DAX Down Marginally As Stocks Turn In Mixed Performance

(RTTNews) - German stocks turned in a mixed performance Friday morning with investors assessing the monetary policy moves by the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, and data showing an unexpected drop in U.S. price growth.

Investors awaited the core PCE index, widely regarded as the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, along with the existing home sales report.

The benchmark DAX was down 16.59 points or 0.07% at 24,180.41 about a quarter past noon.

Heidelberg Materials climbed more than 2%. RWE gained 1.1%, while BMW, Munich RE, Bayer, Mercedes Benz, MTU Aero Engines, Commerzbank, Siemens Energy and Alliance advanced 0.7 to 1%.

Adidas gained about 0.3%, recovering from early weakness. The stock drifted down earlier after Nike warned of weak China demand and rising tariff pressure. However, Puma remained weak, losing about 0.7%.

Deutsche Bank, SAP, Scout24, Deutsche Boerse, Henkel, Daimler Truck Holding, Continental and GEA Group lost 0.3 to 1%.

Monthly survey data published jointly by NIQ/GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions showed German consumer confidence is set to drop at the start of the year 2026 as rising inflation fears weigh on income expectations and purchase decisions.

The forward-looking consumer confidence index fell to -26.9 in January from revised -23.4 in December, missing the expected score of -23.0.

In December, economic expectations stagnated, while income expectations and willingness to buy declined. The willingness to save increased significantly by five points to 18.7, which was the highest since June 2008.

Experts expect the German economy to expand 1 percent or slightly less in 2026.