The CAC 40 Index Opens 0.15% Higher

The CAC 40 rose 0.3% to 7,896 on Thursday, extending gains from the previous session despite a deepening global selloff in technology and artificial intelligence stocks. The sector came under pressure as concerns over AI-related valuations and the sustainability of heavy infrastructure spending weighed on sentiment. Inflation also remained in focus following stronger-than-expected US data. Domestically, annual inflation rate was revised up to 3.1% in September 2026 from a preliminary estimate of 3.0%, accelerating from 2.4% in August and reaching its highest level since January 2024. On the corporate front, Pernod Ricard climbed 3.4% after reporting a smaller-than-expected 0.9% decline in first-quarter fiscal 2027 sales, as weak demand and destocking in China and the United States were partly offset by strong demand in India. On the downside, Schneider Electric fell 5% and STMicroelectronics plunged 7.2%, making them among the session’s worst performers.

The CAC 40 Index is up by 12 points or 0.15 percent on Thursday. Top gainers are Pernod Ricard (3.13%), Carrefour (2.75%) and Orange (2.57%). Biggest losses came from STMicroelectronics (-7.20%), Legrand (-4.89%) and Schneider Electric (-4.43%).

The CAC 40 rose 0.6% to close at 7,783 on Wednesday, rebounding from the previous session’s losses, supported by gains in luxury and industrial stocks. Luxury shares recovered after falling in the previous session amid weak results from LVMH, which cited softer Chinese demand. Hermes rose 0.9%, LVMH added 1.4%, and Kering gained 1.5%. The rebound followed Chinese foreign trade data showing that imports climbed 31% year-on-year to a record high in September, supported by seasonal restocking ahead of the major October Golden Week holiday. In the industrial sector, defense-related stocks led gains amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, with Airbus rising 2% and Thales gaining 1.8%. Meanwhile, ECB President Christine Lagarde played down speculation about intervention in France’s budget crisis, saying that solutions to the country’s precarious fiscal situation would need to come from domestic policymakers. Financial stocks closed lower.