The prospects of an end to the war in Ukraine have been moving closer.
As a result, the euro has stabilised, and European stocks have started the year on the front foot.
European defence stocks rallied today because the US administration communicated on the weekend that European security was no longer a strategic priority for the US. The market concluded from this that Europe will be forced to spend more on defence in the future.
The ceasefire, if it is agreed, could either be favourable to Russia, or a compromise deal.
research.danskebank.com/research/#/Research/articlepreview/2331529e-fdcb-495e-9d09-d3a9120a7bee/EN
After the latest events, Danske Bank sees a 50% probability of a deal favourable to Russia; a 30% probability of a compromise deal; and a 20% probability of no deal this year. An end to the war in 2025 thus seems to be the most likely outcome.
Danske believes that if a deal is reached, the euro could rally further, although the gains might prove fleeting, as considerable optimism about the deal has already been built into the price. The impact on the European Central Bankโs interest rates decisions should be minor. However, bond yields could increase, due to increased defence spending requiring more bonds to be issued.
I am adjusting the portfolio slightly to benefit more from a Ukraine ceasefire scenario. The global manufacturing cycle appears to be accelerating, so I have added some Industrials exposure to the portfolio.
๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
@triangulacapital +7.9%
SWDA.L +5.3%
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SSE, whose profits could be hurt by a ceasefire in Ukraine, was replaced by Aalberts.