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☆ French central bank head warns against raising ECB inflation target
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, July 9 (Reuters) - France's central bank head Francois Villeroy de Galhau pushed back on Sunday against a suggestion from some French economists to raise the European Central Bank's (ECB) 2% inflation target. The aim is to bring inflation down to the 2% target by 2025, Villeroy said at an economics conference in the southern French city of Aix-en-Province. Former IMF chief economist, Frenchman Olivier Blanchard, has long called for a higher inflation target than the 2% shared by most major central banks, arguing that the increased flexibility that would provide would outweigh the costs. In response, Villeroy said that a higher inflation target was a "false good idea" and would lead to higher rather than lower borrowing costs. "If we announced our inflation target is no longer 2% but 3%, lenders would immediately demand higher interest rates, at least 1% (more)" in anticipation of higher inflation and uncertainty Villeroy said.

Persons: Francois Villeroy de Galhau, Villeroy, Frenchman Olivier Blanchard, Patrick Artus, Bruno Le Maire, Andrew Bailey, Leigh Thomas, William Schomberg, Elaine Hardcastle, Alexander Smith Organizations: Bank's, Former IMF, Veteran, French Finance, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: PROVENCE, France, French, Aix, Province, London

Paris/London CNN —Just weeks after hugely disruptive protests and strikes over pension reforms in France finally died down, businesses in the country are grappling with the fallout from a week of rioting. The riots, which were sparked by the fatal shooting of a teenager by a police officer last Tuesday, have already caused more than €1 billion ($1.1 billion) worth of damage, according to a French business association, MEDEF. Protesters have looted 200 stores and destroyed 300 bank branches and 250 smaller corner shops, a MEDEF spokesperson told CNN. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that he believed the “peak” of the violence had passed, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV. Sebastien Salom-Gomis/AFP/Getty ImagesThe French government is also considering ways to help businesses most affected by the riots, BFMTV reported, citing Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.

Persons: London CNN —, Merzouk, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Sebastien Salom, BFMTV, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, DBRS Morningstar, MEDEF, Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, — Niamh Kennedy Organizations: London CNN, MEDEF, CNN, ”, Getty, France Inter Locations: Paris, London, France, French, Nantes, AFP, Dublin

The interior ministry said 719 people were arrested on Saturday night, fewer than the 1,311 the previous night and 875 on Thursday night. Their action ... made for a quieter night," the ministry said on Twitter. The biggest flashpoint overnight was Marseille, where police fired teargas and fought street battles with youths around the city centre late into the night. MAYOR'S HOME ATTACKEDIn Paris, police increased security overnight at the city's famous Champs Elysees avenue after a call on social media to gather there. Paris police said six public buildings were damaged and five officers wounded overnight.

Persons: Nahel, Emmanuel Macron, Laurent Nunez, teargas, Juan Medina, MAYOR'S, Elisabeth Borne, Bruno Le Maire, Yann Wernert, Jacques Delors, Elizabeth Pineau, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Alison Williams, Alex Richardson Organizations: Authorities, Twitter, France, REUTERS, China's Consular, MAYOR'S HOME, Finance, Thomson Locations: Paris, North, PARIS, France, Moroccan, Nanterre, Germany, Marseille, China, L'Hay, Nice, Strasbourg, tobacconists, tatters, Berlin

[1/2] A sign reading "Low prices for you" is seen on a shopping trolley in a supermarket in Nice, France, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File PhotoLONDON/PARIS, June 23 (Reuters) - Danone (DANO.PA) and Kellogg (K.N) are among 75 consumer goods companies that French authorities have asked to cut prices, according to a list seen by Reuters that sources say the government is using for the initiative. The French government is using the list seen by Reuters, produced by a research group, as a reference for the project, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter. Some consumer goods makers have said recently that costs are starting to ease, leading lawmakers and regulators to accuse companies of keeping prices high unnecessarily. Investors have in recent months warned that consumer goods companies should start easing price increases as supply chain costs decline, worried that further hikes could hit market share and margin growth.

