The German stock market was weak on Tuesday. Pressure was exerted on the indices not least by weak US stock markets, following the absence of trading in the USA on Monday due to Labor Day. The Dax slipped more sharply below the psychologically important 24,000-point mark, which has come back into focus since last week.
"Recently, buyers have always entered the market at the 24,000-point threshold," commented portfolio manager Thomas Altmann from QC Partners. "However, it is quite conceivable that this buying threshold will gradually shift downwards."
At lunchtime, the leading German index was down 1.1 percent at 23,784 points. The MDax fell below 30,000 points. Most recently, the index of medium-sized companies lost 1.8 percent to 29,914 points.
With regard to the USA, the main focus is on the reaction of the US stock markets after an appeals court denied President Donald Trump the authority to impose far-reaching tariffs on imported products on Friday, citing an emergency law.
"In Asian trade, the continuing uncertainty about the economic impact of the US punitive tariffs was used for profit-taking," said market expert Andreas Lipkow. In view of the power struggle taking place behind the scenes around the US Federal Reserve, there are currently many questions and the upcoming meeting in September is the subject of much discussion.
"An interest rate cut is far from a foregone conclusion." The upcoming economic data from the US, such as the labor market report on Friday, is therefore likely to play an important role. "Many new risk clusters are currently forming, which could still cause considerable fluctuations on the financial markets."
Among the individual stocks in the Dax, the FMC-Aktie ($FMC (-3%) ) brought up the rear, losing 4.9 percent. A sell recommendation from the major Swiss bank UBS weighed on the stock. Analyst Graham Doyle referred to structural risks with regard to business development in the USA and the danger of falling consensus estimates for the operating result.
Siemens ($SIE (-0.31%) ) fell by 2.8 percent. They suffered from a downgrade to "market perform" by Bernstein Research. Analyst Nicholas Green justified his move with the strong share price gains in recent years. Commerzbank ($CBK (-2.01%) ) , downgraded to "Equal-weight" by Morgan Stanley, lost 2.4 percent. At the current valuation level, analyst Alvaro Serrano wrote that further progress in the Frankfurt-based company's business plan is needed first.
In the SDax the share price of SMA Solar ($S92 (+1.86%) ) fell by 28 percent. The manufacturer of inverters for photovoltaic systems lowered its forecast for the current year and now expects an operating loss. The restructuring efforts that have already been initiated are to be intensified further.
The fact that the motor manufacturer Deutz ($DEZ (+1.62%) ) is expanding its still small business in the defense market with the planned acquisition of the Sobek Group. The share gained 6.0 percent at the top of the index. The Sobek Group is a drive specialist for drones.
