Paris shares higher in light midday trading

Share prices were higher in midday trading, lifted by a tentative round of bargain hunting after heavy selling seen last Thursday and Friday, although Axa underperformed as investors fear a recent string of capital increases by European insurers could signal similar moves for the rest of the sector, dealers said.

At 12.16 pm, the CAC-40 index was up 14.38 points at 3,170.55, on thin volume of €642.7m.