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The article discusses whether the funds spent by tire makers Michelin SCA and Bridgestone Corp. on the development of the tires used in Formula One racing have an impact on sales and profits. Michelin spends about $70 million a year on Formula One racing tires, and Bridgestone spends more than $100 million. While equipping Formula One racers raises brand awareness, it is unclear whether this directly boosts sales. In fact, blowouts of tires in Formula One races have had a negative impact on the brand name products.

Focuses on foreign investment in France and French companies. Financial performance of the CAC 40, the stock market's benchmark index in France, which is outperforming the U.S. and most European markets; Speculation about France's increased protectionism and its impact on investing; Efforts of the French government to stave off PepsiCo Inc.'s bid to takeover Groupe Danone SA and a Brazilian company to take over Eramet SA; Establishment of a list of 10 sectors that the French government would shield from foreign takeovers; Potential discord between France and the European Union over rules designed to ensure free and open markets within the bloc; Role of the government in preventing Novartis AG from taking over Aventis in 2004; Performance of the French economy over the course of the year.

Discusses the efforts of France's finance minister, Thierry Breton, to distance himself from Rhodia SA, a chemicals group that is under investigation. How Breton served as chairman of the company's audit committee from 1998 to 2002; Allegations of Rhodia investor Hughes de Lasteyrie du Saillant against the company; How Breton's home and offices were raided in June 2005 as part of the investigation; Background of Breton.

Reports that, with France set to vote on May 29, 2005, on the European Union's proposed constitution, the 50-year effort to create a unified Europe stands at a turning point. How opinion polls indicate that a majority of French voters oppose the document, which must be ratified by all European Union countries in order to take effect in 2007; Details of the constitution; Debate over the concept of a unified Europe.

Focuses on Nissan Motor Co.'s CEO Carlos Ghosn and his return to France to become president and chief executive officer of Renault. Reports that Ghosn will be the first individual in automobile industry history to run two automakers at the same time; Concerns on the part of French automobile industry unions that Ghosn will replicate the cutbacks he instituted in Japan at Nissan; Author's view that Ghosn should not upset unions in France; Concern among French employees of Renault regarding Ghosn's management style.

Reports on the murder of French banker Edouard Stern by his lover, Cecile Brossard. Description of the case; Feud between Brossard and Stern; Claim by Brossard that it was a crime of passion, which would give her a lesser sentence; Way that Stern often thought his life was in danger due to his involvement in a legal case concerning chemical company Rhodia SA.

Focuses on a trend that has begun in Europe in which companies are arranging for themselves large loans involving a number of banks in an effort to cut costs related to the financing of deals and mergers, which is usually arranged by global banking companies. Comments from Gerry Bacon, group treasurer at Vodafone Group PLC, who have saved $50 million or more in fees and other charges by arranging complex financing deals themselves; Percentage increase in the value and number of self-arranged deals in Europe, indicating that it is a growing trend; Potential impact of the trend on the banks that usually provide this service.

Focuses on the efforts of the government of France to limit acquisitions of foreign firms in 2005.

Provides information on the plans of the French government for protecting local industries from foreign takeovers, as of August 2005.

Deals with the plan of Companhia Vale do Rio Doce of Brazil to acquire Eramet SA.

Reports on the opposition of the French government to the possible takeover bid of Danone SA by PepsiCo Inc.

Reports on the raid conducted by the public prosecutor's office on the French Finance Ministry on June 27, 2005, marking the escalation of a criminal investigation into chemicals company Rhodia SA.

Reports on the acquisition of Commercial Federal Corp. by BNP Paribas SA.

Reports on the 2005 plan of U.S. investor Eric Knight to pressure Suez SA to overhaul its corporate structure.

Reports on the speculation that Gerardo Braggiotti will resign as head of the Italian business of Lazard Ltd. in 2005.

Reports that the British market regulator is examining trades by GLG Partners in connection with convertible bonds offered in 2003 by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. of Japan.

