Air Liquide stock gains 2% and returns to its 20-day moving average
At the end of this week, Air Liquide is among the stocks supporting the CAC 40, in a European market globally oriented upwards. The share returns to contact with its twenty-day moving average, after a difficult month that had moved it away from its recent highs.
A rebound of 2.1% that brings the stock back to contact with the MA20 at €169.46
Air Liquide gains 2.1% to €170.28 during the session, posting one of the sharpest gains of the day among CAC 40 members. The stock thus returns to contact with its twenty-day moving average (€169.46), a threshold it now touches with a gap of less than 0.5%, which reflects a configuration of restored neutrality after several weeks below this level. The session is taking place in a favorable context: the CAC 40 advances 1.08% during the session, while the VIX falls to 14.49, signaling contained volatility in the markets.
Today's movement only makes up a fraction of the monthly decline, which remains at -3.89% over thirty days. On the other hand, over a year, the balance is positive, with a gain of 5.19%. Resistance at €177.70 remains distant at approximately 4.4% above the current price, and the MA50 at €172.41 constitutes a first obstacle to overcome before targeting it.
Second quarter 2026 results set benchmarks on margin and comparable growth
Today's rebound comes one month after the publication of second-quarter accounts, unveiled on July 28, 2026. During this publication, the group had confirmed its target of an increase in operating margin of 100 basis points for the full year 2026, as well as an additional improvement of 100 basis points excluding energy effects in 2027. Comparable growth had accelerated to +3.5% in the second quarter, supported notably by commercial successes in the Electronics segment, driven by demand linked to artificial intelligence. Management had also noted that the contribution from DIG Airgas was progressing ahead of schedule, which strengthens visibility for the coming quarters.
Among the points of caution mentioned at that time were exchange rate effects, which continue to weigh on published growth, and energy price volatility. The RSI at 40 remains in neutral territory, without oversold or overbought signals, and the MA200 at €159.79 offers a foundation more than 6% below the current price. The stock's holding above this long-term level remains the notable fact of the current configuration.
