A jacket, an electric heater and a good soup. In this period of extreme cold, households equip themselves, and the delight of some traders.

Heating and soup go hand

"The heaters are selling very well right now," said a spokesperson for the brand Boulanger, who expects to sell three times more this week than last week. Thursday, electricity consumption was close to its peak absolute, the French setting up their electric heaters.

Sales of these soups should be greater than 16% this week that they would have been usual with temperatures (5-6 degrees on average), the company provides Metnext, a subsidiary of Météo France. The expected impact is 8.5% for stocks, 8% for soluble coffee, 8% for the chocolate powder and 4.5% for the chocolate tablet. "These products will also benefit from the winter next week," he told AFP Cedric Flecher, consultant Metnext.

The ingredients used to concoct homemade soups, such as leeks, carrots, onions or potatoes, will also benefit, he said, but in supermarkets where they do not freeze, as the open-air markets, where they can be damaged on the shelves. "These conditions lead to changes in diet," added Thierry Desouches, spokesman for U. System "We are back to product a little more invigorating, hot drinks, soups, meat, cooked, products that take the body."

However, consumers may be less tempted to go to the shops to keep warm at home, drawing on their stocks of canned or frozen.

The boots are hot

"There should be a trend to fewer trips to the supermarket. But when it's cold like this, people need calories, with products such as starches, pasta, potatoes. And still fresh such as yogurt, "says Flecher.

"So the races are going to be, but people will focus their shopping in one location, often in large shopping centers rather than in small stores downtown," he said. Textile side, the cold should benefit winter items that had previously suffered a very mild winter. "On this end of period balances, in a extremely cold weather, we expect a very positive impact that will sell for the series easily," says Arrow.

For example, the site selling shoes Sarenza recorded this week "historical peaks" of sales of fur boots and après-ski. "Until now, with mild temperatures, you could dress like in October. But from -5 to -8 degrees, if you have a coat a little short, go buy one soon," noted M . Desouches. "It also benefits the accessories like gloves and hats." "It is rather positive, it can sell the jackets we have not sold the previous week," said Jean-Marc Genis, president of the Federation of brands of clothing (FEH, chains).

"There is no rush," said Bertrand Morvan, president of the National Federation of the clothing (FNH, independent), but the cold "can sell stocks that might have been difficult to sell. " In contrast, the new summer collections "are struggling to leave."

The French surveyed by INSEE in November have also never been more pessimistic about their future standard of living and are more likely to anticipate an increase in unemployment, which has already reached a peak of 11.

The composite indicator of consumer confidence stood at 79 on Friday in November and pushed a lowest since February 2009.

The leader of New Democracy, one of the three member parties of the coalition government of Lucas Papademos, reiterated that his word was enough and that a written guarantee was unnecessary.

But European leaders fear that political parties are reluctant to implement unpopular reforms before the elections on February 19.

Samaras has already announced its intention to obtain an absolute majority at the polls to renegotiate the terms of the plan for European support.

"With regard to the discussion I had with the troika and the specific issue written guarantees, I would have said my position," said the Conservative leader after the interview.

"THERE WILL BE A SOLUTION"

By refusing to sign the document submitted by the troika, the economist would jeopardize the payment of the next tranche of aid. Creditors are willing to block eight billion euros needed to Athens to avoid default next month.

Political analysts believe, however, a compromise that allows both sides to save face will be found.

"One way or another, there will be a way around the problem.

Floods in Thailand will also affect exports significantly in the last quarter, disrupting supply chains across Asia, warned the BoJ in its report of November.

"Exports and production should show more or less stable at the moment and then increase moderately, reflecting mainly an acceleration of the recovery of overseas economies," said the central bank, warning however that the economic outlook remained uncertainty.

Wolfgang Schäuble told the German weekly Focus that Italy would be able to overcome its difficulties, resulting from a crisis of confidence in the markets.

"The economic data are not real bad. You just deal with the problems (…) These can be solved by Italy herself.What Rome has to overcome is nothing compared to the mountain to be climbed Greece, "he argues.

Although Europe has a Stability and Growth supposed to intervene much earlier, it is necessary that members act more in the EU, said Schäuble.

"The pressure of the crisis has effects that would not be possible otherwise (…) greater the crisis, the greater the need for change, he says.

The least we can say is that the end of term Jean-Claude Trichet has not been easy. The French left the European Central Bank (ECB), after eight years of presidency, when the euro area is experiencing a critical step – critical? – Of its crisis. For if the Europe Agreement birth Thursday morning in pain is an important step in the short term, it does not eliminate all long-term risks of contagion from the debt crisis.

We do not worship nor hate Jean-Claude Trichet, as it is more consensual than cleaving – it boasts of never having been outvoted by the Governing Council of the ECB. We respect him.For he succeeded in making the institution of Frankfurt an economic and political front. The markets were suspended in any of his words at monthly conferences of the ECB on interest rates. And since Europe is in crisis, he took part in EU summits as well as leaders and heads of government of member states of Euroland.

The route of Jean-Claude Trichet

1942: Born in Lyon

1969-1971: ENA

1978-1981: Economic Advisor, Valerie Giscard d'Estaing

1986-1987: Director of the Office of Edouard Balladur, Minister of Finance

1987-1993: Director of Treasury

1993-2003: Governor of the Banque de France

2003-2011: President of the European Central Bank

Of the review of eight years as president of the ECB, it can be fierce independence vis-à-vis the Franco-German policies.No sooner did he take the levers of the ECB in November 2003, accusing Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schröder to gut the Stability Pact. In 2010, he opposed the will of Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel to involve private investors in the rescue of Greece. But we remember also its renewed calls for member states to implement a real economic governance of the euro area. Not to mention his extraordinary responsiveness during the financial crisis in August 2007 first, then in October 2008, noting that the interbank market is frozen, the ECB is the first to lend banks as much liquidity as they wish.

The strong euro, the result of the fight against inflation

Two of his actions, however, are highly controversial.

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 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.

According to a survey conducted in June 2011 for the Circle Health and Europ Assistance, 29% of French say they have postponed or abandoned medical care because of financial difficulties during the past year. This is one of the highest rates in Europe: in Germany, they are only 15%, UK 6%, Spain 5%. Only Poland is less (36%). In the U.S., they are 25%.

Worse, the number of people have waived medical care in France has more than doubled in two years. In 2009 the ratio was only 11%.In three quarters of cases, these waivers or deferrals are for dental or optical care, routine care 12%, 6% of drug purchases and 5% of heavy operations.

In addition, 51% of French respondents believe that equality in access to care is not guaranteed, 53% fear a lack of public money in the future and anticipate a 50% increase in the price of medical procedures. To cover the increase in health spending, 33% of French people favor the increase in contributions and 26% are willing to pay more deductible per medical procedure.