INSEE has, once more, revised downward 2^nd quarter French growth. It has been negative: -0.1%. France didn’t have a reduction of its GDP during one quarter since 2013. So it is difficult to share the optimism of those who consider that “it is going better”. Despite a favorable international environment, a weak oil price, interest rates at their historic low and substantial fiscal incentives for business, French economy is not rebounding. And the figures, published by INSEE even include evaluations difficult to understand since the contribution of foreign trade to growth would be positive for the first ...

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To leave François Hollande holding the full responsibility of Alstom planned decline is unfair. It is the result of more than twenty years of strategic mistakes made by its CEOs. But since, in 2004, Nicolas Sarkozy helped the group to avoid bankruptcy and gave it the possibility to rebound, the green light given by the state in 2014 to the deal settled with General Electric (GE), which was not asking for so much, has constituted a fatal mistake. Belfort closure, which is an emblematic site of the company where, during the past, were brought together activities related to transport ...

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Every summer, central bankers and a clutch of economists gathered at Jackson Hole, the American Chamonix, in the Rocky Mountains. This time, attention was focused on Janet Yellen speech and her indications on next interest rates increases. We didn’t learn more because, following her habit, she procrastinated. But the debate about monetary policy role passed quite unnoticed. It is regrettable because it has become the main instrument of the economic policy, which is not anymore in government hands, since central banks got their independence. Highly indebted states, refusing to increase their budget deficit, relied on the decisions of their ...

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