Andale, andale!  Arriba, arriba!

Getting a nice tailwind from expected "safe" French election too I think.

Interesting to see the "safe" candidate seems to have suffered a massive hack days before the election, while the outsider did not. Just like happened here.

We are living in a very dangerous world. I sure hope the free world is hacking away furiously at Russian sites.

lt cap,

I believe that Obama, McCain and others with oversight over US CIA/NSA were playing it 'coy' when they were shocked! shocked! that the Russians would do such a thing. Their secret briefing surely mean/meant that they know we do much worse and more meddling in other countries affairs. It's just not public, of course. Some of the outrage/traitor labels against Snowden were, of course, that he unconvered some of those opertions - Stuxnet developed with Israel meant to destroy Iran's centrifuges - was never meant to be anything but a covert operation. Our response was either of false outrage, or less virulent than one would think - we're doing what the Russians are doing, only more and with worse effects. These things just don't come to light often. Currently about 60 nations are trying to develop battlefield AI systems. Funny, we've never hear about that. (Except in books like Barrett's 'AI - Our Final Invention.) (And no, I am not being paranoid,lol)

I have also been thinking that if the French elections were to go the way polls indicate, assuming polls are not as wrong as they have been here in the US (I know BIG assumption), the Euro should continue to strengthen over the next few years.

I remember that the Euro was in the $1.39 to $1.42 rage in 2009, assuming my memory is not bad.  So, if the French election goes as expected, I believe that as is the case with most commodities, the Euro should see an up cycle that should allow it to trend towards that range over the next few years.

I have been hearing that Germany (as well as most Northen European countries), France, Spain and England have economies that are on the mend.  Greece being the outlier.  I do not have a strong sense for where Italy and Ireland are. Therefore, it is my opinion that the Euro should be bulstered by a stronger economic environment. Opinions on those welcome.

A strong Euro is of course a desirable thing as it indicates Europe is working as it should.  It should also help in diminishing crime and terrorism there.

This too should help Nokia's share price over the next few years.  It may be a headwind as far as currency translations for their North American revenue.  But I would hope it is more than offset by the currency impact on the value of Nokia as a whole.  Does this make sense?  Opinions on this welcome as well.

Looks like the French are more politically sensible than Americans.