Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Money & Work • Stock Market

CAC 40

The CAC 40 is France’s main stock market index, tracking 40 large, actively traded companies listed on Euronext Paris.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

The CAC 40 is France’s main stock market index, tracking 40 large, actively traded companies on Euronext Paris. It serves as a key benchmark for French equity performance.

What it is

The CAC 40 is a free-float market-capitalisation-weighted index of 40 companies selected from Euronext Paris based on size, liquidity, and trading activity. Its name comes from the French phrase *Cotation Assistée en Continu*.

Why it matters

As France’s benchmark equity index, the CAC 40 is widely used by investors to gauge the French market. It underpins index funds, ETFs, futures, options, and structured products, offering exposure to major French companies.

Key details

Launched in December 1987 with a base value of 1,000, the index shifted to free-float weighting in 2003. Canadian investors can access it through European equity ETFs or global index funds listed by international brokers.

In short

  • The CAC 40 tracks 40 large French companies on Euronext Paris.
  • It is weighted by free-float market capitalisation.
  • Launched in 1987 with a base value of 1,000.
  • Used as underlying for ETFs, futures, and options.
Canadian angle

Canadian investors may encounter CAC 40 exposure through European equity ETFs, global index funds, and derivatives listed by international brokers.

Quick questions

What is the CAC 40 index?
It is France’s main stock market index, tracking 40 large and actively traded companies on Euronext Paris.
How to invest in the CAC 40?
Investors typically use CAC 40-linked ETFs, index funds, futures, options, or structured products from brokers and asset managers.
What is the CAC 40 vs DAX?
Both are major European indices: the CAC 40 tracks 40 French companies on Euronext Paris, while the DAX tracks leading German companies in Germany.

Sources

  1. Investopedia — https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cac40.asp
    Supports: Definition, benchmark role, weighting methodology, base value, and historical methodology change.
  2. Euronext — https://live.euronext.com/sites/default/files/documentation/index-fact-sheets/CAC_40_Index_Factsheet.pdf
    Supports: Official index description, 40 constituents, free-float market-capitalisation weighting, and use as an underlying for investment products.
  3. Euronext — https://live.euronext.com/en/news/cac-40-index
    Supports: Index description, benchmark status, and CAC acronym explanation.
  4. Nasdaq — https://www.nasdaq.com/glossary/c/cac-40-index
    Supports: Definition of the index as a broad-based index of 40 of the largest companies listed in Paris.
  5. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAC_40
    Supports: General description and comparison context with other major European indices.