CAC 40 Closes Above 8,600 for First Time as Paris Sets New Record

Overview

• France’s blue-chip index rose 0.72% to 8,620.93 on Thursday, hitting an intraday peak of 8,642.23 and topping the 8,600 threshold for the first time.
• Strong corporate updates buoyed the market, with Engie jumping about 7% after announcing the purchase of UK Power Networks and firms like Bouygues, Schneider Electric, Axa and Getlink posting upbeat figures or guidance.
• Nvidia reported a quarterly net profit of $42.96 billion and guided for $78 billion in revenue for the current quarter, yet U.S. trading was uneven and Nvidia shares fell roughly 4.6% intraday.
• Investors showed signs of easing concern about the near-term fallout from artificial intelligence even as questions persist over the profitability and durability of massive AI spending.
• Policy risks remained in focus as markets weighed the potential impact of the newly announced U.S. 10% global surtax, while company-specific setbacks such as Stellantis’s €22.3 billion 2025 loss highlighted ongoing crosscurrents.