The DAX rose sharply early in the week, closing the Xetra market at 22,654 points – a 1.2 % gain over the previous session. Andreas Lipkow, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets, noted that “point 12 sparked both relief and hope for the DAX’s move of about 1,000 points higher”. He added that investors felt reassured by the overnight absence of a looming ultimatum and were cautiously optimistic that the Middle‑East conflict might tilt toward de‑escalation.
Lipkow warned, however, that the picture remains murky. He said the Iranian leadership allegedly claims to be unaware of the “very good and constructive talks” referenced by former President Trump about a final settlement of hostilities. He explained that the coming hours would show whether markets believe the gains are sustainable or if fears of a five‑day stalemate will resume after the trading day ends. “The news environment stays very opaque for the time being, likely keeping financial markets on tenterhooks for the next hours and days” Lipkow observed. He added that investors have little room to breathe and will largely sit on the sidelines with larger cash balances, waiting to see how the supposed negotiations proceed. “Those who position too early risk being caught off guard later” he cautioned.
Before the day’s close, Brenntag, Siemens Energy, Heidelberg Materials, and Commerzbank were the top performers on the Frankfurt exchange, while Zalando shares finished at the bottom of the list.
Energy markets also moved sharply. A megawatt‑hour of gas for delivery in April fell to €57, a 4 % drop from the previous day. That level implies a consumer price of roughly 10-12 cents per kilowatt‑hour, including ancillary charges and taxes, if the pricing remains steady. Oil prices slipped sharply as well: Brent crude – a North Sea benchmark – traded at $103.70 in the late afternoon, down 8.48 cents (or about 7.6 %) from the previous closing price.
The euro strengthened against the dollar in the late‑morning session, trading at $1.1588, which translates to €0.8630 per dollar.
