Paris shares lower mid-afternoon

Share prices were lower mid-afternoon as the positive impact of in-line July US retail sales data was countered by US futures markets pointing to a negative opening in New York, dealers said.

Vivendi Universal continued to underperform the market on a press report the group may provision as much as €10bn for asset depreciation, they said.

At 3.23 pm, the CAC-40 index was down 45.50 at 3,318.94

Volume was €1.02bn.