Paris and Berlin Monday urged Athens to accept a new austerity in exchange for financial assistance, but the Greek political parties have postponed their Tuesday response to drastic conditions imposed by donors.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said it was to settle the Greek crisis "once and for all," Chancellor Angela Merkel saying that his side " time is running out for Athens. "

The two leaders were speaking at a joint press conference at the Elysee while the "troika" comprising the European Union, IMF and the Bank of Central Europe ; enemies is waiting for government commitments and major Greek parties on the vote of these measures. 

The European Commission ruled that the Greek government had missed the deadline to Monday midday to conclude discussions on the subject.

A Greek official said the only deadline is a Eurogroup meeting, but no date is fixed for the meeting, which should however take place this week.

Meanwhile, an agreement between Greece and its private creditors, announced as imminent for two weeks, slow to materialize.

The three parties supporting the government led by Lucas Papademos reluctant to finally commit to austerity measures. Supposed to agree Sunday night and Monday morning, they finally postponed their meeting Tuesday.

BLOCKED ACCOUNT

The news release announcing the postponement, issued shortly after the press conference in Paris by Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, no explanation, saying only that Lucas Papademos will further talks Monday with representatives of the Troika.

The leaders of the Socialist Party (PASOK), the conservative party New Democracy and Laos (far right), all vying for the parliamentary elections due in April, are expected to find a compromise on such difficult issues as the reform of the labor market or bank recapitalization. 

Sunday, after five hours of discussion, Lucas Papademos said that party leaders had agreed on a number of measures, including wage cuts, as part a plan to cut spending 1.5% of gross domestic product.

According to an official policy, the three parties have postponed their meeting because they had not received a 15-page summary of the conclusions of discussions Sunday.

The slow pace of negotiations in Athens has eroded the patience of donors, although agreement is essential to avoid a default on Athens 14.5 billion euros debt maturing in March. 

Merkel said she could not conceive of new aid plan "if there is no agreement with the troika."

"The parameters of the regulations are on the table," said Nicolas Sarkozy, in holding that an agreement had "never been closer" and he could not imagine a failure .

The French president on the other hand proposed, with the consent of the German Chancellor, the blocking of an account of a portion of future assistance under the new plan to the tune of interests of the Greek debt remaining to guarantee their repayment to creditors. 

CALL FOR STRIKE Tuesday

The hope of progress in terms of the recapitalization of banks, which would avoid nationalization, Monday favored the increase of these values ​​to the Athens Stock Exchange: Towards 1600 GMT, the local index banks posted a gain of nearly 11%.

But the silence of Athens and the absence of political agreement on the conditions imposed by the troika has weighed on the major European markets: the Paris Stock Exchange closed down 0.7%, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index fell 0.2%. As for the Stoxx European banking stocks, has declined 0.6%.

The euro stabilized against the dollar in parallel, at about 1.3116 against 1.3112 on Friday night.

While political discussions are extended to Athens, the country's two main unions have called for a 24-hour strike Tuesday to protest against a policy that they say threatens to drag the country into a destructive spiral.

The President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano charged Sunday the former European Commissioner Mario Monti to form a new government is responsible for putting in order the finances to reassure financial markets and European partners in Rome.

After the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi, left under the jeers of thousands of Romans, the head of state has mandated that as planned economics professor aged 68 to lead a cabinet should be composed mainly of technocrats.

In a brief speech a few minutes after the announcement of his appointment by the Quirinal Palace, Mario Monti has promised to conduct "with a sense of urgency but with care" consultations to establish the composition of his government.

ONE YEAR AND A HALF FOR REDRESS OF ITALY

The uncertainty of recent weeks Italy has strongly penalized in the bond markets, and Rome hopes that the arrival of Mario Monti will reassure the financial community.

"The country must become a pillar of strength, not a weak link in the European Union that we were among the founders," said the former European Commissioner for Competition.

The objective of the new government will be "to improve the financial situation and resume the path of growth in a context of increased attention to social justice," he added, saying that Italy could "overcome difficulties by a joint effort. "

"We owe it to our children," said the economist.

MEPs decided that the adjustment of family benefits would take place on April 1 instead of January 1.

MEPs decided on Friday at the meeting, that the adjustment of family benefits, traditionally made on 1 January, 1 April intervene now, as is already the case for pensions. This deferral to April 1, said Minister of Solidarity Roselyne Bachelot, will compensate for the finances of the state, "not liable to the CSG the additional choice of activity (CLCA)" (parental leave ).

MEPs have adopted Wednesday by night session, an amendment removing the liability to CSG parental leave that the government wanted to impose.The UMP's budget reporter Social Security Yves Bur had proposed to postpone the revaluation of family benefits from 1 April to financially compensate the removal of government action. The budget minister Valérie Pécresse, while present, had "taken note of this commitment."