Persons: Eric Gaillard, Bruno Le Maire, Knorr, Avril, Pernod Ricard, Kellogg, Richa Naidu, Matt Scuffham, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Danone, Kellogg, Finance, Reuters, Unilever, Nestle, ABI, Thomson Locations: Nice, France, PARIS, Ukraine

☆ France makes high-profile push to be the A.I. hub of Europe setting up challenge to U.S., China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Macron told CNBC France will "invest like crazy" into A.I. "I think we are number one [in AI] in continental Europe, and we have to accelerate," French President Emmanuel Macron told CNBC's Karen Tso last week. watch nowWhile the U.S is seen as the leader in AI by many measures, France hopes to catch up. Underscoring the potential and hype of AI developments, four-week-old French startup Mistral AI raised 105 million euros to fund the company. I think we need a global regulation," Macron said.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Nathan Laine, Karen Tso, OpenAI's, Bruno Le Maire, Jean, Noel Barrot, Paris, Anton Dahbura, Rishi Sunak, Dahbura, … Organizations: Viva Tech, CNBC France, Bloomberg, Getty, PARIS —, French Finance, Digital, CNBC, European Union, Johns Hopkins Institute, Autonomy, Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, Global, EU, Organisation for Economic Co Locations: A.I, PARIS — France, Europe, China, U.S, France, Germany, Britain

☆ France sees global A.I. regulation ideas by the end of this year, wants to work with U.S. on tech laws
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

I think we need a global regulation," Macron told CNBC's Karen Tso on the sidelines of the event. lawFrance's call for global AI regulation comes as the European Union closes in on passing an unprecedented law called the EU AI Act. watch nowFrance, which has traditionally taken a pro-regulatory stance, has expressed concern that the EU law around AI has gone to far. The U.S. has not yet come up with any kind of framework for AI regulation. France's top politicians who spoke to CNBC discussed their focus for AI regulation.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, ChatGPT, Bruno Le Maire, Jean, Noel Barrot, Macron, Karen Tso, Barrot, …, Le Maire Organizations: PARIS —, CNBC, U.S, European Union, Finance, Digital, Wednesday, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, EU A.I, EU, Nvidia Locations: China, France, Paris, U.S, Germany, EU, VivaTech, Europe

☆ France needs to work with the U.S. on A.I. regulation, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFrance needs to work with the U.S. on A.I. regulation, finance minister saysFrench Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said France competes with the U.S. in artificial intelligence but also needs to work with the country on regulating the fast-growing technology.

Persons: Bruno Le Maire Organizations: France, U.S, French Finance Locations: France

☆ Macron to meet Elon Musk in Paris to talk Tesla investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A general view shows the Tesla logo on the Gigafactory in Gruenheide near Berlin, Germany, August 30, 2022. "I'm going (into that meeting) with an agenda," Macron told reporters as he visited the VivaTech summit in Paris, France's biggest tech fair, which Musk will visit on Friday. Asked specifically whether he was hoping to secure a Tesla gigafactory, Macron said: "It's up to the company to look at these different issues in Europe. Earlier today, the French minister for digital affairs Jean-Noel Barrot told CNBC: "It will be great to have a Tesla factory in France. France previously tried to convince Musk to build a gigafactory in the country, but he chose Germany for his only such plant in Europe so far.

Persons: Annegret, Emmanuel Macron, Elon Musk, Tesla, Macron, Stellantis, Jean, Noel Barrot, Bruno Le Maire, Musk, Michel Rose, Akash Sriram, Silvia Aloisi, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Tesla, Reuters, Peugeot, Mercedes, Benz, CNBC, Finance, Thomson Locations: Gruenheide, Berlin, Germany, France, Spain, Paris, Europe, Bengaluru

☆ EU to try again for renewable energy deal after nuclear row
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 10 (Reuters) - European Union countries will try again next week to pass a deal on new renewable energy targets, which have been stalled by concerns from France and other states that the law sidelines nuclear energy. Paris has sought changes to the law to offer more favourable treatment of nuclear energy, and said the final deal puts at a disadvantage countries like France with large shares of nuclear power. Nuclear energy is low-carbon, but not renewable. The EU law is designed to drive a rapid expansion of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Meanwhile, states including Germany and Luxembourg - both anti-nuclear countries - plus Denmark and Ireland have urged the EU to resolve the spat quickly, warning the delay endangers investments in renewable energy.

