The CAC 40 ends slightly lower at close, weighed down by Dassault Systèmes decline

A Trading Session Without Direction in Paris

The Parisian index spent the day oscillating around equilibrium, unable to make a clear decision. The dispersion itself sums up the atmosphere: 22 stocks rose while 18 fell, an almost symmetrical split for the CAC 40.

The European scenario offered no clear trend to guide Paris. In London, the FTSE 100 ended the day stable at the close. Across the Atlantic, Wall Street was slightly down in the afternoon session: the S&P 500 fell by 0.37% and the Dow Jones by 0.50%, while the Nasdaq 100 barely stayed afloat (+0.07%).

In the background, geopolitical tensions remain high. Oil is trading near $90 a barrel, driven by renewed hostilities between Iran and the United States and concerns about flow disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. This climate maintains an energy risk premium in the markets.

Industry and Hospitality Stand Out

Leading the gains, Legrand rises by 3.26% to 140.90 euros. The electrical equipment specialist announced the maintenance of its Platinum EcoVadis medal, ranking it in the top 1% of companies evaluated on non-financial criteria.

Accor closely follows with a gain of 2.47% to 46.90 euros. The hotel group launched a 380 million euro convertible bond issue this week to buy back its 2027 OCEANEs. Simultaneously, Morgan Stanley upgraded its rating on the stock to « overweight, » with a target price raised to 55 euros.

Industrial stocks round out the podium. ArcelorMittal progresses by 2.41% to 67.24 euros, supported by Deutsche Bank's target price raise from 66 to 71 euros. STMicroelectronics gains 1.77%, and Stellantis rises by 1.59%, with the manufacturer unveiling an expansion of its offer of remanufactured parts to include electric and hybrid vehicles.

Technology and Energy Under Pressure

Today's downturn has a clear signature: that of technology stocks. Dassault Systèmes leads the fall with a plunge of 6.41% to 21.04 euros, by far the steepest drop in the index. The sector dragged down Capgemini, which dropped 3.27% to 106.40 euros, and Publicis Groupe, which retreated by 2.55% to 101.10 euros despite CIC Market Solutions raising its target from 110 to 120 euros.

The energy sector also weighed on the market. TotalEnergies is down 2.46% to 76.10 euros. The group announced it has become the operator of Mopane, a giant oil discovery in Namibia, strengthening its position in the Orange Basin. However, Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on the stock to « market weight, » lowering its recommendation by one notch.

EssilorLuxottica rounds out the list of declines, down 2.06% to 149.80 euros, in a session where investors clearly favored industry over technology.