French shares edged down on Friday, with the benchmark Paris CAC 40 down by 0.02 percent, or 1.13 points, to close at 5,113.49 points.

A total of 21 of the 40 selected large companies gained in the day.

Essilor, a French company that produces ophthalmic lenses along with ophthalmic optical equipment, advanced 1.48 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. French distilled beverages producer Pernod Ricard rose 1.27 percent. International leader in the building materials industry Lafargeholcim gained 1.13 percent.

International telecommunication technology giant Nokia went down by 3.54 percent, the top loser of the blue chips. French automobile producer Peugeot edged down by 3.14 percent. TechnipFMC, world leader in oil and gas projects, technologies, systems and services lost 2.05 percent.