Air France, BioMerieux, Atos: French Equity Market Preview

By Laurence Frost and Adria Cimino

Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose stocks may have unusual price changes in Paris. Symbols are in parentheses after company names and prices are from the last close.

September futures on France's CAC 40 Index surged 181 to 4,377 at 8:17 a.m. in Paris.

The CAC 40 dropped 107.35, or 2.5 percent, to 4,196.66 on Sept. 5. The SBF 120 also declined 2.5 percent.

Air France-KLM Group (AF FP): Europe's biggest airline said August passenger traffic rose 2.8 percent, while cargo traffic fell 4 percent. The stock dropped 37 cents, or 2.2 percent, to 16.67 euros.

BioMerieux (BIM FP): The French maker of tests to diagnose infections such as HIV and hepatitis said first-half profit rose 5.8 percent to 56.5 million euros ($81 million) as higher sales in Latin America. The stock lost 11 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 70.39 euros.

Cap Gemini SA (CAP FP) and Atos Origin SA (ATO FP): Citigroup Inc. cut its recommendation on shares of both companies to ``sell'' from ``hold.'' Shares of Cap Gemini, Europe's biggest computer-services company, dropped 81 cents, or 2.2 percent, to 37.77 euros. Atos Origin, France's second- largest, retreated 17 cents, or 0.5 percent, to 36.38 euros.

CCA International (CCA FP): The call-center and outsourcing-service provider said net income fell to 136,000 euros in the first half from 873,000 euros a year earlier as it closed its German unit. The shares rose 14 cents, or 2.6 percent, to 5.54 euros.

Dassault Systemes SA (DSY FP): Citigroup cut its recommendation on shares of the maker of software used to design the Airbus A380 aircraft to ``sell'' from ``hold.'' The stock declined 1.07 euros, or 2.7 percent, to 39.24.

Electricite de France SA (EDF FP): British Energy Plc was close to agreeing to a 12 billion-pound ($21.2 billion) takeover by EDF after the French company improved its offer, the Guardian and the Sunday Times reported. The shares fell 1.295 euros, or 2.4 percent, to 52.815 euros.

European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EAD FP): GKN Plc, the U.K. auto- and aircraft-part maker, may receive 60 million pounds of British government support to acquire a plant from EADS unit Airbus, the Financial Times said. The shares fell 52.5 cents, or 3.5 percent, to 14.675 euros.

Homair SA (ALHOM FP): The campsite and mobile-home vacation operator said reservations were up 25 percent in the 11 months to Aug. 31, compared with the year-earlier period. The shares fell 5 cents, or 1.3 percent, to 3.70 euros.

International Technologie Selection (ALITS FP): The designer and retailer of portable DVD players appointed Eddy Achour as managing director and Pierre Falovo as chairman of its new board, as it modified its management structure. The shares were unchanged at 28 cents.

Natixis SA (KN FP): The bank's major shareholders, Groupe Banque Populaire and Groupe Caisse d'Epargne, aren't looking for another major investor in Natixis, Les Echos reported, citing an interview with their chairmen. The stock retreated 17 cents, or 4.5 percent, to 3.58 euros.

NYSE Euronext (NYX FP): The world's largest owner of stock exchanges will start a pan-European electronic trading system in November, taking on both traditional bourses and new alternative trading networks. The stock slid 63 cents, or 2.3 percent, to 27.36 euros.

Renault SA (RNO FP): France's second-largest automaker said workers at a Brazilian plant ended a four-day strike that resulted in a production loss of 2,400 vehicles. The shares fell 2.12 euros, or 3.7 percent, to 54.615 euros.

Trilogiq SA (ALTRI FP): The manufacturer of flow racks bought a 70 percent stake in its U.K. distributor, The Tube and Bracket Ltd., for 477,000 pounds. The shares fell 39 cents, or 2.9 percent, to 13.00 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Laurence Frost in Paris at lfrost4@bloomberg.net.