PARIS (Reuters) – The main European stock markets are trending upwards on Thursday morning, allowing certain indices to set new records for the last session of a quarter marked by the prospect of a drop in interest rates in the next few months before the Easter long weekend.
In Paris, around 08:50 GMT, the CAC 40 rose 0.34% to 8,232.50 points, after hitting an unprecedented peak at 8,232.7 points. In London, the FTSE 100, supported by energy stocks, advanced 0.25%. In Frankfurt, the Dax gained 0.06% the day after its record at 18,511.17 points.
The EuroStoxx 50 index increased by 0.27% and the FTSEurofirst 300 by 0.18%. The Stoxx 600 gained 0.20% after a historic peak during the session at 512.96 points.
Over the entire quarter, the CAC 40 gained at this stage 9.14% and the Stoxx 600 7.05%, the indices having benefited from the prospect of a relaxation of the monetary policy of the major central banks from the month of June and the craze for artificial intelligence.
Investors are now awaiting the publication of the PCE price index in the United States on Friday to confirm this hope while most markets will end the quarter this Thursday due to the Easter holidays.
Futures contracts on Wall Street foreshadow a stable opening for the indices the day after a session in the green where industrial stocks were particularly sought after, which allowed the Dow to end with a gain of 1.22%.
On the stock market in Europe, the positive trend was driven on Thursday by the consumer (+0.63%) and energy (+0.34%) sectors.
In terms of values, in Paris, Casino fell by 63.70% upon the resumption of the stock’s trading and after the announcement of the implementation of the distributor’s financial restructuring.
Still on the SBF 120, Trigano climbed 4.99%, the leisure vehicle manufacturer having reported growth of 17.2% in its turnover in the first half.
In London, AO World, which announced Thursday that it anticipates an adjusted annual profit before tax at the top of the previously indicated range, jumped 8.40%, while JD Sports advanced 6.96% after confirming its forecast of annual profit.
(Written by Claude Chendjou, edited by Blandine Hénault)
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