The flagship CAC 40 index gained 0.59%, or 41.88 points, to 7,139.39 points around 09:50, after having marked a sharp decline of 1.54% the day before.

The Paris Stock Exchange starts June on a good note, after ending May with a monthly loss of 5.24%, its first decline since the beginning of the year, but also the worst since September 2022.

Investors have been sensitive in recent days to the tensions surrounding a possible default on US debt.

The text must now be adopted by the Senate, which is expected to vote quickly.

The Fed still under surveillance

Investors' attention will again be captured by the United States, after comments from representatives of the US central bank (Fed).

On Wednesday, Fed Governor Philip Jefferson and Philadelphia Branch President Patrick Harker both publicly supported a monetary status quo at the end of the next meeting, on June 13-14.

However, the U.S. Department of Labor's JOLTS report released data demonstrating that demand for workers remains strong. In detail, 10.1 million jobs were vacant in April, 358,000 more than in March and this is much more than the 9.5 million expected by economists.

In the run-up to the Fed's Monetary Committee (FOMC) meeting in June, the institution "will likely face higher inflation, more robust domestic demand momentum and a tighter-than-expected labor market at the May meeting," Barclays analysts said.

"The FOMC consensus will not consider monetary policy to be sufficiently restrictive," which could push the Fed to move toward raising interest rates again.

Eurozone inflation expected

Inflation and unemployment figures for the eurozone are due at 11:00. The manufacturing PMI for France will be released at 9:50 a.m.

After weaker-than-expected inflation figures in France, Germany and Italy, "this trend could well be repeated in the European Union figures for May," said Michael Hewson of CMC Markets.

Safran spices up its relationship with Air Liquide

Safran (+1.08% to 136.90 euros around 09:55) has entered into "exclusive negotiations" with Air Liquide to acquire its oxygen generation activities on board aircraft, an operation that should allow it to strengthen itself in the military segment, announced Thursday the aerospace equipment manufacturer.

© 2023 AFP