Trading hours
The DAX cash session runs 08:00 to 16:30 UK; DAX futures and most GER40 CFDs typically trade from about 00:15 to 21:00 UK, Monday to Friday.
| When | UK time | New York time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily futures open | 00:10 (CFDs typically 00:15) | 19:10 ET the evening before | Eurex continuous trading in FDAX starts at 01:10 German time. Many CFD brokers open GER40 at 01:15 German time. |
| Xetra opening auction | 07:50 to 08:00 | 02:50 to 03:00 ET | Orders build up and the opening price is set at about 09:00 German time. |
| Xetra cash session | 08:00 to 16:30 | 03:00 to 11:30 ET | The official stock market session, 09:00 to 17:30 German time. A short midday auction runs around 13:00 German time (12:00 UK). |
| Xetra closing auction | 16:30 to about 16:35 | 11:30 to 11:35 ET | Sets the official closing level of the DAX. |
| Daily futures close | 21:00 | 16:00 ET | Eurex FDAX trading ends at 22:00 German time. CFDs typically stop at the same time, give or take a minute. |
| Friday close | 21:00 | 16:00 ET | No weekend trading. The DAX does not trade on Sunday evening like US futures. |
| Busiest hours | 08:00 to 10:00, and 13:30 to 15:30 | 03:00 to 05:00 and 08:30 to 10:30 ET | Typically the cash open and the US data and US open window bring the largest moves. |
Germany and the UK change their clocks on the same days (the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October), so German times are always one hour ahead of UK times and the UK times on this page stay the same all year. New York changes on different dates (in 2026, 8 March and 1 November), so in those gap weeks New York is 4 hours behind London instead of 5. Your broker's server clock usually follows New York, so the times shown on your platform for this market can shift by an hour in those weeks even though the market itself has not moved. New York times in the table are for when the gap is 5 hours.
What is GER40 (DAX)?
The DAX tracks the 40 largest German companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, weighted by the value of their shares available to trade. It is run by STOXX, part of Deutsche Börse Group. Unlike the FTSE 100 or the Dow, the DAX is a performance index: dividends are treated as reinvested, so the index does not drop when its companies pay dividends.
The official index is calculated from prices on Xetra, Deutsche Börse's electronic trading system. Outside Xetra hours, GER40 at your broker follows the DAX futures (FDAX) traded on Eurex, which run from early morning to late evening German time.
The trading sessions
Futures trade, but movement is usually small and spreads can be wider.
The most important session for this market. The cash open brings the day's first big moves, and the first hour is typically the most active.
US data at 13:30 UK and the US cash open at 14:30 UK often move European indices too.
After the European close, the market tends to follow US indices until futures stop at about 21:00 UK.
Contract facts
One point is a move of 1.0 in the index level (for example from 24,000.0 to 24,001.0).
Index CFD lot sizes differ between brokers. A common setup is 1 lot worth 1 euro per point, but some brokers use 10 euros or 25 euros per point. Check the contract specification in your platform.
On a CFD where 1 lot is worth 1 euro per point, a 1 point move on 1 lot is worth 1 euro. On one Eurex DAX futures contract (FDAX) a 1 point move is worth 25 euros.
DAX futures (FDAX) on Eurex: 25 euros per index point, minimum move 1 point. Eurex also lists Mini-DAX futures (FDXM) at 5 euros per point and Micro-DAX futures (FDXS) at 1 euro per point.
How far it usually moves
Varies with conditions; check the Average daily range indicator on WickSpeak for the current figure. We have not published a fixed number because we could not verify one from an official source.
What moves GER40 (DAX)
European Central Bank decisions and speeches on interest rates.
German and eurozone economic data, such as business surveys (Ifo, ZEW, PMIs) and inflation.
Exports and global trade: many DAX companies sell heavily abroad, so tariffs and Chinese demand matter.
US markets: moves in US index futures and US data often carry into the DAX.
Earnings from the largest members, such as industrial, software and car makers.
The euro: a stronger euro can weigh on exporters' earnings.
Energy prices: Germany's industry is sensitive to gas and power costs.
Scheduled events to watch
What it tends to move with
Euro Stoxx 50 (EU50): usually moves in the same direction through the day.
US indices (US500, NAS100): the DAX often follows the direction of US futures, especially after 13:30 UK.
EURUSD: the link is loose; a sharply stronger euro has at times weighed on German exporters.
UK100: European indices tend to move together on big risk days.
Tips for trading GER40 (DAX)
Mark the futures range from 00:15 to 08:00 UK. A close outside it after the 08:00 UK open is a breakout idea; a close back inside the range proves it wrong.
The first 15 to 30 minutes after 08:00 UK can whip both ways. Wait for a 5 or 15 minute candle to close before acting.
The DAX often moves many points in a day, so set stops in points beyond structure and lower your size rather than tightening the stop.
Watch the previous day's Xetra close. A rejection there is a reversal idea; a 15 minute close through it proves it wrong.
Check the ECB calendar. On decision days, expect quieter trade before 13:15 UK and wider spreads around the release.
Connect a cTrader account once and GER40 appears on WickSpeak at your broker's own prices. Trades are placed only from a Playbook play where you switch live trading on; otherwise WickSpeak just reads the chart. Session separators mark the 08:00 UK cash open, and key levels show the previous day high and low, pivots, the open and average daily range levels with their distance in points. Every indicator writes a plain-English reading on the live candle, including what would prove it wrong.
Related markets
Sources: eurex.com, cashmarket.deutsche-boerse.com, deutsche-boerse.com, stoxx.com, pepperstone.com, ecb.europa.eu. Checked 2026-11-05. Broker hours follow your broker's server clock and can differ.
Questions traders ask
What time does the DAX open in the UK?
The Xetra stock market session, which sets the official DAX, opens at 08:00 UK (09:00 German time). DAX futures and most GER40 CFDs start much earlier, typically around 00:10 to 00:15 UK. These UK times are the same all year because Germany and the UK change clocks together.
What time does the DAX close in the UK?
The Xetra session closes at 16:30 UK, followed by a closing auction that sets the official closing level at about 16:35 UK. DAX futures and most GER40 CFDs keep trading until 21:00 UK.
Is GER40 the same as the DAX?
GER40 (or DE40) is a broker's name for a CFD that follows the DAX. The DAX grew from 30 to 40 companies in 2021, which is why some older platforms still show GER30. Outside Xetra hours, the CFD follows the DAX futures on Eurex.
Does the DAX trade on Sunday night?
No. Unlike US index futures, DAX futures do not open on Sunday evening. The week starts in the early hours of Monday, around 00:10 UK.
What is the best time to trade GER40?
Typically 08:00 to 10:00 UK, after the Xetra open, and again around 13:30 to 15:30 UK when US data and the US open arrive. Movement is usually small before 07:00 UK.