German DAX hits fresh record high as Bayer leads gains on glyphosate legal victory

The German DAX surged to a fresh record high of 25,800 points on Friday, extending its rally as investors bet on dovish Federal Reserve policy and domestic economic optimism. The benchmark index closed near its intraday peak, driven by a technical short squeeze in AI-related stocks and renewed confidence in Germany’s corporate sector, particularly Bayer, whose shares led gains after a glyphosate-related legal victory.
Finance experts cited a confluence of factors propelling the rally. “The fuel for this surge is a volatile mix of US rate cut hopes, coalition reform plans, and easing skepticism around the Iran nuclear deal,” said Oliver Roth, chief economist at a Frankfurt-based research institute . The DAX’s advance mirrored gains across European equities, with the Ibex 35 in Spain also setting new records above 19,800 points, as markets shrugged off the US Independence Day holiday closure.
Bayer’s stock contributed disproportionately to the DAX’s gains, rising over 8% after a US court upheld its appeal against a $2 billion glyphosate lawsuit, a decision that analysts described as a turning point for the embattled conglomerate . The company’s legal victory contrasted with Deutsche Telekom’s underperformance, as Elon Musk’s SpaceX-related ventures continued to weigh on its valuation.
European markets also benefited from softer US jobs data, which reduced expectations of imminent Federal Reserve rate hikes. Nonfarm payrolls rose by just 57,000 in June, the weakest gain in months, prompting investors to price in a higher probability of a September pause in tightening . “The US employment slowdown is paradoxically bullish for European equities,” noted a Brussels-based strategist, as it eases pressure on the European Central Bank to match US monetary tightening.
The rally extended to Asian markets, where regional equities followed Wall Street’s lead, despite lingering weakness in semiconductor stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had earlier set a fresh record, reinforcing the global risk-on sentiment .
Amid the exuberance, some analysts warned of stretched valuations. “We are seeing a double bubble in earnings and valuations reminiscent of the late 2021 era,” cautioned a London-based fund manager, highlighting concerns over AI-driven stock surges and stretched corporate margins . Others pointed to structural headwinds, including persistent inflation in energy and food prices, which could yet derail the rally.
For now, the DAX’s record-breaking streak underscores the fragile optimism gripping European markets, as investors navigate a landscape of shifting monetary policy expectations and uneven corporate performance.
Follow us for live European news
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
7 further sources not geolocated







