Frankfurt’s DAX 40 was little changed around 25,585 on Wednesday, as investors weighed ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in the Middle East. Oil prices extended their decline amid mounting signs that a potential agreement between the US and Iran could help bring the war to a close and support the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, Germany’s flash services PMI came in stronger than expected, offering a positive surprise on the macroeconomic front. Among the index’s top performers were SAP, MTU Aero Engines, Siemens, and Rheinmetall, which advanced between 0.8% and 2%. On the downside, Daimler Truck, Scout24, Deutsche Telekom, and Infineon Technologies came under pronounced selling pressure.