On Wednesday the DAX finished lower, trading at 24,603 points at Xetra’s close-a decline of 0.7 % from the previous day’s close. Despite the broader slump, Brenntag continued to perform well, likely buoyed by speculation that environmental‑policy easing might weaken demand for its products. BASF also posted a clear gains, while Heidelberg Materials slipped, a loss that undercuts the company’s advantage in near‑CO₂‑free cement.
Christine Romar, Head of Europe at CMC Markets, noted that the DAX contains relatively little technology exposure, yet the weighted positions of companies such as SAP and Siemens can still drag the index when they drop. She added that Infineon opened the session with a positive surprise from earnings but the mood shifted later in the day, mirroring a similar turn that Wall Street experienced when data‑analytics and software stocks pressured the indexes. Post‑market, AMD disappointed with its quarterly results, which shortened the upside run for Infineon. The rapid reversal underscores investors’ readiness to take profits after positive news-a sign that the broader market may not be as resilient.
SAP shares fell further, dipping below the weekly low and sending another sell signal instead of a recovery. The downward pressure on SAP contributed to the DAX’s slide past the psychological 25,000‑point barrier, although the index had briefly crossed it the night before.
In currency markets, the euro slipped a touch in the afternoon: one euro traded at $1.1797, and one dollar was worth €0.8477. Gold also fell, with a troy‑ounce settling at $4,870-down 1.6 %-equivalent to €132.71 per gram. Meanwhile, oil rose; Brent crude topped the day at $67.57 a barrel (about 24 ¢, or 0.4 % higher than the previous close).