European markets opened Monday with moderate declines, as Germany’s DAX index traded down approximately 0.4 percent, reaching around 24,270 points by 9:30 AM local time. Leading the gains were shares of RWE, Rheinmetall and Eon, while Hannover Rück, Heidelberg Materials and Commerzbank experienced the most significant losses.
Market analysts at QC Partners observed that markets reacted favorably to the outcome of a recent meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, interpreting the continuation of dialogue as a positive sign. Attention is now focused on a scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj.
Despite remaining within reach of its record high, investor sentiment appears cautious. Trading volume throughout the past week remained below average levels observed over the past 36 months, suggesting a reliance on a catalyst for increased investment.
Rising interest rates, with 30-year German government bond yields climbing to a 14-year high of 3.35 percent on Friday, have so far been absorbed by the DAX and other major indices. Analysts note that while current resilience is present, these increases will likely translate to higher financing costs for companies and potentially lower profits in the long term.
In currency markets, the Euro weakened slightly, trading at 1.1701 US dollars, equating to 0.8546 US dollars per Euro.
Crude oil prices edged upwards, with Brent crude futures trading at 65.92 US dollars per barrel shortly before 9:00 AM CET – a rise of 7 cents, or 0.1 percent, from the previous session’s close.
