DAX threatens to fall below 26,000 points amid geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns

The signs point to falling prices: The DAX is likely to start the day below the 26,000 point mark, which it was just able to hold yesterday. The broker IG sees the leading index 0.6 percent lower in an initial indication.

Overnight, the battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz between the US and Iran escalated again. While the US military attacked several Iranian oil tankers, the Revolutionary Guards attacked an American base in Jordan with numerous missiles.

North Sea Brent crude oil then rose in price again to more than $99 per barrel.

The Asian markets nevertheless appeared robust. Thanks to the euphoria for artificial intelligence, the Chinese indices and the Japanese Nikkei were initially able to stay in the black, and the South Korean Kospi even gained over one percent.

In addition to the military escalation, inflation concerns had weighed on prices on Wall Street. The Dow Jones lost 1.2 percent and the Nasdaq 0.3 percent.

There are no important economic dates scheduled today before the European Central Bank's (ECB) interest rate decision tomorrow and, above all, US consumer prices on Friday are likely to move the markets.

The financial markets have already prepared for the ECB to increase the key interest rate by a quarter point to 2.50 percent. The US inflation data from the USA is considered the last important date that can influence the interest rate decision of the Federal Reserve (Fed) next Wednesday.