CAC 40 Achieves New Milestone
At approximately 10:00 AM Paris time, the CAC 40 index surged by 1.09%, reaching 8,403.74 points, thereby eclipsing its previous intraday record of 8,396.72 points set on January 14. During early trading, the index even peaked at 8,437.35 points, underscoring the strength of the upward momentum.
European Markets Reflect Positive Sentiment
The positive trend was mirrored across other major European exchanges, with London advancing by 0.47%, Frankfurt rising by 1.22%, and Milan increasing by 0.80%. This optimism is largely attributed to a wave of favorable corporate earnings reports.
Strong Earnings Drive Market Confidence
Analysts note that the European markets, including the CAC 40, are benefiting from a better-than-expected earnings season, particularly for the fourth quarter of 2025. Thursday's trading session was notably influenced by the annual earnings announcements from several key companies.
Highlights from Corporate Earnings Reports
Among the standout performers was EssilorLuxottica, the global leader in optics, whose shares soared by 5.98% to €265.80 after a remarkable increase of over 9%. The company reported sales that exceeded market expectations for 2025, driven by its AI-enhanced eyewear.
Legrand also capitalized on the AI trend, posting a net profit increase of 6.7% to €1.24 billion last year, which propelled its stock up by 5.53% to €152.65.
The luxury sector contributed significantly to the market's gains, with Hermès shares rising by 1.79% to €2,158 following a reported 5.5% growth in sales, totaling €16 billion for the past fiscal year.
