On Wednesday, Frankfurt's DAX 40 remained relatively unchanged at 24,240 points, hovering near its lowest point since October 1. This stability reflects investors' mixed sentiments, as optimism surrounding potential US interest rate cuts is counterbalanced by renewed tensions in the US–China trade conflict. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell highlighted the ongoing deterioration of the US labor market on Tuesday, strengthening the likelihood of another rate cut by the end of the month.
In individual stock performances, BASF saw an increase of nearly 2% after Citigroup reinstated its coverage with a “Buy” rating. Adidas experienced a gain of over 1%, as stronger-than-expected sales figures from LVMH suggested a potential easing in the slump of luxury demand. Infineon edged up by 0.6% following positive third-quarter sales results and a strong fourth-quarter forecast from semiconductor giant ASML, though the company cautioned about potential challenges in 2026.
Conversely, Rheinmetall declined by more than 2% in light of NATO discussions aimed at boosting defense spending. US Secretary of Defense Hegseth is expected to advocate for increased funding for the PURL initiative, which focuses on selling US arms to European partners.
