(BFM Stock Exchange) – The Parisian star index evolves sharply down this Monday, March 31. The operators are nervous as April 2 approaches, when the United States intends to set up reciprocal customs duties over all of their imports.

It is a new week that is difficult to start on the Paris Stock Exchange. Its star index, the CAC 40 drops 2% to 7,755.58 points at mid-session on Monday, March 31. In the month, the Parisian index lost more than 4%.

The atmosphere on the markets is clearly heavy upstream of the date of April 2 to which the United States must reveal “reciprocal” customs duties on all of their imports. On Wednesday, Donald Trump had already announced customs surcharge on automotive imports from April 3.

The Nikkei index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange accused the blow, dropping by more than 4% on Monday. This fall therefore changed it in the correction zone with a drop of more than 10% compared to its highest in December.

“A march towards independence” of Europe

“On April 2, 2025, baptized ‘Liberation Day’ by Donald Trump, will mark the announcement of new reciprocal customs tariffs, specifically targeting the 15% of countries with which the United States has the most important commercial imbalances. Unlike the market fears of a universal application, only countries imposing prices in the United States and presenting a commercial deficit with the United States, The latest information communicated, “notes William Gerlach, Vice-President Market Operations at Ibanfirst.

This trade war initiated by Donald Trump “is the beginning of a march towards independence” of Europe, said this Monday on France Inter the president of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde.

In this context of uncertainty about the trade policy of the United States, Christine Lagarde also added that “inflation is an everyday fight”. “To say that it’s over is behind us, no, because unfortunately, we are subject to lots of uncertainty,” said Christine Lagarde who refers to Donald Trump’s decisions on American customs duties. It is in this particular context that operators will also gain knowledge this Monday inflation figures in Germany for the month of March.

Maurel & Prom in the hard

The CAC 40 evolves mainly in decline, only the defensive values ​​orange (+1.10%) and Danone (+0.2%) manage to evolve in the green.

Maurel & Prom drops 15.6% in reaction to the revocation by the United States of its specific license to exercise its oil activities in Venezuela.

In other markets, the euro gives way 0.05% against the dollar to 1.0819 dollars. The gold continues its rise, and hit a new record on Monday at 3.127.92 dollars on Monday. Oil is up, supported by Donald Trump’s threats to Russian oil. The May contract on the Brent de Mer du Nord, of which it is the last day of rating, takes 0.15% at 72.87 dollars per barrel while that of May on the WTI listed in New York gains 0.2% at 69.47 Dollars per barrel.