The star CAC 40 index lost 81.72 points to 6,659.87 points.

After jumping 3% on Tuesday driven by hopes of progress in the Ukrainian negotiations, the Parisian rating had stalled (-0.74%) on Wednesday.

The CAC 40 ends the month of March stable, but has lost 6.89% since the start of the year, its worst quarter since the Covid-19 crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened buyers of Russian gas from "unfriendly" countries with cutting off their supply if they do not comply with Kremlin demands to make payment in roubles, a measure that would mainly affect the European Union, very dependent.

This new risk "on imports of Russian gas into Europe recreates significant stress" for the market, underlines Alexandre Hezez, strategist at Banque Richelieu.

Investors are more specifically worried about "the impact on consumption and growth prospects in Europe, if the gas supply problems are not resolved", detailed to AFP Mr. Hezez.

In the wake of this announcement, the price of the benchmark European natural gas contract rose while oil prices fell in the face of the United States' decision to draw one million barrels a day from its strategic black gold reserves, and for six months.

Rising commodity prices put pressure on inflation in Western countries.

In France, inflation reached 4.5% year on year in March, according to an initial estimate by INSEE, against 3.6% in February, driven by rising energy and food prices .

A Stellantis factory soon to be at a standstill

The Stellantis group will soon suspend the manufacture of utilities in its only Russian factory, in Kaluga (south-west of Moscow), for lack of parts.

The action lost 2.41% to 14.80 euros.

Jacques Aschenbroich approaches the head of Orange

The candidacy for the post of president of Jacques Aschenbroich, currently at the head of Valeo, was validated on Wednesday by the board of directors of Orange (-0.52% to 10.70 euros).

He will be in tandem with Christel Heydemann, who was appointed general manager earlier in the year.

Benjamin Smith reappointed to Air France-KLM

The CEO of Air France-KLM (-1.25% to 4.09 euros) Benjamin Smith has had his term extended until 2027 while KLM will be led by the current boss of the Dutch railway company NS, Marjan Rintel.

© 2022 AFP