Stock Markets April 1, 2026

Paris equities climb as Industrials, Financials and Tech lead gains - CAC 40 up 2.10%

Broad advance lifts SBF 120; Societe Generale, ArcelorMittal and Thales among top performers while energy and eyewear names lag

By Sofia Navarro
Paris equities climb as Industrials, Financials and Tech lead gains - CAC 40 up 2.10%

French equities closed notably higher on Wednesday, with gains concentrated in Industrials, Financials and Technology stocks. The CAC 40 rose 2.10% and the SBF 120 gained 2.15%. Market breadth favored advancers, volatility on the CAC 40 options gauge held at a 52-week high, while commodities and FX moved unevenly.

Key Points

  • CAC 40 rose 2.10% and SBF 120 climbed 2.15% as Industrials, Financials and Technology stocks led gains.
  • Top CAC 40 winners included Societe Generale (EPA:SOGN), ArcelorMittal (AS:MT) and Thales (EPA:TCFP); TotalEnergies (EPA:TTEF) and EssilorLuxottica (EPA:ESLX) were among the laggards.
  • Market breadth was positive with 358 advancing stocks versus 133 decliners; the CAC 40 VIX held at 18.96, a 52-week high.

Paris stocks ended the trading day higher on Wednesday as strength in Industrials, Financials and Technology names drove indices upward. The CAC 40 advanced 2.10% at the close, while the broader SBF 120 climbed 2.15%.

Top movers on the CAC 40

  • Societe Generale SA (EPA:SOGN) led gains among large-cap names, rising 6.80% or 4.20 points to finish at 65.96.
  • ArcelorMittal SA (AS:MT) added 6.43% or 2.82 points to close at 46.66.
  • Thales (EPA:TCFP) was up 5.71% or 14.40 points to end the session at 266.50.

Lagging names

  • TotalEnergies SE (EPA:TTEF) was the weakest among the headline stocks, falling 4.14% or 3.35 points to 77.56 at the close.
  • EssilorLuxottica SA (EPA:ESLX) declined 2.24% or 4.45 points to 193.95.
  • Pernod Ricard SA (EPA:PERP) slipped 1.00% or 0.64 points to 63.58.

SBF 120 movers

  • Air France KLM SA (EPA:AIRF) was the top performer on the SBF 120, jumping 8.93% to 9.32.
  • Societe Generale (EPA:SOGN) and ArcelorMittal (AS:MT) also featured among the SBF 120 leaders, up 6.80% and 6.43% respectively, closing at 65.96 and 46.66.
  • On the downside, Viridien SA (EPA:VIRI) lost 8.30% to 123.70, joining TotalEnergies (EPA:TTEF) and EssilorLuxottica (EPA:ESLX) among the session’s worst performers.

Market breadth and volatility

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the Paris Stock Exchange by 358 to 133, with 76 stocks unchanged. The CAC 40 VIX, the index measuring implied volatility for CAC 40 options, was unchanged at 0.00% and stood at 18.96, marking a new 52-week high.

Commodities

  • Gold futures for June delivery rose 2.88% or 134.97 to trade at $4,813.57 a troy ounce.
  • Crude oil for May delivery fell 1.54% or 1.56 to $99.82 a barrel.
  • The June Brent contract decreased 1.96% or 2.04 to $101.93 a barrel.

Currencies and dollar index

  • The euro strengthened against the dollar, with EUR/USD up 0.51% to 1.16.
  • EUR/GBP was effectively unchanged, moving 0.22% to 0.87.
  • The US Dollar Index Futures declined 0.54% to 99.22.

Overall, Wednesday’s session showed broad buying interest across several sectors, with specific large-cap winners offsetting declines in energy and select consumer names.


Note: All price movements and percentage changes are as reported at the close of trading in Paris on Wednesday.

Risks

  • Energy-sector weakness - TotalEnergies (EPA:TTEF) declined 4.14%, indicating downside risk in energy names that could pressure broader indices.
  • Selected consumer and eyewear exposure - EssilorLuxottica (EPA:ESLX) fell 2.24%, posing potential headwinds for consumer-related sectors.
  • Volatility at multi-quarter highs - The CAC 40 VIX was unchanged at 18.96, a 52-week high, reflecting elevated option-implied volatility that may increase market uncertainty.

More from Stock Markets

Kering Sells Majority Stake in Milan Flagship to Al-Mirqab for €1.16bn Apr 1, 2026 SpaceX IPO Filing Spurs Broad Gains Across Aerospace Stocks Apr 1, 2026 Morgan Stanley Lowers Earnings Forecasts for Traditional Asset Managers Ahead of Q1 Results Apr 1, 2026 California, Other States Seek $10.3 Million After Blocking Kroger-Albertsons Deal Apr 1, 2026 Italian senators push draft law to limit social media design that 'hooks' users Apr 1, 2026