Investing.com – France stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Financials and Consumer Goods sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Paris, the CAC 40 gained 1.36% to hit a new 6-months high, while the SBF 120 index added 1.26%.
The best performers of the session on the CAC 40 were ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA), which rose 4.98% or 0.374 points to trade at 7.883 at the close. Meanwhile, Peugeot SA (PA:PEUP) added 4.24% or 0.61 points to end at 15.13 and AXA SA (PA:AXAF) was up 4.01% or 0.94 points to 24.38 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Publicis Groupe SA (PA:PUBP), which fell 2.22% or 1.37 points to trade at 60.24 at the close. Veolia Environnement VE SA (PA:VIE) declined 1.64% or 0.260 points to end at 15.565 and Airbus Group (PA:AIR) was down 1.38% or 0.82 points to 58.58.
The top performers on the SBF 120 were Altran Technologies (PA:ALTT) which rose 6.69% to 12.830, Sopra Steria Group SA (PA:SOPR) which was up 5.55% to settle at 98.52 and Faurecia (PA:EPED) which gained 5.35% to close at 36.23.
The worst performers were Innate Pharma (PA:IPH) which was down 4.00% to 13.440 in late trade, Genfit (PA:GNFT) which lost 3.20% to settle at 21.905 and Worldline SA (PA:WLN) which was down 2.99% to 23.505 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Paris Stock Exchange by 461 to 243 and 97 ended unchanged.
Shares in ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 4.98% or 0.374 to 7.883.
The CAC 40 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was down 2.72% to 16.16 a new 1-month low.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.69% or 8.05 to $1178.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 1.53% or 0.78 to hit $50.15 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 1.09% or 0.59 to trade at $53.34 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.31% to 1.0751, while EUR/GBP rose 0.95% to 0.8532.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.21% at 100.30.