Frankfurt’s DAX 40 slipped slightly into negative territory to around 25,230 on Friday, as investors digested fresh inflation data from the US and Europe alongside a new batch of corporate earnings. In the US, higher-than-expected January inflation reduced expectations for imminent monetary easing by the Federal Reserve. In Germany, preliminary data showed that headline inflation slowed to 1.9% in February from 2.1% in January, coming in just below the 2.0% consensus and broadly aligning with the ECB’s 2% target.
Market sentiment remained shaped by concerns related to artificial intelligence, uncertainty over tariffs, and ongoing geopolitical risks. On the corporate front, BASF fell more than 2%, making it one of the weakest performers, after the chemicals group reported a decline in adjusted operating earnings for 2025 and issued a downbeat outlook for 2026. In contrast, Deutsche Telekom (up 3.8%), Scout24 (up 3–8%), and Deutsche Börse (up 2.4%) attracted strong buying interest. Over the week, the DAX edged down about 0.1%, but it still gained nearly 3% over the month.
