Uncertainty regarding the consequences and duration of the war in Iran has halted the recovery on the German stock market. The Dax fell by 1.4 percent to 23,643 points on Wednesday morning. "President Trump likely expected a swift military success rather than the dramatic impact on international oil markets," said IG analyst Christian Henke. However, doubts remain as to whether hostilities will end shortly. "According to U.S. intelligence reports, Iran is said to have begun mining the Strait of Hormuz." The war has practically brought oil transport through this vital strait to a standstill and caused oil prices to skyrocket.

Among individual stocks, shares of Wacker Chemie rose by more than eight percent following the release of its financial results. For the current year, the specialty chemicals group expects low single-digit revenue growth, after sales shrank by four percent to 5.49 billion euros in 2025. In contrast, shares of Gerresheimer slumped by around nine percent. The packaging group, which is struggling with accounting issues, spooked investors with a delayed balance sheet presentation, which could lead to the stock's exclusion from the SDax. "The catastrophic news continued. Wait and see - uninvestable," said one trader.

(Report by Stefanie Geiger, edited by Myria Mildenberger. For inquiries, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and economics) or frankfurt.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for companies and markets)