DE30: AI/semiconductor companies try to uphold market sentiment

• DE30 loses slightly

• European sentiment mixed, gains driven by AI/semiconductor companies

• German macro data surprises on the downside

• Airbus wins tender to supply 43 helicopters

Thursday's trading session on European markets brings mixed sentiment among investors as they extend the recent wave of sell-offs. On the other hand, the magnitude of the current declines is not great at the moment, thanks to companies from the AI/semiconductor sectors pulling sentiment higher. The macro calendar for today's session is mainly focused on the GDP reading from the US, as well as data on unemployment benefits, private consumption and core PCE inflation in k/k terms.

In Germany, attention focused on the GDP reading, which came in below analysts' expectations. Moreover, the GfK index also surprised on the downside. 

Source: XTB

The mood in Europe during Thursday's trading session is relatively mixed. Sentiment is mainly supported by semiconductor and AI companies, which are gaining on the wave of Nvidia's results publication. Source: xStation 5

News: 

Morgan Stanley initiated its analyst process on Aixtron (AIXA.DE) with an equal-weight rating and a €31 price target. The MS bankers communicated that the leadership position in semiconductor products is already priced in by the market. On the other hand, the shares are trading close to 1.5 per cent up on the back of market-wide euphoria in the AI/semiconductor sector.

Aixtron (AIXA.DE) share price chart, D1 interval. The stock has been trading in a narrow trading range defined by the marked support and resistance zones since November 2022. Source: xStation 5 

ECB bankers Bostjan Vasle and Francois Villeroy have communicated that interest rates should reach their target within the next three meetings, and that the scale of the increase itself will be smaller than before (most likely 25 bp).

Airbus (AIR.DE) has won a tender to supply 43 helicopters to Air Corporate, closing the largest Airbus Helicopters tender in Italy to date. The helicopters in question are the H125/130 (40 units) and three ACH160 helicopters. However, the financial details of the contract were not disclosed. AIR.DE shares are currently gaining nearly 0.7%. 

Airbus (AIR.DE) price chart, D1 interval. Source: xStation 5 

Major percentage changes and information from individual companies in the DAX index. Source: Bloomberg

Changes in institutional holdings of individual companies in the DAX index (data from the last session). Source: Bloomberg

DE30 chart

Futures based on the German DAX index (DE30) are trading down moderately today and are going down to the support area defined by the 50-day exponential moving average (blue curve). Source: xStation 5