The DAX 40 in Frankfurt inched higher toward 23,850 on Friday, recovering part of the previous session’s losses amid cautious optimism ahead of US–Iran talks scheduled for the weekend, despite signs that the ceasefire remains fragile. Fresh drone attacks were reported in Kuwait, Israel continued its strikes in Lebanon even as it agreed to enter talks, and the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed.
Investors also focused on incoming economic data, with closely watched US figures for March due later in the day. In Germany, the annual inflation rate was confirmed at 2.7% in March, the highest since January 2024, driven largely by a sharp rise in energy prices linked to the Middle East crisis.
Among individual stocks, Adidas and Fresenius Medical Care each gained about 1.3%, while Scout24 and Symrise rose around 1%. On the downside, Commerzbank and Rheinmetall fell roughly 0.8%, and MTU Aero Engines slipped 0.7%. For the week, the DAX 40 was on track to post a gain of nearly 3%.
