In his article for finews.first, Jacques-Aurélien Marcireau from Edmond de Rothschild AM considers it highly likely that a confrontation between JD Vance and Elon Musk will occur, with potentially significant repercussions for the stock market.
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It's a story as America likes them, worthy of Hollywood cinema. After collapsing by more than 40 percent since the beginning of the year, Tesla stock has skyrocketed by over 140 percent. This is a magnitude never seen in such a short time for one of the largest listed companies in the world.
In addition to retail investors' unwavering adulation for Elon Musk's entrepreneurial genius, the rise also reflects the expected positive impact on the Tesla/Space X galaxy from the tech mogul's proximity to President-elect Donald Trump.
«The first clues are there»
Is this simple political opportunism, or the advent of the «technopolitical» merger between major technology groups and American authorities? – as foreseen by the political scientist Asma Mhalla or the founders of the venture capital fund Andreessen Horowitz. The first clues are there, but it may still be a little early to judge.
On the other hand, what seems certain is the upcoming confrontation between Elon Musk and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Indeed, the former advocates «big tech» and Technopolitical fusion and plays a perilous balancing act with «at the same time» vis-à-vis China.
«The game has only just begun»
The second is a fierce opponent of big tech, a supporter of decentralization, and cryptos, and wants a firm stance towards China. He has been supported by the venture capital universe, which is itself increasingly hostile to big tech, accused of stifling the innovation ecosystem given their disproportionate financial power. This balance of power is illustrated in the race for generative AI, where Silicon Valley is struggling to disrupt with a rapid – indirect – tutelage of the main unicorns of generative AI (Anthropic, OpenAI).
The stock market implications of this confrontation will be massive: the predominance of the ideas of one or the other can further anchor or, on the contrary, recede the dominance of the American technology giants and impact their role as a driver of the equity markets and the Nasdaq in particular. At the time of writing, Musk's vision is set to win, but the game has only just begun.
«Musk and Vance have forged a legitimacy to embody the post-Trump era»
More than the confrontation of ideas, it will also be the confrontation of ambitions: both have forged a legitimacy to embody the «post-Trump» era. To make their way to the top, they will have to make their mark during the Trump term, which is a sure recipe for a clash between the two men, under the leadership of the real estate mogul.
Here again, a story as America likes them, even if this time, it is the future of the country itself that is at stake.
Jacques-Aurélien Marcireau is Co-Head of Equities at Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management.
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