Reports on the increase in the net profit of automobile manufacturer Renault SA in 2004.

Reports on the efforts of the French Government to bailout the financially struggling Euro Disney theme park. Operation of the two theme parks outside of Paris by Walt Disney Co.; Vow of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin to assist the theme park; Reasons why the French support the theme park, such as the creation of jobs; Unemployment rate in France.

Reports on the capital increase to be offered by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia to Euro Disney SCA in 2005.

Reports on the efforts of European newspapers to boost sales by adopting a smaller tabloid style. Types of marketing schemes attempted by the newspapers; Attention given to the effort, which reduced the size while maintaining the content of the paper; Competition faced by the newspapers from tabloids; View that the reduction in size by the Times of London and Gazet Van Antwerpen indicates a concession to the decline of broadsheet papers.

This article reports on the filing of initial public offering documents by Lazard investment bank and examines the firm's financial performance. Efforts of the bank to raise $850 million from the offering; View that the filing reveals a portrait of the company, which is described as a modest performer; Net revenues accumulated by the firm.

Reports on the overhaul of the top management ranks in Renault SA as a preparation for the return to France of Carlos Ghosn, the executive credited with rescuing Nissan Motor Co.

Reports on the agreement reached between Bruce Wasserstein and Michel David-Weill concerning an initial public offering of stock at Lazard. Conflict over the plan to go public at Lazard between David-Weill and Wasserstein; Nature of the deal, which allows Wasserstein until the end of 2005 to list the shares and requires him to step down as head if the deal fails. INSET: The Truce.

Deals with the plan of Michel David-Weill, chairman of Lazard, to set an initial public offering in 2006.

Reports on the decision of investors in Europe to buy shares in financial institutions.

Reports that the initial public offering of stock of Lazard has been delayed because of an executive suite impasse in November 2004.

Presents information on the factors that contributed to the increase in the net loss of Euro Disney SCA in France for its financial year that ended in September 2004.

Reports on the decision of Le Monde newspaper to talk to outside partners about taking a stake in the company due to financial difficulties caused by falling sales and declining advertising revenue.

Discusses the question as to whether the House of Rothschild can survive as the last global investment bank still owned by a wealthy European dynasty. Appeal for clients of the bank's strategy not to put quarterly target earnings ahead of their long term investments; Comments from Baron David de Rothschild, the bank's French chairman and a major shareholder, that the bank's model fits better with a privately owned bank; Comparison with rival Lazard that is planning to go public; Question as to whether Rothschild can survive without access to capital markets; Reference to Rothschild's prosperity despite its small size.

Reports on negotiations between Lazard Chairman Michel David-Weill and day-to-day boss Bruce Wasserstein over the fate of the investment bank. Statement by David-Weill that he would not oppose a plan to publicly list Lazard's shares after more than a century and a half as a private partnership; Requirement that Mr. Wasserstein resign if the initial public offering fails or does not happen by June 30, 2005; Claim by Mr. Wasserstein that he has no intention of resigning before the expiration of his employment contract at the end of 2006.

Reports on the impasse which is holding up negotiations on the agreement needed to approve an initial public offering (IPO) for Lazard investment bank. Consent of chairman Michel David-Weill, that is needed by head Bruce Wasserstein to go through with the IPO; Agreement not to cut salaries of partners who have resisted the plan; Position of David-Weill that every partner must agree before he will consent to the plan; View that the majority of partners have given consent; Intention to use the money raised by the IPO to buy out David-Weill and the firms retired partners.

Reports on a setback encountered by Bruce Wasserstein in his attempt to achieve a public stock offering for the investment bank Lazard. Opposition to the plan given by a group of partners known as the working partners; Failure to reach a decision on the initial offering; Improbability that the offering would be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; Refusal of a group of working partners to sign a document approving the plan; View that the reason they would not sign was fear that Wasserstein would derive too much power from the move.

