The Dax index started the last trading day of the year 2024 with losses on Monday. By 9:30 am, the leading index was calculated at around 19,915 points, 0.4% lower than the closing level on Friday. Eon, BMW, and the Porsche Holding led the price list, followed by Siemens Energy, Munich Re, and Zalando at the end.
As the year comes to a close, only a shortened trading session is expected on Monday, with no major activities or portfolio adjustments anticipated. “With today’s trading day, the Dax is ending a highly successful year 2024” said Thomas Altmann of QC Partners. As on Friday, trading volumes are likely to remain low.
Meanwhile, investors are already looking ahead to the coming year, Altmann noted. “And here, 2025 already promises a lot of excitement.” Many signs indicate that 2025 could be a more turbulent year for the stock market than 2024.
“While the stock market is ending a successful year, the balance sheet for the bond market is mixed: With short maturities, interest rates have fallen and prices risen, thanks to the ECB’s rate cuts” the market expert added. However, longer-term yields are higher today than at the start of the year. “It all depends on the exact maturity whether the interest income can compensate for the price losses or not.”
The European common currency was slightly weaker on Monday morning: one euro cost 1.0420 US dollars, and one dollar was worth 0.9597 euros.
Meanwhile, the oil price fell: a barrel of North Sea Brent crude cost around $73.99 by 9 am German time, 18 cents or 0.2% less than the previous trading day’s close.