Frankfurt’s DAX 40 slipped toward 24,100 on Thursday, extending its decline for a fourth consecutive session and reflecting the cautious mood across European markets. Sentiment remained fragile amid persistent uncertainty over the pace and outcome of peace negotiations between the US and Iran. Rising oil prices, driven by ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, continued to stoke inflation concerns.
Investors also weighed the latest PMI figures alongside a new wave of corporate earnings. Germany’s private sector contracted for the first time since May 2025—and at the sharpest rate since December 2024—underscoring the economic fallout from the Iran conflict. On the corporate front, SAP marked the start of the German earnings season.