Persons: Paris, Bruno Le Maire, Kate Abnett, Dominique Vidalon, Frances Kerry Organizations: Union, EU, European Commission, French Finance, France, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, France, EU, Paris, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland

While food inflation has become a concern for European governments from Britain to Italy recently, France has been among the most aggressive in pushing price cuts. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has imposed mandatory price cuts on some basic food items. But food prices still were up 14% last month after a record spike of almost 16% in March. Food prices surged after food companies and big retailers agreed in March to an average 10% increase in prices, responding to a surge in input prices the previous year and wages after Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the food industry has seen profits surge, largely making up for sharp falls during the pandemic, Le Maire said.

Persons: Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, BFM, Viktor Orban, Maire, Knorr, Kraft Heinz, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Leigh Thomas, Richa Naidu, Silvia Aloisi, Hugh Lawson, Mark Potter Organizations: Food, Unilever, Finance, Reuters, Ministry of, Nestle, Danone, Pepsico, Thomson Locations: PARIS, France, Britain, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine

☆ France plans to close tax loophole benefiting AirBnB
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File PhotoPARIS, June 9 (Reuters) - France's finance ministry is working on plans to close a tax loophole benefiting short-term furnished rentals such as AirBnB (ABNB.O), Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday. A trio of cross-party lawmakers last month called for rules regulating such rentals to be tightened and for an end to the more favourable tax treatment such rentals receive vis a vis normal long-term rentals. "I have a hard time understanding the very favourable tax treatment for AirBnB. We are going to reform the tax rules and I will make proposals," Le Maire said on BFM TV. "When a windfall gets too big and tax is too favourable, there is no reason to keep such tax treatment that leads to excess," he added.

Persons: Charles Platiau, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, pollsters, Le Maire's, Leigh Thomas, Elizabeth Pineau, Louise Heavens Organizations: La Defense, REUTERS, Finance, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France

☆ France's Macron seeks to show he's no lame duck as pension discontent rumbles on
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

France's President Emmanuel Macron looks on in a meeting with JP Morgan CEO during the 5th edition of the "Choose France" Business Summit, in Versailles, southwest of Paris, on July 11, 2022. Around 8,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Toulouse, France, on June 06, 2023, protesting against the government. "They know Macron has no alternative than to rely on them, making it almost impossible to develop the centrist domestic project," he said. This is largely attributable to Macron's agenda," Schmieding said, adding France was replacing Germany was the most dynamic major European economy. French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at a Franco-Chinese business council meeting in Beijing, China April 6, 2023.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Morgan, Ludovic Marin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Macron, Renaud Foucart, Foucart, Les Republicains, Mujtaba Rahman, Rahman, Bruno Le Maire, Elon Musk, Holger Schmieding, Schmieding, Xi Jinping Organizations: Business, Afp, Getty, Nurphoto, Lancaster University, Eurasia Group, Macron, Finance, EU, U.S, Elon Locations: Versailles, Paris, Germany, Union, Toulouse, France, China, Ukraine, Europe, Beijing

PARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - France said on Monday it will provide 2.9 billion euros ($3.10 billion) in state aid to help support an investment of 7.5 billion euros that chipmakers STMicroelectronics and GlobalFoundries (GFS.O) are making to build a semiconductor factory in Crolles, southeastern France. The 2.9 billion euros are part of the 5.5 billion euros package France has set aside for its investments in the microchip sector by 2030, he added. On April 28, STMicroelectronics and GlobalFoundries secured EU approval to build the Crolles chip factory with French state aid. France overall aims to create 10,000 new jobs in the semiconductor sector by 2030. ($1 = 0.9352 euros)Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bruno Le Maire, GlobalFoundries, Dominique Vidalon, Sudip Kar, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: Finance, European Union, EU, America, Thomson Locations: France, Crolles, United States, U.S

☆ S&P spares France from rating downgrade
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) - Ratings agency S&P spared France on Friday the embarrassment of downgrading the country's sovereign debt, but remained cautious about the outlook on account of strained public finances. S&P left the country's AA rating untouched after a regular review and said that the outlook remained negative due to "downside risks to our forecast for France's public finances amid its already elevated general government debt". Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told weekend newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that S&P's decision to keep its AA rating was a "positive signal" and that the government's public finance strategy was credible. S&P said that potential triggers for a downgrade could come in the form of prolonged economic slowdown or failure to rein in the public finances, notably by leaving public spending high. Le Maire said that "several billion euros" in budget savings would be detailed later this month after a spending review for which he has asked each ministry to identify cutbacks worth 5% of their budget.

