According to the latest forecasts of INSEE, the French statistics institute, investment by French companies should fall by nearly 9% in 2009, for the first time since 1950. After progression of +9.8% in 2007 and +1.7% in 2008, investment in manufacturing products is expected to fall drastically by -16.4% in 2009. The same trend is noted in the United States with a fall of -24% in commands of consumer durables last month, over one year. Over the first five months of the year, the fall was...