DAX 40 – Live Rate, Chart and Market Analysis

The German stock index DAX 40 represents the performance of forty of the largest and most liquid companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, serving as a key indicator of the German and European economy. A live DAX 40 chart provides real-time quotes and allows traders to apply technical indicators for in-depth market analysis, helping identify trends and entry or exit points. The index includes companies from various industries such as technology, finance, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing, ensuring a balanced reflection of the economic landscape. Among the most popular instruments for trading DAX 40 are futures, with contracts traded on the Eurex exchange under the ticker FDAX, while options, CFDs, and ETFs offer additional flexibility for different investment strategies.

The DAX 40 Index Futures live chart is a simple yet powerful online tool designed for fast and convenient technical analysis directly in your browser. Without the need to download extra files or applications, traders can access more than one hundred advanced charting tools and instantly apply over eighty technical indicators with just a couple of clicks. This flexibility makes the chart suitable for both beginners and experienced analysts, offering endless possibilities to track price movements, identify market trends, and refine trading strategies in real time.

Technical Analysis DAX 40

The DAX 40 Index Futures Technical Analysis widget is a modern and convenient tool that provides real-time trading signals based on a wide range of popular technical indicators. Designed in the style of a speedometer, it instantly displays the results of the overall analysis, allowing traders to quickly assess market sentiment without manually checking multiple indicators. The widget uses advanced metrics such as RSI, Stochastic, CCI, ADX, Awesome Oscillator, Momentum, MACD, Stochastic RSI, Williams %R, Bull Bear Power, Ultimate Oscillator, EMA, SMA, Ichimoku Cloud Base Line, VWMA, and HMA, making it a powerful assistant for both beginners and experienced market participants who rely on technical analysis for trading decisions.

DAX 40 Index 📊

DAX 40 is the leading German blue-chip stock index, representing the performance of the forty largest publicly traded companies on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).

Unlike many other indices, the DAX 40 also includes the reinvestment of dividends from its constituent shares, ensuring a more accurate picture of the total return for investors.

As Germany is considered the economic engine of Europe, the DAX index is not only a measure of the German market but also a barometer of the entire European Union’s economic health.

DAX 40 Trading Hours ⏰

One of the most popular instruments for trading stock indices are futures. DAX Index contracts are traded on the European Exchange (Eurex) under the ticker symbol FDAX, allowing investors to access the German market efficiently.

The size of a standard future corresponds to the value of the DAX 40 index multiplied by 25 euros, with a minimum price movement of 0.5 points or 12.5 euros. Futures are cash-settled, providing straightforward exposure without physical delivery.

Futures trading is available on the platform from 01:00 to 22:00 Central European Time (CET), while the regular DAX value is calculated between 09:00 and 17:30 CET. Following this, between 17:30 and 20:00 CET, the Late-DAX (L-DAX) is calculated using a similar method.

Another option is the Mini-DAX Futures, also traded on Eurex under the code FDXM. Their value equals the DAX rate multiplied by 5 euros, and they are available for trading from 01:00 to 22:00 CET, offering a flexible solution for traders with smaller deposits.

Where is DAX Traded? 📈

The DAX 40 index is primarily traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE), which is Germany’s largest stock exchange and a key hub for European equities.

In addition to the FSE, DAX futures and derivatives are actively traded on the Eurex Exchange, one of the leading European futures and options platforms. Standard contracts (FDAX) and Mini-DAX contracts (FDXM) allow investors and traders to access the index efficiently and with flexible contract sizes.

Some global brokers and trading platforms also provide access to DAX CFDs and ETFs, enabling international investors to participate in the performance of Germany’s top 40 companies without directly trading on German exchanges.

Trading Instruments for DAX 40 💹

The DAX 40 index can be traded using a variety of instruments, providing flexibility for both professional traders and beginners. The most popular option is DAX futures (FDAX), traded on the Eurex Exchange, which allow precise exposure to the index’s movements.

Other instruments include Mini-DAX Futures (FDXM), which have smaller contract sizes and are suitable for traders with lower capital. Additionally, CFDs and ETFs tracking the DAX 40 are widely available through international brokers, enabling easy access to the German market without direct exchange trading.

Options on DAX futures are also a popular tool for hedging and creating advanced trading strategies. Combined with technical analysis tools, these instruments provide a comprehensive set of options to profit from both short-term and long-term movements in Germany’s blue-chip index.

History of the DAX Index 📜

The DAX index was officially published and introduced to the public on July 1, 1988, though its calculation dates back to the early 1980s. It was created to track the performance of German blue-chip companies, replacing the then-popular Hardy-Index, Borsen-Zeitung, and ASB indices.

