Macron mulling over divesting state-held stakes in French companies

Paris

EMMANUEL Macron's ministers are meeting with companies in which the French state holds major stakes as the president considers possible divestments.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire is seeing Orange SA chief executive officer Stephane Richard at 10am on Tuesday in Paris, an hour later he'll sit down with Electricite de France SA CEO Jean-Bernard Levy and on Thursday he'll meet Philippe Varin, chairman of embattled nuclear-energy company Areva SA. Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin is meeting the gambling companies FDJ and PMU after talks last week with state lender Caisse des Depots et Consignations.