DAX Index Little Changed; German Private Sector Growth Hits Highest in Nearly a Year

11:48 AM EDT, 10/05/2026 (MT Newswires) -- German stocks began the trading week little changed, with the blue-chip DAX index up 0.06% on Monday's close, as markets assessed the latest private sector data releases. Business survey data from S&P Global showed that Germany's private sector growth continued its upward trajectory in September, with the business activity index in the services sector rising to its highest level since just before the Middle East conflict began in February. The final S&P Global Germany Composite PMI Output Index stood at 53.8, matching the flash estimate and marking its highest reading in almost a year, against 51.8 a month before. "The rise in business activity in September reinforces the tentative signs of recovery we've been seeing in the services sector for a few of months now. In an encouraging sign of resilience, inflows of new work rose for the third month and to the greatest extent since November last year, seemingly undeterred by the renewed energy-related inflationary pressures we saw during the month," said Phil Smith, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "Driven by rising fuel prices, input cost inflation in the service sector in September almost matched that seen at the height of the initial oil price spike back in April." Meanwhile, the final S&P Global Eurozone Composite PMI Output Index rose to a 41-month high of 53.1 in September from the previous month's 52, as the economic upturn in Germany further accelerated. In corporate news, Mutares (MUX.F) received an irrevocable offer for a controlling stake in its French portfolio company Lapeyre Group from an investment vehicle backed by Italian entrepreneurs, including owners of home improvement company Bricofer and home furnishings retailer Conforama Italia. The deal is expected to complete in the fourth quarter. The German private equity firm's stock added 1.22% at closing. On the flip side, Thyssenkrupp (TKA.F) saw its shares decline 1.86% amid chatter that it plans to launch an initial public offering of its tk accelis unit on the German stock exchange by Oct. 28, intending to float 49% of the materials trading division, sources told Reuters. In an emailed response to MT Newswires, thyssenkrupp reiterated its plans to take tk accelis public in 2026, but did not provide additional details.