The percentage of our retail client accounts that were profitable in the last, most recent, four quarters was: | Q2-2026 : 29% | Q1-2025: 31% | Q4-2025: 29% | Q3-2025: 40%. Contracts for Difference (CFDs) are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage and may not be suitable for all investors. You should not trade with money you cannot afford to lose. These percentages are for illustrative purposes only and do not indicate future performance.
The DAX 30 is the benchmark Stock Market Index (known as the Deutscher Aktienindex) for German Stock Indices and an indicator of overall economic performance for the country, which lends itself to investor sentiment towards German equities.
The DAX-30 trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange of the Deutsche Börse Group, which is the 10th largest in the world and the 3rd largest in Europe in terms of total market capitalisation of listings. The DAX is capitalisation weighted like France’s CAC 40, and measures the performance of the 30 largest and most publicly traded companies in Germany, which represent 80% of total German market capitalisation.
The index began with a base value of 1,000 on 30 December 1987, and over the years the DAX has been through many mergers, bankruptcies, takeovers and restructures, which brought about an unstable outlook and negative investor sentiment.
This changed when, between 2003 and 2007, the DAX saw upward trends that were record breaking for a consecutive 1,587 days, and enjoyed values exceeding 8,105 peaks.
Subsequently, like the cycle of most indices, the DAX saw a pitiful fall during the 2009 ‘credit crunch’ and ended its peak performance at 3,580. However, the index was not down for long as, hitting a record high of 7628 by May.
The global popularity of German companies that form the DAX 30 has been the backbone of the German economy. The DAX name and reputation has been responsible for carrying these companies in their solid growth and globalisation.
The DAX 30 was formulated in 1987 and as mentioned measures the performance of 30 of the most profitable companies in Germany.
For companies to be included in the DAX 30 they need to be listed on the Prime Standard (Frankfurt Stock Exchange), where a minimum of 10% of the listed companies’ shares are held in public hands, and fulfil a number of other criteria to be considered for the index.
Reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Board of the German Stock Exchange (Deutsche Börse) and according to basic criteria, these constituents can be altered. A company is excluded for the index when it’s rank is 45 or lower, this based on criteria that is driven by a free float market capitalisation or low order book volume.
On the other hand, if a company’s rank is 25 or better than the lower ranking company, the latter will be replaced with the fast entry of the better-ranked company.
Top 5 companies represented by DAX 30 and their index weighting (%)
| Bayer | 10.03% |
| Daimler | 9.06% |
| Siemens | 7.93% |
| Allianz | 7.82% |
| BASF | 7.77% |
As with most indices, CFDs, Stocks, commodities, etc. the DAX, like any other instrument, reacts directly to factors that occur globally. Events such as breaking economic news, political unrest, even natural disasters. These are mainly due to import / export activities that will influence the demand in each company’s industrial sector, which in turn affects the index as a whole.
Keeping abreast of economic data from Germany as well as most of Europe is a smart trading move when you are trading DAX index CFDs.
Following DAX live charts during DAX index trading is another method to understand DAX CFD trends, especially when there are announcements that include job creation, unemployment rate, GDP figures and other economic benchmarks.
Covering the global markets, Friedberg Direct gives you accurate daily analysis, trading tools, as well as a personal portfolio manager who will assist you in making informed DAX trading decisions.
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