Stock Markets February 17, 2026

Paris Stocks Close Higher as CAC 40 Hits One-Month Peak

Financials, technology and consumer goods lead gains while volatility and commodity moves draw attention

By Priya Menon
Paris Stocks Close Higher as CAC 40 Hits One-Month Peak

Paris equity markets finished higher with the CAC 40 rising 0.54% to a one-month high and the SBF 120 up 0.57%. Gains were concentrated in Financials, Technology and Consumer Goods, while several large-cap names slipped and market volatility, commodity prices and currency moves provided mixed signals.

Key Points

  • CAC 40 rose 0.54% to a one-month high; SBF 120 added 0.57%. Financials, Technology and Consumer Goods led gains.
  • Top CAC 40 performers included Dassault Systemes (EPA:DAST), Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (EPA:URW) and AXA (EPA:AXAF); notable decliners included EssilorLuxottica (EPA:ESLX), Schneider Electric (EPA:SCHN) and Veolia (EPA:VIE).
  • Market indicators and commodities showed mixed signals: CAC 40 VIX reached a 52-week high at 18.96; gold, Brent and WTI futures were lower; EUR/USD and EUR/GBP were largely unchanged.

Paris markets ended Tuesday on a positive note, with the main benchmark climbing to a fresh one-month high. The CAC 40 rose 0.54% at the close, while the broader SBF 120 finished the session up 0.57%.

Sector strength was led by Financials, Technology and Consumer Goods, which contributed to the upward pressure on share prices across the exchange.


Top movers on the CAC 40

The session's strongest performers on the CAC 40 included Dassault Systemes SE (EPA:DAST), which recorded a gain of 4.82% - or 0.77 points - to finish at 16.73. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE (EPA:URW) climbed 2.98% (3.00 points) to close at 103.55, while AXA SA (EPA:AXAF) advanced 2.73% (1.03 points) to end the day at 38.76.

Decliners on the CAC 40

Not all large caps moved higher. EssilorLuxottica SA (EPA:ESLX) fell 1.06% (2.60 points) to 243.10, Schneider Electric SE (EPA:SCHN) decreased 1.03% (2.65 points) to 254.35, and Veolia Environnement VE SA (EPA:VIE) slipped 1.03% (0.35 points) to 33.71.


SBF 120 extremes

On the SBF 120, the biggest winners included Vusiongroup SA (EPA:VU), which surged 9.91% to 130.90, Valneva (EPA:VLS), up 6.58% to 4.63, and Dassault Systemes SE (EPA:DAST), which added 4.82% to close at 16.73. By contrast, Atos SE (EPA:ATOS) was the session's weakest SBF 120 component, down 4.07% to 41.22, followed by Aperam SA (AS:APAM), which lost 2.44% to 40.76, and X Fab Silicon Foundries EV (EPA:XFAB), which declined 2.26% to 4.42.

Broad market participation was mixed: 248 stocks rose on the Paris Stock Exchange, 230 fell and 85 were unchanged.

Shares of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE (EPA:URW) reached a five-year high during the session, closing up 2.98% at 103.55.


Volatility, commodities and foreign exchange

The CAC 40 VIX - a gauge of implied volatility for CAC 40 options - was unchanged on the day at 18.96, marking a new 52-week high.

In commodities trading, April gold futures moved lower, down 3.18% or 160.50 to $4,885.80 a troy ounce. Crude oil for April delivery fell 0.96% (0.60) to $62.15 a barrel, while the April Brent contract declined 2.08% (1.43) to $67.22 a barrel.

Currency markets were relatively steady: EUR/USD was unchanged 0.17% at 1.18, and EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.55% at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.42% to 97.23.


The Paris session closed with market breadth slightly tilted toward advancers, a handful of notable winners driving headline gains and certain large-cap names lagging. Volatility measures and commodity movements provided additional context to the day's price action.

Risks

  • CAC 40 VIX reached a new 52-week high at 18.96, indicating elevated implied volatility in options on the index.
  • Several large-cap stocks declined during the session, including EssilorLuxottica (EPA:ESLX), Schneider Electric (EPA:SCHN), Veolia (EPA:VIE) and Atos (EPA:ATOS), which may weigh on sector performance.
  • Commodity price movements were mixed with April gold futures, Brent and WTI all lower, creating potential uncertainty for market participants exposed to commodity-linked sectors.

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