Paris Stock Exchange saw a slight 0.2% rise, driven by gains in major companies like Airbus and Thales. Amid U.S. markets closed for ‘Martin Luther King Day’, optimism surrounds Trump’s inauguration, with expectations of economic benefits. Cryptocurrency buzzes with Bitcoin surpassing $108,000, and ‘Trump Coin’ launching successfully. The U.S. dollar weakens against the euro, while bond yields drop. In corporate news, Air Liquide partners with hospitals on sustainability, and Alstom expands metro contracts in France and Spain.
Paris Stock Exchange Shows Positive Momentum
The Paris Stock Exchange has experienced a modest increase of 0.2% this morning, hovering around the 7730-point mark. This upward trend is largely attributed to the strong performances of major companies such as Airbus, which rose by 1.7%, Thales with a 1% gain, and Société Générale, also up by 1%.
Market Reactions to Political Developments
As American stock markets remain closed today in observance of ‘Martin Luther King Day’, all eyes are on the U.S. with the historic inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president. Despite a calm day expected in Europe due to the absence of significant economic indicators, there is a prevailing optimism that the Trump administration will build on the current robust state of the U.S. economy, potentially providing a boost to global stock markets.
Initially, investors were wary of the inflationary consequences of Trump’s proposed policies. However, there is now a growing belief that the anticipated deregulation initiatives could yield positive outcomes. A key area of interest is the potential for a more favorable regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies, which could enhance their adoption for daily transactions.
The cryptocurrency market is buzzing, with Bitcoin hitting record highs above $108,000 in recent days. Some experts predict that the digital currency could eventually reach $120,000. Additionally, the launch of ‘Trump Coin’ over the weekend has generated excitement, boasting a valuation in the billions within hours of its introduction.
In the realm of social media, observers are hopeful that Trump will swiftly implement measures to allow TikTok to resume operations in the U.S., which had faced a ban from the Supreme Court. This potential move could significantly impact the digital landscape.
Despite the heightened risk appetite associated with Trump’s presidency, the U.S. dollar is facing challenges, particularly due to recent declines in bond yields. The dollar is slipping against several major currencies, with the euro now trading above $1.03, reflecting a 0.3% increase.
On the bond market front, the yield on ten-year Treasuries stands at approximately 4.63%, a notable drop from last week’s 4.80%. Meanwhile, German bonds remain steady at 2.50%, and French OATs of the same maturity are at 3.30%.
In commodity news, Brent crude is priced around $80.6, showing a slight decrease of 0.2%.
Turning to corporate news in France, Air Liquide has announced a new partnership with 20 hospitals, aimed at assisting healthcare institutions in minimizing their carbon footprints. Furthermore, Alstom is set to provide the European Metropolis of Lille with an additional fifteen state-of-the-art automatic metro trains, valued at approximately 210 million euros, supplementing the 27 trains previously ordered. Alstom has also secured a contract with the Madrid metro to supply signaling technologies that will facilitate the introduction of driverless trains.