Investing.com – France stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare Equipment & Services, Food Producers and Aerospace & Defense sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Paris, the CAC 40 rose 1.51%, while the SBF 120 index added 1.50%.
The best performers of the session on the CAC 40 were Publicis Groupe SA (PA:PUBP), which rose 4.58% or 2.56 points to trade at 58.44 at the close. Meanwhile, Lafargeholcim Ltd (PA:LHN) added 4.29% or 2.12 points to end at 51.57 and AXA SA (PA:AXAF) was up 3.70% or 0.91 points to 25.39 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA), which fell 2.98% or 0.14 points to trade at 4.46 at the close. Accor SA (PA:ACCP) declined 1.53% or 0.59 points to end at 38.01 and Technip (PA:TECF) was down 1.04% or 0.51 points to 47.95.
The top performers on the SBF 120 were Eurofins Scientific (PA:EUFI) which rose 9.94% to 344.05, Alten (PA:LTEN) which was up 6.16% to settle at 50.89 and Publicis Groupe SA (PA:PUBP) which gained 4.58% to close at 58.44.
The worst performers were ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA) which was down 2.98% to 4.46 in late trade, Air France KLM SA (PA:AIRF) which lost 2.88% to settle at 6.103 and Rexel (PA:RXL) which was down 2.43% to 12.47 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Paris Stock Exchange by 439 to 285 and 64 ended unchanged.
Shares in ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA) fell to 5-year lows; losing 2.98% or 0.14 to 4.46. Shares in AXA SA (PA:AXAF) rose to 5-year highs; up 3.70% or 0.91 to 25.39. Shares in Eurofins Scientific (PA:EUFI) rose to all time highs; up 9.94% or 31.10 to 344.05. Shares in ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA) fell to 5-year lows; down 2.98% or 0.14 to 4.46. Shares in Alten (PA:LTEN) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 6.16% or 2.96 to 50.89.
The CAC 40 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was down 5.46% to 23.33.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.26% or 2.80 to $1071.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 0.28% or 0.12 to hit $42.75 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 0.70% or 0.33 to trade at $45.80 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.15% to 1.0627, while EUR/GBP fell 0.41% to 0.7027.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.07% at 99.76.