PARIS – The main European stock markets closed higher on Friday, with investors focusing on information relating to Chinese recovery plans expected on Saturday, company results and the monetary policy of the European Central Bank.
In Paris, the CAC 40 gained 0.48% to 7,577.89 points. In London, the FTSE 100 gained 0.19% and in Frankfurt, the Dax advanced 0.75%.
The EuroStoxx 50 index gained 0.68%, the FTSEurofirst 300 0.54% and the Stoxx 600 0.55%.
“We currently find ourselves in a phase of uncertainty where economies are unlikely to fall into recession, where rates are still high, where there is no clear path for reducing interest rates and where earnings were resilient, but where expectations were rather low,” said Daniela Sabin Hathorn, senior market analyst at Capital.com.
Fitch’s credit rating for France, which unveiled its budget for 2025 on Thursday, was expected on Friday evening.
The ECB will also meet on October 17, and markets expect a rate cut followed by a second decision of this type in December.
In terms of values, Stellantis lost 2.77% after announcing that its CEO, Carlos Tavares, would step down in 2026.
Bayer loses 1.86% after a Philadelphia court jury said the company must pay $78 million in the latest lawsuit over its drug Roundup.
Saga takes 9.16% after having declared that it was entering into discussions with the Belgian insurer Ageas for the creation of a partnership and after having published an underlying profit almost three times higher than the previous year.
(Written by Pauline Foret)
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