Read our market review and find out all about our theme of the week in MyStratWeekly and its podcast with our experts Axel Botte, Aline Goupil-Raguénès and Zouhoure Bousbih.

Listen to Axel Botte’s podcast (in French only)

Topic of the week: The thematic piece will resume on May 19.

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Market review: Glimmers of Hope Amid Trade Tensions

  • De-escalation hopes key for risk asset markets;
  • Fed holds steady at 4.50% on rates amid persistent pressure from Trump;
  • Long-term rates resuming uptrend, particularly in Japan;
  • Sovereign and credit spreads tightening, European equities slightly higher.

(Listen to) Axel Botte’s podcast:

  • Review of the week – Apparent relaxation in spreads and rebound in long-term interest rates;
  • Theme – Core elements of recent trade agreements.

Chart of the week

USA container price

Implied volatility is a measure of the market expected future volatility of a currency exchange rate from now until the maturity date.

The outbreak of a conflict between Pakistan and India appears to have revived volatility in the USD-INR exchange rate after a prolonged period of subpar volatility. The 1-month implied volatility has reverted to 6 %, close to the 2020-2022 average.

Figure of the week

324

Global debt increased by $7.5 trillion in Q1 2025 reaching $324.3 trillion, a new record high, driven primarily by increased government borrowing in China, France, and Germany. However, debt grew less than global GDP, resulting in a decrease in the debt-to-GDP ratio to 325%, the lowest since late 2019.

MyStratWeekly : Market views and strategy

Download MyStratWeekly – May 13th 2025
  • Axel Botte
    Axel Botte

    Head of markets strategy

  • Zouhoure Bousbih
    Zouhoure Bousbih

    Emerging countries strategist

  • Aline Goupil-Raguénès
    Aline Goupil-Raguénès

    Developed countries strategist

Cash Management: Money Market Funds vs. Bank Deposits
Reading time : 5 min.
INSIGHTS MARKETS
The strategic choice of treasurers and institutional investorsCash is backSince 2022, the cash management landscape has been profoundly disrupted. After a decade of negative rates – a period where holding cash was a real cost for companies and institutional investors – the European Central Bank’s monetary normalisation has dramatically changed the game. The ECB deposit rate rose from -0.5% to 4% in just a few quarters, before stabilising around 2% (2.25% since June 2026), with prospects of a gradual increase towards 2.50% by the end of 2026 (Ostrum Asset Management estimates, as of September 2026).This new reality has transformed the perception of cash within finance departments and institutional investment teams. Liquidity is no longer seen as a dormant asset but rather as a true asset class in its own right that deserves strategic attention on par with equities and bonds. In this environment, a key question for any treasurer or institutional investor is: should I use bank deposits or money market funds to manage my liquidity ?
09/23/2026
Reserved for pros
MyStratWeekly – 21st September 2026
Podcast
Reading time : 30 min.
NEWS MARKETS
Read our market review and find out all about our theme of the week in MyStratWeekly and its podcast with our experts Axel Botte, Aline Goupil-Raguénès and Zouhoure Bousbih.
09/22/2026
Reserved for pros
Ostrum AM Perspectives September 2026
Reading time : 15 min.
INSIGHTS MARKETS
Each month we share the conclusions from the monthly strategy investment committee which provides a summary of Ostrum AM's views on the economy, strategy and markets.
09/21/2026
Reserved for pros