Schneider Electric S.E.

Schneider Electric SE agreed to acquire U.S.-based engineering software developer PTC Inc. for $22.6 billion, or €20.1 billion, paying $205 per share in an all-cash deal. The transaction was among a string of major deals reported across sectors this week. Viatris said it will acquire all outstanding shares of Pacira BioSciences for $36.50 per share in cash, an aggregate equity value of $1.65 billion, while CD&R and McKesson agreed to acquire Option Care Health for $32.05 per share, valuing it at approximately $5.8 billion including debt, sending its shares up 34% in early trading Tuesday. Energy Transfer agreed to acquire Vaquero Midstream in a $2.625 billion deal consisting of $1.95 billion in cash and about 33.3 million newly issued Energy Transfer common units, and Cenovus Energy agreed to acquire Athabasca Oil in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about C$5.7 billion, a 14% premium to Athabasca's 20-day volume-weighted average trading price. Canadian utilities Emera and Canadian Utilities agreed to an all-stock merger worth C$14.3 billion, or US$10 billion, creating a combined company with a C$72 billion enterprise value and a regulated rate base of C$45 billion serving roughly 6 million customers. Separately, TKO LLC proposed to acquire Service Properties Trust's entire hospitality portfolio for $2.0 billion, and CCC Intelligent Solutions soared 13% in after-hours trading on a report that GTCR and Elliott Investment Management are in advanced discussions to purchase the car-insurance software firm.

Schneider Electric agreed to acquire PTC Inc. in a $22.6 billion all-cash transaction, sending PTC shares up 33.5%. Separately, C.H. Robinson Worldwide agreed to acquire RXO, Inc. for $5.8 billion in cash and stock, lifting RXO shares 22.5%. Cerebras Systems shares rose 9.1% after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the two companies are working closely together to improve AI processing speed. Ventas, Inc. shares fell 3.2% as the real estate sector ranked among the session's biggest decliners, weighing on shares across the group.

Schneider Electric agreed to buy PTC for about $22.6 billion in an all-cash deal aimed at tapping into the artificial-intelligence boom, sending PTC shares rallying. Qualcomm shares moved higher after the company agreed to license patents underpinning Huawei Technologies Co.'s novel LogicFolding chipmaking technique. Taiwan Semiconductor shares gained as sentiment was boosted by discussions between the Taiwanese chip giant and Elon Musk's Terafab on potential collaboration.

PTC agreed to be acquired by Schneider Electric for $205 per share, valuing the software company's equity at more than $22 billion, with the transaction expected to close by the third quarter of 2027. PTC shares surged 36% premarket on the news. Brazilian stocks rallied after right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro edged out incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva by around 2 percentage points in Sunday's election, sending the iShares MSCI Brazil ETF up 12% and U.S.-listed shares of Itau Unibanco and Banco Bradesco up more than 13% each. Wells Fargo gained 1% after a Morgan Stanley upgrade to overweight from equal weight, while DraftKings popped over 5% on a Bank of America upgrade to buy from neutral, with analyst Julie Hoover expecting prediction markets to generate $400 million in fees for 2027 and between $200 to $400 million in market making. Estee Lauder rose 2.8% after Barclays upgraded the stock to overweight from equal weight, citing its growth and earnings profile over the next several years.

Schneider Electric, alongside partners Wärtsilä and Stanley Consultants, introduced a "Generator-to-Chip" power approach and unveiled software-defined medium-voltage switchgear and advanced cooling solutions for AI-driven data centers in late September 2026. The company also launched cybersecurity-focused automation for water utilities and a new decarbonization allyship with Lenovo's 360 Circle community. The software-defined medium-voltage switchgear is being deployed in AI-oriented data centers, including an Equinix pilot. Schneider Electric's narrative projects €56.4 billion revenue and €8.3 billion earnings by 2029, requiring 10.3% yearly revenue growth and a €3.6 billion earnings increase from €4.7 billion today. The forecasts yield a €325.04 fair value, a 7% upside to its current price.

