BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks were little changed on Friday as investors weighed the Federal Reserve's dovish gesture against surging coronavirus cases in countries like Spain, France and Italy.
France made wearing masks mandatory in Paris and several surrounding areas from today amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The move comes a day after the country recorded 6,111 new infections - its highest number since early May.
In economic releases, French household consumption rose 0.5 percent in July from the previous month, slowing from a surge of 10.3 percent in June, the INSEE stats agency said in a second release.
GDP sank 13.8 percent in the second quarter after already contracting 5.9 percent in the previous three months, the INSEE said, confirming an initial reading.
The benchmark CAC 40 was up 2 points at 5,017 after declining 0.6 percent on Thursday. Technology and healthcare stocks paced the declines, while banks were moving higher after a rise in Treasury yields.
BNP Paribas jumped 3.7 percent, Credit Agricole advanced 2.8 percent and Societe Generale added 3 percent.
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