Unions at France's second-biggest courier business have agreed a deal that saves 2,150 jobs but offers little solace to French President Francois Hollande's efforts to reduce unemployment, Reuters reported. Workers at Mory-Ducros had been locked in dispute with majority shareholder Arcole Industries for weeks, occupying several company sites after the courier business filed for bankruptcy in November and launched a restructuring programme that put 5,200 jobs in jeopardy.

Troubled building group Siac’s main shareholders, the Feighery family, will take control of the business with the backing of a French-owned construction-related business and a private investment company, it was confirmed yesterday, the Irish Times reported. The High Court appointed Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as examiner to Siac Construction and eight related companies late last year, giving them protection from creditors, including three banks owed €42 million and suppliers owed €26 million.

A consortium backed by French giant, Bouygues, looks poised to take over troubled building group, Siac, after the original preferred bidder for the company, businessman Brian Harvey, decided against going ahead with an offer, the Irish Times reported. The High Court appointed Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as examiner to Siac Construction and eight related companies late last year, giving them protection from creditors, including three banks owed €42 million.

French President Francois Hollande received approval from the country’s constitutional court to proceed with his plan to tax salaries above 1 million euros at 75 percent for this year and next, Bloomberg News reported. Under Hollande’s proposal, companies will have to pay a 50 percent duty on wages above 1 million euros ($1.4 million). In combination with other taxes and social charges, the rate will amount to 75 percent of salaries above the threshold, the court wrote in a decision published today.

Unemployment in France rose to its highest level in nearly 16 years in the third quarter, dealing a fresh blow to President François Hollande who has pledged to bring unemployment down by the end of the year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Unemployment in the euro zone's second-largest economy rose to 10.9% in the third quarter, from 10.8% in the second, according to data published Thursday by national statistics agency Insee. The rate hasn't fallen since the beginning of 2011, bringing joblessness in France to a level not seen since the beginning of 1998.

France‘s second-biggest courier company was placed under receivership Tuesday, four days after it filed for bankruptcy, with the threatened loss of 5,200 jobs, Europe Online magazine reported. The bankruptcy of Mory Ducros is one of the biggest in France since the collapse of Moulinex household appliances maker in 2001. The company was given six months to overcome its difficulties or find a new owner.

Top shareholder Air France-KLM refused a plea for cash on Thursday to rescue Alitalia, saying a new business plan was not enough to save the stricken Italian carrier unless its creditors also write off some of its huge debts, Reuters reported. Alitalia, which was privatised in 2008, has been unprofitable for more than a decade and has been stuck in a months-long tussle with Air France-KLM over whether to keep their strategic and financial partnership alive.

Air France-KLM, the French-Dutch airline, said Thursday that it had written off the entire value of its 25 percent holding in its partner Alitalia, raising doubts that it will take part in a plan to inject 300 million euros into the struggling Italian flag carrier, The International New York Times reported.

The French government bowed to taxpayer anger Tuesday for the second time in three days by suspending a new levy on trucks, raising new questions about President François Hollande's strategy to fix public finances primarily through higher taxes, The Wall Street Journal reported. Following a weekend of violent clashes between police and farmers opposed to the new levy, the government said the so-called "eco-tax," which aimed to raise €1 billion ($1.37 billion) a year to finance more environmentally friendly transport, won't come into effect in January as planned.

France's Hediard chain of luxury food stores has filed for bankruptcy, a source close to the case told AFP on Monday, France 24 reported. Hediard, which has shops in 30 countries from Madagascar to Vietnam, declared itself insolvent at a commercial court in Paris, said the source. A hearing is due to take place on Thursday to determine whether an administrator should be appointed. The fine foods and confectionery stores opened in 1854 in Paris as a small shop specialising in exotic foods and soon began expanding.