After yesterday's violent gap up in stocks across the globe in response to the "expected" outcome from the French election, today the risk on sentiment has continued if to a lesser extent, with stocks in Europe, Asia all rising while S&P futures point to a higher open. Yen, gold decline, while the euro traded as high as 1.09 this morning before fading some gains; oil is up modestly.
Risk is definitely on this morning as European shares soar, led by French stocks and a new record high in Germany's Dax, after a "French relief rally" in which the first round of the country’s presidential elections prompted investors to bet that establishment candidate Emmanuel Macron will win a runoff vote next month, and who is seen as a 61% to 39% favorite to defeat Le Pen according to the latest just released Opinionway poll.
For those who may have missed yesterday's events, here is a quick recap from DB:
The risk of a Eurozone breakdown now appears to be taken off the table after a French election that has led to a dramatic repricing in European risk assets. And yet the outcome - which was largely expected - has prompted Bloomberg's Richard Bresow to muse just how much was truly priced in:
A Macron 'win' in the first round of the French elections has (judging by the initial reactions) allayed many fears of imminent doom. Dow futures are up around 200 points, Bond futures are down, gold is down (despite USD weakness)...
Stocks back at 3-week highs as gold sinks...
EURUSD is clinging to 1.09 as Treasury prices drop...
However, as Bloomberg's Cameron "macroman" Crise notes, "Enjoy the party, parkets; but beware of the bangover."
Most of the results are in, and while it remains close, Macron will likely be the winner of the first French presidential round and is set to face Marine Le Pen in the runoff.
What does that mean for various asset markets and the bigger macro picture? Here are two forecasts, just released from Goldman and Citi.
First, Goldman Sachs: