DAX 40 Dips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets

Frankfurt’s DAX 40 dropped about 1% to 24,100 on Tuesday, hitting its lowest level in a week, as Middle East tensions and rising oil prices weighed on sentiment. While the Iran ceasefire has held for nearly five weeks, US President Donald Trump warned it is now "hanging by a thread." Investors fear a prolonged impact on global markets and the economy, though they hope China can mediate between the conflicting parties. In earnings, Munich Re fell 4% despite strong profits, as it accepted price cuts in renewals. Siemens Energy declined 1.6% even after a strong second quarter, planning more shareholder returns, while Thyssenkrupp fell 1% after cutting its revenue forecast due to weak automotive demand and lower steel prices. On a positive note, Bayer surged 4.6% following a strong start to the year, driven by robust soybean and corn seed sales and ongoing cost cuts.

The DAX Index is dropping 249 points. Leading the losses are Munich RE (-4.30%), Zalando (-4.06%) and Infineon (-1.89%).

Frankfurt’s DAX 40 reversed early losses to close marginally up at 24,350 on Monday, as investors tracked further Middle East developments, while AI optimism remained in play. The US-Iran negotiations suffered another setback, after President Trump dismissed Iran’s latest proposal as “totally unacceptable,” accusing Tehran of “playing games.” Among key movers, BASF rose 4.7% to lead gains after Goldman Sachs reaffirmed its “buy” rating and raised its target price to €65 from €63. Infineon Technologies followed closely, rising 3.8%. On the flip side, defence stocks including Rheinmetall (-11.5%), Renk (-6%) and Hensoldt (-4.9%) fell sharply, also weighed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s more conciliatory tone on the Ukraine war. Gea Group dropped 5% despite beating first-quarter 2026 order intake and operating profit estimates. Hannover Re shed 3.5% despite a 48% yearly rise in net profit to €710.6 million, which missed analyst expectations of €721 million.