Wärtsilä, Schneider Electric and Stanley Consultants have launched a coordinated "Generator-to-Chip" approach aimed at helping U.S. data center developers and operators bring scalable power capacity online faster. The approach aligns onsite power generation, electrical infrastructure, automation, engineering and project execution from the outset, connecting the power pathway from generation and electrical distribution through to digital monitoring and the IT load, which the companies say reduces handoffs and improves coordination across critical interfaces. Wärtsilä supplies flexible, modular engine power plants for reliable onsite generation that can start rapidly and scale with data center demand, while Schneider Electric contributes the integrated electrical architecture, automation and digital power management, and Stanley Consultants provides technical and advisory services across the data center lifecycle, including engineering, permitting, design coordination, construction management, commissioning oversight and climate resilience expertise. The companies said the combined solution can accelerate project schedules compared with traditional, sequential delivery models, as lengthy grid interconnection timelines and delays in critical power infrastructure slow projects amid rapidly growing U.S. demand for new data center capacity driven by accelerating investment in AI. Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas, at Wärtsilä Energy, said power has become the schedule for many data center projects, and Melton Chang, Executive Vice President, Power Systems at Schneider Electric, said an AI Energy Park starts with the load and coordinates generation, electrical infrastructure, automation and digital technologies as one system.

Schneider Electric has unveiled the world's first fully Software-Defined Medium Voltage switchgear, announced at YOTTA 2026 in Las Vegas. The architecture delivers up to 3× faster ordering and manufacturing, up to 2× faster commissioning, zero-downtime upgrades, and a simplified footprint with less wiring and fewer components, according to Schneider Electric studies and estimations. The next-generation Software Defined MV Equipment has already been deployed in the field through a pilot with Equinix in a live colocation data center environment. Schneider Electric will extend the Software Defined MV architecture across its medium voltage portfolio and, progressively, the rest of the powertrain, including PremSet and the AirSeT range comprising GM AirSeT, RM AirSeT, and SM AirSeT, with pilot programs continuing through 2027 and broader availability to follow in 2028. Melton Chang, Executive Vice President of Schneider Electric's Power Systems Division, said the switchgear brings the logic of software to medium voltage equipment so customers can deploy in a fraction of the time, standardize across regions, and add new capabilities with zero downtime.

Levi Strauss & Co. and Marks & Spencer have joined forces with Schneider Electric to launch the Fashion Renewable Collaborative, or FRC, an initiative aimed at advancing renewable electricity across the fashion industry. Announced during New York Climate Week, the FRC seeks to overcome market barriers that hinder suppliers' adoption of renewable energy by offering resources and support for a scalable transition. The collaborative will give fashion suppliers access to education, guidance, and tools such as power purchase agreements and energy certificates to help reduce emissions. By coordinating efforts and fostering industry-wide collaboration, the FRC aims to drive substantial progress in decarbonizing global fashion supply chains.

The global smart meter market is projected to grow from USD 31.60 billion in 2026 to USD 50.82 billion by 2031, registering a 10.0% compound annual growth rate, according to a new report added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Growth is being driven by government programs addressing future electricity demand, carbon reduction targets, renewable energy integration, grid modernization, and improved utility resource management. Residential is expected to be the fastest-growing end-user segment, while hardware is expected to retain the larger share of the component split between hardware and software. Europe is expected to become the world's second-largest regional market, led by France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, with the European Green Deal and Fit for 55 initiative accelerating grid modernization. The report profiles key players including Landis+Gyr of Switzerland, Itron Inc. of the US, Sagemcom of France, Schneider Electric of France, OSAKI Electric Co., Ltd. of Japan, and Siemens of Germany, and cites recent developments such as Siemens' March 2025 partnership with CPFL Energia to modernize approximately 1.6 million residential smart meters in Sao Paulo by 2029.

UL Solutions Inc. has introduced the first certification pathway for prefabricated power distribution assemblies used in modular data centers, and Schneider Electric has achieved the first certification under the new program. The certification was earned under UL 2140, the Outline of Investigation for Prefabricated Power Distribution Assemblies, a framework that evaluates integrated power assemblies, commonly known as open power skids, which can combine switchboards, uninterruptible power supplies, batteries and related electrical equipment on a common skid before delivery to a project site. The program evaluates the complete factory-built assembly and its interconnected components for compliance with applicable United States National Electrical Code requirements and UL Standards for equipment safety, with follow-up services at the manufacturing location to assess whether certified products continue to meet the requirements established during certification. Schneider Electric's prefabricated power assemblies, built in a controlled factory environment where major equipment is installed, secured and interconnected before shipment, cover models PFMPQ-DLR-FIL, PFMPQ-DLR-FIL-R, PFMPQ-DLR-MOC, PFMPQ-DLR-MOC-R and PFMPQ-DLR-SCA. UL Solutions president and CEO Jennifer Scanlon said the certification pathway helps manufacturers, hyperscalers and developers gain confidence that integrated power systems have been independently evaluated for safety while supporting the speed and scalability needed to bring new capacity online, and Schneider Electric executive vice president Manish Kumar called the industry-first recognition a validation of the safety of the company's Power Skids.

