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renforcer, alléger

English translation: increase, add (buy), reduce (sell)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:renforcer, alléger
English translation:increase, add (buy), reduce (sell)
Entered by: Silvia Brandon-Pérez

05:51 Nov 17, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Investment / Securities
French term or phrase: renforcer, alléger
In an earlier question, I used consolidate to translate renforcer in an analyst's recommendation. I have noticed that alléger is sometimes translated to 'offload.' My problem is that recommendations (in some of the analyst reports I've read, are usually (in English), things such as sell, strong sell, hold, etc.

Investopedia (http://www.investopedia.com/articles/01/013101.asp) has a series of these possible recommendations, including, which would fit for alléger,
reduce, moderate sell, weak hold, etc.

My question has to do with these recommendations, and what would fit (as a recommendation from an analyst), these recommendations.

My French text defines these as follows:

Acheter Potentiel de hausse supérieure à 15% par rapport au marché assorti d’une grande qualité des fondamentaux.
Renforcer Potentiel de hausse de 0 à 15% avec un niveau de risque élevé
Alléger Potentiel de baisse de 0 à 15%
Vendre Potentiel de baisse supérieure à 15% et/ou avec des risques très élevés sur les fondamentaux industriels et financiers.
Silvia Brandon-Pérez
United States
Local time: 02:34
increase (buy), reduce (sell)
Explanation:
You are on the right track. What is tricky with these ratings is that they vary from brokerage to brokerage, and are specifically defined for their use as in this case. This is a case where you should consult the client to ensure that they have not had these terms translated before and have specific English terms they use. They probably do.

Sometimes the terms increase and reduce can be used, but a good case could be made for acheter=strong buy, Renforcer=buy, Alléger=hold (or reduce, in reality, hold almost always means 'sell' de facto in the US), and Vendre= sell or strong sell here.

Whatever you choose, since you define exactly what they mean, there shouldn't be much of a problem, but I would ask the client because this could accurately be translated different ways.

This comes up often in equities analysis commentary translation and sometimes the translations they will have chosen in English are downright goofy.
Selected response from:

joehlindsay
Local time: 04:34
Grading comment
I did write a note to the client, and included a link from investopedia in case they didn't like the suggestion. I found at least five different terms used by various brokerage houses...

Thank you very much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2increase (buy), reduce (sell)
joehlindsay
4 +1add, reduce
rkillings


  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
increase (buy), reduce (sell)


Explanation:
You are on the right track. What is tricky with these ratings is that they vary from brokerage to brokerage, and are specifically defined for their use as in this case. This is a case where you should consult the client to ensure that they have not had these terms translated before and have specific English terms they use. They probably do.

Sometimes the terms increase and reduce can be used, but a good case could be made for acheter=strong buy, Renforcer=buy, Alléger=hold (or reduce, in reality, hold almost always means 'sell' de facto in the US), and Vendre= sell or strong sell here.

Whatever you choose, since you define exactly what they mean, there shouldn't be much of a problem, but I would ask the client because this could accurately be translated different ways.

This comes up often in equities analysis commentary translation and sometimes the translations they will have chosen in English are downright goofy.

joehlindsay
Local time: 04:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 22
Grading comment
I did write a note to the client, and included a link from investopedia in case they didn't like the suggestion. I found at least five different terms used by various brokerage houses...

Thank you very much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rob Grayson: Indeed, language that any specialist in the field will be very familiar with
42 mins
agree  Isabelle17: Very good explanation!
5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
add, reduce


Explanation:
Based on my collection of house-style guidelines from French brokeraqe houses that had their equity research translated, back in the day. (Few do now.)

DO NOT substitute 'buy' or 'sell' unless you see 'Acheter' or 'Vendre'.

A common variant of 'renforcer' is 'accumuler', likewise 'add' in English.

rkillings
United States
Local time: 02:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 131

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Julie Statham: Exactly! That makes your 4 recommendations 'Buy/Add/Reduce/Sell'. Have also seen 'Weak Buy/Weak Sell' for the middle two, but 'Add/Reduce' is much clearer.
2 hrs
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