Investing.com – France equities were lower at the close on Friday, as losses in the Utilities, Basic Materials and Industrials sectors propelled shares lower.
At the close in Paris, the CAC 40 lost 2.39%, while the SBF 120 index fell 2.23%.
The biggest gainers of the session on the CAC 40 were Valeo SA (PA:VLOF), which rose 0.34% or 0.18 points to trade at 52.68 at the close. Essilor International Compagnie Generale d’Optique SA (PA:ESSI) fell 0.53% or 0.60 points to end at 112.50 and Sodexo (PA:EXHO) was down 0.68% or 0.68 points to 99.28 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Lafargeholcim Ltd (PA:LHN), which lost 7.86% or 3.76 points to trade at 44.06 in late trade. Safran SA (PA:SAF) declined 4.63% or 4.12 points to end at 84.84 and ArcelorMittal SA (AS:MT) shed 3.70% or 1.025 points to 26.690.
The top performers on the SBF 120 were Groupe Eurotunnel (PA:GETP) which rose 11.54% to 11.645, Biomerieux SA (PA:BIOX) which was up 1.58% to settle at 64.10 and Teleperformance (PA:ROCH) which gained 1.57% to close at 123.30.
The worst performers were Technicolor (PA:TCH) which was down 22.38% to 1.460 in late trade, Lafargeholcim Ltd (PA:LHN) which lost 7.86% to settle at 44.06 and Eramet (PA:ERMT) which was down 6.14% to 119.30 at the close.
Declining stocks outnumbered rising ones by 517 to 101 and 62 ended unchanged on the Paris Stock Exchange.
The CAC 40 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was up 9.75% to 20.48.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for April delivery was up 1.20% or 15.60 to $1320.80 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 0.11% or 0.07 to hit $61.06 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 0.39% or 0.25 to trade at $64.08 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.35% to 1.2307, while EUR/GBP rose 0.43% to 0.8942.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.20% at 90.04.