The Paris Bourse is set to open slightly higher on Wednesday morning as it awaits further economic indicators, while ASML's better-than-expected results could lift the technology sector.

At around 8:15 a.m., the CAC 40 'future' contract for end-July delivery was up 2.5 points at 7585.5 points, suggesting a modest recovery after two sessions of sharp declines.

ASML, the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant, reassured investors this morning by reporting better-than-expected second-quarter net income and sales.

The Veldhoven-based group - the real locomotive of the stock market in Europe - also said it expected "a solid second half of the year", with order intake up 55% over the past quarter.

"After a stable 2024, 2025 will undoubtedly be a year of very strong growth, driven by TSMC's orders for the transition to 2nm", emphasized Oddo BHF analysts.

The publication of ASML should support the European chip sector, led by STMicroelectronics and Infineon, and more generally leading technology stocks such as Capgemini, Dassault Systèmes and SAP.

Still on the subject of corporate results, investors will react during the session to the performance of Johnson & Johnson, while awaiting the accounts of Nokia, Netflix and American Express, due by the end of the week.

On the macroeconomic front, the day will be marked in the United States by the release of the latest housing figures, followed by industrial production figures.

On Wall Street, where sector rotation continues, the S&P 500 index gained 0.6% last night to set its 40th record since the start of the year, while the Dow Jones (+1.8%) shattered its previous zenith by approaching the 41,000-point threshold.000 points.

In Europe, market participants learned this morning that the rise in the consumer price index (CPI) was unchanged at 2% year-on-year in June, as in May.

At 11:00 am, investors will also be watching the latest inflation data for the eurozone, which will provide valuable insights ahead of the European Central Bank's (ECB) announcements.

Economists are not expecting much from the meeting of the Governing Council, which is expected to keep its key rates unchanged before leaving for its summer vacations.

'The ECB should take time to check inflation trends until the next update of its outlook in September: we conclude that the ECB should not modify its monetary policy before September', explains Patrick Barbe, Head of Bond Investment at Neuberger Berman.

On the bond market, benchmark bonds on the Old Continent continue to ease, with 10-year German Bunds stabilizing at 2.42% and OATs at 3.08%.
7060%.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the yield on T-Bonds with the same maturity, at 4.16%, is at almost four-month lows.

Oil prices remain on a downward trend following the bad news on Chinese growth earlier this week, while awaiting the publication of weekly US crude inventories in the afternoon.

Brent crude is currently down 0.2% to $83.6 a barrel, while US light crude is down 0.2% to $80.6 a barrel.

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