Friday morning, the members themselves have officially recorded this decision by adopting an amendment to the government that sets 1 April each year the revaluation of family benefits. All family benefits will be affected by this provision: family allowances, housing allowances, allowances back to school, receiving benefits early childhood, parental leave, etc.. The three-month postponement of revaluation has sparked protests in the ranks of the opposition.

The Italian prime minister will present this evening in Brussels a letter in which he promises savings measures in the country, notably to extend the retirement age to 67. The Italian Minister of Economy, Giulio Tremonti, and the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi

After intense negotiations with the Northern League and a minimal agreement on pensions, the Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi Wednesday in Brussels will present a letter in which he undertakes to carry out economic reforms, reports the press. The letter of fifteen pages, the Cavaliere, who managed in extremis Tuesday night in a minimal agreement on pensions with its ally the Northern League, said the government's desire to raise the retirement age of "old age" of 65 to 67 in 2026.

But in reality, this decision does not change much, according to the newspaper noted that in 2026, the retirement age should already nearly 67 years as a result of reforms adopted in recent years, including one providing for gradual increase in the retirement age based on life expectancy. The League is however remained adamant about the "retirement pensions" that allow currently retire at 60 with 36 years of contributions and any age from 40 years of contributions. In addition to retirement, Mr. Berlusconi engaged in the letter to adopt speedy measures to boost growth promised this summer but have not been presented because of the divisions of the majority.

Rome has involved the liberalization of professions and local public services, simplifying the administration, the revitalization of infrastructure projects, facilitating dismissals or the tightening of rules to replace retiring employees. The government also promises to accelerate the sale of public assets to reduce the huge debt of 1,900 billion euros (120% of GDP) that worries the markets. Berlusconi also points in this letter, according to press reports, draconian austerity measures adopted in recent months for a total of 60 billion euros by 2014, which will allow Italy to meet balanced budget by 2013.

Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the presidency declined to comment. Mr.Berlusconi has been put up against the wall Sunday by its European partners who asked him to make firm commitments on reforms and debt reduction in order to reassure the markets and to ensure that Italy is the next victim the debt crisis, which would jeopardize the entire euro area.

Driven by hopes of a European bank recapitalization, stock markets continued to grow yesterday. Pars won 0.9%, but Apple's stock in Frankfurt drop 4% following the death of Steve Jobs. Traders on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The DAX ended Tuesday, August 9 close to balance, down 0.10% at 5917.08 points, after an erratic session.

European shares continued their positive momentum on Thursday after strong rebound Wednesday, still driven by hopes of a coordinated recapitalization of banks in Europe to help them withstand the debt crisis in the eurozone. At the opening, the Paris showed a gain of 0.89% on expectations of support measures from the European Central Bank (ECB) to banks in the wake of the mobilization of political leadership on this issue.

In the first few exchanges, Frankfurt progressed from 0.70%.But the action of the American Apple dropped to the Frankfurt Stock Exchange after the announcement of the death Wednesday night of the group's co-founder Steve Jobs. The action, which is listed on the open market in Frankfurt, most U.S. markets, lost 3.8% to 272.20 euros at 9:11. The death of Steve Jobs, "one of the greatest American inventors" according to Barack Obama on Wednesday to 56 years, has generated an avalanche of responses to the measure of character, became the symbol of the success of the firm at the apple.

In other European stock markets, London progressed by 0.65%, Madrid and Milan by 0.50% to 0.55%. Wednesday, Paris won 4.33%, London 3.19%, 4.91% Frankfurt, Madrid and Milan 3.06% 3.94% despite the downgrade of the sovereign debt of Italy by Moody's. The strong rebound in European stock markets Wednesday has spread across the Atlantic, where the New York Stock Exchange also ended sharply higher Wednesday.

Back optimism also in Asia on Thursday morning. The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended the session with a gain of 1.66% while Hong Kong, Seoul and Sydney also evolved significantly positive territory. Shanghai was closed Thursday. After weeks of dithering, European leaders rallied Wednesday to prevent a collapse of the banking sector, weakened by the debt crisis, which brought down the French-Belgian group Dexia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was "justified" to recapitalize European banks in need, stressing that "time was running out" and that his country was ready to do "if necessary". "The German government is ready, if necessary, to achieve a recapitalization" of banks at home, assured the Chancellor, not excluding that the matter be discussed at the highest level at the next EU summit in Brussels on 17 and October 18.

The daily Die Welt, Merkel intends to convince French President Nicolas Sarkozy to act quickly to support banks, at their meeting on Sunday, while Paris would rather wait. Finance ministers of the EU have asked the parallel European banking regulator (EBA) to assess the impact on the banks of a deep discount applied to the obligations of the Greek state, reported the Financial Times. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), he, actually suggested Wednesday to inject 100 to 200 billion euros in the biggest European banks to stabilize the area.

