Société Générale, the historic French bank, is the real protagonist of the Paris Stock Exchange in 2025. Since the beginning of the year his title It gained 115,51%, while on an annual basis it grew by over 184%, marking a truly exceptional performance. This feat stands out even more when compared to the overall market trend: the cac 40 has advanced just 4,86% since January, lagging behind Madrid (+27,25%), to Milan (+ 22%), Frankfurt (+ 20,1%) and London (+10,75%). Two key sectors of the French economy are holding back the Paris index: e luxury, both struggling with a phase of strong turbulence.
Société Générale: Bini Smaghi is the Chairman of the Stock Exchange of the Year.
Founded in 1864 by a group of industrialists and the Rothschild family to support French trade and industry, Société Générale is today the third largest bank by capitalization in the Eurozone and in France, behind giants such as BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole. Over the course of its long history it has overcome difficult times – from nationalization of 1945 to privatization of 1987, passing through the crisis of 2008 , maxi-fraud of the trader Jerome Kerviel – demonstrating great ability to adapt and recover.
Today Société Générale is chaired by the Italian Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, former board of the ECB, and looks to the future with confidence. In second quarter 2025 It stunned the market with a 31% increase in net profit to €1,45 billion, driven primarily by the strong rebound in its retail banking business in France. Consequently, the group raised its 2025 targets, focusing on greater efficiency and profitability, also announcing an interim dividend and a €1 billion share buyback.
The bank is closely followed by other CAC 40 stocks that are performing well in 2025.
Paris Stock Exchange: The best and worst stocks on the Cac 40
Société Générale isn't alone in this positive run. Other major names are also shining on the French stock market. Thales, a leader in defense and security, has gained 67,73% since the beginning of the year (+56,95% on year), while the telecommunications giant Orange records a growth of 45,36% (+39,33%). Followed by Legrand, specialized in electrical infrastructure for buildings, and BNP Paribas, another French banking giant, both with increases of around 38-40% (respectively +40,87% and +37,97% on the year). Safran, active in aerospace and defense, and Eurofins Scientific, in the field of laboratory tests, mark gains of more than 35%. Finally, Bouygues, a multi-sector group active in construction and telecommunications, Credit Agriculture, another large bank, and ArcelorMittal, the world leader in steel, close the top ten with performances between 27% and 33%.
However, not all sectors are experiencing a golden age. Stellantis, born from the merger of FCA and PSA, marks a decline of 34,44% since the beginning of 2025, while Renault 31,02%. Even the luxury giant lvmh recorded a decline of around 28%. These data reflect the difficulties of two pillars of the French economy.
Cars and luxury goods in trouble: the double burden on the CAC 40
In automotive industry, the engine is idling: the Enrollment page have fallen by 28% compared to pre-pandemic levels and in July 2025 they recorded an annual -7,66%, stopping at 116.377 cars. The ones that weigh heavily are the stringent European emissions regulations which require massive investments in electric. Meanwhile, the green transition It is advancing slowly, hampered by insufficient charging infrastructure, still too high costs, and a bonus-malus system that, instead of stimulating demand, generates uncertainty among consumers. Meanwhile, the industry is losing thousands of jobs, with prospects that are certainly not rosy: since 2019, 38 exits have been counted and another 75 are feared by 2035.
even the luxury, historic flag of Made in France, loses its luster: giants like lvmh, Kering e Hermès are affected by the slowdown in demand in China, the lower propensity to purchase of Generation Z and the end of the post-Covid rebound effect in the United States. Added to this are the dollar weak, which reduces the tourist attractiveness of Europe, and global factors such as inflation, increase of Costs operational and duties, all elements that compress margins. The result is a decline in sales and valuations that weighs on the CAC 40, in a scenario where luxury and cars still seem to be searching for the rarest accessory: a real recovery.
