France

Ahead of Sunday's first round of the French election, we have previously provided several perspectives on the political and economic outcomes, including a permutation matrix of all six possible outcomes in terms of "high" vs "low market risk" (from BofA), why the market may be too complacent about a Le Pen - Melenchon result (candidate approval variance is within the polling error), and that European stocks have completely failed to price in any adverse outcome (as DB observed yesterday).

France holds the first round of its Presidential election this weekend.

The big worry for the markets is the fact that anti-Euro candidate Marin Le Pen could potentially win.

Now, the polls show Le Pen as having NO chance of becoming Prime Minister. 

Of course, the polls also showed that BREXIT would not happen and Hillary Clinton had a 98% of becoming President.

We all know how those turned out.

President Trump tweeted on Friday morning that this week's "terrorist attack in Paris" will have "a big effect" on the country's presidential election set for Sunday.

Another terrorist attack in Paris. The people of France will not take much more of this. Will have a big effect on presidential election!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017

Global markets were oddly calm on Friday, the last day of trading before the first round of France's closely fought presidential election, with European stocks posting modest declines ahead of Sunday's main event, Asian shares rising, and set for first weekly gain in the past month, while U.S. futures were unchanged. French bond yields hit three-months low even as the euro has seen some recent weakness.

In what Reuters has said was "an apparent sign of support just three days before the first round of an uncertain presidential election", French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron - and the market-friendly candidate preferred by Europe's establishment - spoke with former U.S. president Barack Obama on the phone on Thursday.