CAC 40 Rises on Easing Oil Prices

2026-05-20 15:45 By Isabela Couto 1 min. read

The CAC 40 rose 1.8% to close at 8,125 on Wednesday as progress in US-Iran negotiations helped ease lingering inflation concerns and supported broader risk appetite.

In the latest diplomatic effort, Pakistan’s interior minister arrived in Tehran, with Pakistan acting as a mediator after hosting peace talks last month.

Oil prices retreated, although they remained close to $100 per barrel.

The pullback in crude prices lifted financial stocks, with BNP Paribas gaining 2.1% and Société Générale surging 4.5%.

Luxury shares also advanced as risk aversion eased, with LVMH rising 2.5% and Kering adding 3.1%.

STMicroelectronics jumped 6.2% ahead of Nvidia’s earnings release later in the day, as investors looked for fresh signals on AI-driven demand and the outlook for the semiconductor sector.

In industrials, Airbus gained 2.6% and Safran climbed 3.9%, while TotalEnergies slipped 0.2% on lower oil prices.



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