Stocks in France ended the trading day a touch higher on Thursday, driven by advances in Technology, Financials and Basic Materials sectors. At the close in Paris the CAC 40 rose 0.07% and the broader SBF 120 added 0.16%.
The session saw several notable individual movers on the blue-chip index. Capgemini SE (EPA:CAPP) was the top gainer on the CAC 40, climbing 4.66% - a rise of 4.90 points - to finish at 110.00. Advertising and communications group Publicis Groupe SA (EPA:PUBP) rallied 4.40%, or 4.37 points, to close at 103.75. Automotive group Stellantis NV (EPA:STLAM) also posted strong performance, up 4.28% or 0.19 points to 4.71 in late trade.
Not all large-cap names participated in the advance. EssilorLuxottica SA (EPA:ESLX) fell 3.62%, losing 5.75 points to end the session at 152.95. Luxury house Hermes International SCA (EPA:HRMS) declined 3.30%, down 50.50 points to 1,481.50, while Kering SA (EPA:PRTP) decreased 2.02%, or 5.05 points, to finish at 244.60.
Within the SBF 120 there were even larger percentage moves among mid-cap and small-cap stocks. Soitec SA (EPA:SOIT) led gains on the SBF 120, jumping 10.27% to close at 123.50. Auto supplier Forvia (EPA:FRVIA) gained 10.26% to settle at 9.85, and Valeo SA (EPA:VLOF) added 4.85% to finish at 14.49.
On the downside, Voltalia SA (EPA:VLTSA) fell sharply, sliding 17.69% to 5.35 in late trade. Euroapi SAS (EPA:EAPI) lost 4.73% to close at 0.87, and EssilorLuxottica SA (EPA:ESLX) also appeared among the SBF 120’s laggards with its 3.62% decline to 152.95.
There were more advancing issues than decliners on the Paris exchange, with 247 rising stocks versus 205 falling, while 90 ended unchanged.
Several stocks moved to multi-year lows during the session. Shares of EssilorLuxottica SA (EPA:ESLX) fell to three-year lows after dropping 3.62% to 152.95. Hermes International SCA (EPA:HRMS) also reached three-year lows, declining 3.30% to 1,481.50. Voltalia SA (EPA:VLTSA) moved to five-year lows following its 17.69% fall to 5.35. Euroapi SAS (EPA:EAPI) reached all-time lows after slipping 4.73% to 0.87.
Market volatility as measured by the CAC 40 VIX was unchanged on the day, holding at 18.96, which represented a new 52-week high.
Commodity markets showed mixed signals. December Gold Futures rose 2.80%, gaining 123.56 to trade at $4,538.16 a troy ounce. In energy markets, October delivery crude oil increased 0.29%, or $0.26, to $91.27 a barrel, while the November Brent contract edged down 0.10%, or $0.10, to $95.53 a barrel.
Foreign exchange and dollar measures were relatively steady. EUR/USD registered a 0.30% move to 1.16, and EUR/GBP moved 0.03% to 0.86. The US Dollar Index Futures declined 0.62% to 98.94.
Session wrap - The Paris market closed with marginal gains led by sector rotation into Technology, Financials and Basic Materials, while a batch of luxury and specialty names weighed on headline breadth and several stocks touched multi-year or all-time lows. Volatility sits at a 52-week peak and commodities showed divergent moves.