Returning to this matter the Group was confident

The crisis had been the worst fears, but finally the MGB da Vinci, the world number one, and Bouygues activities are doing better than expected. Presentation, yesterday, their half-year results ("Les Echos" from September 1), it is a content decline in turnover, and especially good catches of orders, through the international. In Vinci, the backlog of work is at a historic level, 28.4 billion, and the harvest of orders increased ( 5 on a year in the construction, to 7.2 billion, and 50 in energy through the purchase of Cegelec). For Bouygues Construction, catches of orders reached 6.1 billion ( 38 in one year), of which more than half international.

In France, "public order behaves well, is the CEO of Vinci, Xavier Huilliard. "Only found reductions are at the level of the departments and regions, confronted with rising social expenditure". A thrill is observed in orders private as well as in the real estate business. Da Vinci notes that defence, several large towers projects could start in a few months, and his boss said that "construction should stop to deteriorate". Discordant note in Bouygues which sees no thinning on the real estate business, as it deems always full stagnation, stressing also the very good performance of the residential real estate.

Black point: road work

Vinci as Bouygues agree, however, to recognize a true black point: roadworks, which have weighed on the half-year net result of the second. Eurovia in Vinci and Colas in Bouygues have suffered from the crisis, which resulted in the road sector, a destructive price war. "This is psychological, Xavier Huilliard, CEO of Vinci analysis." The Teamsters have a keen sense of their territory... ", and can defend him beyond the rational. But the situation should be clean because all, including the largest, are bleeding and "today, all drivers have consciousness have skidded" ensures the leader. Colas suffered more than Eurovia, because it is positioned on less resistant to the crisis, as the Romania, Central European countries and has suffered a big setback: the abandonment by the Slovak Government for the construction of the D1 motorway, which had been awarded to Bouygues subsidiary. Martin Bouygues decided: cut the losses. A restructuring plan was announced to reduce the wing, including workforce fall of 7900 5.500 people. Da Vinci was not spared by the setbacks on large contracts since the Russian authorities have recently suspended, on merits of contestation in the population, the realization of motorway Moscow - St. Petersburg, a giant concession contract. Returning to this matter, the Group was confident. "This highway is necessary and we have no doubt that it will be, said Xavier Huilliard." "It is legitimate that the Russian Government makes a break," for arbitration on the route and communication work among the population. "The question is not whether if it resumes, but if it will be in a few months or later", he concludes.

Vinci provides on year sales growth of 5 (including its acquisitions including Cegelec), and stability of the operating margin. Bouygues, whose turnover exceeds expectations, is its goal on the year, but there will be a decrease of 3 over 2009.