Schneider Electric has launched the WCDU, a new Motivair coolant distribution unit that combines liquid and air cooling in a single solution for high-density AI data centers. The unit is designed for seamless integration with fan wall air-cooling systems, allowing operators to adjust the balance of liquid and air cooling without fully redesigning the data hall. A single WCDU delivers cooling capacity up to 3.5MW at 1.5 liters per minute per kW, or 2.5MW at 2.0 liters per minute per kW, and up to 20 units can operate together in group mode to support 30-40MW data halls. The WCDU supports approach temperature differences as low as 2 degrees Celsius to improve PUE and reduce operating costs, and for deployments up to 2.5MW it can be specified with N+1 redundancy. With the addition of the WCDU, Schneider Electric's end-to-end liquid cooling portfolio now offers CDUs ranging from 105kW to 3.5MW. The WCDU will begin shipping in select regions in October 2026 and will be available for pre-order in the U.S. beginning in early 2027.

A new report from ResearchAndMarkets.com forecasts that the global digital infrastructure market will reach approximately $1.96 trillion by 2035, driven by cloud computing, AI, and data center demand. The market, valued at $438.89 billion in 2025, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.5% to $984.97 billion by 2030, then at 14.8% to the 2035 figure. Hardware was the largest component segment in 2025, accounting for 49% of the market, while software is expected to be the fastest-growing through 2030. North America led regional revenue with 36.1% share, and Asia-Pacific is forecast to be the fastest-growing region. The report also profiles key players including Schneider Electric, Vertiv, and Eaton.

Tianjin Printronics released its 2026 half-year report. First-half net profit attributable to the parent was 44.36 million yuan, up 560.1% year on year. Operating revenue was 944 million yuan, up 43.5% year on year. Net profit attributable to the parent after deducting non-recurring items was 41.4 million yuan, up 483.4% year on year. Net operating cash flow was 47.96 million yuan, up 54.9% year on year. Earnings per share were 0.18 yuan. In the second quarter, operating revenue was 520 million yuan, up 44.4% year on year, and net profit attributable to the parent was 32.77 million yuan, up 427.4% year on year. As of the end of the second quarter, total assets were 2.608 billion yuan, up 14.9% from the end of the previous year, and net assets attributable to the parent were 567 million yuan, up 13.4% from the end of the previous year. The company said demand in the AI power supply sector remains strong, with order volumes from major customer Schneider Electric increasing, and it has newly expanded to high-quality customers such as ABB. In the aerospace sector, it is actively expanding high-margin business, and as domestic large aircraft production ramps up, profitability is expected to improve further. Production capacity at the South China base is being released steadily, and capacity utilization at the Zhuhai base is expected to rise. The company is using economies of scale and refined management to offset pressure from rising raw material prices. Management expects that in the second half of the year, AI computing infrastructure construction will continue to drive high growth in the PCB industry, and remains optimistic about the operating outlook.

Krung Thai Asset Management Public Company Limited, or KTAM, is offering the KTAM Smart Grid Equity Fund, or KT-GRID, for sale from 13 to 19 August 2026 to invest in smart grid businesses supported by the growth of AI and data centres worldwide. Ms Chawinda Hanrattanakul, Managing Director of KTAM, said that traditional power transmission systems can no longer support the sharp rise in electricity demand. In the United States, AI-era data centres account for as much as 50% of electricity demand growth. The KT-GRID fund has a risk level of 6 and focuses on investing in the First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund, the master fund that invests in companies involved in smart grid systems and electricity infrastructure. The master fund selects securities with at least 80% of revenue directly from smart grid businesses and another 20% from diversified businesses within the index weight. Examples of securities held by the master fund include Eaton Corporation, Schneider Electric and ABB. KTAM expects global investment in power grids to grow by an average of 5% per year through 2035.

