given an $n$-dimensional compact closed oriented manifold $m$ and a field $\mathbb k$, f. cohen and l. taylor have constructed a spectral sequence, ${\mathcal e}(m,n,\mathbb k)$, converging to the cohomology of the space of ordered configurations of $n$ points in $m$. the symmetric group $\sigma_n$ acts on this spectral sequence giving a spectral sequence of $\sigma_n$-differential graded commutative algebras. here, an explicit description is provided of the invariants algebra $(e_1,d_1)^{\sigma_n}$ of the first term of $\mathcal e(m,n,\mathbb q)$. this determination is applied in two directions.

(a) in the case of a complex projective manifold or of an odd-dimensional manifold $m$, the cohomology algebra $h^*(c_n(m);\mathbb q)$ of the space of unordered configurations of $n$ points in $m$ is obtained (the concrete example of $p^2(\mathbb c)$ is detailed).

(b) the degeneration of the spectral sequence formed of the $\sigma_n$-invariants $\mathcal e(m,n,\mathbb q)^{\sigma_n}$ at level 2 is proved for any manifold $m$.

these results use a transfer map and are also true with coefficients in a finite field $\mathbb f_p$ with $p>n$.