(BFM Stock Exchange) – The Parisian index is evolving close to balance at the mid -session of this Thursday, March 13, while the announcements are multiplying on customs surcharges. Schneider Electric and L’Oréal support the trend.

The CAC 40 continues to stop on the obstacle of 8,000 points. The Parisian index is struggling to find a direction this Thursday, March 13, taking 0.05% at 7,985.96 points at mid-session.

The dynamics remain weighted by the multiple announcements swarming around the world on customs surcharges.

In response to customs duties of 25% set up by the United States on imports of steel and aluminum from all over the world, both the European Union and China and Canada have announced retaliatory measures. Donald Trump himself indicated that he would in turn retaliate, by putting customs duties that could “be a little more than reciprocal” on April 4.

On the side of economic indicators, investors will dissect a salvo of American statistics this afternoon, such as new weekly unemployed registrations as well as the price index for production for the month of February. The latter indicator could be particularly monitored in the context of customs duties increases.

Especially since the American Federal Reserve (Fed) will hold its monetary policy meeting next week.

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Schneider goes up, Thales is backing down

“The fundamentals of the American economy remain solid and, as indicated by the data of the IPC (the consumer price index, the best known measurement of inflation, editor’s note) published on Wednesday, inflation is gradually declining. However, the shock of uncertainty caused by the economic announcements of the Trump administration considerably complicates the task of the federal reserve”, judge Paolo Zanghieri Generali Investments.

“Surveys show that companies and consumers anticipate an increase in inflation due to customs duties. Indices even suggest that certain prices are already revised upwards in anticipation of these measures. At the same time, the drop in long-term interest rates reflects growing concern about growth prospects,” he adds.

On the side of the values, the CAC 40 is fired by L’Oréal (+2.5%) and to a lesser extent by Schneider Electric (+0.4%) which is supported by an enhancement of advice for purchase from Goldman Sachs.

Conversely Thales fell 0.7% while Jefferies lowered his recommendation to “keep” against “buy”. The same design office initiated its coverage to purchase on Dassault Aviation which takes 0.3%.

Valeo also yields 3.8% while Exane BNP Paribas lowered his advice to “neutral” against “outperformance”.

In other markets, the euro lost 0.2% against the dollar at 1.0868 dollars. Oil is retreating. The contract in May on Brent de Mer du Nord gives up 0.3% to $ 70.67 a barrel while the April on the WTI on the WTI in New York abandons 0.4% to 67.39 Dollars per barrel.