Paris (AFP)

The Paris Bourse remained on its guard (-0.62%) Wednesday at midday, digesting both the prospect of a likely future postponement of Brexit and many corporate results.

At 14:00 (12:00 GMT), the CAC 40 index fell by 35.10 points to 5,622.59 points, in a trade volume of 1.08 billion euros. The day before, he ended up in a small rise of 0.17%.

The Parisian coast started in the red and kept this trend during the morning.

Wall Street was also moving towards an opening in negative territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average index futures contract yielded 0.12%, the broad-based S & P 500 index 0.17% and the Nasdaq, with a strong technological color, 0.12%.

We have witnessed "a step forward and a step back in the Brexit process when yesterday Parliament supported the agreement of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but then rejected the proposal to approve the plan in the three days, "summarized in a note David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets.

"It seems that an extension [of the UK exit deadline from the European Union] is likely, hence the mood dark markets this [Wednesday] morning," he said.

European Council President Donald Tusk has recommended that EU member states accept a third Brexit postponement after a double-edged vote by British MPs that could lead to early elections.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson succeeded on Tuesday evening to get the House of Commons to approve the principle of the new exit agreement, but the deputies refused the timetable he wanted to impose on them to vote on a text by Thursday. 110 pages.

The Conservative leader has therefore announced that he is suspending the examination of the agreement by Parliament until the European Union takes a decision on a postponement of the date of divorce, set in principle on 31 October.

"The EU will now have to say whether it is ready to accept a deadline and if so, for how long.A critical question because the duration of the postponement will condition the political strategy of Boris Johnson," said Tangi Le Liboux, a strategist of the broker Aurel BGC.

In addition to the Brexit drama, investors had a lot to do with corporate earnings publications.

In the field of statistics, the business climate in France fell slightly in October compared to September.

Consumer confidence in the eurozone for the same month is also on the agenda.

- Bic at the head of the SBF 120 -

In terms of stocks, Bic was at the head of the SBF 120 (+ 3.72% to 64.20 euros), with a net profit up 17% in the third quarter, despite a still difficult environment.

Eramet took 3.72% to 48.50 euros after a difficult start to the session. The group saw its sales decline by 6% in the third quarter, penalized in particular by the fall in the price of manganese ore.

Peugeot SA grew by 2.58% to 24.66 euros, enjoying a turnover up 1% in the third quarter, to 15.6 billion euros, despite a decline in its global deliveries of 5, 9%.

Carrefour gained 1.60% to 15.85 euros, enjoying a turnover of nearly 20 billion euros in the third quarter.

Casino was evolving in the green (+ 0.66% to 44.12 euros) after the announcement of a major transaction allowing him to postpone the maturity of its debt. In the wake of the announcement, Moody's downgraded Casino's rating to "B2" while S & P lifted its "negative watch".

Ingenico was up 1.29% to 92.76 euros, supported by a turnover that jumped 28% to 880 million euros in the third quarter, thanks to the integration of two new companies and a organic growth of 10%.

Airbus declined however by 2.15% to 119.24 euros. Fitch said Tuesday it could raise the rating of the European aircraft manufacturer, which should enjoy an improvement in its financial situation in the coming years.

© 2019 AFP