FX.co ★ DAX Little Changed As Retail Sales Decline

German stocks remained relatively stable on Thursday, notwithstanding an unforeseen slump in retail sales in February. According to Destatis data, Germany's retail sales took a hit of 1.9 percent compared to January, defying the anticipated boost of 0.3 percent.

Yearly retail sales experienced a 2.7 percent dip in real terms, outpacing financial analysts' prediction of a mere 0.8 percent fall. Consequently, the noteworthy DAX descended slightly by 3 points to 18,473, after witnessing a half percent climb in the previous session.

Shares of Stratec, a prominent manufacturer of analyzer and automation systems for In-Vitro-Diagnostic, dipped by approximately 1 percent. The company reported a decrease in net profit for the full fiscal year due to a drop in sales and an upsurge in expenses.

Despite securing a hefty 264 MW order from Lithuania, the shares of wind turbine manufacturer Nordex Group fell by 1.4 percent. Kontron, a company known for its Internet of Things technology, saw its shares plummet by 3.5 percent following the announcement of its total annual results for the fiscal year 2023.