Market report: DAX could start at a record high

The DAX is likely to continue its recent climbing tour with a record high today. The broker IG Markets valued the leading German index with a premium of 0.6 percent to 26,830 points. This would mean that the barometer would exceed its high from the previous week of 26,692 points. Yesterday the DAX closed with an increase of 1.2 percent to 26,662 points.

The rapid recovery in US technology stocks is providing a boost. There, fears of stricter AI regulation seem to have dissipated. On Wall Street, the technology exchange Nasdaq 100 gained 2.3 percent to around 28,590 points yesterday. It had fallen by a good 15 percent from the record high at the beginning of October of more than 31,000 points.

It remains to be seen whether the crisis will be over. Some investors can't shake the nervousness: "Everyone looks for a warning signal every day, every minute of the day and then reacts to it every day," said Thomas Martin, portfolio manager at Globalt. The mood constantly fluctuates between the assessment that AI is good or not so good.

However, there was still news after the US market closed that could dampen the joy somewhat. The shares of the most important chip manufacturer Nvidia lost around nine percent after trading. According to media reports, CEO Jensen Huang's replacement is becoming increasingly likely because he is now being accused of another extramarital affair. The group's board of directors should now discuss its future.

The share is now trading at its lowest level since mid-2025. Since the record high in mid-October, Nvidia has lost around 30 percent of its market value. It has since fallen from just under six trillion dollars to around 4.2 trillion.

Huang's departure would be bad news for the company: He has been the chip company's boss since it was founded more than 30 years ago and is considered the driving force behind the company's rise. The management structure is exceptionally tailored to him. According to the media, around 60 managers report directly to him. This means he is more involved in day-to-day business than other bosses of large corporations, and is also more difficult to replace.

The news is having an impact on Asia's stock markets: In Japan, the Nikkei turned negative after early gains. The South Korean leading index Kospi is also falling behind. Technology stocks are particularly well represented in the Kospi, which is why investors react nervously to all reports relating to the topic of AI.

The Nvidia issue could also cause fluctuations on the US stock exchanges today. At this early hour, futures suggest that the Nasdaq technology exchange is likely to fall back after yesterday's gains.