Paris (AFP)

The Paris Bourse opted for caution (-0.11%) Thursday noon before a meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB), the economic implications of the nomination of Joe Biden having already been largely integrated by investors.

Around 1:06 p.m., the CAC 40 index fell by 6.26 points to 5,622.18 points, the day after an increase of 0.53%.

Elsewhere in Europe, the mood was also circumspect in London (+ 0.10%) or Milan (+ 0.11%), while Frankfurt was more optimistic (+ 0.44%).

On Wall Street, the futures contracts on the three main indices, which broke new records the day before, suggested an opening again in the green.

"The good mood relating to the inauguration of Joe Biden as president of the United States is circulating" in the market, notes David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets UK.

Joe Biden was invested 46th President of the United States on Thursday, a new era synonymous for the stock market with the deployment of an ambitious fiscal stimulus package of $ 1.9 trillion more to deal with the impact of the pandemic of coronavirus.

After the status quo of the Bank of Japan (BoJ), investors will focus in the early afternoon on the meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB), which should also strengthen its monetary support measures for the economy.

Borrowing rates for European government bonds, which have barely changed since the start of the week, remained sluggish.

In terms of health, the Twenty-Seven are holding a new European summit by videoconference at 6 p.m., where the response to new variants of the coronavirus will be on the agenda, acceleration of vaccination and the establishment of a common certificate.

As for indicators, the business climate improved slightly in France in January but especially in industry.

The rest of the macroeconomic agenda will be American this Thursday with new housing starts for December, weekly jobless claims and the Philadelphia area manufacturing activity index (Fed) for January.

Argan escapes the crisis

Argan rose 1.81% to 90.00 euros, strong profits which increased last year.

The real estate group specializing in warehouses has promised further growth in 2021, its activity escaping the effects of the economic crisis linked to the pandemic.

The other real estate companies, on the other hand, weighed on the quotation, like Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (-4.06% to 58.12 euros), the largest drop in the CAC 40 index, or even Klépierre (- 3.07% to 17.54 euros).

Meal delivery in vogue

Across the Rhine, the meal delivery specialist Delivery Hero (+ 1.98% to 133.75 euros), sought after by investors since the start of the health crisis linked to Covid-19, remained in shape.

Ditto for its rival Hello Fresh (+ 3.67% to 66.35 euros).

Pierre et Vacances suffers from the pandemic

Pierre et Vacances could not say the same (-2.62% to 11.15 euros), the European number one in leisure residences having seen its activity halved in the first quarter of its staggered 2020/2021 fiscal year.

© 2021 AFP