Bernstein analysts project U.S. annual data center construction could rise from 12 gigawatts in 2026 to 35 GW by 2030, but shortages of specialised mechanical, electrical and plumbing workers will set the industry's speed limit. The projection assumes recruitment across the three trades remains near peak rates recorded during the past three years, allowing annual construction to increase by about 6 GW each year, or roughly 30% compound annual growth. The estimated 35 GW ceiling would support market consensus of 25 GW to 35 GW in annual capacity additions by 2030, yet fall short of the 40 GW Bernstein estimates is needed to justify planned manufacturing capacity for mid-scale power generators. This creates a potential overbuild risk for power-equipment suppliers, with Caterpillar and Cummins identified as the most exposed. Bernstein said modular construction could help the industry move past this labour ceiling by transferring more work from building sites to factories, potentially benefiting vertically integrated manufacturers and contractors such as Eaton, Schneider Electric, Vertiv, Quanta Services, Comfort Systems USA and EMCOR.

Schneider Electric has launched the three-phase Square D DBSeT load center to raise safety standards for residential electrical systems and address the risk of short circuits, which are the leading cause of fires in Bangkok. Data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation indicates that more than 47 percent, or 823 incidents, of fires stem from faulty or substandard electrical equipment and systems. The new product features Qwik-Plug technology, which reduces electricians' working time by up to 30 percent, and supports plug-on RCBO residual current circuit breakers up to 50 amps. It is certified to international standards IEC 61439-2 and IEC 61439-3, with six key functions such as Quick Release Hinge, Captive Function, Smart Knock-out, Cable Tie Hook, Lockable Door Handle, and Pole Filler. It also offers an Extension Box supporting DIN systems up to 24 modules and current up to 100 amps, accommodating future electrical expansion such as electric vehicle chargers and rooftop solar panels.

SpaceX has released its first public financial report and officially announced a partnership with Nvidia to launch the orbital AI computing network Starmind, aiming to build a space-based AI brain using a satellite matrix. Schneider Electric has unveiled an 800-volt DC power infrastructure solution for AI data centers and is collaborating with Nvidia to develop AI rack power supply systems of up to 1.2 megawatts. Suzhou Convert Semiconductor plans to acquire 100 percent of Jingyi Semiconductor for 1.65 billion yuan, while Ka Wang Technology is buying 51 percent stakes in both Dongguan Qinding and Xingding to expand into liquid cooling for AI computing. The Ministry of Commerce has announced tighter export controls on dual-use items related to drones to the United States, and the National Energy Administration is promoting the large-scale development and utilization of distributed renewable energy in rural areas. On August 5, net capital inflows from major funds in the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets totaled 50.47 billion yuan, with the semiconductor sector leading at 12.964 billion yuan.

Schneider Electric and AMD have introduced their first reference architecture on the AMD Helios Rackscale Solution platform to speed up the deployment of high-density data centers for AI factories. The architecture supports AI racks with power consumption up to 246 kilowatts per rack and modular AI clusters up to 10.4 megawatts, integrating AMD Instinct MI455X GPUs, sixth-generation AMD EPYC processors, AMD Pensando Vulcano NICs, and ROCm software with Schneider Electric's power, cooling, and digital infrastructure. It covers all key elements including building power systems, cooling, IT space, and lifecycle management software. The architecture has been validated using ETAP simulation tools and EcoStruxure IT Design CFD, achieving a minimum PUE of approximately 1.12, and is certified to ANSI standards for deployment in the United States, with plans to expand support for global IEC standards in the future.

Schneider Electric reported half-year 2026 sales of €21,226 million and net income of €2,488 million, alongside AI data center collaborations with AMD and a potential acquisition of Shelly Group. The company's share price has returned 1.76% in a single day and 22.17% year to date, with a one-year total shareholder return of 37.51% and a five-year return of 115.55%. A popular narrative suggests the stock is 23.7% undervalued with a fair value of €379.32 per share compared to a recent close of €289.60, driven by data center demand and digital energy management. However, a discounted cash flow model points to a fair value of €242.75 per share, indicating potential overvaluation at current levels.

