Why France is a warning sign for the markets

Why France is a warning sign for the markets

The good news about the epic shifts in global bond markets is that they mostly reflect economic fundamentals, not the kinds of panicky swings seen in a crisis.The bad news is that there’s a risk the disruptions metastasize into a broader crisis in an era of fractured politics across major democracies.The big picture: Turmoil in the streets this week in France is the latest sign of hazards that await elected leaders who try to address yawning fiscal deficits head-on.They are squeezed between voters who want to maintain public benefit levels and tax levels and a bond market that is resetting long-term interest rates higher — meaning that carrying on with wide deficits will come at a greater and greater cost to service debt.That’s why even what has been a relatively orderly repricing so far carries risks that are bigger than just high mortgage or corporate borrowing rates.Driving the news: The relentless upward march of bond yields continued Wednesday morning…
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