This natural disaster had disrupted for months the production chain, in the automotive sector and elsewhere.

Data released Tuesday by the Japan Automobile Dealers, however, show that sales of April 2012, which reached 208,977 units, still 5.9% lower than those of April 2010.

Toyota sales including the Lexus brand, rose 185%, while Nissan was 51.6% and 61.5% of Honda.

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

.

AstraZeneca offers Ardea $ 32 per share, representing a premium of 54% over the closing price Friday of society, and values ​​acquired at a billion dollars after deduction of cash held by Ardea.

Both groups said they expect the transaction to close in the second or third quarter, adding that shareholders representing approximately 30% of Ardea had agreed to vote for the operation. 

The action Astrazeneca yielded 0.87% at the London Stock Exchange at 7:35 GMT, but doing better than the market (-1.16%).

The group is facing generic competition on several of its key drugs, including anti-psychotic Seroquel, and just to renew its range. Earlier this month, he concluded an agreement on joint development and commercialization of five treatments of the portfolio of the U.S. biotech Amgen.

The biotechnology sector is currently characterized by a wave of mergers and acquisitions and consolidation attempts.

GlaxoSmithKline announced last week it had offered to buy Human Genome Sciences for approximately $ 2.6 billion (2 billion), an offer rejected by American society. Roche has attempted unsuccessfully to acquire Illumina to $ 6.8 billion.

The IMF estimates that the debt crisis of the euro area poses the most acute global economic growth and financial markets fear that after Greece, Ireland and Portugal, it is the turn of Italy and Spain – the third and fourth economies in the region – to seek international assistance.

"There are firm commitments to increase resources available to the IMF more than $ 430 billion," say in a statement the G20 countries. 

The IMF will use this enhanced firepower to help any country or region that would require, but those are the fears that the crisis in Europe have accelerated ; Lere enhancement of its resources.

Sign of ongoing concerns of financial markets respond to the crisis of European sovereign debt, the yield on Spanish bonds to ten years has exceeded 6% this week and investors are concerned that borrowing costs of Madrid reach an unsustainable level.

"The extreme risks weighing on the global economy there are still some less began to fade," said the G20 in a statement. 

"However, growth expectations for 2012 remain subdued, the deleveraging affecting the growth of consumption and investment, the volatility remains high, partly reflecting the pressures of financial markets in Europe, and downside risks persist. "

Emerging countries have obtained their G20 partners guarantees to see their growing economic role gradually recognized in the Fund, through a strengthening of their voting rights. Brazil, in particular, had asked for a commitment to do so.

The Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said after the G20 meeting that emerging markets of BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – had unanimously agreed to provide additional funds to the IMF.

Already in production and marketing of agricultural products, metals, minerals and oil, Glencore seeks to expand its activities in the food, he identified as a growth area.

The Swiss-based group is engaged in another parallel operation to seize the mining group Xstrata for $ 41 billion. 

Offering Glencore on Viterra, 16.25 Canadian dollars per share, was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors of the Canadian group. It complies with current recorded these days by Viterra but it represents a premium of 48% over its closing price on March 8, the day during which the group said he UNPAID ; u expressions of interest.

Shareholders holding 16.5% stake in Viterra, including Alberta Investment Management, the main one, have already given their support to the operation.

If Viterra finally came to accept an offer by another buyer, or if its board of directors withdrew or modified its recommendation, it should pay compensation of 185 million Canadian dollars.

Glencore did not intend to hold within it the entire acquisition. 

Agrium is already scheduled to resume most activities of agricultural products retail Viterra, especially the 34% stake in Canadian Fertilizer, for which he will donate a , 8 billion Canadian dollars to Glencore.

Richardson will take over on its side 23% of the grain handling business and certain assets Viterra processing in North America for $ 800 million.

"The acquisition of Viterra reflects our strong confidence in the importance and future potential in the grain markets in Canada and Australia," said Chris Mahoney, director of product division Agricultural Glencore.

The increase is in line with market expectations.

In January, prices showed an increase of 0.2%.

Gasoline accounted for more than 80% of the increase in consumer prices in February, said the Labor Department.

