The German stock market benchmark, the DAX, experienced a decline at the close of trading today, ending the week on a slightly weaker note. The index settled at 24,218 points, representing a 0.3% decrease compared to yesterday’s closing value. While the DAX began the trading day with a sluggish performance, it managed to recover a significant portion of its initial losses throughout the session.
Ongoing trade tensions between the United States and the European Union continue to exert pressure on market sentiment. The deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled for August 1st, is drawing closer and while recent indications of a potential agreement have emerged from the White House, a definitive resolution remains elusive.
Within the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Volkswagen shares led the list of top performers until shortly before the market closed, while MTU, Deutsche Bank and Vonovia shares lagged behind.
Energy markets demonstrated contrasting trends. Natural gas prices increased, with a megawatt-hour (MWh) for delivery in August costing 33 euros, a 1% rise from the previous day. This level suggests a potential consumer price of approximately eight to ten cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), inclusive of ancillary costs and taxes, if this price point becomes sustained.
Conversely, oil prices observed a decrease. A barrel of Brent North Sea crude traded at $68.78 on Friday afternoon, a 40-cent drop, or 0.6% less than the previous trading day’s close.
The European single currency also weakened slightly. The euro was valued at $1.1739, while the dollar fetched €0.8519.