PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: What you need to know right now Updates throughout PARIS, July 26 (Reuters) - The Paris 2024 Olympic Games got underway with a splash as thousands of athletes sailed down the River Seine in a ceremony that fused French history, fashion and music under a heavy downpour of rain. Here's what you need to know about the Olympics on Friday.

LVMH's luxury wares earn top billing at Olympics opening PARIS, July 26 (Reuters) - Bernard Arnault, France's wealthiest man and chief executive of luxury group LVMH LVMH.PA , paid some 150 million euros ($163 million) to be the premium sponsor of the Paris Olympics'. At the Games' opening ceremony, his wares were placed front and centre of an extravaganza viewed by a global audience.

BRIEF-LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault Says There Is Geopolitical Uncertainty, With Some Economic Problems But I Am Still Optimistic - CNBC Interview July 26 (Reuters) - LVMH CEO BERNARD ARNAULT SAYS THERE IS GEOPOLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, WITH SOME ECONOMIC PROBLEMS BUT I AM STILL OPTIMISTIC - CNBC INTERVIEW LVMH CEO ARNAULT SAYS HAPPY WITH RICHEMONT, JOHANN R

UPDATE 2-European shares end higher as earnings barrage impresses For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window Capgemini falls after forecasting annual revenue drop Hermes gains after beating Q2 sales expectations STOXX 600 closes up 0.8%, marks mild weekly gains Updated at 1600 GMT By Shashwat Chauhan and Pranav Kashyap July 26 (Reuters) - European shares closed higher on Friday, boosted by an earnings-driven advance across several s

UPDATE 3-Birkin handbag maker Hermes outshines rivals with big sales jump Adds comment on change in Chinese tastes in paragraphs 14-15, details on U.S. sales in paragraph 16 By Mimosa Spencer PARIS, July 25 (Reuters) - Birkin-bag maker Hermes HRMS.PA reported a 13% rise in second-quarter sales on Thursday, demonstrating the continued appetite from wealthy shoppers for its luxury handbags, even as less affluent consumers pull back.