Excluding volatile prices such as food and energy, inflation remains subdued with an increase of 0.1% in February after a 0.2% gain in January.

The February increase is below market expectations (+0.2%).

The price of gasoline jumped 6%, their largest increase since December 2010. They had gained 0.9% in January.

Food prices were flat last month after rising 0.2% in January.

Over one year, the consumer price as a whole jumped 2.9%, as in January.

Excluding volatile, they rose 2.2% after rising 2.3% in January.

The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that soaring energy costs would result in a temporary rise in prices. In the long term, inflation is expected to be more than 2%, the objective of the central bank.

The fight continues. Metalworkers block since 6:30 this Tuesday access to administrative buildings of the plant ArcelorMittal Florange (Moselle). Thirty workers wearing jumpers of the CFDT, CGT and FO have taken a position before the checkpoint leading to the "big offices" staffed usually several hundred frames.

In the pale light of dawn, the steelworkers have improvised at the gates with a pile of straw bales and wooden pallets. Some managers and administrators have been forced to turn back by the workers protest, fearing an imminent closure of the steelworks. Most of the inside workers hired to 8:00.

"This is once again disrupt production at the site" which is partly controlled from the "big office," said a trade unionist. The blocking is expected to continue throughout the day, he said. This is the second blocking access to the administrative buildings of the factory in less than two weeks.

February 28, fifty steelworkers were blocked for a dozen hours access to "big offices". This blockage was "unacceptable" by the management group's Atlantic-Lorraine. "ArcelorMittal strongly condemns the blocking (…) by a small group of trade unionists (who) and prohibit access to their workplace to the other employees of the company," had found direction in a statement.

Monday, the workers decided to continue meeting in their movement. The Inter announced it would conduct new blockages Tuesday, she would visit all workshops and site Wednesday that it "would rise" in Paris Thursday. A "great national day" demonstration will also be held March 22 in Florange by the CGT on the theme "The industry and the steel industry in France," said the union plans to bring in Lorraine "thousands of French and Belgian steelworkers. "

March 8, direction, accompanied by thirty guards, had taken possession of "large office", February 20 invested by metallurgists to cries of "Mittal, we want to work". Movement by engaging in late February, a CFDT Inter-CGT-FO (GSC / CFE has withdrawn since) had promised to make Florange "the nightmare of government" if the two blast furnaces of the steelworks, dormant for several months, were not given a prompt start. ArcelorMittal ensures it is only a standby temporary, made necessary by an insufficient global demand for steel.

Time alone in the world, soccer clubs of the old continent are now emerging teams succeed in the transfer market. It must be said that the rich owners of these clubs do not hesitate to offer more wages to more than 10 million euros to attract stars, although they are generally on the decline. Examples abound: the former Chelsea striker, Nicolas Anelka, has landed last week at Shenshua Shanghai where it will be driven by a compatriot, Jean Tigana. He immediately said he hoped his friend Didier Drogba could join him soon.

Two days later, it was the turn of Anzhi Makhachkala, Dagestan, an obscure Russian club, to the news by announcing the signing of Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. The winner of the Champions League in 1988 with Eindhoven and former coach of Russia will be paid 10 million euros net per year, the taxes being paid by the club. It must be said that it already offers 20 million euros per year for the services of Samuel Eto'o.

And India, conspicuously absent from the map of world football so far, has set up a private league to organize a parallel event to the very low national championship. Originality, the six participating teams were divided former football greats at the end of an auction process on their wages. Which allowed Robert Pires, Fabio Cannavaro 2006 Golden Ball or Hernan Crespo to win the CSD from 7 weeks to more than 600,000 euros. But signs that India hand really scratch, kick off this mini-league, which was scheduled to begin Feb. 24, to be postponed to April. Stages of the state of West Bengal, where it is organized, lacked standards stadiums!

Finally Brazil, world's largest exporter of footballers today able to retain or bring back its stars: Ronaldinho and Deco are thus returned.

But the clubs emerging countries can they really compete with European football in the coming years? For Loïc Ravenel, author of The Atlas of world sport "this situation recalls the development of Japanese football in the 90s. At the time everyone saw the explosion of Japanese clubs who would be able to compete with European clubs. Which is ultimately never happened. Same with the Qatar where clubs are paid to former stars of European teams since the early 2000s.

