French stocks experienced a lack of clear direction on Monday as investors awaited speeches that would provide interest rate guidance from European Central Bank policymakers, including the chief, Christine Lagarde, later in the day.
Adding to the cautious market sentiment were ongoing concerns regarding the potential impacts of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's global economic policies, which contributed to the investors' cautious mood.
The benchmark index, the CAC 40, showed a slight decline, standing at 7,269 after registering a 0.6 percent drop on Friday. In contrast, banking stocks saw gains, with BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, and Société Générale advancing between 0.5 percent and 1.2 percent.
Meanwhile, shares of Vivendi SA fell approximately 1 percent. The media conglomerate announced its projections for Canal+, its audio and visual content provider, as well as its public relations firm Havas SA. Both of these units are set to debut on the stock market next month.
