Germany's stock market ended Tuesday's session on a positive note, with gains concentrated in the Technology, Industrials and Food & Beverages sectors pushing headline indices higher at the close in Frankfurt.
The DAX closed up 1.67%. The MDAX increased 2.27%, and the TecDAX finished the day 2.42% higher.
Market movers on the DAX
The session's top performer on the DAX was Infineon Technologies AG NA O.N. (ETR:IFXGn), which advanced 6.50% - gaining 3.69 points to finish at 60.50. Commerzbank AG O.N. (ETR:CBKG) added 4.50%, or 1.53 points, closing at 35.55. Siemens AG Class N (ETR:SIEGn) rose 4.39%, up 10.95 points to end the session at 260.50.
On the downside, Fresenius Medical Care KGAA ST (ETR:FMEG) declined 10.68%, a drop of 4.15 points to 34.72 at the close. Fresenius SE & Co KGAA O.N. (ETR:FREG) fell 3.36%, losing 1.37 points to trade at 39.44, and Deutsche Boerse AG (ETR:DB1Gn) slipped 1.53% or 4.00 points to 257.60.
MDAX movers
Hochtief AG (ETR:HOTG) led gains on the MDAX, jumping 15.70% to 529.00. Aixtron SE (ETR:AIXGn) climbed 6.97% to settle at 51.40, and Thyssenkrupp AG O.N. (ETR:TKAG) added 5.56% to close at 10.45.
The laggards on the MDAX included Fielmann AG (ETR:FIEG), down 3.42% to 40.90, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ETR:AFXG), off 2.58% to 26.38, and Fraport AG (ETR:FRAG), which fell 2.39% to 67.45 at the close.
TecDAX highlights
SMA Solar Technology AG (ETR:S92G) was the top performer on the TecDAX, rising 12.41% to 60.70. Aixtron SE (ETR:AIXGn) also featured among the leaders on the TecDAX, finishing up 6.97% at 51.40, while Infineon Technologies AG NA O.N. (ETR:IFXGn) added 6.50% to close at 60.50.
Among the weakest TecDAX names were Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ETR:AFXG), down 2.58% to 26.38, Atoss Software AG (ETR:AOFG), which lost 2.31% to settle at 76.10, and Draegerwerk VZO O.N. (ETR:DRWG_p), off 2.03% to 86.90 at the close.
Market breadth and volatility
On the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, rising stocks outnumbered decliners by 361 to 262, with 22 shares unchanged. The DAX volatility index - a gauge of implied volatility in DAX options - rose 8.95% to 24.46.
Notable price milestones
- Infineon Technologies AG NA O.N. (ETR:IFXGn) rose to 5-year highs, closing at 60.50 after a 6.50% gain.
- Fresenius Medical Care KGAA ST (ETR:FMEG) fell to 52-week lows, ending at 34.72 after a 10.68% decline.
- Fresenius SE & Co KGAA O.N. (ETR:FREG) also reached 52-week lows, closing at 39.44 following a 3.36% drop.
- Hochtief AG (ETR:HOTG) rose to all-time highs, finishing at 529.00 after a 15.70% surge.
- Aixtron SE (ETR:AIXGn) traded at all-time highs, closing at 51.40 after gaining 6.97%.
- SMA Solar Technology AG (ETR:S92G) moved to 52-week highs, up 12.41% to 60.70.
Commodities and currencies
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for June delivery rose 0.95% - up 43.10 to $4,576.40 a troy ounce. US crude for June delivery fell 4.08%, down 4.34 to $102.08 a barrel, while the July Brent contract slipped 3.45% - a loss of 3.95 - to trade at $110.49 a barrel.
In currency markets, EUR/USD was essentially unchanged, moving 0.13% to 1.17, and EUR/GBP was also little changed at 0.86, a 0.17% move. The US Dollar Index Futures was marginally lower, down 0.04% at 98.22.
Overall, Tuesday's session in Frankfurt was dominated by gains in technology and industrial names, while select healthcare and service-oriented stocks underperformed. Volatility as measured by the DAX options market rose, and commodities showed divergent moves with gold higher and crude oil lower.