The benchmark CAC 40 experienced an increase of 18.53 points, reflecting a rise of 0.24%, reaching a level of 7,717.45 recently. French stocks are fluctuating within a narrow range on Friday as investors anticipate the release of U.S. non-farm payroll data later in the day, alongside the confidence vote scheduled for Monday by French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. Forecasts suggest that non-farm payrolls in the U.S. may have increased by 75,000 in August. The unemployment rate is projected to increase to 4.3%, marking the highest level observed since 2021. Reports indicate that French President Emmanuel Macron is eager to promptly appoint a new prime minister in light of the anticipated collapse of the government on Monday.

• STMicroElectronics has experienced an increase of 4.7%.
• ArcelorMittal, Stellantis, Legrand, Capgemini, Kering, and Safran have experienced increases ranging from 1% to 1.8%.
• Schneider Electric is experiencing an increase of nearly 1%.
• Michelin, Teleperformance, Thales, Renault, Eurofins Scientific, Publicis Groupe, and Saint Gobain are all experiencing gains.
• LVMH, L’Oreal, Pernod Ricard, Edenred, and Bouygues have experienced declines ranging from 0.6% to 1.1%. Carrefour, Societe Generale, and Essilor Exottica are exhibiting signs of weakness.

In economic news, France’s trade deficit narrowed in July compared to the previous month, driven by an increase in exports alongside a decline in imports, according to data released by the customs office. The trade deficit decreased to EUR 5.6 billion in July, down from EUR 7.2 billion in June. The anticipated shortfall amounted to EUR 6.1 billion. In the same month of the previous year, the trade deficit stood at EUR 6.2 billion. Exports experienced a monthly rise of 2.6%, whereas imports declined by 0.5%. On an annual basis, exports rose by 0.5%, while imports experienced a slightly higher increase of 0.8%.