2014 was deeply disappointing. The economy did not achieve the hoped-for recovery and unemployment reached a record level despite the increase of subsidized jobs and the massive transfers for companies, so that they could invest and recruit. How does 2015 look like?

France will benefit from a favourable economic environment. The sharp drop in industrial raw materials prices  (iron-ore:  - 40%, natural rubber:  - 30%, textile fibers:  - 12%) and in oil prices will lead to a 30 billion euros reduction of its foreign bill. Industrial companies will recover their margins, and households will increase their purchasing power. In the past (1986, 1998 ...

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Is the drop in oil prices a temporary phenomenon resulting from exceptional political circumstances and a depressed global growth or, conversely, does it prefigure a sustainable return to cheap fossil fuels ? The second hypothesis appears more likely. The causes of the current collapse are identified. The producing countries gathered in OPEC had to face higher supply in a less favourable economic context. They could not agree with each other in order to support prices.

The United States had clearly opted for lower oil prices: this strategy amplifies the impact of economic sanctions to force Moscow to give up its territorial ...

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The North Sea oil barrel, which is a benchmark in Europe, costs now 72$. Its price has continued to fall and has reached a new milestone with OPEC's decision to maintain its production at current levels, contrary to past practice where the offer was reduced to halt the fall in prices. This new situation calls for two observations.

First, this situation contradicts some theories about the depletion of hydrocarbon resources. Oil companies have long supported this approach, drawing on the concept of "peak oil", according to which production would peak and then decline after a certain date that the ...

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