The CAC 40 Index Closes 1.15% Higher

The CAC 40 Index rose 96 points or 1.15 percent on Friday to close at 8416 points. Leading the gains are Renault (3.54%), Essilor (3.10%) and Legrand (2.86%).

The CAC 40 rose 1% to close at 8,401 on Friday following the release of domestic and euro area economic data. Euro area consumer confidence edged up to -15.5, its highest level since February, while industrial confidence rose to -5.3, its highest since April 2023. Service sector confidence also improved to 5.8, a seven-month high. Meanwhile, France’s GDP grew 0.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, in line with forecasts. Luxury stocks posted strong gains, with LVMH rising 2.7%, Hermes adding 2.7%, and Kering up 1.4%. Industrial stocks were also mostly higher, with Schneider Electric gaining 1.8% and Air Liquide up 2.1%. EssilorLuxottica rose 3.1% after announcing a share buyback program. Financials advanced despite preliminary data showing French annual inflation accelerating to a three-month high of 2.4% in August, with BNP Paribas up 1.8%, AXA adding 1.8%, and Societe Generale rising 2.1%. Fitch is due to release its assessment of France’s sovereign rating later in the day.

The CAC 40 rose 1% to around 8,404 on Friday, rebounding from the previous session as investors focused on domestic economic data. France’s economy stagnated in Q2, missing the preliminary estimate of a 0.2% growth after contracting 0.2% in Q1. The latest data added pressure on the government’s efforts to rein in a large budget deficit. The first presidential election debate was dominated by discussions of France’s deteriorating public finances, with candidates proposing measures ranging from spending cuts and tax increases to higher public spending and reduced EU contributions. Meanwhile, preliminary estimates showed annual inflation rising to a three-month high of 2.4% in August from 2.1% in July. Attention now turns to Fitch’s latest assessment of France’s sovereign rating later in the day. On the corporate front, EssilorLuxottica climbed 3.3% after announcing a share buyback program. Despite Friday’s rebound, the CAC 40 was still set for a third straight weekly decline.