Paris - Following big losses on Asian markets overnight and a weak performance on Wall Street, French shares closed sharply lower on Wednesday.

The Paris Bourse's benchmark CAC 40 ended the session down 5.1 per cent, to 3,298.18, with only one of its 40 listed stocks gaining ground.

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard led the declining issues, giving up 13.62 per cent, to 42.26 euros.

Industrials were the hardest-hit sector, with transport manufacturer Alstom losing 12.84 per cent, to 38.60 euros, and steel-makers ArcelorMittal and Vallourec off by 10.06 and 9.81 per cent to, respectively, 19.26 euros and 79.45 euros.

Paris - Following big losses on Asian markets overnight and a weak opening on Wall Street, French shares were sharply lower on Wednesday.

In mid-afternoon trading, the Paris Bourse's benchmark CAC 40 was down 3.96 per cent, to 3,337.87, with only two of its 40 listed stocks gaining ground.

Industrials were the hardest-hit, with steel-makers Vallourec and ArcelorMittal off by 9.5 and 7.4 per cent, respectively, and transport manufacturer Alstom losing 9.3 per cent.

Paris - Followin

Paris - Renault and Nissan are planning to mass produce electric-drive cars for the French market by 2011 with the car maker signing a memorandum of understanding with the electricity producer EDF to develop supporting battery recharging infra-structure.

Until January 2010, the partners will study all the necessary technical and other requirements to supply "high-performance and affordable electric vehicles" by 2011, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn announced.

Paris  - Led by a surge of bank stocks after the French government's announcement of a capital injection, shares on the Paris Bourse ended trading on Tuesday with a modest gain, its third winning session in a row.

The benchmark CAC 40 closed up 0.78 per cent, to 3,475.40, with gainers and decliners running about even.

Strasbourg, France - European Union governments should take over strategic industries which have been hit by the global financial crisis to keep them out of foreign hands, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the European Parliament on Tuesday.

"Stock exchanges are at historically low levels. I wouldn't like European citizens to wake up in a few months' time and realize that European companies belong to non-European capitals," Sarkozy told the parliament as the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency.