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August 17, 2025

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Top catalysts for DAX Index and best stocks of 2025 revealed

4 Mins Read

The DAX Index remained in a tight range in the past few weeks s most of its constituent companies published stronger-than-expected financial results. It was trading at €24,360, a few points below the year-to-date high of €24,635. This article looks at the top-gainers this year.

Key catalysts for the DAX Index this year

There were several key catalysts for the German DAX this year. First, market participants reacted to the recently announced deal between the US and the European Union.

This deal will see European companies pay a 15% tariff to the US, a move that will affect some of the biggest constituent companies. Porsche, which is partly owned by Volkswagen Group, will be the most affected because it counts the US as the most important market.

The most recent results showed that its European and Chinese businesses slowed, while the US one continued to accelerate. Porsche makes its vehicles in the United States.

The DAX Index also reacted to the actions by the European Central Bank (ECB). Unlike the Federal Reserve, the bank delivered several interest rate cuts this year, bringing the official cash rate to 2%.

In theory, falling ECB interest rate cuts should lead to lower bond yields, attracting investors to equities. Recently, however, German bonds have continued to sell off, with the ten-year rising to 2.78%, its highest point since March 24 this year.

The DAX was also moved by the robust government spending after the parliament voted for a €500 bilion spending package. 

DAX Index chart | Source: TradingView

Top DAX Index gainers of this year

The Rheinmetall share price has surged by over 112% this year, making it the best performer in the DAX Index. Its surge happened as the German government boosted its defense spending as the war in Ukraine continued.

With the US taking a tough stance against Europe, the governments have embarked on the modernization of their defence bases by focusing on European companies. 

The most recent results showed that its group sales jumped by 24% to €4.7 billion, with its defence segment growing by 36%. Its backlog jumped to a record high of €63 billion, up from €63 billion in the same period last year. 

Commerzbank share price jumped by 138% this year, helped by the ongoing accumulation by Unicredit, the giant Italian bank and the ongoing surge in European bank stocks. 

Unicredit has hinted that it would launch an acquisition bid either this year or in 2026. The risk, however, is that Commerzbank has become a highly overvalued company as it has jumped by almost 200% in the last 12 months.

Siemens Energy is another top gainer in the DAX Index as it jumped by 88% this year an 24% in the last three months. The company has continued to benefit from the ongoing turnaround and robust order intake. 

Siemens Energy’s revenue grew by 13.5% in the last quarter to €9.7 billion, while its order intake jumped to €16.6 billion. Its profit before special items rose to €497 million, much higher than the €49 million it had in the same period last year.

Deutsche Bank’s share price has jumped by 63% this year, helped by the ongoing surge in profits. The most recent numbers showed that its trading business boomed, helped by the volatility brought about by Donald Trump’s tariffs. 

The other top gainers in the DAX Index were companies like Heidelberg Materials and Bayer. E. ON, Allianz, Siemens, and Deutsche Post. 

Adidas, the top sporting apparel company, was the top laggard in the index as its growth decelerated. The other top losers in the German DAX were firms like Zalando, Symrise, Porsche, Merck, and Beiersdorf.

The post Top catalysts for DAX Index and best stocks of 2025 revealed appeared first on Invezz

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In World news

Tech 5: US Government Strikes Big Tech Deal, Perplexity Plots Expansion

5 Mins Read

Tech stocks led Wall Street to a second consecutive week of gains as a series of data releases reignited optimism about a September interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve.

A strong consumer price index report was the catalyst, renewing anticipation that the Fed will lower rates when it meets next month. While Thursday’s (August 14) less optimistic producer price index report caused a momentary pause, the tech sector’s resilience — or defiance — mitigated losses and kept momentum alive.

Here’s a look at the key moments that shaped the tech sector this week.

1. US government strikes controversial Big Tech deal

On Monday (August 11), the Washington Post reported on a deal between the US government and tech giants NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) (NASDAQ:AMD). It stipulates that the tech companies must surrender 15 percent of revenue from Chinese sales of NVIDIA’s H20 chips and AMD’s MI308 chips.

Anonymous sources told the news outlet that this condition was imposed as a prerequisite for granting the companies export licenses to sell their products in China. The move that has prompted legal concerns among trade experts who say the fee could be construed as an unconstitutional trade tax.

“To call this unusual or unprecedented would be a staggering understatement,” Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator, told Bloomberg. “What we are seeing is in effect the monetization of US trade policy in which US companies must pay the US government for permission to export.”

AMD, NVIDIA and Intel performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Meanwhile, shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) rose as much as 4.6 percent on Tuesday (August 12) following a ‘candid and constructive’ meeting between CEO Lip-Bu Tan and US President Donald Trump on Monday.

The meeting came after Trump called for Tan’s removal last week.

According to a separate Bloomberg article, the US government is considering taking a stake in the chipmaker to help it establish a planned factory hub in Ohio; the company once promised it would be the world’s largest chipmaking facility. Tan has not confirmed or denied the report, but discussions are said to be ongoing. Sources told Bloomberg the government is considering using funds from the Biden administration’s Chips Act to fund the stake.

2. Amazon to expand grocery delivery services

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) shares rose as much as 1.3 percent on Wednesday (August 13) after the commerce company announced plans to significantly expand its grocery services.

On Wednesday, the company said its same-day delivery service will now include fresh groceries, including produce, meat and dairy, in over 1,000 cities, with plans to expand into more than 2,300 by the end of the year.

The service is included in Amazon Prime memberships for orders over US$25. Smaller orders and orders from non-members will require fees of US$2.99 and US$12.99, respectively.

