(News Bulletin 247) – The Parisian index has again pushed its limits, whether at the close or during the session, and ends up 0.52%. The market digested the sales of Hermes, the good results of several American banks as well as lackluster retail sales in the United States.

The CAC 40 ends on a high note a week that has seen it repeatedly push back its records. Friday’s session was no exception, with a new high during the session – at 7,533.41 points at 3:50 p.m. – as well as at the close.

The CAC 40 finally ended the day up 0.52% to 7,519.61 points. Over the whole week, the main barometer of the Paris Stock Exchange gained 2.66%, compared to the closing of Thursday April 6 (the Paris Stock Exchange having been closed on Friday April 7).

The markets had to dissect many statistics in the United States. With in particular retail sales, which proved to be disappointing, falling in March by 1% over one month when economists were expecting a decline limited to 0.5%.

JPMorgan featured on Wall Street

Manufacturing production for the month of March fell by 0.5% over one month, which brings “further proof of the slowing of the economy as the second quarter approaches”, judges Capital Economics.

Conversely, the American consumer confidence index of the University of Michigan recovered, improving by 2.4% in April, to 63.5 points.

Against these mixed statistics, several American banks published good financial results, which are appreciated by investors. JPMorgan saw its net banking income (equivalent to turnover at banks) increase by 25%, thanks to the rise in interest rates, and its profit jump by more than 50%. The action gains more than 7% on Wall Street. Citigroup, which also unveiled results above expectations, takes its side nearly 3%.

Alstom suffers from the announced departure of its financial director

As for French stocks, the banks pulled the CAC 40 upwards, probably driven by the good results of their counterparts across the Atlantic. Societe Generale took 3.6%, BNP Paribas 3.2% and Crédit Agricole SA 2.3%.

Hermes won 1.5% after publishing sales up nearly 24% year on year for the first quarter, on a like-for-like basis, following in the footsteps of LVMH, which had already unveiled booming activity the day before.

Against the current, Alstom fell by 3%, the market worrying about the departure of its financial director, Laurent Martinez, who will join Orange on September 1st.

On other markets, the euro fell 0.6% against the dollar to 1.0984 dollar. Oil prices are struggling to advance. The North Sea Brent contract for June delivery fell 0.1% to $85.99 a barrel while the May contract on New York-listed WTI rose 0.3% to $82.37 a barrel .