A first-round victory in Sunday's French presidential election for the centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron has triggered a sharp and broad relief rally across financial markets, with equity prices jumping and safe-haven gold and bonds sold off.
Macron is tipped to handily defeat the far-right, anti-establishment contestant Marine Le Pen in the second-round ballot on May 7.

• Centrist Macron's first-round election victory in France sparks broad relief rally
• Macron will win second round; June parliamentary elections bigger risk: Dembik
• Polls for May 7 second round: 62.9% for Macron versus 37.1% for Le Pen
• Strong positive reaction in European equities, French stocks seen sharply higher
• European value stocks, bank stocks seen rising as Le Pen gets priced out: Garnry
• Sharp reaction also in fixed-income markets, with bond prices off, yields up
• France-Germany spread narrows to 50 basis points
• EUR crosses up, 1.0840-50 the important area for EURUSD: Hardy
• Gold left exposed as French election tensions ease: Hansen
• Sentiment towards oil still fragile despite softer USD and risk-on bounce: Hansen