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DAX yearly charts and key events

The DAX has lost 1.6% so far in 2026 with dividends reinvested (-3.5% in price alone) — which would make it the 9th best of 12 years since 2015. DAX went from 45.62 at the close of December 31, 2025 to 44.02 on October 2, 2026, over 189 trading days (92 up, 97 down).

No curated events for this year yet, so the markers are the year's own turning points so far: its highest and lowest close, best and worst day, deepest fall. Full 2026 year-to-date analysis →

  1. 1
    Worst day so far: -3.7%March 20-3.7% that day
  2. 2
    Lowest close so far: 40.48March 27-1.7% that day
  3. 3
    Best day so far: +4.3%April 8+4.3% that day
  4. 4
    Highest close so far: 47.72August 28+0.2% that day
  • Deepest fall -14.8% (January 27 → March 27)
  • Best day +4.3% (April 8)
  • Worst day -3.7% (March 20)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2026 → $9,840 as of October 2, 2026 (-2.1%/yr over 0.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 39.0% in 2025 with dividends reinvested (+36.9% in price alone) — the best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 33.32 at the close of December 31, 2024 to 45.62 on December 31, 2025, over 250 trading days (138 up, 111 down). It spent 2 of them below where it started.

  1. 1
    DeepSeek shockJanuary 27-0.0% that day
    Nvidia fell 17%, the largest one-day loss of market value for any company.
  2. 2
    Record close of 6,144February 19-2.2% that day
  3. 3
    “Liberation Day” tariffs announcedApril 2-0.1% that day
    After the close; the two sessions that followed lost 10.5%.
  4. 4
    S&P 500 falls 6% — the worst day since March 2020April 4-6.6% that day
  5. 5
    The closing low: S&P 500 at 4,983April 8-1.1% that day
    Down 19% from February.
  6. 6
    Ninety-day tariff pauseApril 9+8.9% that day
    The S&P 500 rose 9.5%, its third-best day since World War II.
  7. 7
    US–China tariff truceMay 12-1.0% that day
    The S&P 500 rose 3.3%.
  8. 8
    New record highJune 27+1.3% that day
    The round trip from record to bear-market brink and back took four months.
  9. 9
    The Fed resumes cuttingSeptember 17-0.3% that day
  10. 10
    S&P 500 falls 2.7% on new China tariff threatsOctober 10-1.4% that day
  • Deepest fall -16.0% (March 18 → April 8)
  • Best day +8.9% (April 9)
  • Worst day -6.6% (April 4)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2025 → $13,677 as of October 2, 2026 (+19.6%/yr over 1.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 10.5% in 2024 with dividends reinvested (+8.0% in price alone) — the 6th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 30.85 at the close of December 29, 2023 to 33.32 on December 31, 2024, over 252 trading days (137 up, 113 down). It spent 34 of them below where it started.

  1. 1
    Spot bitcoin ETFs approvedJanuary 10+0.8% that day
  2. 2
    First record close since January 2022January 19+0.5% that day
  3. 3
    Spring pullback lowApril 19+0.1% that day
    A 5.5% dip on sticky inflation and Middle East tension.
  4. 4
    Nvidia briefly becomes the world's most valuable companyJune 18+0.2% that day
  5. 5
    Yen carry-trade unwindAugust 5-2.1% that day
    Japan's Nikkei fell 12%; the VIX spiked to 65 intraday and the S&P 500 fell 3%.
  6. 6
    The Fed's first cut, 50 basis pointsSeptember 18+0.5% that day
  7. 7
    Trump electedNovember 6-2.5% that day
    The S&P 500 rose 2.5%, its best post-election day ever.
  8. 8
    Hawkish Fed cutDecember 18-2.3% that day
    Fewer cuts pencilled in for 2025; the S&P 500 fell 2.9%.
  • Deepest fall -8.1% (May 15 → August 5)
  • Best day +2.5% (September 26)
  • Worst day -3.0% (August 1)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2024 → $15,120 as of October 2, 2026 (+16.2%/yr over 2.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 23.6% in 2023 with dividends reinvested (+20.5% in price alone) — the 3rd best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 25.60 at the close of December 30, 2022 to 30.85 on December 29, 2023, over 250 trading days (131 up, 114 down).

