(News Bulletin 247) – The Parisian index is moving up at mid-session while the diamond group is showing strong growth, after raising its financial targets for the 2023 financial year.

For the moment it is faultless for the CAC 40. Since Monday, the Parisian index has been increasing, and currently displays four in a row. This Thursday it takes another 0.5% at mid-session, to 7326.88 points.

On the macro front, the market continues to digest the messages sent by major central bankers at the European Central Bank’s (ECB) annual forum in Sintra, Portugal. The President of the American Federal Reserve (Fed), Jerome Powell, notably opened the door to two new hikes in key rates.

>> Access our exclusive graphic analyses, and enter into the confidence of the Trading Portfolio

Renault in pole position

With restrictive statements from major central banks, “investor discussions naturally revolve around the trade-off between growth and inflation, and the possibility of price persistence,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.

But it is above all the news of the companies which dominate the attention this Thursday, with a plethora of announcements.

Renault is the star of the day on the CAC 40, gaining 5.9%, the biggest increase in the index. The automaker raised its 2023 targets thanks to a better-than-expected first half, thanks to the success of recent launches, the Austral in particular.

Engie is not to be outdone with an increase of 4.2%. The energy group announced an agreement with the Belgian government to extend two nuclear power plants with an allocation of risks and costs, for a total liability of the company towards Belgium of 23 billion euros. This agreement puts an end to a long period of uncertainty on this file.

“This is an important clarifying event for the stock which should support a strong revaluation over the next few days/months and open up a number of strategic options for Engie and potential buyers,” JP Morgan said in a statement. a note quoted by Reuters.

SES-imagotag continues to win back the market

SES-imagotag advances by 16%. To strengthen its evidence and its response to the short seller Gotham City Research, which accuses it of accounting irregularities, the group asked for certificates from its auditors to demonstrate that the transactions with the Chinese group BOE did not not made up of revenue loops. The group has, in passing, warned that its first half would be the best in its history.

Imerys gained 4.8% after announcing that it would exploit the largest lithium deposit in the United Kingdom, boding well for its future revenues in materials for electric vehicles.

OVHcloud advances by 4.9% driven by satisfactory results for the third quarter of its staggered 2022-2023 fiscal year.

Ipsen wins 3.7%. The advisory committee of the US health authority, FDA, has voted in favor of experimental palovarotene as an effective treatment for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), an ultra-rare bone disease. “The FDA is currently reviewing the New Drug Application (NDA) for palovarotene with a decision expected on August 16, 2023. If approved, palovarotene will be the first treatment in the United States for FOP,” the company explained. .

Casino plunges

The main declines of the day, they are very marked. Casino collapses 33% after the distribution group warned that a massive dilution awaited its shareholders as part of its future financial restructuring.

Orpea fell 9%. The retirement home operator’s shareholders and creditors have overwhelmingly but not unanimously approved the company’s bailout plan.

On other markets, the euro gained 0.1% against the dollar at 1.0928 dollars. Oil, for its part, is sluggish. The North Sea Brent contract for the month of August advanced 0.1% to 74.25 dollars a barrel, while that of the same expiry on the WTI listed in New York gained 0.12% to 69 $.64 a barrel.