wins 6.10%.The title was suspended from trading for the announcement of its capital needs, estimated at 1.7 billion euros.

* AXA also announced a decrease of 4.8% of its turnover for the first nine months of 2011, mainly due to the retirement savings Life business where the insurer has given priority to the margins rather than volumes .

* ARCELORMITTAL also jumped 7.7%, with the entire commodity sector in Europe (+5.9%), and other cyclical sectors that benefit from the feeling that the agreement limits the risk of a sharp recession.Many brokers have reduced their price target, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Exane BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, UBS, Natixis and Kepler, following the announcement of a new downward revision to its goal of operating income and the elimination of 6,000 jobs.

Moody's also changed the outlook to negative on its debt, while the Baa3 rating is confirmed.

Brazilian Minister of Trade and Industry Fernando Pimentel said Wednesday that PSA would invest 3.7 billion reais (1.5 billion) to Brazil to double production by 2015.

* RRP is 6.2%, boosted by the announcement of a very strong sales growth in the luxury market in the third quarter despite a difficult economic environment.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to participate Wednesday in a crucial European summit bears the overwhelming support of the Bundestag but conditional to negotiate a strengthening of the European Relief Fund (EFSF). German MPs had to vote at midday on a "motion" filed by the government majority and the opposition, a mission order for Mrs. Merkel.

Without going into technical details, two pages of this motion pose prohibited: no way to load even more the European Central Bank, making it taste too many Germans. And not about to spend more than 211 billion euros already pledged.Before the vote, the Chancellor still had to speak before the lower house. "It will be a long day," warned the early morning spokesman Steffen Seibert, via Twitter. "We will send a strong signal for Europe", promised Wednesday to television the secretary general of the party Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel, Hermann Grohe.

"It is fitting that on such important issues the opposition (…) renounces the tactical game fan", it was bliss. In fact, the conservative chancellor for European affairs has a "grand coalition", which gathers around its own most conservative / liberal of the two main opposition parties SPD (Social Democrats) and Greens. The mission statement drafted by all parties, with the exception of the radical left "Die Linke", should be adopted by an overwhelming majority of 620 MPs.On 29 September already, when he acted for the Bundestag to ratify a first capacity building of EFSF, this "holy alliance" was played.

This massive vote of support will not prevent commentators to have dissenting voices in the majority, to see if Merkel was able to win without the votes of the opposition. He needs 311 votes for this account in his own camp. "Merkel needs the magic 311 votes to go heads up in Brussels," commented Wednesday Der Spiegel in its Internet edition. Otherwise, the Bundestag to hands-free Merkel to leverage the lending capacity of EFSF (440 billion), based on two options: to fund a "credit insurance" states in difficulty, and seek external funding, such as emerging markets.

Members recognize that with this strategy, "the risk of loss can be changed" they do not want to put more money on the table, but are willing to lose the already committed. This vote confirms the increasingly important role taken by the German parliament in the European political game, to the dismay of some partners in Germany. The Constitutional Court has recently strengthened the powers of the Bundestag, by requiring the green light for decisions involving public funds in support schemes in Europe.

This is not without boondoggles: Friday, the Assembly had decided to confine the discussion of the EFSF its Committee on Budgetary Affairs. Before you turn around Monday and to convene a plenary session. "We are treading unknown territory" with respect to working with the Bundestag, Merkel agreed Tuesday, trying to recall the division of roles."These are different tasks: a government that conducts international negotiations, and the concern for parliamentary support the widest possible," she said.

Acerbic, columnist of the daily Handelsblatt stated that "the government (had) not thought about the time arrangements for informing the parliament." And parliamentarians did not realize that their new power is synonymous with extra work, "he said.

The EBIT of the company thus stood at 330 million euros for the three months to September against 244 million a year ago.Turnover increased 20% over the period.

Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext have until Nov. 8 to communicate officially to the European Commission their responses to concerns in Brussels about their merger, said last week a source close to the matter.

For now, officials of the two stock exchange operators are still reading and analyzing the "statement of objections" sent to them by the Commission on October 5, it says. This release contains the objections of the EC to the merger in terms of competition.

The agreement to acquire the operator of stock exchanges of New York and Paris by the operator of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange was concluded in February.The merger will create the world's largest exchange operator.

Earlier in the day, another source said that European regulators should organize on October 27 an oral examination of the merger.

A special board is scheduled Monday morning and is expected to endorse the departure of Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, blamed for the results considered bad and bad relations with the President of the Board Jean-Cyril Spinetta.

This move was expected. "I think the end of this suspense but it is close to the company itself to decide," said Transportation Minister Thierry Mariani Wednesday, describing the arrival of Alexander Juniac of "true-false suspense ".

The French state owns 16% stake in the airline.

