2025.10.0816:14:00UTC+00DAX Ends at Fresh Record High

On Wednesday, Frankfurt's DAX index surged by approximately 0.9% to close at a record high of 24,597, reflecting momentum seen across European markets. The upswing in market sentiment was driven by the European Union’s new trade measures and initiatives aimed at restricting steel imports. However, the rally faced headwinds from disappointing German economic data and political uncertainties in France. Specifically, Germany's industrial production experienced a significant decline of 4.3% in August, the largest drop since March 2022, sharply contrasting with the anticipated 1% decrease. Meanwhile, traders were keenly awaiting the release of the Federal Reserve's minutes for policy insights, especially in light of the scarcity of official data stemming from the US government shutdown. Gains were prominently led by the industrial, retail, and banking sectors, whereas the automotive and semiconductor industries underperformed. Thyssenkrupp saw an impressive gain of over 5% following the EU's steel strategy, with other notable advances from Zalando (+5.3%), Siemens Energy (+3.3%), and Adidas (+3.3%). Conversely, BMW plummeted by over 8% after issuing a profit warning and expressing concerns about the potential for increased costs due to higher steel tariffs. The downward trend also affected Mercedes-Benz Group, Porsche Automobil, Volkswagen, and Daimler Truck.