European markets experienced a subdued trading session Friday, with the DAX index closing down 0.5 percent at approximately 23,920 points by midday. The decline follows earlier losses recorded in the morning, as investors appeared cautious ahead of an extended weekend in the United States.
Rheinmetall, Sartorius and Merck led the gainers, while shares in BASF, Deutsche Bank and Infineon registered the most significant losses.
Market analysts attribute the downward trend partly to end-of-month portfolio adjustments, with institutional investors tending to secure profits and reduce overall risk exposure. The distribution of winning and losing stocks within the DAX reflects this pattern, though data releases later in the day could potentially shift market dynamics.
In currency markets, the Euro weakened slightly, trading at 1.1667 US dollars, while the US dollar was valued at 0.8571 Euro.
Commodity markets also saw downward movement, with Brent crude oil prices falling to $68.05 per barrel – a decrease of 0.8 percent from the previous session’s close.
