British Pound Hits 4-week High

Frankfurt's DAX 40 pared early losses to close about 0.6% down at 23,168 on Thursday, following reports that Iran and Oman were working on a memorandum of understanding concerning safe maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, President Trump’s address drove oil prices higher, as he promised a swift end to the Middle East conflict but warned Iran of further attacks on its power plants if no deal is reached. The deadline for action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, extended by Trump, expires on April 6. Most sectors posted losses, with technology, financials, and industrials among the hardest hit. In equities, Deutsche Telekom slipped 3.3% as it traded ex-dividend, reflecting a €1.00 payout per share. Infineon (-3.2%), Heidelberg Materials (-2.7%), Siemens (-2.6%), Deutsche Bank (-2.6%) and Commerzbank (-2.6%) also saw steep losses. For the week, the index gained about 3.9%. The DAX will be closed Friday for the Easter holiday.

The DAX Index decreased -131 points or 0.56 percent on Thursday to close at 23168 points. The decline was led by Deutsche Telekom (-3.36%), Infineon (-2.99%) and Henkel (-2.66%). On the upside, the strongest performers were E.ON (2.20%), Deutsche Boerse (1.91%) and Hannover Rueck (1.20%).

Frankfurt's DAX 40 fell 1.5% to below 23,000 on Thursday, reversing yesterday's sharp gain, as hopes of a quick resolution of the Middle East conflict faded. In his first national address since the Iran war began, Donald Trump gave no timeline for ending the conflict and offered no plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while pledging further strikes on energy facilities if Tehran rejects a deal. His rhetoric triggered a sharp rise in oil prices, reigniting fears of rising inflation and slowing economic growth. Selling pressure spread across most sectors, with technology, financials, and industrials leading the declines. In equities, Infineon (-4.8%), Siemens Energy (-4.2%), Heidelberg Materials (-2.9%), Siemens (-2.8%), Airbus (-2.6%) and MTU Aero Engines (-2.5%) were among the top losers. Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank dropped 3.5% and 2.3%, respectively. Still, the DAX was poised for a weekly gain of nearly 3%.