Head of Macroeconomic Research
Summary: Here's my short list of positive things you may not know about France.
In today’s morning note, I want to focus on something a bit different than the impact of the coronavirus. My colleagues and I have largely covered the topic over the past few days. There has been quite a long time I wanted to write about the positive aspects of the French economy and what have changed in recent years. During my frequent business travels in Europe and in MENA region, I noticed that clients have too often a wrong image of France. With this in mind, here’s my short list of positive things you may not know about France:
Investing in the French stock market is basically investing on luxury. There is no trick to invest successfully on the CAC 40 index. Since the GFC, the French benchmark has entered into a new cycle dominated by luxury stocks (1/3 of the total capitalization) which have replaced financial stocks (about 11% of total capitalization nowadays) as main driver of growth. The following five stocks explain roughly 70% of the increase of the CAC 40 index since 2015: LVMH, Kering, Hermes, L’Oréal and Airbus.
Macron’s pension reform will be fairer. It is far to be perfect, but it is moving in the right direction. Macron’s left-wing inspired reform will reduce inequalities between highest and lowest pensions and, at the same time, it will push to work longer in order to have full retirement benefit. According to the impact report on pension published by the Council of State (which is based on various scenarios), one of the main advantages of the reform will be that pensions will grow on average by 29% for the poorest while pensions will only increase on average by 1% for the wealthiest.
The labor market is showing great signs of improvement. The best indicator to track is the share of CDI (open-ended contracts) in new hiring. It is currently standing close to its highest level since Q1 2001, at 49.2%. Looking by company size, the most impressive trend concerns new hiring by small companies (0 to 19 employees). The share of CDI is at 51%, confirming the labor market is finally on the right path!
Debt does not really matter. Public debt has increased by 39 billion euros in the third quarter of 2019, which represents roughly 50% of the total amount collected on income tax revenue. However, this is no time to panic. The debt is only a problem if debt service is unmanageable, which is clearly not the case for France. Net government interest payments are only about 1.1% of GDP, which is slightly more than Germany (0.4% of GDP) and less than the average amount paid by the OECD countries (1.7% of GDP).
Everything is always about politics. In France, the economic cycle is often influenced by the political agenda. In 2019, business failures decreased by 4.2% and this great news is mostly due to the positive performance of the construction sector. Guess what? Construction spending increased in many cities ahead of the municipal elections that will take place in March.
AI: The good, the bad, and the bubble
While a deep recession may not be iminent thanks to central bank policy, interest rates will have to stay high for longer, and this will be accompanied by volatility risk from the unwinding of bubbles, especially within AI.
Steen Jakobsen,
Chief Investment Officer
The emergence of advanced AI systems is by far the most surprising event this year, turning everything upside down, while risks and benefits are debated. AI will also become an arms race between the US and China.
Peter Garnry,
Head of Equity Strategy
As China navigates global fragmentation, its cycle of technology application, productivity enhancement, and growth is threatened by US breakthroughs in generative AI, limited computing power, and geopolitical tensions.
Redmond Wong,
Market Strategist
Japan’s expertise in semiconductors and robotic integration could be the foundation of AI dominance. Combining two of this year's themes, Japanese equities and artificial intelligence, brings a wave of opportunities.
Charu Chanana,
Market Strategist
The AI fever has turned the technology into a darling, pushing crypto further into no-man’s-land. There are striking similarities between AI and crypto, and if these are to come full circle, AI won't be spared for bubbles.
Mads Eberhardt,
Cryptocurrency Analyst
Stocks related to artificial intelligence (AI) have appeared on investors' radars. Expectations are high, but it may be necessary to consider how to get exposure to AI in a diversified way.
Hans Oudshoorn,
Trainer Academy
The USD is on its back foot as markets celebrate an eventual Fed rate peak and steady long US yields. The stakes are even higher for the Japanese yen if longer major sovereign yield curves have to price in economic acceleration.
John J. Hardy,
Head of FX Strategy
While commodities, broadly speaking, have faced some tough months, a partial reversal during June could signal that the asset class is getting back on its feet with energy holding up and precious metals with upside potential.
Ole S. Hansen,
Head of Commodity Strategy
As inflation remains high central banks face hard decisions about whether they should keep hiking interest rates or stop. Meanwhile, the rise of AI creates bubble-like conditions that only make the decision harder.
Althea Spinozzi,
Senior Fixed Income Strategist
Disclaimer
The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.
Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)
