The CAC 40 Index Closes 0.89% Lower

The CAC 40 Index decreased 71 points or 0.89 percent on Wednesday to close at 7965 points. The decline was led by TP (-6.10%), TotalEnergies SE (-3.16%) and AXA (-2.62%). On the upside, the strongest performers were Sanofi (1.48%), Air Liquide (1.18%) and Capgemini (0.87%).

The CAC 40 fell 0.9% to close at 7,964 on Wednesday amid a lack of progress in US-Iran negotiations. Oil and fuel prices rose amid concerns over energy-driven inflation, pressuring credit-sensitive stocks as expectations for more hawkish central-bank increased. France’s preliminary CPI data showed annual inflation up to 3% in September, its highest level since February 2024. Financials fell, with BNP Paribas down 2.5% and AXA losing 2.2%. Industrials were mostly lower, with Schneider Electric falling 1.5%, Thales down 0.9%, and Vinci shedding 1.4%. The pharmaceutical and chemical subsectors gained, with Sanofi up 1.6%, EssilorLuxottica rising 0.7%, and Air Liquide adding 1.2%. Meanwhile, household consumption of goods in France fell 0.5% in August, reversing a 0.4% increase in July and marking the first monthly decline since April. Luxury stocks posted losses, with LVMH and Hermes both down 1.2%. TotalEnergies lost 3.1% as investors took profits. On the month, the CAC 40 lost 5.2%.

The CAC 40 rose 0.3% to 8,058 on Wednesday, trimming losses from the previous session but remaining on track for its second straight monthly decline as investor sentiment remained fragile amid a lack of progress in US-Iran negotiations. Energy prices remained elevated as the US-Iran standoff is now in its eighth month, with President Trump denying that he would ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for steps to curb Tehran’s nuclear program. Domestically, preliminary estimates showed annual consumer inflation rising to 3% in September, its highest level since February 2024, while domestic producer prices eased to 1% month-on-month in August 2026 from 1.3% in July. Household consumption of goods in France fell 0.5% in August, reversing a downwardly revised 0.4% gain in July and marking the first monthly decline since April. Among individual stocks, L’Oréal (0.8%), Airbus (1.4%) and Safran (1.3%) were among the notable gainers, while TotalEnergies (-2.4%) and Publicis (-1.1%) lagged.