Equity investors are learning that not all artificial intelligence trades are created equal this earnings season. While S&P 500 firms are on track for a 29% surge in second-quarter earnings per share, the index has been flat since mid-July as traders penalized heavy AI spenders like Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc., while rewarding Microsoft Corp. for preserving cash reserves. European stocks have fared better, with the Stoxx 600 advancing 1.3% as its members posted a 19% profit surge, benefiting from lower tech concentration. The semiconductor supply chain also saw gains, with Lam Research Corp., Schneider Electric SE and Prysmian SpA among outperformers on robust AI-enabling demand. Profit expectations continue to rise on both sides of the Atlantic, with US earnings revisions seeing net upgrades for 15 straight weeks, the longest streak since 2022.

European stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the Stoxx 600 index rising 0.77% to 649.95 points, supported by strong earnings from companies across multiple sectors. The banking sector led gains, climbing 2.6%, driven by Spain's BBVA which surged around 5% after reporting a more than 11% year-on-year increase in second-quarter net profit. Construction and materials stocks added 2.2%, with Bouygues jumping 7.1% after first-half operating profit beat expectations. Industrial stocks rose 1.8%, buoyed by Schneider Electric which soared 10% after raising its full-year outlook. France's CAC-40 closed at 8,485.64 points, up 0.92%, Germany's DAX ended at 25,612.03 points, up 0.60%, while London's FTSE 100 slipped 0.10% to 10,897.27 points. However, gains were capped by declines in Airbus and Rentokil, as well as uncertainty over the US interest rate path after the Federal Reserve held rates steady amid differing views within the committee.

European shares traded in a narrow range on Thursday as a wave of solid corporate earnings led by Shell helped offset an ambiguous Federal Reserve rate outlook and fresh U.S. airstrikes in Iran. The pan-European STOXX 600 index hovered near the flatline, with Germany's DAX slipping 0.2% and France's CAC 40 gaining 0.6%. Energy heavyweight Shell more than doubled its second-quarter adjusted profit to $9.8 billion, comfortably beating market expectations. The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged but delivered a murky monetary policy outlook, while the U.S. carried out new military strikes inside Iran, escalating the five-month-old conflict. Among other movers, Societe Generale rose 2% after a record quarterly profit, BBVA gained 2.6%, and Schneider Electric jumped 7.3% after raising its full-year guidance.

Schneider Electric reported first half net income attributable to the group of 2.49 billion euros, up 30.1% from the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITA reached 4.09 billion euros, a 16.6% reported increase and 22.1% organic growth. Revenues for the first half of 2026 totaled 21.23 billion euros, representing 9.8% reported growth and 14.0% organic growth. The company upgraded its 2026 financial target, now projecting adjusted EBITA organic growth between 14% and 19% and revenue organic growth of 10% to 13%.

GMO portfolio manager Tom Hancock said Nvidia is the biggest equity market opportunity right now, calling the stock surprisingly neglected despite its dominance in AI semiconductors. In a CNBC interview, Hancock noted that retail hot money has moved to other trades, leaving Nvidia trading at less than 20 times forward earnings, which he views as attractive given the company remains the de facto industry standard. GMO recently purchased Nvidia after historically favoring other parts of the AI ecosystem, and Hancock also highlighted industrial companies benefiting from AI data center buildouts, including new holdings Schneider Electric and Trane. He explained that GMO is deliberately avoiding popular memory semiconductor stocks, citing unsustainable profitability driven by temporary pricing power in HBM memory chips, and instead is positioning for an eventual capacity buildout through semiconductor equipment companies.

Cadence has introduced the AuraStack AI Super Agent, the world's first agentic AI platform for printed circuit board and advanced packaging design. Running on Cadence Allegro AI Studio and accelerated by NVIDIA Blackwell and NVIDIA CUDA-X, the platform coordinates domain-specific AI agents across planning, implementation, and multiphysics analysis to deliver up to 2X faster time to market, 15X higher productivity, and multiphysics-driven quality. The AuraStack AI Super Agent unifies electrical, thermal, and mechanical analysis in a closed-loop environment, enabling real-time design convergence and reducing late-stage rework. Cadence is collaborating with NVIDIA, TSMC, Socionext, FORVIA HELLA, and Schneider Electric to deploy the technology, with availability planned for 2026.

