Frankfurt’s DAX 40 slipped about 0.2% to close at 24,181 on Thursday, extending its losing streak to a fourth straight session. Sentiment was pressured by escalating US–Iran tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and stalled peace efforts, alongside a mixed batch of corporate earnings from both Europe and the US.
Flash PMI data underscored mounting economic headwinds in the euro area linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Germany’s private sector returned to contraction for the first time since May 2025, and at the steepest pace since December 2024, as firms contended with persistent inflationary pressures.
Among major movers, SAP fell more than 6% ahead of its first-quarter 2026 earnings release, after several banks highlighted near-term uncertainty around the timing of cloud deals, geopolitical risks, and exposure to macro-sensitive customer segments. Qiagen NV (-5.1%), Fresenius SE & Co (-3.9%), and Scout24 (-3.1%) also declined sharply.
On the upside, Infineon Technologies gained 6.5%, supported by upbeat data and sentiment in the semiconductor sector.