  1. 1
    The Fed slows to quarter-point hikesFebruary 1+1.3% that day
  2. 2
    Silicon Valley Bank failsMarch 10-0.8% that day
    The second-largest bank failure in US history; Signature Bank followed on Sunday.
  3. 3
    UBS takes over Credit SuisseMarch 19+2.1% next session
  4. 4
    First Republic seized and sold to JPMorganMay 1+0.1% that day
  5. 5
    Nvidia jumps 24% on AI demandMay 25-0.2% that day
    The guidance that turned the AI rally into the year's story.
  6. 6
    Debt-ceiling deal signedJune 3-0.4% next session
  7. 7
    A new bull marketJune 8+1.2% that day
    The S&P 500 closed 20% above its October 2022 low.
  8. 8
    The Fed's final hike, to 5.25–5.5%July 26-0.1% that day
  9. 9
    Autumn correction lowOctober 27-0.5% that day
    Down 10% from July as ten-year yields touched 5%.
  10. 10
    The Fed pencils in 2024 cutsDecember 13+1.4% that day
    The index rallied to within a point of its record by year end.
  • Deepest fall -15.0% (July 28 → October 27)
  • Best day +3.2% (November 14)
  • Worst day -3.9% (March 15)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2023 → $18,691 as of October 2, 2026 (+18.1%/yr over 3.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX lost 18.5% in 2022 with dividends reinvested (-20.8% in price alone) — the 10th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 32.34 at the close of December 31, 2021 to 25.60 on December 30, 2022, over 251 trading days (122 up, 128 down).

  1. 1
    Record close of 4,797January 3+0.4% that day
    The bull-market peak, on the first trading day of the year.
  2. 2
    Russia invades UkraineFebruary 24-2.0% that day
  3. 3
    The Fed's first hike, 25 basis pointsMarch 16+4.8% that day
  4. 4
    S&P 500 falls 3.6%May 5-3.2% that day
    The day after a 50-basis-point hike.
  5. 5
    Bear market confirmedJune 13-3.1% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 3.9% to close 21% below its January peak after an 8.6% CPI print.
  6. 6
    First 75-basis-point hike since 1994June 15+3.3% that day
  7. 7
    Powell's “pain” speech at Jackson HoleAugust 26-3.6% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 3.4%.
  8. 8
    Hot CPI: S&P 500 falls 4.3%September 13-4.0% that day
    The worst day since June 2020.
  9. 9
    The bear-market low: S&P 500 at 3,577October 12+0.2% that day
    Down 25% from January.
  10. 10
    Soft CPI: S&P 500 rises 5.5%November 10+4.5% that day
    Its best day since April 2020.
  11. 11
    FTX files for bankruptcyNovember 11+3.2% that day
  • Deepest fall -37.1% (January 12 → September 27)
  • Best day +7.6% (March 9)
  • Worst day -4.6% (March 4)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2022 → $15,238 as of October 2, 2026 (+9.3%/yr over 4.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 7.7% in 2021 with dividends reinvested (+5.0% in price alone) — the 7th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 30.80 at the close of December 31, 2020 to 32.34 on December 31, 2021, over 252 trading days (142 up, 109 down). It spent 6 of them below where it started.

  1. 1
    Capitol riot; Georgia runoffs hand Democrats the SenateJanuary 6+1.5% that day
  2. 2
    GameStop short squeeze peaksJanuary 27-2.7% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 2.6%, its worst day since October.
  3. 3
    $1.9tn American Rescue Plan signedMarch 11+1.0% that day
  4. 4
    Archegos collapsesMarch 26+1.0% that day
    Its banks dumped $20bn of stock in a day.
  5. 5
    Coinbase lists on NasdaqApril 14-0.2% that day
  6. 6
    The Fed pulls forward its rate-hike outlookJune 16-1.1% that day
  7. 7
    Evergrande scareSeptember 20-2.7% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 1.7% on fears of a Chinese property default.
  8. 8
    The Fed announces the taperNovember 3+0.7% that day
  9. 9
    OmicronNovember 26-3.3% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 2.3% on a half-day session.
  10. 10
    Powell retires the word “transitory”November 30-1.0% that day
  • Deepest fall -10.9% (June 7 → November 30)
  • Best day +2.4% (December 7)
  • Worst day -3.3% (November 26)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2021 → $16,415 as of October 2, 2026 (+9.0%/yr over 5.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 12.3% in 2020 with dividends reinvested (+9.6% in price alone) — the 5th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 28.10 at the close of December 31, 2019 to 30.80 on December 31, 2020, over 253 trading days (133 up, 119 down). It spent 129 of them below where it started.

