France stocks finished higher on Thursday, with gains concentrated in the Utilities, Technology and Industrials sectors that pushed benchmarks upward at the Paris close.
The benchmark CAC 40 index increased 0.72% to close at a new all-time high, while the broader SBF 120 rose 0.70% at the end of trading in Paris.
Top movers on the CAC 40
- Engie SA (EPA:ENGIE) led the benchmark, climbing 7.23% - a rise of 1.99 points to end the session at 29.53.
- Stellantis NV (EPA:STLAM) added 4.24%, up 0.28 points to finish at 6.78.
- Publicis Groupe SA (EPA:PUBP) advanced 3.88%, gaining 2.82 points to close at 75.48.
Lagging names on the CAC 40
- ArcelorMittal SA (AS:MT) was the weakest on the index, falling 2.21% or 1.26 points to 55.66 at the close.
- Pernod Ricard SA (EPA:PERP) declined 1.88%, down 1.46 points to 76.08.
- Orange SA (EPA:ORAN) slipped 1.25%, losing 0.23 points to settle at 17.84.
SBF 120 highlights
- Worldline SA (EPA:WLN) was a top gainer on the SBF 120, jumping 12.92% to 1.63.
- Atos SE (EPA:ATOS) rose 11.30% to end at 38.96.
- Ipsos (EPA:ISOS) climbed 7.44% to close at 35.22.
- Conversely, Alstom SA (EPA:ALSO) fell 5.54% to 28.15.
- Forvia (EPA:FRVIA) lost 4.73%, finishing at 12.58.
- Eramet SA (EPA:ERMT) declined 4.43% to close at 60.35.
Market breadth and notable technicals
On the Paris exchange, advancing issues outnumbered decliners by 265 to 211, while 92 stocks finished unchanged. Shares of Engie SA rose to 5-year highs, reaching 29.53 after the 7.23% gain.
Volatility
The CAC 40 VIX, a measure of implied volatility for CAC 40 options, was unchanged at 18.96, marking a new 52-week high.
Commodities and energy
- Gold Futures for April delivery were down 0.52%, a decline of 27.09 to 5,199.11 a troy ounce.
- Crude oil for April delivery rose 1.48%, up 0.97 to trade at 66.39 a barrel.
- The May Brent oil contract increased 1.80%, gaining 1.27 to 71.96 a barrel.
Foreign exchange and U.S. Dollar
- EUR/USD was effectively unchanged, moving 0.18% to 1.18.
- EUR/GBP was also effectively unchanged, moving 0.26% to 0.87.
- The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.14% to 97.76.
These price moves across equities, commodities and currencies rounded out a session in which France's main indices finished with modest gains led by specific sector leadership and a set of standout individual stock performances.
Summary
Paris equity benchmarks advanced, with the CAC 40 hitting a record close as utilities, technology and industrials led sector gains. A handful of large-cap winners pushed the benchmark higher while several materials and industrial names lagged. Volatility measures registered a 52-week high, and commodity and FX prices showed mixed movement.