French Stocks: Archos, Axa, Casino, GDF, Schneider Electric

By Adria Cimino

March 5 (Bloomberg) -- France’s CAC 40 Index tumbled 35.16, or 1.3 percent, to 2,640.52 at 9:10 a.m. in Paris. The SBF 120 Index retreated 1.3 percent.

The following shares rose or fell in Paris. Stock symbols are in parentheses.

Arkema SA (AKE FP) slid 45 cents, or 4.2 percent, to 10.30 euros. The chemical maker reported a net loss of 72 million euros ($90.8 million) in the fourth quarter, versus a profit of 18 million euros a year earlier.

Archos SA (JXR FP) lost 13 cents, or 6.1 percent, to 2.01 euros. The maker of portable music and video players said 2008 revenue fell 27 percent to 73.9 million euros.

Axa SA (CS FP) added 26 cents, or 3.6 percent, to 7.46 euros. Europe’s second-largest insurer has avoided risky investments, has a health cash flow, and therefore doesn’t need a capital increase, founder and honorary chairman Claude Bebear said in an interview with Le Figaro.

Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA (CO FP) slipped 52 cents, or 1.1 percent, to 48.40 euros. The biggest supermarket owner in Paris said 2008 net fell 39 percent to 497 million euros, missing analysts’ estimates, after it was hurt by the cost of absorbing acquisitions.

GDF Suez SA (GSZ FP): climbed 40 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 23.94 euros. The world’s second-biggest utility reported 2008 net income of 6.5 billion euros, exceeding the average analyst estimate of 5.9 billion euros. The company will pay a special dividend of 80 euro cents a share.

Schneider Electric SA (SU FP) retreated 2.03 euros, or 4.1 percent, to 47.90. The world’s biggest maker of circuit breakers was cut to “underweight” from “overweight” at Morgan Stanley, which cited reduced demand from China.

To contact the reporter on this story: Adria Cimino in Paris at acimino1@bloomberg.net.