Stock Markets February 23, 2026

German shares close lower as broad declines hit tech, construction and retail

DAX slips 1.09% with losses led by aerospace, enterprise software and auto names; commodities and FX mixed

By Ajmal Hussain
German shares close lower as broad declines hit tech, construction and retail

Germany's stock market finished lower on Monday, with the DAX retreating 1.09% and the MDAX and TecDAX also down. Software, Construction and Retail sectors weighed on the market. Several blue-chip names including Airbus, SAP and BMW posted notable declines while Telekom, Infineon and Beiersdorf were among the session's top performers. Market breadth favored decliners and TeamViewer shares hit all-time lows.

Key Points

  • DAX closed down 1.09%; MDAX fell 1.47% and TecDAX slipped 0.91%.
  • Software, Construction and Retail sectors led declines; market breadth showed 382 decliners versus 238 advancers and 36 unchanged.
  • Notable movers: Deutsche Telekom, Infineon and Beiersdorf were among the day's top performers while Airbus, SAP and BMW were among the largest decliners.

Germany's equity benchmarks ended Monday's session in negative territory, with the benchmark DAX closing down 1.09%, the MDAX falling 1.47% and the TecDAX retreating 0.91% in Frankfurt.

Losses were concentrated in the Software, Construction and Retail sectors, which collectively pushed broader indices lower. Market breadth showed more falling stocks than advancing issues on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, with 382 declines versus 238 gains and 36 stocks unchanged.

Top and bottom movers on the DAX

Among DAX constituents, Deutsche Telekom AG Na (ETR:DTEGn) was the session's strongest performer on the index, climbing 1.62% or 0.53 points to finish at 33.25. Infineon Technologies AG NA O.N. (ETR:IFXGn) added 1.53% or 0.69 points to close at 45.89, and Beiersdorf AG O.N. (ETR:BEIG) rose 1.22% or 1.30 points to end the day at 107.80.

At the other end of the DAX, Airbus Group SE (ETR:AIRG) declined 3.43% or 6.50 points to 183.20. SAP SE (ETR:SAPG) slipped 3.42% or 5.94 points to 167.86, while Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (ETR:BMWG) fell 2.90% or 2.62 points to 87.70 at the close.

MDAX and TecDAX movers

On the MDAX, Fraport AG (ETR:FRAG) led the gainers with a 1.69% rise to 84.40. Freenet AG NA (ETR:FNTGn) advanced 1.56% to 31.22 and Redcare Pharmacy NV (ETR:RDC) increased 1.39% to close at 65.45.

MDAX laggards included TeamViewer AG (ETR:TMV), which fell 5.11% to 4.60 in late trade, Sartorius AG VZO O.N. (ETR:SATG_p) which lost 4.48% to settle at 228.30, and Delivery Hero AG (ETR:DHER) which declined 4.36% to 19.53.

Within the TecDAX, the day's best performers mirrored some DAX names: Deutsche Telekom AG Na (ETR:DTEGn) rose to 33.25, Freenet AG NA (ETR:FNTGn) settled at 31.22 and Infineon Technologies AG NA O.N. (ETR:IFXGn) closed at 45.89, each registering the gains noted above. Weakness in the tech-focused index was led by TeamViewer AG (ETR:TMV), which was down 5.11% to 4.60, Evotec AG O.N. (ETR:EVTG) which lost 4.98% to settle at 5.80, and Sartorius AG VZO O.N. (ETR:SATG_p) which was down 4.48% to 228.30.

Notable corporate detail

Shares in TeamViewer AG (ETR:TMV) reached all-time lows during the session, trading down 5.11% or 0.25 to 4.60.

Volatility, commodities and currencies

The DAX volatility index, which tracks implied volatility on DAX options, fell 6.63% to 18.14.

In commodities, Gold Futures for April delivery rose 2.98% or 151.49 to $5,232.39 a troy ounce. Crude oil for delivery in April fell 0.23% or 0.15 to $66.33 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract dipped 0.22% or 0.16 to $71.14 a barrel.

On the currency front, EUR/USD was unchanged 0.20% at 1.18, and EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.06% at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures declined 0.23% to 97.50.


This session's data reflect a day in which sector-level weakness and a wider set of decliners outweighed gains among select telecom, semiconductor and consumer goods names.

Risks

  • Market breadth was tilted toward decliners with 382 stocks down versus 238 up, indicating weakness across multiple sectors - affects broad equity market sentiment.
  • TeamViewer shares hit all-time lows, reflecting company-specific downside and potential further selling pressure in the software and tech segments - affects Software and TecDAX components.
  • Volatility index fell 6.63% to 18.14 while key commodities and currencies saw mixed moves, introducing uncertainty for sectors sensitive to input costs and FX exposure - affects Commodities-exposed and export-oriented sectors.

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