Russia and Brazil in the lead

All emerging countries do not yet play in the same court. "Brazil is the country with the highest potential," said Bastien Drut, sports economist. "The football culture is incredibly present and ultramodern infrastructures are built for the 2014 World Cup to be held there."

Of wealthy businessmen also came into the game by taking over the legendary Brazilian soccer teams, like Corinthians and Santos. In the latter club, owned by property magnate Alvaro Luis de Oliveira Ribeiro, the influx of dollars has resulted in the selection Neymar, global star at just 20 years and courted by Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. His salary of € 6 million per year, is the equal of the Spanish Xavi or Iniesta. A strong trend. In 2010, 135 Brazilian players have returned from exile, often returning from Europe. The most famous: Ronaldinho, Deco and Adriano. And the 2014 World Cup should play the particle accelerator. "What is missing are a business model in this championship for a longer-term development", Loïc Ravenel shade.

The bug's salary Ronaldinho

Symbol of these attempts, the failure of the financial package expected to provide a salary of € 6 million to Ronaldhino. The club Flamengo had an agreement with the sports marketing company Traffic to support 75% of this amount. But she did not succeed: Ronaldinho's salary was not paid for six months. Flamengo has had to rely on sponsors to pay for his star to the end of the year. But his contract runs until 2014.

Away from heat Maracana, Russian football also rises in rank. Many oligarchs have invested. "The Russian league is growing for two years by recruiting players with great potential," said Loic Ravenel. Its main asset: its clubs face the great European teams in matches of Champions League. "What helps attract players willing to play the European Cup, and clubs to progress by participating in a very high level of competition. Chance of which does not have the other emerging countries." Property of Gazprom, the Zenith St. Petersburg has won the Europa League in 2008. Sign of the times, the Russian league has adjusted its schedule this year than in Western Europe. To better compete in European tournaments. According to Deloitte, the largest Russian clubs have their place in the top 100 of the biggest clubs in the world. But they remain far from the top 20.

Read also: soccer clubs the richest in the world.

Asian ambitions

A challenge still too high for Asia? If India with his new Soccer League franchises made private on the model of American sport still stammers his football, China advance its pawns. In a league plagued by match-fixing scandals, the Shanghai Shenhua, led by Zhu Jun, heavyweight and video game licensee of the online game World of Warcraft, have acquired Nicolas Anelka. Paid 234,000 euros per week, making it the French player the highest paid in the world, the former Chelsea striker is only the foundation stone of Chinese ambitions.

And in the Middle Kingdom, Shanghai Shenhua is not an exception. Many clubs have been bought by tycoons seeking to find the stars. The Hengda Canton have registered the arrival of Argentine Dario Conca, paid 10.6 million euros a year. A huge exodus Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo touch (not sponsors) respectively 11 and 13 million euros, according to France Football.

Looking for a "business model"

"But unlike Brazil, Asian countries have no football culture", Loïc Ravenel relativizes. "To compete with the big European clubs, it is not enough to stack the stars. Must also have a strong league and the clubs must play in major competitions to progress. A business model must also be set up to rake in revenues and does not depend exclusively on money from patrons. "

Far from the big European clubs in terms of ticket revenues or products, teams from emerging countries currently lack infrastructure to develop, as in Brazil, or public enthusiasm, Asia from China to Qatar for example … TV

…… rights, hen that lays golden eggs of modern football, are also far from what is done in Europe. But if the great Qatari Al-Jazeera puts more money to acquire the broadcasting rights of European leagues including the League 1, and for disseminating the low Qatari championship, Brazil has seen its revenues swell television. TV channel Globo had paid 132 million euros during the period 2009-2012 to broadcast meetings of the Brazilian championship.  

The agreement, negotiated with the collective Dos Club 13, which represented the championship teams, has been shattered this year with the loss of it, the great Brazilian clubs have decided to negotiate separately with their own TV rights. A coup successful. For three seasons (2012-2015) next, TV Globo was forced to pay 312 million euros to broadcast the matches of the championship. Kickin financial accelerator and a further step in the growth of Brazilian football, leading emerging football issue.

