CAC 40 Rises by 0.71% as Two Major Stocks Soar Thanks to a Swiss Giant

The ABB Effect Electrifies the Paris Stock Market

The Paris session is characterized by contagious sectoral optimism this Thursday. The CAC 40 is up 0.71% at 8,123.91 points in a market largely driven by gains, with 26 stocks in positive territory against only 14 declining. Today's mood is clearly influenced by the exceptional performance reported by ABB, which ended 2025 with a record fourth quarter. The Swiss electrical equipment giant reported revenue of $9.1 billion, an increase of 13% year-over-year, along with operating income of $1.59 billion, up 19%. This performance exceeds expectations and confirms the momentum in the electrification and industrial automation sector.

Legrand and Schneider Electric Ride the Swiss Wave

ABB's shockwave is directly affecting the two French champions in the sector. Legrand is gaining 3.38% to 137.55 euros, taking the lead in the CAC 40, while Schneider Electric jumps 3.04% to 242.50 euros. These two stocks are capturing most of investors' attention, fully benefiting from the momentum created by their Swiss competitor. Investors expect the favorable dynamics observed at ABB—strong demand for electrical equipment and improved operating margins—to also be reflected in the accounts of their French counterparts.
Beyond electrical equipment, other heavyweights in Paris are contributing to the index's strong performance. TotalEnergies is up 1.78% to 61.07 euros, Société Générale advances 1.54% to 72.50 euros, and ArcelorMittal rises 1.47% to 47.47 euros.

European Tech Weighed Down by Mixed Results

The downside is evident on the European technology front. STMicroelectronics fell 3.20% to 24.17 euros despite a return to growth in Q4. The Franco-Italian semiconductor manufacturer reported fourth-quarter 2025 results that showed a rebound in annual growth, yet this was set against a backdrop of declining operating profitability. The industrial cycle remains unfavorable across several key segments, weighing on the stock. The sectoral environment is also not very promising: even though ASML closed 2025 with record revenue of 32.7 billion euros, this news does not prevent caution from prevailing over French tech stocks. Consequently, Dassault Systèmes fell 1.59% to 23.55 euros.
Another disappointment of the day was Eurofins Scientific, which tumbled 3.68% to 68.02 euros despite solid 2025 results with a 24% increase in earnings per share to 2.31 euros and a raised dividend by 20%. The laboratory analysis group seems to be facing profit-taking. Finally, it's worth noting that Publicis Groupe dropped 2.26% to 83.08 euros, and Saint-Gobain slipped 1.20% to 83.76 euros.