  1. 1
    Pre-pandemic record: S&P 500 at 3,386February 19+0.6% that day
  2. 2
    Emergency 50-basis-point Fed cutMarch 3-1.1% that day
  3. 3
    Circuit breaker halts tradingMarch 9-8.6% that day
    The first since 1997; oil crashed 25% on a Saudi–Russia price war. The S&P 500 fell 7.6%.
  4. 4
    WHO declares a pandemicMarch 11-4.8% that day
  5. 5
    S&P 500 falls 9.5%March 12-11.3% that day
  6. 6
    The Fed cuts to zero and restarts QEMarch 15-9.9% next session
    Announced on a Sunday evening.
  7. 7
    S&P 500 falls 12% — worst day since 1987March 16-9.9% that day
  8. 8
    The bottom: S&P 500 at 2,237March 23+2.1% that day
    The Fed announced unlimited QE that morning; the index was down 34% from February.
  9. 9
    $2.2tn CARES Act signedMarch 27-2.5% that day
  10. 10
    Oil settles below zeroApril 20-1.3% that day
    WTI closed at −$37.63 as storage ran out.
  11. 11
    New record highAugust 18+0.5% that day
    The full recovery took five months.
  12. 12
    Pfizer's vaccine worksNovember 9+3.7% that day
    The sharpest one-day rotation into cyclicals on record.
  • Deepest fall -39.0% (January 2 → March 18)
  • Best day +9.7% (March 24)
  • Worst day -11.3% (March 12)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2020 → $18,430 as of October 2, 2026 (+9.5%/yr over 6.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 22.1% in 2019 with dividends reinvested (+19.0% in price alone) — the 4th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 23.62 at the close of December 31, 2018 to 28.10 on December 31, 2019, over 252 trading days (136 up, 98 down). It spent 2 of them below where it started.

  1. 1
    Powell signals patience on ratesJanuary 4+4.0% that day
    The S&P 500 rose 3.4%; the pivot from hiking was on.
  2. 2
    Tariff escalation announced by tweetMay 5-1.1% next session
    May was the year's only losing month.
  3. 3
    First Fed cut since 2008July 31-2.2% that day
  4. 4
    The 2s–10s yield curve invertsAugust 14-3.4% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 2.9%.
  5. 5
    Repo rates spike; the Fed intervenesSeptember 17-0.2% that day
  6. 6
    The Fed's third cut of the yearOctober 30+0.3% that day
  7. 7
    Phase-one US–China trade deal announcedDecember 13+0.7% that day
  • Deepest fall -11.2% (July 3 → August 15)
  • Best day +5.4% (May 31)
  • Worst day -5.0% (June 3)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2019 → $22,505 as of October 2, 2026 (+11.0%/yr over 7.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX lost 22.9% in 2018 with dividends reinvested (-25.2% in price alone) — the worst of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 31.59 at the close of December 29, 2017 to 23.62 on December 31, 2018, over 251 trading days (124 up, 124 down).

  1. 1
    S&P 500 record close of 2,873January 26+0.2% that day
  2. 2
    “Volmageddon”February 5-3.8% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 4.1% and the VIX more than doubled in a day; several short-volatility products were wiped out.
  3. 3
    Tariffs on China announcedMarch 22-1.9% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 2.5%; the trade war had begun.
  4. 4
    Record close of 2,931September 20+2.2% that day
    The high before the fourth-quarter slide.
  5. 5
    S&P 500 falls 3.3%October 10-2.0% that day
    The start of a three-month, 20% decline.
  6. 6
    The Fed's fourth hike of the yearDecember 19-0.9% that day
    Powell's “autopilot” remark on the balance sheet sent stocks lower.
  7. 7
    Christmas Eve lowDecember 24-1.9% that day
    The S&P 500 closed at 2,351, down 19.8% from September.
  8. 8
    Dow gains 1,086 pointsDecember 26+0.4% that day
    Its largest one-day point gain to date.
  • Deepest fall -29.5% (January 24 → December 24)
  • Best day +2.5% (February 6)
  • Worst day -3.8% (February 5)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2018 → $17,347 as of October 2, 2026 (+6.5%/yr over 8.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 28.2% in 2017 with dividends reinvested (+25.9% in price alone) — the 2nd best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 25.10 at the close of December 30, 2016 to 31.59 on December 29, 2017, over 251 trading days (129 up, 117 down).

  1. 1
    Dow closes above 20,000January 25+1.8% that day
  2. 2
    Fed hikes, the first of three in 2017March 15+1.3% that day
  3. 3
    One-day tech routJune 9+0.5% that day
    The megacaps fell sharply on a valuation call; the index barely noticed.
  4. 4
    The Fed begins shrinking its balance sheetOctober 2+0.2% that day
  5. 5
    Jerome Powell nominated as Fed chairNovember 2+0.5% that day
  6. 6
    Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signedDecember 22-0.2% that day
    The S&P 500 rose every single month of 2017 on a total-return basis — the first time ever.
  • Deepest fall -3.0% (November 2 → November 15)
  • Best day +4.8% (April 24)
  • Worst day -1.8% (June 29)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2017 → $22,244 as of October 2, 2026 (+8.5%/yr over 9.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX gained 2.7% in 2016 with dividends reinvested (+0.8% in price alone) — the 8th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 24.89 at the close of December 31, 2015 to 25.10 on December 30, 2016, over 252 trading days (130 up, 109 down). It spent 190 of them below where it started.

