Paris equities ended the session in negative territory on Friday as declines across multiple sectors pushed the main benchmark lower. The CAC 40 lost 1.82% to finish at a new six-month low, while the broader SBF 120 slipped 1.80%.
Sector pressure was concentrated in Technology, Utilities and Financials, contributing to a greater number of decliners than advancers on the exchange. At the close, falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones by 326 to 156, and 75 issues finished unchanged.
On the CAC 40, Renault SA (EPA:RENA) was among the day's stronger performers, gaining 1.17% or 0.32 points to close at 27.64. Cosmetics leader L'Oreal SA (EPA:OREP) added 0.70% or 2.40 points to end at 347.70, and luxury group Kering SA (EPA:PRTP) rose 0.67% or 1.55 points to 234.15.
Conversely, several high-profile names registered steep declines. Hermes International SCA (EPA:HRMS) dropped 4.94% or 86.00 points to 1,656.00 at the close. Societe Generale SA (EPA:SOGN) tumbled 4.24% or 2.70 points to finish at 60.98, and aerospace and defence group Safran SA (EPA:SAF) was down 3.96% or 11.60 points to 281.60.
The SBF 120 showed similar dispersion. Euroapi SAS (EPA:EAPI) led the index's gainers, rising 2.92% to 1.31. Glassmaker Verallia (EPA:VRLA) climbed 2.57% to settle at 15.97, while satellite operator Eutelsat Communications SA (EPA:ETL) added 2.42% to close at 2.12.
At the lower end of the SBF 120, software and systems firm Lectra SA (EPA:LECS) fell 7.46% to 15.62, industrial group Viridien SA (EPA:VIRI) lost 6.48% to end at 128.40, and payments firm Worldline SA (EPA:WLN) declined 5.81% to 0.34 at the close.
Several listings reached new lows in the session. Hermes International's share price fell to 52-week lows at 1,656.00 after the 4.94% drop. Lectra's shares moved to five-year lows at 15.62 following the 7.46% decline, and Worldline's stock hit an all-time low at 0.34 after falling 5.81%.
Volatility expectations for the benchmark rose to multi-month highs. The CAC 40 VIX, which tracks implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was unchanged at 18.96 but recorded a new 52-week high.
Commodities showed mixed moves. Gold futures for April delivery were down 0.59% or 27.26 to $4,578.44 a troy ounce. Oil strengthened, with crude for May delivery rising 2.40% or 2.29 to $97.84 a barrel, and the May Brent contract gaining 1.32% or 1.43 to trade at $110.08 a barrel.
On the currency front, EUR/USD was essentially unchanged at 1.16, while EUR/GBP held steady at 0.87. The US Dollar Index futures were up 0.36% at 99.41.
Market breadth, individual stock lows and divergent commodity moves underline a session of broad selling pressure across French equities, with several prominent names and mid-cap issuers registering outsized moves in both directions.