CAC 40 Soars Nearly 1.8% as ArcelorMittal and Stellantis Set the Tone

A Morning Driven by a Synchronized European Movement

European stock markets are moving in unison this morning on May 6th. The German DAX is up 1.66%, the London FTSE 100 by 1.84%, and the pan-European STOXX 600 by 1.64%. In Paris, the SBF 120 is rising by 1.62%, in close step with the CAC 40. Across the Atlantic, the previous day's close had already set the tone, with the Dow Jones up 0.73%, the S&P 500 at +0.81%, and the Nasdaq at +1.03%. In Asia, trading also ended on a positive note, with the Hang Seng gaining 1.22% and the Nikkei 225 finishing slightly up by 0.38%.

The dispersion observed in Paris illustrates the day's tone: 35 out of 40 stocks are up. This rare consensus reflects a session generally oriented towards buying across all listed sectors.

Steel, Automotive, Aerospace, and Financials Leading the Way

ArcelorMittal leads the list of increases with a jump of 5.65% to 52.38 euros. The steelmaker is followed by Stellantis, which rises 4.57% to 6.47 euros. The aerospace sector is not left behind: Safran gains 3.93% to 283 euros.

The financial sector is accompanying the trend. AXA advances by 3.72% to 41.79 euros, as the insurer reported a 6% increase in revenues to 38 billion euros in the first quarter of 2026, driven by all its business lines. The Solvency II ratio stands at 211%, down 4 points since January, reflecting unfavorable market effects linked to inflation and volatility in equities and rates. Société Générale rounds out the top 5 gains with an increase of 3.69% to 68.77 euros.

The breadth of the movement is notable: heavy industry, automotive, defense aerospace, and financials are moving in the same direction, indicating a broad appetite rather than a targeted sector rotation.

A handful of contrarian stocks, led by TotalEnergies

Only five stocks are declining mid-morning. TotalEnergies records the largest drop in the index, down 1.82% at 77.86 euros. This movement comes as crude oil prices are tending to decline slightly, with Brent trading around 105 dollars a barrel this morning compared to 110 dollars yesterday. The situation remains unclear around the Strait of Hormuz: China is officially calling for an end to hostilities, and the United States seems to be moving towards ceasing operations following yet another reversal by Donald Trump, while a new cargo ship was hit by gunfire this morning.

STMicroelectronics is down 0.77% at 48.43 euros, while Euronext falls 0.28% to 142.20 euros. Sanofi (-0.22% at 74 euros) and Capgemini (-0.09% at 105.35 euros) are only slightly off balance. Apart from TotalEnergies, the day's losses remain very limited, confirming the overall positive tone of this Parisian morning.