Income taxes - Reconciliation of Income Tax (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Reconciliation of Income Tax
Expected tax expense, at U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 35%			$ 106.8	$ 121.4
Incremental tax on earnings of non- U.S. companies			(5.7)	22.9
Non-U.S. tax rates			(13.2)	(13.0)
Adjustment to the reserve for uncertain tax positions, net			1.7	(6.7)
French dividend surtax			0.1
U.S. state income taxes and other, net			2.4	3.1
Income tax expense	$ (2.1)	$ 55.4	$ 92.1	$ 127.7

The sum of the current income tax expense or benefit and the deferred income tax expense or benefit pertaining to continuing operations.

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The portion of the difference, between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to total foreign income tax expense or benefit. The foreign income tax expense or benefit difference represents the income tax expense or benefit at applicable domestic statutory income tax rates applied to foreign earnings or loss for the period versus the foreign income tax expense or benefit calculated by applying the appropriate foreign tax rates.

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- Definition

The amount of income tax expense or benefit for the period computed by applying the domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations.

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