CAC 40 Modestly Higher After PMI, Business Confidence Data

(RTTNews) - French stocks are modestly higher Friday morning with investors digesting French and Eurozone PMI readings, and continuing to track corporate earnings updates.

Tariff threats and geopolitical tensions weigh on sentiment and limit market's upside.

The benchmark CAC 40 was up 25.52 or 0.31% at 8,148.10 a few minutes ago.

Air Liquide is rising nearly 3% to a 7-month high, after reporting 7.3% jump in earnings per share to 5.74 euros in fiscal 2024. The company's net profit rose to 3.31 billion euros in 2024, up 7.4% from a year ago. Air Liquide has also lifted its medium-term operating margin guidance

STMicroElectronics, Schneider Electrics, Edenred, Capgemini and Stellantis are up 1.5 to 1.7%. Teleperformance, L'Oreal, Societe Generale, Pernod Ricard, ArcelorMittal, LVMH and Vivendi are advancing 0.8 to 1.25%.

Safran is declining 1%. Airbus Group, TotalEnergies, Eurofins Scientific, Unibail Rodamco and Sanofi are down 0.5 to 1%.

Monthly data from the statistical office INSEE said the confidence among French manufacturers rebounded somewhat in February on the back of an improvement in personal production prospects and signs of order book recovery. The data said the manufacturing sentiment index rose slightly to 97 in February from 96.0 in January.

The overall business confidence index, which comprises the responses of business leaders from sectors such as manufacturing, construction, services, retail trade, and wholesale trade, rose further in February, with the measure rising to 96 from 95 in January. At the same time, the employment climate index declined to 94 from 98.

S&P Global said the HCOB France Composite PMI fell to 44.5 in February 2025, the lowest in over a year, compared to January's 47.6, according to flash estimates.

The HCOB Flash France Manufacturing PMI rose to 45.5 in February 2025, up from 45 in January, in line with market expectations, while the Services PMI dropped to 44.5 in February 2025 from 48.2 in the previous month.

The HCOB Eurozone Composite PMI at 50.2 in February of 2025, remaining unchanged from the previous month for a second consecutive period. The Eurozone manufacturing PMI rose to 47.3 in February from 46.6 in January, while services PMI fell to a three-month low of 50.7 in February, down from 51.3 in January.