On Wednesday the DAX traded strongly, closing at 24,205 points-up 1.7 % from the previous day’s close. Andreas Lipkow, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, said the index began the day with a robust recovery, leaping past the 24,200‑point level. Investors were buoyed by reports that Iran might be open to negotiations with the United States.
The market also welcomed the possibility that shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz could soon resume. Lipkow noted that the prospect of coverage by the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for transport insurance would relieve a major source of uncertainty. Earlier this week, many British insurers had withdrawn, contributing to a slowdown in the region’s maritime traffic.
Wall Street’s recent labor‑market data sparked optimism in New York. Booming private‑sector hiring hit 63,000 jobs, comfortably above the forecasted 50,000. If the S&P 500 and Nasdaq keep their gains, Lipkow expects the Dax recovery to continue into the weekend, as the market has already recovered roughly half of yesterday’s losses.
Oil prices mirrored the potential easing of the Middle‑East conflict. Brent, the benchmark North Sea oil, has retreated from recent highs and sits around $81 per barrel, a modest dip that reflects overall fragility in the market. Investors remain nervous, and volatility in stocks, commodities, and currencies is likely to persist in the coming days.
Despite any diplomatic optimism in the Gulf, Lipkow observed that investor behavior remains unchanged after quarterly earnings. Companies that miss expectations are promptly sold off, as seen with Adidas and Continental stocks. Rather than employing hedging tactics, traders press the sell button straight away, indicating limited risk tolerance amid the ongoing Middle‑East tensions.
The euro strengthened after lunch, trading at $1.1640 per unit, while the dollar was worth €0.8591. Gold saw a notable rise; on the afternoon session it fetched $5,154 per fine ounce, up 1.3 %, equivalent to €142.35 per gram.
Meanwhile, Brent oil fell again on the afternoon of Wednesday. At about 17:00 CET, a barrel of North‑Sea Brent was priced at $81.07-33 cents, or 0.4 %, lower than the close the previous day.