Persons: Fitch, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, Leigh Thomas, Diane Craft, Will Dunham Organizations: AA, Finance, Thomson Locations: France

☆ France inaugurates first of four gigafactories in the north
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire visits the gigafactory of Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture of Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes, during its inauguration in Billy-Berclau-Douvrin, northern France, May 30, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/PoolBILLY-BERCLAU, France, May 30 (Reuters) - France will inaugurate on Tuesday a battery-making gigafactory, the first of four such plants European and Asian companies plan to build in the north of the country. It highlights the race between European governments to attract global car makers as they seek to bring the supply of components for electric vehicles closer to their main markets. French President Emmanuel Macron, who personally lobbied to secure at least one the gigafactories in the Dunkirk region, has set a production target of 2 million electric vehicles made in France by 2030. ($1 = 0.9084 euros)Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, writing by Silvia Aloisi; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK government says it is meeting with food bosses over high prices — but denies it will impose caps
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The government is reportedly in discussions with supermarkets over voluntary price caps on some items. "The government is not considering imposing price caps. Any scheme to help bring down food prices for consumers would be voluntary," a government spokesperson told CNBC by email. "We know the pressure households are under with rising costs and while inflation is coming down, food prices remain stubbornly high. That's why the prime minister and the chancellor have been meeting with the food sector to see what more can be done."

☆ France in 'very close discussions' with S&P ahead of rating update
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire speaks at a joint news conference after his meeting with World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, April 1, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/Pool//File PhotoPARIS (Reuters) - French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire is in “very close discussions” with credit ratings agency Standard and Poor’s, which put France on notice in January for a possible downgrade, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Sunday. “There are very close discussions between Standard and Poor’s and Bruno Le Maire,” Borne told Radio J. “I think there were detailed explanations from Bruno Le Maire to Standard and Poor’s on everything we’re doing to control our public finances and I think that we act in this direction,” she said. Le Maire explained France’s reforms and its objective of cutting the country’s budget deficit to 2.7% of gross domestic product by 2027, she said.

☆ ‘Greedflation’ loosens its grip on food retailers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Big food manufacturers like Kraft Heinz (KHC.O) and Unilever (ULVR.L) are ratcheting down the price rises they have been inflicting onto supermarket chains. If food retailers can convince cash-strapped customers to skimp less and pay more, their profit margins will finally start growing. Last week, the country’s food retailers opened negotiations on prices with manufacturers like Coca-Cola (KO.N) and Unilever as food inflation surged to over 15% in March. Food manufacturers can certainly do more. Meanwhile, food inflation remained high at 19.1% in April versus 19.2% in March.

[1/4] Twitter, X Corp., and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses with French President Emmanuel Macron prior to their talks, Monday, May 15, 2023 at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France. Some 200 business leaders attending the event in Versailles close to Paris have so far made commitments to invest a combined 13 billion euros ($14 billion), the most since Macron first held the summit in 2018, his office said. Musk, who also lunched with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, said he was confident Tesla would make "significant investments" in France in the future, without giving a timetable. "No announcement today but I am very impressed with President Macron and the French government and how welcoming they are," he told reporters. Morgan Stanley plans to increase headcount in France by 200 by 2025, bringing total staff in the country to 500.

PARIS, May 14 (Reuters) - France is poised to win record foreign investment pledges when President Emmanuel Macron receives global business leaders, including Tesla's Elon Musk, on Monday at the annual Choose France summit in Versailles. Executives attending the event in Versailles close to Paris have so far made commitments to invest a combined 13 billion euros ($14 billion), the most since Macron first held the summit in 2018. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla (TSLA.O), met Macron at his official residence the Elysee Palace. France previously tried to convince Musk to build a European gigafactory in the country, but he chose Germany, his only European gigafactory so far. PALATIAL BACKDROPOver the last five years, Macron has invited top CEOs to the opulent Versailles Palace to try to secure billions in foreign investments.

