Lego paste the 'spurt' in the worst year of the crisis

The owners of the Danish toymaker Lego are "very satisfied" results of the company in 2009. No wonder. In the worst year of the crisis, its net profit rose 63% over the previous year.

'Leg godt', "play well" in Danish, scored 295 million euros (2.2 billion crowns) of profits last year. The key, according to the company, the success of his toys on cities and 'Star Wars'.
Rival giants like Mattel and Hasbro, "Lego Group in 2009 increased its global market share to 4.8%," the company said in its annual report, but did not disclose its share of the cake last year.

The colorful plastic dolls swept Europe, Asia and in anglophone, although, interestingly, were not as successful in Japan or in the UK, according to Danish firm.

In this helped the firm's bid for the games. He tried this market segment last year with several releases in Germany and the UK exceeded their expectations, and hopes to export to North America and the rest of Europe this year.

"Overall, the global toy market stagnated in 2009. (But) the LEGO Group achieved strong growth in most markets," says the company. "We expect sales to increase in 2010," he adds.

France says strong euro is a handicap, but has benefits

The strength of the euro against the dollar is a disadvantage, but also has certain benefits, a spokesman said Wednesday the French government.

Luc Chatel said that President Nicolas Sarkozy Gallic propose "a new international monetary organization to better reflect today's world" the Group of 20 richest nations in the world in 2011, when France takes over the presidency of the G-20.

European Bank capital expanded by 78,000 mln dlr

Investment bank JP Morgan expects European banks to extend capital in the next six months by 78,000 million, to comply with the recommendations of the Basel II capital.
JP Morgan said that European banks seem to focus on obtaining a structural capital ratio of 8 percent.

Scheduled broadcasts include 38,000 million dollars to restore public support and 40.000 million in new funds to strengthen balance sheets.
The enlargements of Commerzbank, Allied Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland and Societe Generale will represent about 52 percent of the 78,000 million, JP Morgan said.