Paris (AFP)

The Paris Stock Exchange set to break even at mid-session (+ 0.03%) Monday while waiting for the signing of the partial commercial agreement between the United States and China to materialize and for the season results begins.

At 1:35 pm (12:35 GMT), the CAC 40 index gleaned 2.10 points to 6.039.21 points in a trading volume of 892 million euros. On Friday, it finished almost stable (-0.09%) at 6,037.11 points.

The Parisian coast has remained close to balance since the opening.

Wall Street was preparing to open in the green. The futures contract on the flagship Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.29%, like the broader S&P 500 index (+ 0.29%) and that on the highly technological Nasdaq, by 0.39%.

The Japanese market was closed.

Investors are "still digesting the latest geopolitical developments between the United States and Iran, as well as the disappointing report on US jobs on Friday," wrote Pierre Veyret, technical analyst at ActivTrades.

"Many traders are also preparing for a busy week, with much higher volatility in sight," he said.

"Significant economic data from around the world, the signing of the US-China phase 1 trade agreement and the start of the profit season are likely to set the tone for financial markets this week," explains the expert.

If the calendar is respected, China and the United States must ratify Wednesday the first stage of a trade agreement in Washington, an officialization awaited for months by the markets against the background of a global economic slowdown.

President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that the ratification of a "phase 2" deal could be postponed until after the US presidential election in November.

- Renault discomfits -

"The second phase of the trade agreement is likely to be more complicated to materialize since it will cover themes such as intellectual property rights. Beijing can play on the long term and it is unlikely that it will make too many concessions to President Trump, "wrote David Madden, analyst at CMC Markets.

In Europe, the British economy contracted 0.3% in November over a month, suffering from a slowdown in both services and production and continuing to falter as Brexit approaches.

In terms of values, Renault, the biggest drop in the CAC 40, fell 2.45% to 40.82 euros. Nissan is considering a possible separation from Renault after the latest twists in the Carlos Ghosn saga, according to Bloomberg.

At the other end of the index, Publicis benefited (+ 2.96% to 43.19 euros) from an increase in recommendation to "buy" against "neutral" by Goldman Sachs.

PSA sold 0.72% to 20.72 euros. The Peugeot family, which will hold just over 6% of the group's capital formed by the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler, intends to exercise its option to acquire an additional 2.5% as soon as possible, she said in an interview on Sunday exclusive to L'Est Républicain.

Vivendi fell 0.73% to 25.71 euros after the shareholders of the Italian group Mediaset on Friday validated the amendments to its proposed European holding company, despite opposition from Vivendi with whom it has been in conflict for more than three years.

Euronext took 0.13% to 77.15 euros while Jefferies began monitoring the title to purchase with a target price of 88 euros.

© 2020 AFP