Germany's equity market opened modestly higher on Wednesday as traders positioned ahead of the US Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision scheduled for that evening. The Dax climbed 0.17% to 25,450 points in early trading, remaining above its 100-day moving average — a widely followed gauge of the medium- to longer-term trend. The MDax index of mid-cap companies rose 0.03% to 31,144, while the Euro Stoxx 50 advanced around 0.4%.
Sentiment received tentative support from overseas markets. On Wall Street, late-session losses were pared back, and most Asian exchanges posted moderate gains. Oil prices eased slightly, though there was no substantive progress toward resolving conflicts in the Middle East. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicated the possibility of a swift restart of an important oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia.
All eyes turned to the Federal Reserve, whose leadership under Kevin Warsh faces scrutiny after weekly core inflation came in higher than expected, strengthening expectations for a tighter monetary stance. According to analysis from NordLB, the probability of a rate hike at Wednesday's meeting stands at roughly 94%. The outcome of Fed chair Kevin Warsh's press conference drew particular attention, given that US President Donald Trump has long advocated for lower benchmark rates.
Among individual performers, AI-themed equities led the advance. Within the Dax, Hochtief, Siemens Energy and Infineon each rose as much as 3.1%, ranking among the index's top gainers. In the MDax, Elmos, Aixtron, Suss Microtec, Siltronic and Jenoptik posted advances ranging from 2.8% to 4.7%.
Commerzbank shares extended their upward move, gaining 1.3%, buoyed by the ongoing takeover process by UniCredit. Bank CEO Bettina Orlopp, speaking at a conference the day before, said she anticipates higher net interest income in the third quarter, fee growth and stable cost levels. Conversely, BMW shares retreated 0.7% in Xetra trading, despite Berenberg Private Bank upgrading the automaker's rating from "hold" to "buy" ahead of the session.
Wind-turbine maker Nordex rose 1.5% after securing a 91-megawatt order from Teut Energieprojekte in Brandenburg.
