Blue-chip DAX Index Flat as German Factory Orders Jump

12:05 PM EST, 01/08/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The German DAX index was flat on Thursday, closing 0.02% in the green, after the latest data showed a surprise rebound in manufacturing demand in the eurozone's largest economy. Germany's new manufacturing orders climbed 5.6% month over month in November 2025, against a revised 1.6% gain in the previous month and the expected 0.9% drop. Annually, factory orders rose 10.5%, against a 0.7% decline earlier. Destatis attributed the positive reading to an increase in orders for metal products, aircraft, ships, trains and military vehicles, along with additional work for electrical and data processing equipment, mechanical engineering and electronic and optical products. In the wider euro area, the economic sentiment indicator edged down to 96.7 points in December 2025 from the revised 97.1 points earlier, according to the latest monthly business and consumer survey from the European Commission. Meanwhile, the consumer confidence index stood at -13.1 points, compared with the revised -12.8 points previously and the flash estimate of -14.6 points. "For 2026, we expect growth to gradually pick up on the back of stronger consumer spending and investment. For the moment, low consumer confidence continues to be a barrier to increased household spending, although positive real wage growth does provide some consumption tailwinds. For investment, the big question is when fiscal stimulus promises will kick in," ING said. On the corporate side, Zalando (ZAL.F) slipped 2.46%, as the German e-commerce company plans to close a logistics center in Erfurt, Germany, and discontinue overseas operations at three externally managed warehouses to "reshape" its pan-European logistics network. The Erfurt-based site is expected to be closed by the end of September. Mwb Research reiterated Sartorius' (SRT.F) sell rating and price target of 175 euros, noting valuation risks related to existing macroeconomic challenges. The German life science group was off 0.24% at the end of the session on Xetra. "Sartorius remains a high-quality company with strong market positions, high entry barriers, and a resilient consumables business that has supported a gradual operational stabilization during FY25. However, the broader market environment remains challenging, with cautious capex behavior among pharma and biotech customers, elevated financing costs, and rising political uncertainty. US industrial policy adds a further structural risk for European suppliers. While margins benefit from cost discipline and mix effects, visibility on a sustained recovery in order intake is limited," the research firm wrote.