The CAC 40 Index Closes 0.72% Higher

The CAC 40 Index rose 62 points or 0.72 percent on Thursday to close at 8621 points. Leading the gains are ENGIE (8.08%), TP (7.75%) and Edenred (5.36%). Top losers were ArcelorMittal (-1.90%), Pernod Ricard (-1.81%) and Societe Generale (-1.22%).

The CAC 40 closed 0.7% higher at a record 8,621 on Thursday amid transformative energy acquisitions and record-breaking industrial earnings. Engie led the rise surging 7.2% after announcing a landmark £10.5 billion acquisition of UK Power Networks alongside a significant upward revision to its 2026 profit guidance. Schneider Electric added further momentum, jumping 3% after crossing the €40 billion annual revenue milestone for the first time on the back of 10.7% organic growth in the final quarter. These gains easily offset the 1.2% decline in Société Générale and broader pressure in the banking sector as investors rotated toward high-growth industrial and energy themes. Demand for French equities remained resilient despite the preliminary Q4 2025 GDP growth slowing to 0.2%. Investors are now awaiting inflation data due tomorrow.

The CAC 40 rose 0.3% to 8,591 on Thursday, marking its third consecutive session of gains and setting a fresh record high, as market sentiment remained upbeat amid a new wave of corporate earnings. Notably, Schneider Electric climbed 2.6% after reporting revenue that exceeded market expectations for 2025. In addition, Engie surged 6.8%, reaching its highest level since February 2011, after posting robust earnings, strong cash flow, and solid growth in renewables, alongside the announcement of its acquisition of UK Power Networks (UKPN). In contrast, AXA slipped 0.2%, despite delivering record growth, profitability, and capital strength, and outlining a confident outlook for 2026. Other financial stocks also declined, with BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, and Société Générale falling between 0.1% and 0.9%. On the domestic front, investors are awaiting France’s final Q4 GDP figures, along with the latest inflation data due tomorrow.