Germany vs. France Not Just Being Played on the Pitch

The spread between France’s and Germany’s 10y Government bonds remain near levels not seen since the collapse of Lehman as France takes on tough fiscal tightening.  Since the onset of the European debt crisis France and German yields have benefitted from worried investors moving funds away from economically weak Eurozone peripheries to the regions ‘stable’ AAA rated credits.  However, after being blindsided by Europe’s debt crisis investors are developing a new sense of risk, which doesn’t bode well for France’s lackluster history of correcting past deficits, especially while its current budget deficit approaching 8% of GDP.    This has given Germany an edge in investors’ flight to quality. France has already undertaken remedial measures to rein in the deficit, including raising the retirement age to 62 from 60, prompting  protests from the country’s socialist party and labor unions.  France will likely struggle with its ability to rapidly implement the necessary austerity policies, with any significant slippage, or success, revealing itself in the country’s spread to equivalent German government bonds.