Paris (AFP)

The Paris Bourse gave up a little ground Monday at midday (-0.23%), after having made significant progress last week, investors preferring to remain behind for lack of major appointments on the agenda.

At 10:20 a.m. (12:20 p.m. GMT), the CAC 40 index fell 14.87 points to 6,370.64 points.

On Friday, it ended up 0.45%, the highest at the close since November 7, 2000.

"This morning, the markets are hesitant. The Paris Stock Exchange is marking time at the opening, below the threshold of 6,400 points", notes Franklin Pichard, CEO of Kiplink Finance.

"If fears of inflationary pressures have so far dissipated, investors will scrutinize the April consumer price statistics in the United States on Wednesday."

Friday, the figures for job creation last month in the United States, which came out well below expectations, allowed the market to breathe "a sigh of relief", according to Ipek Ozkardeskaya, analyst at Swissquote: they calm fears of 'an overheating economy and soaring inflation.

On the health front, the United Kingdom is to announce on Monday that it will continue to lift health restrictions, like several countries in Europe where the situation is improving, but the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc in India.

In France, the vaccination campaign is accelerating this Monday with the opening to all over 50 years while Germany has decided to offer all adults who wish to receive the anti-Covid vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.

Popular banking

The upward trend in lending rates benefited bank stocks, which also posted good quarterly results.

At the top of the CAC 40, Crédit Agricole gained 2.38% to 13.18 euros and Société Générale 2.39% to 25.51 euros.

BNP Paribas rose 0.38% to 54.99 euros.

Raw materials at the party

The surge in commodity prices galvanized the securities of the sector.

ArcelorMittal gained 1.95% to 27.52 euros.

Eramet jumped 4.39% to 69.00 euros, followed by TechnipFMC (+ 3.73% to 6.96 euros), Vallourec (+ 3.60% to 31.64 euros), Aperam (+ 3.55% at 48.67 euros) and CGG (+ 3.41% at 1.01 euros).

Technip Energies rose for its part from 3.97% to 12.57 euros.

The supplier of energy projects and services will build a petrochemical plant for the Indian Oil Company at Paradip on the east coast of India, for an amount estimated between 250 and 500 million euros.

Klépierre leaps

The group, owner of dozens of shopping centers in France and Europe, progressed significantly (+ 4.98% to 23.39 euros) on Monday.

It had finally stabilized on Friday after falling in the wake of its quarterly results.

© 2021 AFP