French equity markets finished the trading day in negative territory on Tuesday, with broad-based weakness across several major sectors. At the Paris close the CAC 40 was down 0.71% and the SBF 120 also fell 0.71%.
There were selective winners within the headline indices. On the CAC 40 the session's top performer was Eurofins Scientific SE (EPA:EUFI), which advanced 2.77% - a rise of 1.76 points - to finish at 65.24. Dassault Systemes SE (EPA:DAST) added 2.35%, or 0.40 points, closing at 17.43, while Airbus Group SE (EPA:AIR) rose 1.97%, or 3.74 points, to 193.26 at the close.
Conversely, several large-cap names recorded notable declines. STMicroelectronics NV (EPA:STMPA) led losses on the CAC 40, sliding 8.53% - down 5.92 points - to end the session at 63.47. Stellantis NV (EPA:STLAM) fell 6.66%, or 0.38 points, to 5.27, and Legrand SA (EPA:LEGD) was down 4.71%, or 7.25 points, to 146.80.
The SBF 120 displayed a similar pattern of concentrated gains and outsized losses. Ipsen SA (EPA:IPN) topped the SBF 120 risers with a 3.44% gain to 162.60. Voltalia SA (EPA:VLTSA) rose 3.23% to settle at 7.36, and Euroapi SAS (EPA:EAPI) gained 3.10% to close at 1.26.
On the downside for the SBF 120, STMicroelectronics NV (EPA:STMPA) was the session's weakest stock, down 8.53% to 63.47. Soitec SA (EPA:SOIT) lost 6.99% to settle at 120.40, while Stellantis NV (EPA:STLAM) was down 6.66% to 5.27 at the close.
Market breadth in Paris favored decliners: falling issues outnumbered advancing ones by 252 to 202, with 96 stocks finishing unchanged.
Stellantis attracted particular attention as its shares fell to five-year lows, slipping 6.66% or 0.38 to 5.27.
Implied volatility on French large caps was elevated: the CAC 40 VIX was unchanged on the day at 18.96, registering a new 52-week high.
Commodity futures moved lower. Gold futures for August delivery declined 1.16%, a drop of 48.55, to $4,154.15 a troy ounce. In energy markets, August delivery crude oil fell 1.02%, or 0.75, to $73.11 a barrel, while the September Brent contract declined 0.95%, or 0.74, to $76.78 a barrel.
Foreign exchange rates saw modest changes. EUR/USD was quoted at 1.14, described as unchanged by 0.40%, and EUR/GBP was listed as unchanged at 0.86 with a 0.09% marker. The US Dollar Index Futures was reported up 0.35% at 101.14.
Close-of-day results underline that losses were widespread across technology, industrials and financial stocks, even as select healthcare and renewable names posted gains. Market participants may note elevated volatility readings alongside declines in commodities and a firmer dollar futures print.