Investing.com – France stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, Financials and Oil & Gas sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Paris, the CAC 40 gained 0.30% to hit a new 3-months high, while the SBF 120 index added 0.23%.
The best performers of the session on the CAC 40 were BNP Paribas SA (PA:BNPP), which rose 1.83% or 1.23 points to trade at 68.53 at the close. Meanwhile, ArcelorMittal SA (AS:MT) added 1.26% or 0.285 points to end at 22.985 and AXA SA (PA:AXAF) was up 1.23% or 0.32 points to 25.86 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Valeo SA (PA:VLOF), which fell 1.14% or 0.73 points to trade at 63.17 at the close. Essilor International Compagnie Generale d’Optique SA (PA:ESSI) declined 1.12% or 1.20 points to end at 105.50 and Sodexo (PA:EXHO) was down 0.85% or 0.90 points to 104.85.
The top performers on the SBF 120 were Electricite de France SA (PA:EDF) which rose 3.29% to 10.52, Ubisoft Entertainment (PA:UBIP) which was up 2.19% to settle at 61.660 and Neopost (PA:NPOS) which gained 1.87% to close at 34.41.
The worst performers were Rexel (PA:RXL) which was down 2.92% to 14.12 in late trade, Gemalto (AS:GTO) which lost 2.32% to settle at 35.65 and SES (PA:SESFd) which was down 2.29% to 18.16 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Paris Stock Exchange by 302 to 293 and 98 ended unchanged.
Shares in AXA SA (PA:AXAF) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 1.23% or 0.32 to 25.86. Shares in Ubisoft Entertainment (PA:UBIP) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.19% or 1.320 to 61.660. Shares in Gemalto (AS:GTO) fell to 5-year lows; falling 2.32% or 0.84 to 35.65.
The CAC 40 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was down 4.28% to 11.46.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.06% or 0.79 to $1276.01 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 1.80% or 0.90 to hit $50.88 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 2.19% or 1.22 to trade at $57.02 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.43% to 1.1710, while EUR/GBP rose 0.41% to 0.8916.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.45% at 93.73.