Frankfurt's DAX closed about 0.9% firmer at 24,597 on Wednesday, an all-time high, mirroring European peers. Market sentiment was lifted by the EU’s new trade measures and plans to curb steel imports, though weak German data and political uncertainty in France limited the upside. Germany’s industrial output slumped 4.3% in August, the steepest drop since March 2022, far exceeding the expected 1% decline. Meanwhile, traders awaited the Fed minutes due later for policy guidance amid a lack of official data caused by the US government shutdown. Industrials, retailers, and banks led gains, while autos and chipmakers lagged. Thyssenkrupp jumped over 5% on the EU’s steel plan, alongside strong advances in Zalando (+5.3%), Siemens Energy (+3.3%), and Adidas (+3.3%). On the downside, BMW slid more than 8% after a profit warning and concerns that higher steel tariffs could raise costs for automakers. Mercedes-Benz Group, Porsche Automobil, Volkswagen and Daimler Truck followed closely.