The DAX experienced losses at the start of the trading week, closing at 24,160 points on Monday. This represents a decrease of 0.4 percent compared to the previous trading day’s closing value.
Within the index, Zalando, Sartorius and Merck recorded the largest declines. Countering the overall trend, shares in Commerzbank, Rheinmetall and Eon saw gains.
Market analyst Andreas Lipkow attributed the market’s behavior to ongoing uncertainty surrounding future trade relations between Europe and the United States. “Market participants remain hopeful that European representatives will be able to secure a favorable position in negotiations concerning future trade relations with the US” he stated.
Lipkow emphasized the market’s reaction to the recent announcement of potential US tariffs on European goods, including automobiles, automotive parts and steel. “The market’s response to this development can be described as demonstrative. While an escalation is to be avoided, European representatives are also keen to assert their strength.
He cautioned that this approach might prove unproductive, citing historical precedents. “This kind of dynamic hasn’t worked and hasn’t worked historically. Until the situation intensifies, investors are observing from the sidelines, refraining from panic.
The Euro strengthened slightly during Monday afternoon, trading at $1.1693, with a dollar fetching €0.8552.
Meanwhile, oil prices saw a notable decrease. Brent crude traded at $69.43 per barrel around 5:00 PM German time, a drop of $0.93 or 1.3 percent compared to the previous day’s closing value.
