The CAC 40 Index Closes 0.60% Lower

The CAC 40 Index decreased 51 points or 0.60 percent on Wednesday to close at 8408 points. The decline was led by Hermes International (-11.85%), STMicroelectronics (-2.52%) and Essilor (-2.49%). On the upside, the strongest performers were Kering (15.58%), Bureau Veritas (7.65%) and Capgemini (5.31%).

The CAC 40 fell 0.6% to close at 8,408 on Wednesday as escalating Middle East tensions and a wave of corporate earnings weighed on sentiment. Oil prices rose after joint US-Saudi strikes in Iraq, fueling inflation concerns and pushing bond yields higher. BNP Paribas and AXA each lost 1.2%. In the luxury sector, Hermès plunged 11% after reporting first-half diluted EPS below expectations. LVMH fell 0.5%, while L'Oréal slipped 0.2% ahead of its earnings release. In contrast, Kering surged 16.9% after Gucci posted better-than-expected sales. Danone lost 2.3% despite solid results, while Legrand edged down 0.3% after reporting higher sales and net profit. Airbus slipped 1% ahead of releasing earnings that later beat estimates. Vinci is due to report on Thursday. TotalEnergies gained 2.8% as higher oil prices lifted energy shares.

The CAC 40 gained 0.3% to 8,481 on Wednesday, extending its winning streak to a fourth consecutive session and reaching its highest level in over three weeks, as strong earnings reports and corporate updates boosted investor sentiment. Luxury stocks led the advance, with LVMH climbing 3.1% after reporting quarterly sales broadly in line with expectations, while Kering surged 11.3% to its highest level since early February after Gucci delivered better-than-expected sales. Meanwhile, Legrand added 1.7% after raising its sales guidance, citing continued robust investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. On the downside, Hermès fell 2.5% despite reporting sales growth that met market forecasts, as investors focused on the lack of a meaningful recovery in China. Danone also dropped 3.7% after reporting higher second-quarter sales, as the increase was driven primarily by price hikes rather than stronger volumes.