This aspiration may seem ambitious for a group whose time some investors doubted the chances of survival and that has cleared its first profits than last year, five years after the merger of its two entities.

Although he admits that all the targets were not achieved, Ben Verwaayen suggests that the company has turned a corner after three years of restructuring designed to make a business group "normal".

"Did we talk to our customers on the question of our future? No. On one of our financial future? No. It's over, "he said in an interview with Reuters

. Even if he fails any forecast figures beyond 2012, the leader, of Dutch origin and former boss of BT operators, spares no ambitions for Alcatel-Lucent ….

….. "We see some of our colleagues in the industry achieve double digit returns," said Ben Verwaayen …….

.. "By definition, it is therefore in the art of the possible (…) Between where we are today and these figures, there is a road we must travel in the coming years. "

The march will be high to cross yet

. Alcatel-Lucent

generated an operating margin of 3.9% last year, compared to 11.6% while Sweden's Ericsson China's Huawei has reached the figure of 15.8% in 2010. 

The Franco-American group said a target margin improvement this year, but without providing any numerical target, so it set a horizon of 5 to 9% % in terms of margin in its three-year recovery.

"That was before the crisis, said Ben Verwaayen. What is the art of the possible for the sector given the changing conditions and competitive environment is slightly different in 2012 than it was in 2009. " According

industry experts, telecom operators could tighten the purse strings this year as the de gradation of the economy at the expense of telecom equipment

. STILL A WAY TO DO …….

. In this difficult context, the group has to work extra hard to complete its turnaround plan that was originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2011

. At the end

it was set to become a business "normal" – growing, profitable and generates cash – Alcatel-Lucent is in fact also a way to go

. "We have almost reached all our goals. We do our best to make sure it is completed by the end of 2012, "assured Ben Verwaayen, who gave up the granting of stock options and performance shares for 2012 ….

….. "I had the feeling of not completing the contract, he said. The share price was heckled during the year and I thought it was the right decision. "

. ……. Led by Ben Verwaayen, the group has made significant progress in overcoming weaknesses in the mobile with its product offering in the 4G enabled him to win major contracts in the U.S., with AT & T and Verizon in particular

. It also cut its costs to the extent of one billion euros in order to lower its equilibrium level, notably by hiring a rationalization of its product portfolio. 

These developments were greeted with the stock market euphoria during the first part of 2011, before the cold shower of third quarter results which showed a high consumption of liquidity , reviving concerns about its cash and dropping the title.

In the fourth quarter, the group partly reassured by stopping the bleeding of its cash, which caused a surge this time of the action Alcatel.

"The response was overwhelming as every time," said Ben Verwaayen. "I think this demonstrates that the market is still nervous about us."

Finally, the action Alcatel has lost 44.6% of its value in 2011, signing one of the worst performances of the CAC 40 index.

The group in 2012 will rely on the proceeds of the sale of its Genesys nugget for $ 1.5 billion (945 million) as well as a license agreement designed to monetize its patent portfolio .

"We will be more robust in 2012," predicts Ben Verwaayen, the group expects a high level of positive net cash at the end of this year.

The German steelmaker reported a loss before interest and tax (EBIT) of 357 million euros over the period October-December, after a profit 273 million a year earlier.

Revenues decreased 2% to 11.37 billion euros while orders were stable at 11.26 billion.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected an EBIT of 92.3 million euros and sales of 10.34 billion euros. 

The company said it saw encouraging signs for the volumes and prices in the second half, while adding that he can not make forecasts for the full year due to uncertainties about the economy economic.

The Marine Systems, which manufactures submarines, spent a provision of € 116 billion for its activity in civil shipyards which he sold to the end of last year the investment fund Star Capital.

The action ThyssenKrupp was down nearly 3% at 10:30 GMT after taking 2% over the last six months, during which its smaller rival Salzgitter has gained 23% and ArcelorMittal, the world number one, took 13%. 

ThyssenKrupp trades at 13.5 times its expected results on the next 12 months, reflecting a slight discount to Salzgitter (14.3) but a premium on ArcelorMittal ( 10.7).