On Tuesday the DAX dipped slightly. At the Xetra closing, the index was calculated at 24,986 points, a decline of a few points compared with the previous day’s close.
“The uncertainty surrounding the customs issue remains large on the second trading day of the week” said Andreas Lipkow, chief market analyst at CMC Markets. “When it comes to tariffs, the central question is how an agreement between the United States and the European Union can be reached, if at all, now that there is essentially no clarity”.
In addition, the situation in the Middle East and growing pressure on the software sector from the rise of artificial intelligence continue to weigh on sentiment, Lipkow added. “The stock market is currently being pulled in from too many different directions. Investors remain cautiously optimistic, but their selection of stocks is highly selective. The starting point for a continued economic recovery in Germany could become gloomy again if new trade and customs disputes emerge”.
In the current mix, automakers and suppliers were among the winners in the DAX, because the new U.S. tariffs fall below the originally agreed rates, the analyst explained. “Overall, investors are not impressed by the new tariffs as much as by the potential conflicts that could arise in the future”.
Just before the market closed, shares of Continental and Symrise were at the top of the trading list, while Fresenius Medical Care and MTU found themselves at the bottom.
Meanwhile gas prices fell. One megawatt‑hour (MWh) of gas for March delivery cost €31, a three‑percent drop from the prior day. This implies a consumer price of at least around eight to ten cents per kilowatt‑hour (kWh), including ancillary costs and taxes, if the price level remains stable.
Oil also fell. At 5 p.m. German time on Tuesday afternoon, a barrel of North Sea Brent traded at $71.05, down 44 cents or 0.6 percent from the previous day’s close.
The euro was essentially unchanged on Tuesday afternoon: one euro bought $1.1787, and one dollar could be exchanged for €0.8484.