☆ Elon Musk to meet Macron, other leaders at France conference
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, May 15 (Reuters) - Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will meet French President Emmanuel Macron and other political leaders on Monday at a business conference close to Paris, the Elysee Palace said, confirming earlier media reports. Musk, the CEO of Tesla (TSLA.O) who bought social network Twitter in a $44 billion deal last year, will meet Macron at the palace before attending lunch with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, the finance ministry told Reuters. Musk will also visit the sixth edition of the annual "Choose France" summit in Versailles, aimed at boosting international investment in France. Le Maire told BFM TV that the talks between the government and Musk would cover several topics, including electric cars. Asked by BFM TV if any announcement was likely, Le Maire said "all investments that are being made today are the result of months or even years of negotiations."

☆ U.S. Virgin Islands issued subpoena to Elon Musk in Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Electric car maker Tesla CEO Elon Musk meets with French Minister for the Economy and Finances Bruno Le Maire on the sidelines of the 6th edition of the "Choose France" Summit at the Chateau de Versailles, outside Paris on May 15, 2023. The U.S. Virgin Islands issued a subpoena to Tesla CEO Elon Musk seeking documents as part of that government's lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase over sex trafficking by the bank's longtime customer Jeffrey Epstein, a court filing revealed Monday. That filing said the Virgin Islands has tried since late April to serve Musk with the subpoena, which was issued because Epstein "may have referred or attempted to refer" Musk as a client to JPMorgan. The Virgin Islands asked Judge Jed Rakoff to authorize the government to serve Musk with the subpoena through so-called alternative service, which can includes taking out an advertisement alerting him to legal the demand for documents. CNBC has reached out to request comment from Musk, who in addition to being CEO of Tesla is head of SpaceX and Twitter CEO by e-mail.

☆ France's Le Maire wants to break food price inflation "spiral" by autumn
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Le Maire: economic growth remains solidLe Maire: meeting next week to tackle inflation concernsPARIS, May 3 (Reuters) - Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday that he would meet with retailers and suppliers next week to discuss ways to break the food price inflation "spiral" by autumn, which is a major concern for cash-strapped consumers. Le Maire also told Franceinfo radio that economic growth remained solid in France despite recent strikes and protests against President Emmanuel Macron's legislation to raise the retirement age by two years to 64. Le Maire has since repeatedly called on both sides to reopen negotiations to ensure that a recent fall in global wholesale food prices is passed on to consumers. Le Maire has even threatened to take action if they do not respond to his calls. Bank of France governor and European Central Bank member Francois Villeroy de Galhau said last month he expected food price inflation to start easing in the second half of this year.

☆ 'Focused on the job': France's Le Maire defends writing of steamy novel
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Dominique Vidalon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, May 3 (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he was fully focused on creating growth and fighting inflation after coming under fire for penning a steamy novel that was published hours before France's credit rating was downgraded by an agency. "I am 100% focused on the job," Le Maire told Franceinfo radio. It is a graphic account of Oskar having sex with a character named Julia that has exposed Le Maire to mocking and criticism. The French edition of the Huffington Post headlined a story "Bruno Le Maire has written about an anus and no one was ready for this." "These are 10 lines out of a 480 pages book," Le Maire shot back when pushed on his writings during the Franceinfo interview.

☆ Resolving Credit Suisse: an alternative history
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Reuters GraphicsThe market shock will be all the more extreme because Credit Suisse doesn’t obviously need more capital. It seems perverse to put taxpayer money on the line while leaving the Credit Suisse bonds untouched. Of the 30 global lenders classed as systemically important by the Financial Stability Board, Credit Suisse is the third-smallest by total assets. It also enables the Swiss National Bank to offer Credit Suisse an open-ended credit line, hopefully ending the bank run. Credit Suisse is suffering from a crisis of confidence brought on by years of mismanagement, rather than a system-wide meltdown.

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