All companies included in the DAX belong to the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, which consists of firms meeting more stringent transparency and reporting requirements compared to standard listings. The total market capitalization of these companies exceeds $1 trillion, representing roughly 80% of all publicly traded German companies.

The index exists in two versions depending on dividend treatment: DAX TR (Total Return) reinvests dividends to reflect theoretical investor returns, while DAX PR (Performance) excludes dividends, showing pure economic growth. While both are highly correlated, the live charts for DAX TR and DAX PR can differ slightly due to dividend reinvestment effects.

DAX Liquidity and Volatility 💧

The DAX is one of the most liquid stock indices in the world. According to Eurex internal statistics, the annual volume of options contracts reaches 20–30 million units, while DAX futures total 30–40 million contracts per year, making it a highly active market for traders.

Often, DAX serves as a leading indicator for the American stock market. Many major shares in the DAX basket are also listed on US trading platforms. Since European trading starts before the US session, sharp movements in the DAX can signal similar trends for American markets.

The volatility of the Deutscher Aktienindex (DAX) is generally moderate, with daily price changes averaging between 1% and 4%. Futures on the index enjoy high liquidity, ranking among the top 5 most popular contracts in Europe. This provides opportunities for short-term trades with low spreads, while medium-term trading can be more comfortable during periods of lower volatility.

Long-Term Trends of the DAX 40 📈

Over the long term and on larger time frames, the DAX 40, like many major indices of developed countries, tends to form extended upward trends lasting from one to four years, followed by corrections of varying depth. This makes it an important benchmark for investors analyzing long-term market behavior.

Due to the relatively small size of its basket, the index can be influenced by significant price movements of individual constituent stocks, as well as sector-specific shifts within the German economy. Additionally, the DAX 40 is sensitive to global political developments, domestic and foreign policy decisions, and the overall economic health of Germany.

Until 2021, the index included thirty companies and was known as DAX 30 (GER 30). The expansion to forty companies improved its representativeness, reduced the correlation with individual large companies, and increased diversification, making the DAX 40 more attractive to investors and better reflecting the performance of the German economy.

Composition of the DAX 40 Index 🏢

The DAX 40 index includes securities of issuers ranked among the top thirty by capitalization and trading volume on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE). When calculating the index, only the capitalization of freely circulating shares is considered, excluding securities held by company insiders and management. The index value is based on real-time data from the XETRA trading system and, since 2006, the DAX 40 rate has been updated every second, ensuring precise and up-to-date market information.

DAX 40 Sector and Company Breakdown 📊

About 60% of the DAX 40 index basket is represented by seven key sectors of the German economy, including industry, insurance, healthcare, automotive, and chemical industries. This sectoral distribution provides a balanced reflection of Germany’s economic landscape.

Among individual companies, the largest weights in the index are held by:

• SAP SE – a leading German software developer, contributing about 10% of the index basket;
• Linde PLC – a major player in the chemical industry;
• Allianz SE – a global insurance company;
• Siemens AG – a diversified conglomerate producing electrical engineering, microelectronics, medical, and other specialized equipment;
• Bayer AG – a key pharmaceutical and chemical company.

Together, these five companies make up approximately 40% of the total DAX 40 basket, highlighting their significant influence on the index’s movements.

DAX Index Calculation 🧮

Unlike many other indices, the DAX 40 uses a more complex formula based on the Laspeyres method. The calculation takes into account the free-float capitalization of constituent companies and applies several correction factors to ensure accuracy.

The formula is as follows:

DAX_t = K_T × ∑_i=1ⁿ (p_i,t × f_i,t × q_i,t / (q_i,0 × c_i,t × p_i,0))

Where:

• K_T – special coefficient;
• p_i,t – share price at time t;
• f_i,t – number of shares of the i-th company in free circulation at time t;
• q_i,t – total number of shares of the i-th company at time t;
• q_i,0 – number of shares of the i-th company on the trading day before its inclusion in the index;
• c_i,t – correction coefficient;
• p_i,0 – share price at the end of the trading session preceding the inclusion of the security in the DAX.

This approach ensures that the DAX 40 index accurately reflects market movements and the performance of its constituent companies in real time.