  1. 1
    Oil falls below $27January 20-1.8% that day
    The worst start to a year for stocks on record.
  2. 2
    The year's closing low: S&P 500 at 1,829February 11-1.9% that day
  3. 3
    The UK votes to leave the EUJune 23+3.4% that day
    The S&P 500 fell 3.6% the next day.
  4. 4
    First record close in fourteen monthsJuly 11+1.9% that day
  5. 5
    Trump electedNovember 8+0.5% that day
    Futures fell 5% overnight, then the index rallied to records within days.
  6. 6
    OPEC agrees its first production cut since 2008November 30-0.6% that day
  7. 7
    The Fed's second hikeDecember 14-1.6% that day
  • Deepest fall -13.8% (December 31, 2015 → February 11)
  • Best day +3.7% (March 11)
  • Worst day -10.1% (June 24)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2016 → $22,841 as of October 2, 2026 (+8.0%/yr over 10.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The DAX lost 3.6% in 2015 with dividends reinvested (-4.9% in price alone) — the 9th best of 11 years since 2015. DAX went from 26.16 at the close of December 31, 2014 to 24.89 on December 31, 2015, over 252 trading days (117 up, 126 down).

  1. 1
    Switzerland abandons the franc's euro capJanuary 15+0.9% that day
  2. 2
    The ECB announces quantitative easingJanuary 22+0.9% that day
  3. 3
    S&P 500 record close of 2,131May 21+0.1% that day
    The high for the year; the index went nowhere for the next fourteen months.
  4. 4
    Greece closes its banksJune 29-3.8% that day
  5. 5
    China devalues the yuanAugust 11-2.3% that day
  6. 6
    Black MondayAugust 24-1.4% that day
    The Dow fell 1,000 points at the open; the S&P 500 lost 3.9% and the VIX hit 53.
  7. 7
    The Fed holds, citing global risksSeptember 17+1.9% that day
  8. 8
    First Fed hike since 2006December 16+1.5% that day
  • Deepest fall -20.0% (April 6 → September 28)
  • Best day +4.9% (July 10)
  • Worst day -5.0% (September 18)
  • $10,000 at the start of 2015 → $22,012 as of October 2, 2026 (+6.9%/yr over 11.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

Every completed year of the DAX from 2015 to 2025, one chart each: DAX's daily path with that year's key events pinned on, the return with dividends reinvested, the deepest fall, the best and worst day, and what $10,000 invested that January is worth today. The best year was 2025 (+39.0%), the worst 2018 (-22.9%); 8 of the 11 years were positive. All 11 years in one table →

Methodology#

Figures are computed from DAX's daily closes — a standard, tradable proxy for the DAX; the index itself cannot be bought, and its official levels are not shown here (the S&P 500 index runs at roughly ten times SPY's price). Each year is measured from the last close of the year before to its own last close; total return uses split- and dividend-adjusted closes, price return split-adjusted closes only. The chart is DAX's price path, so its dollar axis, its high and low and its end label are actual closes; the deepest fall, the best and worst day and the move beside each event are on the total-return path. Events are hand-curated; the move printed beside each is DAX's on that session (or the next one, when the event fell on a closed day). Past performance does not predict future returns; not investment advice.

FAQ#

What were the DAX's best and worst years?
The DAX's best calendar year since 2015 was 2025, +39.0% with dividends reinvested; its worst was 2018, -22.9%. 8 of the 11 completed years from 2015 to 2025 were positive.
How do I read the DAX yearly charts?
Each section shows one calendar year: DAX's daily closes from the last trading day of the year before to the last of that year, with the year's key events marked on the session they hit the market and DAX's move that day printed beside each. The return in the heading is the total return with dividends reinvested; the chart's dollar axis is DAX's price.
How do I find a specific year, like 2018?
Scroll to the year, or use the year strip at the top. Every year has its own link — for example /dax/year-by-year#2018 for 2018 — so a single year can be bookmarked or shared. The running year lives on the year-to-date page.
What would $10,000 invested in the DAX before its worst year be worth today?
$10,000 invested in the DAX at the start of 2018 — its worst year — would be worth about $17,347 as of October 2, 2026 with dividends reinvested. Each section's last line gives the same figure for its own year.

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