Frankfurt’s DAX 40 ended Friday about 0.3% higher at 24,915, snapping a three-day losing streak, supported mainly by defense, aerospace, and technology stocks. MTU Aero Engines was among the strongest performers, gaining 4.4% on the back of an upbeat outlook from its French peer Safran. Defense names Hensoldt (up 2.7%), Rheinmetall (2.1%), and Renk (0.4%) also attracted increased buying interest as traders monitored developments at the Munich Security Conference, which runs through Sunday. Rheinmetall shares were further buoyed by news of its automotive business divestment and a €200 million NATO contract for 120mm ammunition. In tech, SAP climbed 1.5% and Infineon Technologies 1.4%, helped by easing concerns around AI-related risks.
In contrast, banks led the decliners, with losses of up to 5.2%, as investors pared back exposure to the sector after a softer US inflation reading reinforced expectations of further Federal Reserve rate cuts and kept alive the prospect of renewed easing by the ECB—developments that could pressure banks’ net interest margins. Over the week as a whole, the DAX advanced 0.8%.
