FX.co ★ DAX 40 Hits Record Highs as Bayer and RWE Drive Gains

The DAX 40 index in Frankfurt continued its upward trajectory on Wednesday, experiencing a 0.4% increase to reach a record high of 25,510 points. This rise was driven by notable performances from Bayer and RWE and a favorable response to unexpectedly strong trade data from China. Bayer's stock climbed by 3.3% following the company's announcement of plans to achieve mid-single-digit percentage growth in its pharmaceuticals division by 2027, with a projected operating margin of approximately 30% by 2030. Meanwhile, RWE saw a 3.2% increase after it was listed among the developers awarded guaranteed electricity price contracts in the United Kingdom's latest offshore wind auction, which the government reported had secured a historic level of capacity. Conversely, DHL Group experienced a 0.7% decline after Goldman Sachs retracted its buy recommendation, and Lufthansa's shares dropped over 2% as Barclays analyst Andrew Lobbenberg downgraded the stock to "Underweight."