French stocks rise

FRENCH stocks, including Gaz de France SA and European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co, advanced.

Total SA, Europe’s biggest oil refiner, declined.

The CAC 40 Index lost 1.92, or less than 0.1%, to 5126.01 in Paris, as about the same number of shares rose as fell. The SBF 120 Index rose 0.1%.

Gaz de France, the utility that last month agreed to merge with Suez SA, climbed 2.6% to €30.31. Full-year profit advanced 29% to €1.74 billion, helped by higher prices for natural gas.