The CAC 40 index, French benchmark stock market gauge, lost 0.42 percent to 4,529.21 points Wednesday.

Pressure is rising slowly in the run-up to the Dec. 4 referendum in Italy.

Nevertheless, markets remain supported by the very good performance of the American market, with new historic highs recorded Tuesday night on Wall Street.

Airbus increased 2.3 percent, Publicis edged up 1.3 percent, and ArcelorMittal saw a rise of 0.9 percent.

Peugeot lost 2.1 percent, Legrand also retreated 2.1 percent, while banks lost ground with Societe Generale (-1 percent), BNP Paribas (-0.2 percent) and Credit Agricole (-0.7 percent).