Frankfurt’s DAX 40 hovered around the flatline near 24,100 on Friday, as investors remained cautious amid stalled US–Iran peace talks and ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. On Thursday, US President Trump announced a three-week extension of the truce between Lebanon and Israel, yet volatility persisted—especially in oil prices—underscoring broader geopolitical uncertainty.
The earnings season also stayed in focus. Aerospace and defense stocks were the weakest performers, while technology shares outpaced the market. MTU Aero Engines and Airbus fell 4.4% and 3%, respectively. In contrast, SAP surged 7% after reporting a 17% rise in first-quarter profit, beating forecasts on the back of robust growth in its cloud business.
In corporate developments, Bayer is holding its Annual General Meeting, where CEO Bill Anderson is expected to outline plans for an extended restructuring. Merck will also come under shareholder scrutiny on Friday. For the week, the DAX 40 is on track to lose more than 2%.
