French Stocks Fall as Tech-Led Selloff Spreads

The CAC 40 fell 1.2% to 8,108 on Friday, reversing gains from the previous session, as a technology-led sell-off on Wall Street spilled over into Asian and European markets. Market sentiment turned subdued amid growing concerns over tighter regulation of the AI industry and a potential slowdown in data center expansion following a sweeping Democratic victory in the US midterm elections. Domestically, France’s trade deficit widened to €7.3 billion in September 2026 from a revised €6.0 billion in August, exceeding expectations of a €5.8 billion shortfall. The deficit marked its largest since October 2024, as imports rose 4.0% month-on-month to €62.7 billion, outpacing a 2.0% increase in exports to €55.3 billion. On the corporate front, Teleperformance plunged 17.8% after cutting its 2026 sales growth outlook amid weakness in its trust and safety business. The majority of stocks also traded lower, including L’Oréal (-1.5%), LVMH (-1.8%), Safran (-2.0%), and Publicis (-2.4%).