The CAC 40 increased by 0.4% to 8,540 on Wednesday, breaking a six-session decline, despite a prevailing cautious sentiment influenced by high oil prices and rising bond yields. Oil prices remained stable following President Donald Trump’s assertion that discussions with Iran were not in progress, while he emphasised that the Strait of Hormuz was still accessible, thereby highlighting ongoing geopolitical risks.

Meanwhile, France’s 10-year OAT yield recently climbed above 4.10%, marking its highest level since October 2008, as a global bond selloff intensified concerns regarding inflation and borrowing costs. Among individual stocks, gains were led by L’Oréal at 0.5%, TotalEnergies at 1.3%, Saint-Gobain at 1.2%, and Stellantis at 1.9%.

Financial stocks exhibited a lacklustre performance, as Crédit Agricole declined by 1.6%, Société Générale decreased by 1.1%, and BNP Paribas experienced a reduction of 1%. Elsewhere, STMicroelectronics experienced a decline of 1.2%, reflecting the broader weakness observed in the global technology sector.