(BFM Stock Exchange) – The Parisian index closes sharply, picked cold by the threats of Donald Trump who threatened this Friday, May 23, to increase customs duties on products imported from the European Union from June 1. CAC 40 gives 1.9% over the week.

The operators did not expect a very agitated weekend on the markets. Donald Trump put the issue of customs duties at the center of investors’ concerns who had barely closed the chapter of the budget bill to the House of Representatives.

The tenant of the White House used his favorite weapon, namely customs duties, justifying his appeal by very difficult “commercial negotiations with the European Union. He thus threatened to apply customs duties of 50% on products imported from the European Union from June 1.

It is therefore a bright red weekend for the CAC 40 which ends in sharp decrease of 1.65% to 7,734.40 points. The Parisian index had lost more than 3% in the afternoon, bending under the fears fed by investors on the return of a large-scale trade war.

Over the week, the Parisian star index therefore restores 1.93%.

Discussions that lead “nowhere”

“It is very difficult to deal with the EU, which was created in the first place to take advantage of the United States from a commercial point of view. (…) Our discussions are not going out. In these conditions I recommend that I impose 50% customs duties on the EU, from June 1. There are no customs duties on products manufactured in the United States,” wrote Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform.

“The American president also recalled a long list of grievances against the European Union, among which we find VAT, accusations of manipulation of the currency, or even attacks against American companies,” said CPRAM economists in a note published this Friday afternoon.

The values ​​of luxury and the automotive sector very exposed to customs risk have experienced a difficult session. Red lantern of CAC 40, Essilorluxottica abandoned 4.80%, Stellantis lost 4.6%. Hermès returned 2.6%, LVMH -1.6%. On the side of spirits, Rémy Cointreau dropped 4.1% when Pernod Ricard contracted 3.10%.

French cognac producers would no longer be able to sell their brandy in the United States if customs duties of 50% told Reuters a high source in the sector.

Apple in the viewfinder of Donald Trump

Apple is also in the viewfinder of the American president who threatened the 25% customs duties tech giant on the iPhone manufactured outside American soil.

“It has been a long time since I informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expected that the iPhone that will be sold in the United States of America are manufactured and built in the United States, not in India or elsewhere,” said Donald Trump on Truth Social. The title of the apple brand accuses the blow, and falls 2.4%.

In early April, Bank of America analysts had estimated that an “made in USA” iPhone would cost 90% more to produce, taking into account the importation of the new “reciprocal” customs rights in force at the time of writing this note.

Gondola’s head Vusegroup

VusionGroup resisted customs loungers (+9.3%) after being retained by the British CO-OP brand to replace traditional paper labels with electronic solutions in its 2,400 stores.

Carrefour sold 1.45%. The distribution giant Ahold Delhaize attempted at the end of 2024 to buy the French group, reports the letter.

On the currency front, the euro increased by 0.6% against the dollar, to 1.1346 dollars. Oil prices are growing. The price of the Brent of the Brent of the North Sea, for delivery in July earns 0.6% at 64.85 dollars. The barrel of WTI of the same deadline is won 0.7% to 61.63 dollars.