France’s benchmark stock index CAC 40 experienced an upward movement Thursday morning, responding to the Federal Reserve’s decision on Wednesday to reduce interest rates by 25 basis points. During a news conference subsequent to the decision, Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the Federal Reserve would need to “wait and see” prior to determining its next course of action, noting that a rate hike is not part of the base case. Members of the Federal Reserve indicated a singular additional reduction in their 2026 central projection; however, market participants are wagering that the risks lean towards a greater number of cuts.

The CAC 40 increased by 39.21 points, reflecting a rise of 0.49%, reaching 8,061.90 shortly before noon. Schneider Electric, leading the CAC 40, experienced an increase of nearly 3.5%. The counter garnered interest following the company’s announcement of a share buyback program valued between €2.5 billion and €3.5 billion, alongside a divestment initiative projected to generate revenues of €1.0 billion to €1.5 billion, with both strategies set for completion by 2030.

For the period of 2026-2030, Schneider Electric anticipates an organic revenue growth of 7% to 10% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, a cumulative increase in adjusted EBITA margin by 250 basis points, and a cash conversion ratio nearing 100%. Saint Gobain and Capgemini experienced increases of 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Carrefour experienced an increase of nearly 2%, whereas Pernod Ricard, ArcelorMittal, Vinci, Edenred, Michelin, BNP Paribas, and Veolia Environment saw gains ranging from 1 to 1.5%.

Among the underperformers, Stellantis declined by 1.4%, whereas Euronext and Safran each experienced a decrease of approximately 1.1%. Air Liquide, STMicroElectronics, Airbus, Legrand, Hermes International, and L’Oreal experienced a decline ranging from 0.4% to 0.7%.