The German benchmark index remained flat at the start of trading, opening at 24,857 points. As the week drew to a close, attention shifted to hopes for progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. "A potential breakthrough on the path to peace would be the ultimate growth driver for European markets and could quickly push the Dax back above the 25,000 mark," forecasted Frank Sohlleder of ActivTrades.
Following discussions with U.S. envoys, Russia has officially agreed to a trilateral meeting with the United States and Ukraine, set to take place later on Friday in Abu Dhabi. According to the Russian presidential office, prior talks between President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. envoys in Moscow were described as constructive.
On the corporate front, focus within the Dax turned to BASF. The chemical group suffered a sharp drop in earnings during the crisis year of 2025 and missed its own forecasts. Shares slid by as much as 2.4 percent, making them among the weakest performers.
In the SDax, shares of Wacker Neuson tumbled by more than 20 percent. The construction equipment manufacturer has called off takeover talks with South Korean rival Doosan Bobcat.
(Report by: Daniela Pegna, edited by Ralf Banser. For questions, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and economy) or frankfurt.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for companies and markets).)