DAX Family of Indices 🌐

The DAX 40 is the flagship of a wide family of German stock market indices, calculated by Deutsche Börse AG. Alongside the DAX 40, the following indices provide specialized insights into different sectors and company sizes:

• 💻 TecDAX (TECDAX) – a technology-focused index including 30 companies, following the main DAX in capitalization.
• 🏭 MDAX (MDAX) – tracks 60 mid-cap German companies, ranking just after DAX constituents by turnover and capitalization.
• 📉 SDAX (SDXP) – covers 50 small-cap German companies, following MDAX in size.
• 🔗 HDAX (GDAXHI) – a comprehensive index of 110 issuers from TecDAX, MDAX, and DAX.
• 💰 DAX ex Financial Index – focuses on financial companies included in the DAX.
• 🏦 DAX ex Financial 30 Index – tracks 30 large issuers in the financial sector not included in the previous index.
• 📊 CDAX (CDAX) – a combined index of all shares traded in the Prime and General segments of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
• 🌍 DAX International Mid – includes 100 foreign issuers listed on the FSE.
• 🏆 DAX Prime AS – shows the performance of all shares traded in the Prime segment.
• 📈 DAX General Standard Index – tracks 200 large issuers in the General Standard segment with capitalization above €5 billion.
• 🛒 DAX Retail (CXPRX) – a sectoral index of around 20 retail companies.
• 🏗️ DAX Industrial (CXPNX) – covers the largest industrial enterprises.

The DAX family combines both sector-specific and broad market indicators, covering domestic and international companies, providing a comprehensive view of Germany’s stock market.

ETF Options for DAX 40 💼

Another popular way to profit from DAX 40 movements is by investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that replicate the index’s performance. There are many ETFs tracking the DAX, including:

• 🌍 Global X DAX Germany ETF
• 📈 iShares Core DAX UCITS ETF
• 💹 Lyxor Core DAX
• 🔄 Xtrackers DAX UCITS ETF 1C
• 📊 ComStage DAX UCITS ETF
• 🏦 Amundi ETF DAX UCITS ETF DR
• 💰 Vanguard DAX UCITS ETF Distributing

The goal of these ETFs is to achieve returns that closely match the performance of the DAX 40 index minus management fees. They allow investors to participate in the index’s growth even with relatively small amounts, eliminating the need to build a full stock portfolio to benefit from DAX movements.

The Deutscher Aktienindex (DAX) is a German blue-chip index and one of the most popular market indicators in Europe and worldwide. It serves as the underlying asset for over 150,000 financial instruments and is renowned for its extremely high liquidity. This liquidity allows traders and investors to profit from DAX 40 movements using a variety of strategies, ranging from short-term trades to long-term investment approaches. Whether for intraday trading or portfolio diversification, the DAX offers numerous opportunities for market participants.

Summary of the DAX 40 Index 📌

The DAX 40 is Germany’s leading blue-chip index, representing the forty largest and most liquid companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE). It serves as a key indicator of both the German and European economies. Highly liquid and widely followed, the DAX 40 underlies over 150,000 financial instruments, making it accessible for both short-term trading and long-term investment strategies.

The index includes companies from various sectors such as technology, finance, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and industry, with the largest weights held by SAP SE, Linde PLC, Allianz SE, Siemens AG, and Bayer AG. Together, they account for roughly 40% of the index basket, providing significant influence on market movements.

Traders can access the DAX 40 through multiple trading instruments, including futures (FDAX), Mini-DAX contracts (FDXM), CFDs, options, and ETFs. Futures trading on the Eurex Exchange takes place from 01:00 to 22:00 CET, while the regular DAX value is calculated from 09:00 to 17:30 CET. Late-DAX (L-DAX) extends the calculation to 20:00 CET, offering extended market opportunities.

The DAX family includes several specialized indices such as TecDAX, MDAX, SDAX, HDAX, and sectoral indices like DAX Retail and DAX Industrial, as well as international and Prime segment indicators, providing comprehensive coverage of the German and global stock market.

Investors can also gain exposure through ETFs that replicate the DAX 40, such as iShares Core DAX UCITS ETF, Lyxor Core DAX, and Vanguard DAX UCITS ETF. These instruments allow participation in the index’s growth even with smaller investment amounts, without the need to build a full stock portfolio.

Finally, the DAX 40 is calculated using the Laspeyres formula, taking into account free-float capitalization and applying correction coefficients to ensure accurate real-time valuation. The index exists in two variants: DAX TR (Total Return), which reinvests dividends, and DAX PR (Performance), which shows pure price growth.

Overall, the DAX 40 remains a highly liquid, versatile, and essential tool for traders and investors seeking insights into Germany’s economic performance and European market trends.

FAQ – DAX 40 Index ❓