DAX Attempts Recovery

Frankfurt's DAX 40 moved slightly into positive territory on Thursday after a weak start, rising 0.3% to near 24,280, aligning with its European peers. Investors kept a close eye on any developments in the Middle East conflict while assessing potential signs of renewed talks. Iran reportedly told the US in previous negotiations that it was prepared to give up its highly enriched uranium stockpile in return for “something good”. Airbus, Symrise and MTU Aero Engines were among the top performers, with gains around 2% each. Tech companies and utilities also advanced firmly. Meanwhile, shares of Merck and DHL remained under pressure following their earnings reports and disappointing 2026 outlook.

Frankfurt's DAX 40 fell 0.6% on Thursday, after rising over 1.7% in the prior session, in line with peers, as concerns over an escalation in the Middle East conflict returned. Both Iran and the US signaled that attacks could intensify in the coming days, pushing energy prices up and reviving inflation fears. Meanwhile, market participants continued to monitor corporate updates. Transport & logistics (-3.3%) and pharma & healthcare (-1.3%) were the worst-performing sectors, with financials also under pressure. On equities, DHL parent Deutsche Post dropped nearly 4% after releasing 2026 profit outlook slightly below consensus. Healthcare company Merck saw its shares slide over 6%, before trimming much of the losses, after its 2026 guidance and stable dividend disappointed. Commerzbank (-1.4%), Allianz (-0.7%) and Deutsche Bank (-0.2%) also saw losses.

The DAX Index is falling -153 points. Losses were driven by Deutsche Post (-5.21%), Qiagen NV (-3.35%) and Continental (-2.88%). Biggest rises came from Airbus (0.84%), E.ON (0.69%) and Deutsche Telekom (0.48%).