Frankfurt’s DAX 40 ended Thursday’s session about 1.3% higher at a one-week peak of 24,453, notching a second consecutive day of gains and outperforming other major European benchmarks. Sentiment improved on optimism surrounding the Trump–Xi summit, alongside continued enthusiasm for AI and technology stocks.
According to the White House, US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. However, Beijing reiterated its hard line on Taiwan, warning that mishandling the issue could lead to conflict. Xi also told leading US tech CEOs that China would “open up even more,” reinforcing expectations of greater market access.
On the corporate front, Infineon and SAP led the gainers, advancing 5.6% and 3.4%, respectively. Siemens climbed 2.3% after announcing plans to acquire several core business units from Mermec Group. Other notable performers included GEA Group (up 2.5%), Rheinmetall (2%), and Allianz (2%).