Discusses the controversy surrounding the plan to transform the investment bank Lazard from a private firm into a public one. Examination of phone records by officials seeking evidence that the initial public offering (IPO) was leaked to the media; Organization of partners to discuss opposition to the plan; Intention of the plan to correct lavish spending and mismanagement; Conflict between chairman Michal David-Weill and head Bruce Wasserstein; Plan to use the money generated by the IPO to buyout David-Weill and the retired workers and founders; Hope that once the buyout is concluding the company will become a profitable public outfit.

Reports on the debt restructuring deal reached by Euro Disney SCA with its creditors in September 2004.

Reports on negotiations among a group of wealthy nations called the Paris Club as of September 2004, to reach a pact by the end of the year, to cancel loans owed by Iraq to industrialized nations.

Reports on the reduction in junk bond investments in Paris, France as of September 13, 2004.

Reports that as global banks rush to cash in on the petroleum boom, questions are arising about whether there are too many players jumping in; Possibility of a potential shakeup could take place down the road; Part of a broader attempt by all sorts of investors, from hedge funds to pension fund, to capitalize on the boom; Rush, which has led to a scramble for oil experts; ABN Amro Bank NV a newcomer to the oil game, which has hired fiver traders, including two from rival French bank BNP Paribas SA.

Reports that General Electric Co. (GE) is planning a big expansion of its retail banking business in developing countries, offering basic services such as checking and savings accounts. GE's global finance division, which started ten years ago and has become one of the company's three biggest businesses; Citigroup Inc., which has been the major U.S. financial services company vying for banking business in emerging markets; Central and Eastern Europe, an expected high-growth market which will be the testing ground for GE's Consumer Finance program.

Reports on the guilty pleas of BNP Paribas SA employees to stealing from the bank by diverting junk bonds and cash into shell companies they controlled.

Focuses on the euro-zone trading limitation temporarily imposed by MTS SpA, a leading European bond-exchange operator.

Reports on the reason for a possible bankruptcy of Euro Disney SCA.

Reports on the lack of confidence of European private-equity firms in technology companies as of August 2, 2004.

Focuses on the merger plans of Vivendi Universal SA and Lagard&eagrave;re SCA in 2004.

Reports on the warning by Russian oil company Yukos that its oil output and exports could begin to suffer because of a court decision to freeze the bank accounts and assets of the company as of July 6, 2004.

Deals with the possible imposition of taxes on sport-utility vehicles that emit gases which contribute to global warming in Europe.

Focuses on the plan of investment-advisory house Lazard to issue public shares as of June 18, 2004.

Focuses on the efforts of René Carron to grow Crédit Agricole SA into a European banking powerhouse. Transactions undertaken by Carron since taking over in late 2002 resulting in Crédit Agricole becoming Europe's third-largest bank in terms of assets held; Comments from Carron regarding the company's financial condition and its ability for future growth; Speculation about the banking industry in Europe should Carron succeed in making a cross-border deal; Statistics indicating the financial strength of Crédit Agricole; Challenges to be faced by Crédit Agricole; History of Crédit Agricole; Why Crédit Agricole is looking abroad for growth.

Focuses on the Channel Tunnel, also known as the Chunnel, the tunnel linking England and France. Financial performance of Eurotunnel shares on the Paris Bourse; Discussion of a shareholder revolt, led by populist politician Nicolas Miguet, that tossed out the company's management; Comparison of the current share value and the value at the time of an initial public offering, noting a large decrease from the 1980s when the shares were first listed; Comparison of Eurotunnel shares to the overall performance of the Paris benchmark CAC 40 index; How the Chunnel was financed; History of plans to build a tunnel linking the two countries; Cost estimates for the project; Competitive forces that ate into the Chunnel's revenue.

Reports on the disappointment felt by some shareholders against Sanofi-Synthélabo.

Reports on the joint code of conduct for international credit-rating companies proposed by financial and corporate associations representing the U.S., Great Britain and France as of April 2004.