FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - The gains on the German stock market since the start of the week can hardly brighten what has been a bleak month of March for investors. Although the Dax closed the final trading day of the month on Tuesday with a gain of 0.52 percent at 22,680.04 points, extending Monday's recovery amid speculation of an imminent end to the war in the Middle East, the German benchmark index has ultimately lost just over 10 percent since the start of the Iran war in late February. This marks its steepest decline since June 2022, leaving the index with a 7.4 percent loss for the first quarter.

"The Dax is taking a brief breather, but it is nothing more than that for now," summarized Jochen Stanzl, Chief Market Analyst at Consorsbank. He remains skeptical about the Dax forming a bottom, just as he is about a swift conclusion to the war in Iran.

The MDax, which tracks mid-cap companies, rose by 1.26 percent to 28,150.78 points on Tuesday, though it has shed nearly 11 percent overall in March. The picture was broadly similar across Europe. The Eurozone's blue-chip EuroStoxx index ended the final day of the month up 0.50 percent at 5,569.73 points. Outside the euro region, markets in London and Zurich also posted gains. However, all are looking back on heavy losses for the month of March.

In the United States, the Dow Jones Industrial and the Nasdaq 100 were trading significantly higher as European markets closed. Furthermore, their monthly losses are expected to be comparatively smaller, as the U.S. is far less dependent on oil and gas shipments from the Middle East than European countries.

Positive momentum was recently provided by the "Wall Street Journal." According to the financial daily, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told his advisors that he is prepared to end military operations in Iran, even if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed.

Regardless, Iran continued its bombardment of neighboring Gulf states with ballistic missiles and drones. Additionally, a Kuwaiti oil tanker was struck off the coast of Dubai. Brent crude prices - currently a key barometer for economic and inflationary concerns - remained at elevated levels above 100 U.S. dollars. The impact on Eurozone inflation has already become apparent, as evidenced by the rise in consumer prices in March./ck/he