The French stock market hit its highest level in more than nine years, as the Cac 40 burst through its highs of April of 2015, and is up 4.5 percent to its 2008 highs. Because of the beliefs in France that it would not elect a leader that would advocate exiting the European Union, industrial and financial companies rose on Monday in France. Investors were encouraged that one of the two finalists was a centrist. In addition, the United States stock markets are also rallying on the heels of the European rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up more than 200 points by noon.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were up more than 1 percent on the day.

The age of "Trump-style populism" in Europe and in the United States, may be coming to an abrupt end as the people of France supported a "pro-European Union" candidate, Emmanuel Macron. Voters in France did not rally behind the National Front’s Marine Le Pen, as was expected prior to Sunday's election. Ms. Marine Le Pen is the Donald Trump of France and she failed to resonate with voters.

Polls in France favor centrist Emmanuel Macron to win easily

Polling is showing that Mr.

Macron will defeat Ms. Le Pen by a 64 - 36 percent margin. With comments that were a clear shot at Ms. Le Pen and her "France First" policies, Mr. Macron told the cheering crowd: "I want to be the president of patriots in the face of a threat from nationalists."

Populist movements in the European countries of the Netherlands, Germany and just last week, in the U.K., have been losing its steam.

Last year, the Brexit referendum won on the ballot. Last November, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States.

Election Day in France is May 7

This election will take place on Sunday, May 7 and Mr. Emmanuel Macron is the overwhelming favorite in the second round. In the U.S., the recent strong showing in Georgia's 6th Congressional District also was a blow to this "Trump-style populism" as Jon Ossoff received more than 48 percent of the vote in the first round of that election.

Mr. Ossoff ran essentially against Donald Trump and his policies.

President Trump even weighed in on the election showing he favored victory from Ms. Le Pen's populist movement, seeing her as an ally of sorts. He predicted that the terrorist attack in France would "have a big effect on the presidential election!" in France, but it did not. However, since the election, President Trump has not commented or tweeted about the results either.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED