The DAX finished the day at 24,603 points, a decline of 0.7 % from the previous closing.
Brenntag defied the broader downward trend, posting a sharp gain at the top of the index, likely driven by speculation that climate‑policy measures might slow. Investors seemed to favor chemical names, as BASF also posted a sizable increase. In contrast, Heidelberg Materials fell sharply; its near‑CO₂‑free cement had previously given it a competitive edge.
Christine Romar, Head of Europe at CMC Markets, noted that although the DAX is not heavily technology‑focused, the weight of a few large stocks-such as SAP and Siemens-can keep the index from stabilising. She added that Infineon, which began trading higher on a morning of good earnings, eventually reversed course as the day moved, mirroring the shift seen on Wall Street the previous day when data‑analytics and software stocks exerted downward pressure.
Later, AMD disappointed with its quarterly results, causing the positive gains that Infineon had previously enjoyed to evaporate. The brief half‑life of that rally points to a willingness among investors to take profits following good news, a factor that is not favourable for the broader market.
In addition, the SAP share fell again, trading below the low reached a week earlier, sending another selling signal rather than a recovery. This downward momentum dragged the DAX further from the psychological 25,000‑point threshold it had breached momentarily the day before.
The euro slipped slightly in the afternoon: one euro bought 1.1797 US dollars, while one US dollar was worth 0.8477 euros.
Gold prices fell more than a percent; a troy ounce sold for 4,870 US dollars, a 1.6 % drop, translating to 132.71 euros per gram.
Brent crude oil rose modestly, trading at 67.57 US dollars per barrel around 17:00 German time-a rise of 24 cents, or 0.4 %, from the previous day’s close.