3. CoreWeave shares drop after mixed earnings report

Artificial intelligence (AI) data center operator CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) reported mixed Q2 results on Tuesday, with revenue more than doubling year-on-year to US$1.2 billion, beating estimates of US$1.08 billion, and a revenue backlog of US$30.1 billion. However, the growth came at a high cost. The company reported a record US$2.9 billion in capital expenditures for the quarter, and operating expenses jumped by 276 percent to US$1.19 billion.

CoreWeave performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

The company also reported losses of US$291 million, larger than the US$190.6 million analysts had estimated.

Shares of CoreWeave opened more than 10 percent lower on Wednesday and declined throughout the week, closing at US$99.97 on Friday (August 15) compared to Monday’s opening price of US$134.80.

4. Perplexity bids on Chrome, prepares for fresh funding round

AI startup Perplexity made a US$34.5 billion bid for Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) web browser, Chrome, in a move to secure its future in the AI search market. Perplexity told the Wall Street Journal that the unsolicited offer would be funded with the help of outside investors. The company’s advance comes as Google faces a potential divestiture following an antitrust trial that found it had illegally monopolized online search and search advertising.

OpenAI has also expressed interest in acquiring Chrome.

On Thursday, Business Insider reported that Perplexity is preparing for another round of funding, which would mark its sixth fundraiser in 18 months. The company is reportedly seeking a post-money valuation of US$20 billion. This comes barely one month after the startup achieved a US$18 billion valuation.

The rapid succession of these events underscores the intense, high-stakes competition among AI startups to secure foundational assets and challenge established tech giants.

Canadian AI startup Cohere secured US$500 million in fresh funding on Thursday from a group of investors that included NVIDIA and AMD, bringing its valuation to US$6.8 billion. The company also onboarded former executives from Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META).

5. Apple plans product expansion

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares climbed as high as 1.7 percent on Wednesday after Bloomberg reported on the company’s planned expansion into robotics, home security and smart displays.

The new products are aimed at strengthening Apple’s product ecosystem, which has paled in comparison to offerings from tech rivals like Amazon and Meta.

Apple performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Some of the new devices slated for future release include a tabletop virtual companion robot, a long-planned advanced Siri model with a visual personality, a smart speaker with display capabilities and home security cameras.

Apple finished the week at US$231.59, a 1.7 percent gain from Monday.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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In Business

Lyft co-founders to step down from ride-hailing firm’s board

2 Mins Read

Lyft said Thursday its co-founders, Logan Green and John Zimmer, are stepping down from the ride-hailing services provider’s board, following the completion of a two-year transition plan.

Green and Zimmer began serving as the chair and vice chair of Lyft’s board in 2023 after stepping down as CEO and president, respectively, handing the reins to David Risher, who has been a board member since 2021.

The duo founded Lyft in 2012, with the company now operating across four continents and nearly 1,000 cities.

Sean Aggarwal, who was the chair of Lyft’s board from 2019 to 2023, will reprise his role.

Zimmer is launching a new consumer-focused business venture named YES&, while Green will continue as a venture partner at Autotech Ventures, a firm investing in the mobility and transportation sector.

Lyft, which recently completed its nearly $200 million acquisition of European mobility platform FreeNow, has signed a deal with China’s Baidu 9888.HK to introduce the search-engine giant’s robotaxis in the region.

It posted revenue of $1.59 billion in the second quarter, missing estimates of $1.61 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Rides on Lyft’s platform grew 14% to a record high of 234.8 million in the quarter, slightly below estimates of 235.9 million, per Visible Alpha.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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In Politics

Trump closes out 30th week in office with ‘very warm’ high-stakes Putin meeting

4 Mins Read

President Donald Trump closed out his 30th week in office of his second term with a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, in an attempt to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

The two did not reach a peace agreement, but Trump said that the meeting was a success and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House in Washington Monday. 

‘It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,’ Trump said in a Saturday post on Truth Social. 

If the meeting in Washington with Zelenskyy goes well, Trump said that a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine will be scheduled. 

Trump described the meeting with Putin as ‘very warm,’ and said that he believed a deal was imminent. 

‘I can tell you, the meeting was a very warm meeting,’ Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview. ‘You know, he’s a strong guy, he’s tough as hell on all of that, but the meeting was a very warm meeting between two very important countries, and it’s very good when they get along. I think we’re pretty close to a deal. Now look, Ukraine has to agree to it.’

Here’s what also happened this week: 

Crime crackdown 

On Monday, Trump announced he would activate approximately 800 National Guard troops and would take over the Metropolitan Police Department to address crime in Washington. The move came after Trump already bolstered federal law enforcement presence in the nation’s capital Saturday. 

‘I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, D.C.,’ Trump told reporters at a Monday press conference. ‘And they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly.’

Trump initially suggested federalizing Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department and dispatching National Guard troops to address crime in Washington Aug. 6 in response to the assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer. 

Although a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is warranted for emergency situations, Washington officials filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s move Friday. 

‘By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law,’ Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a Friday X post. ‘This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.’

Smithsonian review

The White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday, announcing it would conduct a review of its museums and exhibits leading up to the 250th birthday of the United States in 2025.

‘We want the museums to treat our country fairly,’ Trump told reporters Thursday. ‘We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.’

‘Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad,’ Trump said. ‘But what happened over the years in an accurate way.’ 

The White House said in a letter Tuesday the review would involve examining social media, exhibition text and educational materials to ‘assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.’ 

‘This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,’ the letter said.

The Smithsonian told Fox News Digital it would coordinate with the White House, Congress and its governing Board of Regents on the matter. 

‘The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,’ the Smithsonian said in a statement.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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