CAC 40 Inches Higher After Trade Data

(RTTNews) - French stocks were slightly higher on Tuesday after data from the customs offices showed France's trade deficit decreased in March.

The trade deficit dropped to EUR 5.47 billion in March from EUR 5.61 billion in February as exports rose faster than imports. In the same period last year, the deficit totaled EUR 8.1 billion.

Exports posted a monthly increase of 2.9 percent, and imports were 2.4 percent higher. On a yearly basis, both exports and imports declined by 1.3 percent and 7.0 percent, respectively in March.

The benchmark CAC 40 was up 21 points, or 0.3 percent, at 8,017 after rising half a percent the previous day.

In corporate news, Valneva shares fell 2.5 percent. The biotech company recorded a turnaround to net income for the first quarter, supported by a net gain of 90.8 million euros from the sale of the priority review voucher.

Bouygues, a construction, media and telecommunications group, lost 3.7 percent after widening its Q1 loss.

TotalEnergies was marginally higher after signing a pact with Sinopec to collaborate in low-carbon energies.