The Big Four:
Riots across Paris this weekend by protect group gilets jaunes have wrought havoc across the city, seeing an emergency meeting called by the French President Emanuel Macron upon his return from the G20 Summit in Argentina. Despite not being significant enough in order to move the currency adopted by some 340m+ people across 19 countries, this dissatisfaction that has effervesced to the political surface of the French Republic embodied within these riots does increase the level of political risk within the European single currency. Increasingly, European politics in Germany, Italy, Spain, and now France poses a risk to the stability of the Euro. Respectively, the rising far-right, a weak coalition government endorsing fiscal profligacy, secessionist politics, and chronic dissatisfaction are plaguing these populations. Together, these four countries comprise of over 252 million people; nearly three quarters of the total Eurozone population without even mentioning their GDP contributions! Safety in numbers? It depends which ones you look at 4/19 or 75/100. Should investors lose confidence in an increasingly ailing Euro, contagion could set in. Of particular note this weekend was the progress on trade talks made between the United States and China. The frosty trading relationship between the two leviathans of international commerce has thawed with both leaders having claimed progress and an intention to reduce inhibitions to trade. Accordingly, defensive Dollar demands has weakened, leaving the US currency vulnerable today. Across the Pacific, the Chinese Yuan has enjoyed its biggest intraday jump in two years, making ground away from the important 7 figure within USDCNY.
Today’s Global Market:

Discussion and Analysis by Charles Porter

Sterling defence Options markets are flashing warning signals for Sterling. It’s no secret that the forthcoming Bank of England monetary policy decision later this week poses a risk for the Pound. However, there are risks mounting further afield. The local elections on May 7th are a material risk for GBP, for example, with traders concerned the […]
Cancelled Travel Plans No, this time not because of the impending jet fuel crisis threatening continental travel as we discussed yesterday. Instead, I’m referring to the grounding of Vice President Vance whose trip to Islamabad, Pakistan was cancelled on Tuesday to avoid embarrassment. The Vice President was expected to travel on Tuesday to resume talks […]
TACO or MACO? On Friday markets received headlines of the supposed conclusion to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the vast consequences of military action upon the region and beyond, it has repeatedly been the Strait that has been cast as the epicentre of economic (mis)fortune during this war. Therefore, the initial reaction […]