On Monday morning, French stocks exhibited a largely subdued performance as investors maintained a cautious stance, influenced by the absence of earnings reports or significant economic data, alongside rising concerns regarding escalating tensions in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump has cautioned Iran that the ‘clock is ticking’ and that there will be nothing remaining of Iran unless it consents to a deal. Iran has delivered a pointed warning to Washington, with senior official Mohsen Rezaei indicating that increased military pressure could transform the Sea of Oman into a ‘graveyard’ for U.S. vessels.

Apprehensions regarding inflation and potential interest rate increases are impacting overall sentiment. Brent crude futures experienced an increase, reaching $112 per barrel before retracting to $110.19, representing a rise of approximately 0.9% from the prior close. The benchmark CAC 40, having fallen to a low of 7,854.28 earlier in the session, was down 57.36 points or 0.72% at 7,895.19 shortly after noon.

• Saint Gobain, Kering, Hermes International, and Stellantis experienced declines ranging from 2% to 2.3%.
• LVMH, Accor, Bouygues, EssilorLuxottica, L’Oreal, Eiffage, and Michelin experienced declines ranging from 1.1% to 1.7%.
• Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, Capgemini, Airbus, Safran, Dassault Systemes, Bureau Veritas, and Legrand experienced declines ranging from 0.5% to 0.9%.
• Among the gainers, Publicis Groupe experienced an increase of 2.35%, STMicroelectronics saw an uptick of nearly 2%, and TotalEnergies recorded an advancement of 1.7%.
• Carrefour, Engie, Euronext, Orange, and Danone experienced increases ranging from 0.3% to 0.75%.