In this context, as investors wait to see, around 1:45 p.m., what will be the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) on interest rates. This is the last meeting chaired by Jean-Claude Trichet, whose eight-year term as head of the ECB ends October 31.The ECB raised its key rate twice this year for fear of inflation, this time could announce a reduction to support the economy in crisis in the euro area.

The private sector created 91,000 U.S. jobs in September, exceeding analysts' expectations, soothing some concerns about a rapid deterioration of the labor market.

Economists polled by Reuters predicted that the monthly ADP, released Wednesday, would state that 75,000 jobs created.

Figure of the month of August, however, was revised down slightly to 89,000, against 91,000 in the first estimate.

The publication of these figures has raised the index contracts before the opening of U.S. markets, but Wall Street was then opened in fall, investors remain uncertain economic prospects and projects of European leaders about banking.

ADP Employer Services survey, conducted in partnership with Macroeconomic Advisers LLC, is considered a leading indicator of monthly statistics on employment figures which are expected on Friday.

Economists polled by Reuters anticipate 60,000 new posts in the private and the public, but outside the agricultural sector, after zero in August.

"It seems that the private sector will continue to create jobs, which is consistent with the scenario of slow growth," said Gary Thayer, macroeconomic analyst at Wells Fargo in St. Louis.

"The problem is that the public sector is shedding jobs.So we should have a low figure, but slightly positive next month. "

Moreover, the number of planned job cuts in companies in the country jumped in September to a high of more than two years, another report showed on Tuesday.

Employers announced last month that 115,730 job cuts planned, against 51,114 in August, the report said the consulting firm Chalenger, Gray & Christmas.

This is the highest since April 2009.

The increase in sales in September was mainly due to two employers: Bank of America and the U.S. military, which together plan to reduce their workforce by 80,000 people.

The name of the successor of François Chérèque is already known for three years, provides a blog linked to Figaro.fr. The handover could take place in mid-2012. The departure of François Chérèque of the post of secretary general of the CFDT could happen in mid-2012.

François Chérèque of the estate at the head of the CFDT is folded from "a long time," says the BBC journalist Mark Landre on his blog The Cartoon Network. According to him, Lawrence Berger, national secretary in charge of employment and organization, no doubt replace the current general secretary. The decision would even be fixed for three years. "The question is not whether Lawrence will take the place of Francis, but when," reportedly said a central part of Belleville. According to him, this could be done in an early departure of François Chérèque "in mid-2012."

The computer manufacturer Hewlett-Packard on Thursday confirmed the appointment of former eBay boss Meg Whitman in his general direction, replacing Leo Apotheker decried.

"We are at a critical time and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of market opportunities ahead," said group chairman Ray Layne.

The Board believes that "the position of head of HP currently requires additional skills," he added in reference to Leo Apotheker.

The former CEO of the German company SAP management software was appointed late in September 2010 as head of the California group to succeed Mark Hurd.

HP is not necessarily ready to change strategy, it was explained to Reuters, which would run contrary to rumors on Wall Street.Some had thought that the departure of Leo Apotheker, head of the third row to be forced to take the door at HP would be the prelude to a coaster for substantive decisions taken during his tenure.

He has been considered a possible split of the branch PC and the acquisition of software developer Autonomy UK, some investors fearing that HP does overpays this acquisition.

In less than a year in office, Leo Apotheker has repeatedly reduced the forecast of revenue, returned to the promises concerning the integration of mobile software, amid 50% drop in share price of HP .

Meg Whitman, who was already on the board of directors of HP, is familiar with the consumer and distribution on the Internet.But it will not necessarily be the best choice, some analysts said.

The one who tried unsuccessfully to be elected as governor of California, has transformed the small eBay, which had several dozen employees in 1998, a major distributor on the internet. But the last years of his tenure were marked by growing more hesitant, intensified criticism on Wall Street and a series of acquisitions not necessarily sound like that of the Internet telephony company, Skype, ultimately sold to Microsoft.

HP ended down 4.8%, to 22.80 dollars, wiping out most of the gains of 6.6% recorded Wednesday.Investor enthusiasm for a change at the highest level has turned into caution given the fundamental uncertainty of the group, analysts said.

PSA Peugeot Citroen and General Electric announced Wednesday it had signed a business cooperation and technology in Europe around the electric vehicle.

The automaker and the U.S. giant has said in a statement that the agreement was not exclusive to work together including the deployment of a commercial offering combining the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

New offerings destined for the corporate customers will also be developed.

General Electric is committed in this context to purchase up to 1,000 electric vehicles to PSA by the end of 2015.

PSA remember launched in late 2010 electric vehicle Citroën "C-ZERO" Peugeot and "ion".

Gold continues to surge Tuesday morning in a movement of flight to quality due to concerns about the macroeconomic outlook after the deterioration of the U.S. debt rating by Standard & Poor's on Friday.

The August contract on gold gained 3.4% to 1772 dollars to 9:40 GMT in the session after reaching a record 1782.5 million.