FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - After a weak start to the week, the DAX is likely to make some gains again on Tuesday. After an unusually strong September, there are also signs of a friendly start to October. Two hours before the start, the broker IG estimated the leading German index 0.35 percent higher at 19,393 points. This means that the DAX remains close to the record level of just under 19,492 points. Above that, a round thousand mark of 20,000 points awaits.

The international indicators are of some help. In New York, the leading indices made it into positive territory in a final spurt and in Japan the Nikkei recovered from its previous day's losses. According to Commerzbank, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, was in the spotlight with statements. He announced further interest rate cuts "over time", despite his affirmation that the US economy remains on a strong footing.

According to Powell, the speed of US interest rate cuts remains data-dependent and purchasing managers' indices are likely to be in the spotlight on Tuesday, coming from Europe as well as the ISM index from the US./tih/jha/