French Stocks Retreat

2026-05-26 07:37 By Czyrill Jean Coloma 1 min. read

The CAC 40 slipped 0.5% to 8,218 on Tuesday, snapping a two-session winning streak as renewed military action dampened hopes for a US-Iran peace agreement.

The US and Israel carried out targeted strikes in southern Iran, hitting vessels allegedly attempting to lay naval mines and missile launch sites, which Washington described as defensive measures.

On the monetary policy front, European Central Bank Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel said the central bank should proceed with an interest rate hike in June even if tensions in the Middle East ease.

The ECB is expected to raise borrowing costs by 25 basis points on June 11 as soaring energy prices fuel inflationary pressures across the euro area.

Luxury heavyweights paced the decline, with LVMH falling 0.7%, Hermès losing 1.2%, and Kering sliding 1.6%.

Other notable decliners included Safran (-1.5%), Crédit Agricole (-5.6%), and Publicis Groupe (-0.6%).



News Stream
The CAC 40 Index Closes 0.29% Lower
The CAC 40 Index dropped 25 points or 0.29 percent on Thursday to close at 8650 points. Losses were led by Dassault Systemes (-2.24%), Safran (-1.90%) and STMicroelectronics (-1.67%). Offsetting the fall, top gainers were Danone (1.43%), Sanofi (1.24%) and Edenred (0.94%).
2026-08-13
CAC 40 Falls as Geopolitical Uncertainty Weighs
The CAC 40 shed 0.3% to close at 8,651 on Thursday amid conflicting signals over efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire between the US and Iran. Washington and Tehran exchanged accusations over a deal to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, with the US saying Iran had failed to meet its obligations, while Iran countered that Washington had not delivered on ending a blockade of Iranian ports. High energy prices are expected to weigh more heavily on eurozone economies as large energy importers. The ECB is set to raise interest rates once more next month, as higher energy prices push inflation further from the bank’s 2% target, reaching 2.9% last month. Luxury stocks were mostly lower amid elevated risk aversion, with LVMH down 0.7% and Hermès losing 1.2%. Industrials also fell, with Safran down 1.9%, Vinci losing 1.2% and Thales shedding 1.1%. In contrast, Sanofi (+1.2%) and Michelin (+0.7%) gained as euro area industrial production came in slightly above forecasts.
2026-08-13
French Stocks Hover Near Flat
The CAC 40 hovered near the flatline at around 8,687 on Thursday, following the previous session's decline as investors remained cautious amid conflicting signals over efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire between the US and Iran. While reports indicated that Washington and Tehran had agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, tensions remained elevated after Iran threatened to prolong the conflict until the end of President Donald Trump's term and again rejected his claims that the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz. Offsetting some geopolitical concerns, softer-than-expected US inflation data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged at its September meeting. Among the index heavyweights, gains were led by LVMH (0.5%), L'Oréal (0.4%), TotalEnergies (0.5%), and Hermès (0.9%). In contrast, STMicroelectronics (-1%), Dassault Systèmes (-0.9%), and Air Liquide (-0.4%) were among the notable decliners.
2026-08-13