Paris (AFP)

The Paris Stock Exchange ended at a new annual high (+ 0.56%) on Friday, driven both by the Fed's decision yesterday and by technical factors, in a market that kept an eye on the Sino trade dossier -American.

The CAC 40 index took 31.70 points to finish at 5,690.78 points, also a record since December 2007, in a significant trade volume of 3.9 billion euros. The day before, it ended up 0.68%.

Over the past week, the index has gained 0.62%. It's up 20.29% since January 1st.

The Paris market opened to balance before gaining insurance during the session, amounting to 5,696.25 points, a new high on the annual listing.

The session was "pretty good with new annual peaks on the CAC 40" with "technical support due to the so-called session of the + four witches +, the simultaneous expiry of the futures and options on the main indices", a observed with AFP Andrea Tuéni, an analyst of Saxo Bank.

In addition, "the Fed meeting continued to advance the markets," he added.

The US central bank on Wednesday announced a modest drop in interest rates, by 25 basis points, the second in two months, anxious to protect the world's largest economy uncertainties weighing on trade and the global economy.

"Now, we will monitor the progress in the negotiations between the United States and China, which will again become the number one concern for investors," Tuéni said.

Macroeconomics will also be closely scrutinized, according to Tuéni, because it is a variable closely monitored by the Fed.

"As things stand, we have central banks that support (the markets) and a macroeconomic situation that is not that dramatic," the analyst said.

As for the clearings on the front of the Brexit, they have "not really had an impact", he continued, although that "may contribute to the good mood and optimism".

Britain's Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay said on Friday that there is "momentum" in talks with the EU to reach an agreement on leaving Britain after a meeting with EU negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to meet with European Council President Donald Tusk on Monday afternoon in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York.

- Korian and Alten lead the dance -

Casino has risen 3.79% to 45.49 euros after having officially announced to have entered "in discussions" with the German group Aldi to give him his brand Leader Price, in order to continue its deleveraging.

Oil stocks were again sought after, as prices remained buoyant due to supply concerns in the Middle East. Total gained 2.73% to 49.48 euros.

Marie Brizard Wine and Spirits (MBWS) benefited from a net loss reduction of almost one-third in the first half of 2019 (+ 2.33% to 2.20 euros), even though the group has remained in the red since more than two years.

Derichebourg jumped 8.70% to 3.75 euros. The recycling group wants to buy Lyrsa, the Spanish leader in scrap metal recycling.

© 2019 AFP