The DAX Index Closes 1.22% Lower

The DAX Index decreased -290 points or 1.22 percent on Friday to close at 23526 points. The decline was led by Infineon (-7.10%), Bayer (-3.93%) and HeidelbergCement (-3.72%).

Frankfurt's DAX 40 erased early gains to close about 1.1% down at 23,547 on Friday, in line with other European peers, amid the ongoing volatility driven by the Middle East crisis. The situation remains critical, as attacks between the United States, Israel and Iran continue and are spreading to other countries in the region. Market sentiment initially improved alongside easing energy prices, following media reports that President Trump has a plan to secure energy supplies and stabilize crude prices. Techs, chemicals, autos, banks and pharmaceuticals posted the biggest losses. Infineon Technologies plunged 7% to the bottom of the index, after UBS downgraded the company to “neutral” from “buy,” while cutting its 12-month price target to €45 from €47. Other top declines included Brenntag, Bayer, BASF, Continental, Volkswagen and Deutsche Bank, losing up to 4%. On the upside, Rheinmetall (3%) and Scout24 (2.5%) advanced the most. For the week, the DAX declined about 6.9%.

Frankfurt's DAX 40 rose about 0.8% to near 24,000 on Friday, after falling 1.6% in the prior session. Signs of stabilization in the oil market helped to lift market sentiment, as Washington considers various options to curb soaring energy prices caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. However, geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East lingers, with the Iran conflict entering its seventh day. Industrials and consumer discretionary were the top-performing sectors. On equities, Deutsche Post, Rheinmetall, Siemens Energy and Siemens posted the biggest gains, ranging between 1.8% and 3.1%. Adidas and Beiersdorf also advanced solidly, each adding more than 2%. Meanwhile, shares of Deutsche Lufthansa surged 3% after the airline reported better-than-expected 2025 results. On the downside, Infineon Technologies tumbled 2.8% on a broker downgrade, lagging the broader index. For the week, the DAX was on track for a sharp 5.1% decline, the steepest since March 2025.