The global data center DCIM services market is projected to grow from $3.78 billion in 2025 to $8.38 billion by 2030, driven by cloud computing adoption and demand for operational efficiency. The market is expected to reach $4.44 billion in 2026, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 17.4%, before expanding at a 17.2% CAGR through 2030. Key factors include rising investments in hyperscale data centers, hybrid infrastructure management, and real-time analytics, with trends such as AI-enabled platforms and digital twins shaping the landscape. North America led the market in 2025, while Asia-Pacific is poised to be the fastest-growing region. Major players include Huawei Technologies, Dell Technologies, Siemens, and Schneider Electric.

The global data center direct-to-chip cooling market is projected to grow from $3.33 billion in 2026 to $17.31 billion by 2032, a compound annual growth rate of 26.5%. Single-phase systems are expected to dominate by type due to their reliability and compatibility with existing infrastructure. Water-glycol-based coolants are forecast to hold the largest share by coolant type, driven by cost-effectiveness and industry acceptance. Hyperscale data centers are anticipated to lead end-user demand, fueled by investments from major cloud and tech companies in AI and machine learning workloads. Key players include Vertiv Group Corp., Super Micro Computer, Inc., Modine Manufacturing Company, DCX Liquid Cooling Systems, and Schneider Electric.

Kandi Technologies announced that its subsidiary Xinchu New Energy has been named an authorized distributor by Schneider Electric for fiscal year 2026. The authorization allows Xinchu to distribute and support Schneider Electric’s APC, MGE, and Schneider-branded portfolio, including uninterruptible power supply systems, cooling infrastructure, racks, cabinets, software, and related technical services. This strengthens Xinchu’s ability to deliver integrated power infrastructure solutions for data centers, telecommunications base stations, and energy storage systems. Kandi believes the authorization marks an important milestone in expanding its upstream hardware capabilities and supply chain foundation for the AI data center backup power and energy storage market. By combining Schneider Electric’s proven UPS and data center infrastructure portfolio with Xinchu’s proprietary energy storage batteries and Battery Management System technologies, Xinchu can offer integrated, one-stop power solutions for both backup power and energy storage applications.

Schneider Electric has agreed to acquire Cognite in a $3.1 billion all-cash deal, expanding its position in industrial data and AI software. The company will buy 100% of Cognite's share capital from Norway's Aker ASA and other investors. Schneider CEO Olivier Blum said the company plans to combine Cognite with Aveva, its existing industrial software business. Aker expects about $1.48 billion in cash proceeds from the transaction, including settlement of an outstanding convertible loan, with completion expected in coming quarters.

Southern California Edison is collaborating with Schneider Electric to deploy SF₆-free, gas-insulated switchgear at existing substations in California. The technology uses pure air and vacuum instead of sulfur hexafluoride, a potent greenhouse gas, and is expected to help double capacity within the existing substation footprint. The first two projects will take place at the Great Lakes substation in northern Los Angeles County and the Running Springs substation in the San Bernardino Mountains, with installation scheduled to begin in 2027. The compact, modular design allows for faster installation and modernization without full rebuilds, supporting SCE's efforts to connect new customers more quickly and maintain reliable, affordable service as electricity demand grows.

Schneider Electric has expanded its EcoCare next-generation service plan to include 3-Phase UPS equipment, combining 24/7 remote monitoring, AI-powered condition-based maintenance, and expert support. The company says the service can reduce electrical failure risk by up to 70%, cut intrusive on-site interventions by up to 50%, and deliver up to 20% operational expenditure savings compared with traditional calendar-based maintenance. EcoCare continuously captures and analyzes critical data such as temperature, wear, aging, partial discharge, and battery status, with Schneider Electric experts monitoring UPS assets at the component level around the clock. The AI models are trained on the world's largest installed base of electrical assets and refined by over 300 data scientists, supported by more than 6,000 Schneider Electric experts. The expansion builds on the recent launch of EcoCare for building management systems and joins a growing portfolio that spans electrical distribution, single- and three-phase UPS, modular data centers, and building management systems.

French stocks advanced on Tuesday, with the CAC 40 index rising 41.94 points or 0.5% to 8,409.27 by late morning. The gains were supported by lower oil prices, a slowdown in French inflation to 1.8% in June from 2.4% in May, and expectations that the European Central Bank will hold off on rate hikes. ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane noted at the Sintra Forum that second-round effects from higher energy prices may take time to materialize and that policymakers are not committing to a specific rate path. Among individual stocks, Schneider Electric led the advance with a 2.9% gain, while Kering fell 4.5%.