The rating agency notes that Spanish banks continue to suffer from the economic crisis over the next 15 to 18 months.

S & P has placed Spain in category 4 (cons from 3) of the scale "Bichri" (Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment), which is 1 for countries with the strongest to the weakest 10.

Among the countries in Group 4, one finds including the Czech Republic, Israel, South Korea, Mexico and Slovakia.

The Bank of France reiterated Monday its forecast of growth of 0.1% of the French economy in the third quarter, based on the results of its latest monthly business survey.

In September, "industrial activity has remained stable, the contraction in the automotive and manufacturing equipment was offset by the increase observed in the food industry and some sectors of production of consumer goods" said she.

The Bank of France said that the forecasts of business leaders expect a continuation of the stability of industrial activity in the coming months. Services could, in turn, suffer from a slowdown in activity.

Thursday, INSEE had indicated anticipate GDP growth of 0.3% for the third quarter, a more optimistic prediction than the Bank of France.But the institute expects a stagnation in activity over the last three months of the year highlighting the sharp deterioration in the economic climate in the euro area during the summer.

The indicator of business climate in France has lost eight points between July and September to $ 97 in its long-term average of 100.

INSEE also announced Monday that industrial production rose by 0.5% in August while economists polled by Reuters on average expected a contraction of 1%.

"It's always good to take.PMI surveys suggest already predict a decline in output, which shows that this sector should not escape the impact of slower global growth and lower domestic demand against a background of escalating crisis debt in the euro area ", says Joost Beaumont, economist at ABN Amro.

Markit PMI surveys among purchasing managers have shown last week a contraction of manufacturing and for services, the lowest growth for two years.

The only support activity at year end could then once again to come from household consumption, unless the sovereign debt crisis incentive for consumers to save more.

According to Insee, the saving rate of French households has reached 17% in the second quarter, its highest level since the third quarter of 2009.

Vice Minister of Finance had previously Oikonomou Pantelis said the discussions were over, but for the most part, the sources who have direct knowledge of the case, they are far from it.

"The talks are not over," said a senior official told Reuters.The Delegation of the troika (EU, IMF, European Central Bank) is still examining the accounts and budget reforms required for the payment of aid to eight billion euros.

The Greek government admitted Sunday he would miss this year and next the deficit targets that were assigned by its international donors.He also announced new austerity measures to try to reduce the budget deficit next year.

Athens anticipates a deficit of 8.5% of GDP in 2011, while the EU and the IMF wanted 7.6% more, and 6.8% in 2012 to a target of 6.5%.

The draft budget for 2012 Greek assumes a GDP contraction of 2.5% this year, after -5.5% this year.Under this project, Government debt was 172.1% of GDP in 2012 from 161.8% in 2011.

Finance ministers of the euro zone (Eurogroup) met on Monday and it is likely they will do even more pressure on the Greek government to implement a more resolute reforms planned by the international bailouts.

The second plan, set in July, includes in particular the private sector is participating in a plan to exchange debt at a discount.Athens wants at least 90% of the creditors participating in the project goes forward.

"Greece is bankrupt"

Given the risk of contagion to other countries Greece in the euro zone, Italy and Spain in particular, several countries in the euro area have already passed an extension of the powers of the European Financial Stability (EFSF ).

But increasing financial resources, budgeted at 440 billion euros, is not an option for countries such as Germany in particular.

In fact, Christian Noyer, Governor of the Banque de France and member of the Governing Council of the ECB, it is unrealistic to think that we can increase this allocation, but the principle of multiplication is to remember.

"It would be unrealistic to expect an increase in the EFSF himself personally but I am open to any device to leverage existing commitments to provide greater capacity to respond," he said.

The United States and the financial markets, which continue to anticipate a failure to Greece, urged the euro area to consider how to give the EFSF greater ability to respond without injection of new money, for a leverage.

The principle would be to use the funds as collateral for loans from other agencies.The EFSF could for example provide guarantees to the European Central Bank (ECB) when it acquires the Sovereign Debt.

In the meantime, it is the deepest skepticism prevailing in the markets about the ability of Europeans to stem the crisis in Greece, especially after the latest financial reports of the country.

European stock markets posted a decline of 1.75% and the index of banking in particular was down 2.87%, the segment loss the biggest market for now.

The spread between Italian 10-year paper and his German counterpart widened to 380 basis points and it is the same for the same term paper in Spanish, to 337 basis points.

Germany itself is not immune to the slump environment.The five-year CDS were up six basis points record of 118 basis points, according to Markit.

Michael Fuchs, vice president of the coalition CDU / CSU to power in Germany, the case is heard: Greece is indeed bankrupt. "There is probably no alternative for us to accept a deletion of at least 50% of its debt," he states.