[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

TOTAL gains again



Paris, May 15 1997. TOTAL SA (Paris) reached a new high as the Paris
stock exchange, La Bourse, hit a historic record closing at 2,774,63
(+2,02 %). TOTAL gained 4.4%, doubling its competitor-partner, Elf
Aquaitaine  2,2%. Esso gained 4,7%.  All the french papers are euphoric,
Liberation, the more critical of them on Chirac's Airbus-no-human
rights- dealing in China, gave a page to the Paris market, in accord
with Le Monde, saying that foreign investors expect Chirac to easily win
the forthcoming elections late May, with no change in the political
situation here.

Elsewhere, Norway says it has an extra $10 billion, unexploited profits
from the North Sea oil and gaz industry. Some of that money is destined
to the Paris markets (the Norwegian Fonds Petrolier is capitalised at
some $US60 billion and the government wishes to use half of that capital
to buy in foreign markets). 

TOTAL SA, today in an interview with EuroBurmanet, confirmed it was "not
concerned" by US sanctions or the widening human rights solidarity
movement against investment in Burma, saying it had not withdrawn from
the US market, but only modified its holdings there, taking an 8% stake
in a parent company with Shamrock.

TOTAL CEO Thierry Desmarest is currently voyaging with the high
profile-profit Chirac China commercial mission, along with Serge
Tchuruk, Alcatel CEO, and former TOTAL CEO,and former TOTAL director and
shareholder, the industrialist Jerome Monod of Lyonnais des Eaux,
recently fused with Suez. Business as usual for the French
industrialists. French television has given the trip prime time
coverage, pushing aside the Cannes Film Festival and its deluge of
American movie stars now in France, replaced by smiling Chinese
commissars arm-in-arm with the France, pays de la droit de l'homme....

TOTAL's General Assembly annual shareholder meeting is next Wednesday,
May 21, in Paris, La Defense. Only a very restricted few number of
journalists have been sent invitations. Those wishing to be present
outside the event may contact Euro-Burmanet for coordination.

Metta,

Dawn Star
Euro-Burmanet Paris
http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma/total
Worldwide TOTAL Boycott