Average DAX return
Over the last 10 years the DAX has returned +8.4% a year (CAGR) with dividends reinvested — +5.8% from price alone, and +5.0% after inflation. Since 2015 the annualized figure is +7.1%. Every standard window, through Oct 5, 2026:
| Window | Since | Total return /yr | Price only /yr | Dividends /yr | After inflation /yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | Oct 6, 2025 | -1.54% | -3.63% | +2.09% | -4.11% |
| 3 years | Oct 6, 2023 | +19.89% | +17.46% | +2.43% | +16.66% |
| 5 years | Oct 5, 2021 | +9.27% | +6.62% | +2.65% | +5.23% |
| 10 years | Oct 5, 2016 | +8.45% | +5.76% | +2.68% | +5.00% |
| 12 years | Oct 23, 2014 | +7.12% | +4.74% | +2.38% | +4.11% |
Annualized (CAGR) from DAX daily closes at exact anniversary dates; inflation adjustment uses CPI (CPIAUCSL). The dividends column is the reinvested-dividend contribution — total return minus price return.
The years behind the average#
“Average” hides how lumpy the ride is: across 11 full calendar years, the market finished positive 73% of the time, with a best year of +39.0% (2025) and a worst of -22.9% (2018). The arithmetic mean of single years is +9.2% and the median +10.5% — but compounding through the crashes brings the realized annualized return to +7.1%. Almost no individual year lands near the average.
Related#
See each year individually on DAX returns by year, or check this year's YTD so far.
More on DAX
- Returns by year-3.7%
- Monthly returns-0.2%
- Weekly returns-0.2%
- Trailing returns-3.6%
- YTD return-3.7%
- Drawdown from high−7.9%