If only Mickey and friends could all give a little magic wand on sales of Euro Disney! The site operator of Disneyland Resort Paris announced on Tuesday a drop in attendance at its parks by the end of the year: -10.5% in the first quarter of 2009-2010 ended in late December.
Result, the group reported a turnover period of 292 million euros against 326.4 million euros over the last three months of last year. The average expenditure of visitors, however, is stable, thanks to its pricing and promotional strategies.
"The decline in attendance at theme parks reflects a decrease in the number of English and French visitors," explains Philippe Gas, the president of Euro Disney."In the first quarter of fiscal 2009, the economic crisis had not yet fully impacted our revenues, mainly because visitors reserved well in advance of the dates of their visit," says the boss, stressing further that "now visitors reserve later while seeking promotions.
The group, which does not provide a quantitative forecast for 2010 indicates that it plans to launch three new attractions this summer, inspired by the movie Toy Story, Disney-Pixar. The group says the activity will take color "when the economic environment will give signs of improvement."
Title Euro Disney operates in negative terrain on Tuesday, down from 2.74% to 4.6 euros, about 11 hours, giving a market capitalization of just under 180 million euros.
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The Chinese government had promised. The national growth would remain at 8% in 2009 despite the crisis. It is poised to succeed his bet. The figures, published yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for the month of October, confirms the strong recovery of the economy.
Industrial production rose by 16.1% over the same period last year, against 13.9% in September. This is its biggest gain in a year and a half. Retail sales have, in turn, increased by 16.2% in the first ten months of the year, compared with an increase of 15.5% for the period January to September.
The trade balance has in turn recorded a balance of $ 24 billion or 11 billion more than the month before. This is an unexpected decline in imports by 6.4%, which largely explains this result.Exports, meanwhile, have slowed their little dip, down only 13.8% in October against a decline of 15.2% in September. These figures suggest now a recovery in foreign orders.
Know when to stop the infusion
Given all these positive signs, economists expect this to increase in China's GDP exceeds 8% for the full year 2009. But everyone is asking at the same time the question of a proper balancing of growth. "If you look at the figures for October, it seems that there is a trend in consumption that would further contribute to growth.And this should be confirmed in the fourth quarter, "says confidently, Sheng Laiyun, spokesman of the NBS.
China has most of his return to his recovery plan to 450 billion euro, launched a year ago to invest heavily in infrastructure.
And if the fixed investment has also continued to increase, from 33.1% in the first ten months of the year, it mainly benefits large public works (+ 76.3%), while investment in private projects fell by 12.9%.
The question now is to know when to stop the infusion. Some leaders expressed their fear that a sudden withdrawal of credit facilities, which boosted the plant workshop of the world. Chinese banks have lent 1 100 billion since the beginning of the year.Even if they have paid half in October than in September, the economy can not do without this liquidity.
The OECD sees "strong signal" of recovery
"The Chinese economy is running at full speed
A new tool to better meet in the jungle of tariffs. The National Ombudsman of Energy on Thursday launched a comparator offers, available on-site www.energie mediateur.fr. Totally independent providers, the service proposes to compare the various offers of electricity and natural gas, according to several criteria: annual price, type of proposed tariff (set by the state or not) or the share of renewable energy included in the tender. And the service is not superfluous. Two years after opening to competition of the energy market, the French are still struggling to find their way. Almost two thirds (58%), unaware that they can indeed leave EDF and GDF Suez, according to an LH2 poll, conducted for the Ombudsman and the Commission for Energy Regulation (CRE). And they are 77% did not know how to switch suppliers.
13,000 claims in 2009
In addition, the mediator of energy is overwhelmed by the claims: 13,000 in 2009, a tenfold increase over 2008! Rates opaque, or billing errors in the meter are the problems most often encountered by consumers. Hence the interest to compare this development which was attended by most energy suppliers at the national level: besides the two heavyweights EDF and GDF Suez, six other energy providers nationally have said yes to proposed: Direct Energy, Planet Yes, Poweo, Alterna, GEG Source of Energy and Altergaz. Only Enercoop declined the offer, saying that this tool does not put enough value in the specificity of its offer, according to the Ombudsman's services.
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Professional athletes are red since the start of the week as MPs discuss several amendments concerning "the name of tax fairness." What professional athletes are they privileged taxpayers? Amendments, including those worn by Yves Bur UMP deputies and Marc Le Fur, aim to change both devices. First, the option income tax benefit of (or "sprawl"). Clearly, professional athletes can smooth their income, that is to say, to average their income over three to five years. Finally, they can in this way, deduct one third of taxable income. Tuesday in the state budget, MPs have decided to book only to fans that tax advantage.
Second advantage, that permitting the exemption of social contributions and employers under the "collective image rights" (DIC).1237 athletes have benefited from this advantage in 2007. It is already anticipated that the scheme ends in June 30, 2012, but a new amendment proposes that échénace intervene earlier, specifically on 1 January 2010. "More than athletes, they are also clubs that take advantage of this benefit as part of the remuneration of the sport is exempt from payroll taxes and employer. This allows clubs to keep some French players, potentially leaving for abroad without it, "shade Christophe Breton, specializing in asset management for top athletes. So the club is saving costs and not the athlete directly. The shortfall for the state would be 30 million per year.Adopted almost unanimously with a vote in the Committee on Social Affairs, the UMP amendment must still be voted on in public session next week.
A Mercato costly for state
A third device was questioned in the draft law of 22 July, the favorable tax treatment to impatriation enjoyed by all occupational categories and not just professional athletes. The scheme originally thought to prevent brain drain to foreign countries (emigration of French researchers in the United States and leaders in England for example) is also used by professional athletes as part of their transfers when they leave foreign clubs.This attractive scheme allows beneficiaries to receive an allowance for a limited period of 5 years provided only they were not fiscally domiciled in France during the five years before taking office. "The advantage is in particular the exemption of additional compensation related to the return to France," said Mr. Lefevre Péaron (Morgan Lewis). Some MPs intend to exclude professional sports scheme. Figures to support the member of the Cotes d'Armor explains that the four transfers most important championship of France Ligue 1 football had "cost" to the State under impatriation nearly 1.5 million euros in the Mercato 2008-2009.
"Undermine the entire economy of clubs"
For many asset managers, reform the tax and social benefits, especially the DIC, will undermine the attractiveness of the French market. For Schatzl Frederick, president of Elite Heritage, this amendment is a mistake of a economic standpoint. The wealthy athletes will go to other countries more attractive: they will come in France, so they do not consume more and pay more taxes. "Even the sound of bells from the middle of sport ensures that the state will lose. According to the Professional Football League (LFP), professional football will yield 600 million euros in social charges and fiscal 2009. "These samples sitting on the payroll of players will decrease if teams are forced to revise downwards earnings to offset the effect of the measures announced.These ultimately will cost more money than they relate and will not be profitable for the state, "says the president of the LFP, Frederic Thiriez.Tout as the French Football Federation (FFF) National Union of Professional Footballers Thursday expressed its concern. Sylvain Kastendeutch, co-president of the UNFP, denounces an attempt to bring down the overall economy of football. "The reform is presented as a way to reap benefits in a few stars. Not true, it is a bad blow to football because it will weaken the entire economy of the clubs, "he warns. By Tuesday, the day of voting in the plenary of the amendment on the abolition of the exemption under the "right to collective image, the sport community intends to defend his vote.
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