French Stocks Open Flat
2026-03-17 08:35
By
Joshua Ferrer
1 min. read
The CAC 40 index was largely unchanged to around 7,900 on Tuesday, holding losses from the previous session as markets struggle for direction amid volatile oil prices.
The Middle East conflict showed no signs of easing, with Iran launching new strikes on the United Arab Emirates, while the Strait of Hormuz remained largely disrupted.
Meanwhile, reports indicated the US is preparing a coalition to escort commercial vessels through the key shipping route, though uncertainty around the plan kept crude prices elevated.
Focus now turns to the upcoming European Central Bank meeting, where rates are expected to be left unchanged.
Sector wise, defense stocks mostly weighed on the index, with Safran, Thales, and Dassault Aviation down 0.6% to 0.8%.
Conversely, energy firm TotalEnergies continued to climb, up 1.3%.