DAX Tumbles as Medtronic Rallies, Novartis Gains on Trial Data | MarketReader Minute

Global equity markets decline amid rising geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns, with Europe's DAX 30 dropping 3.8% and U.S. indices cautious ahead of key labor market data.

Welcome to the MarketReader Minute.

Below are AI-generated insights on today's premarket moves, powered by MarketReader technology.

Tuesday, September 01

Noteworthy macro moves today: DAX 30 Index (Germany) -3.8%. Nasdaq 100 Index (US) -1.3%. Gold -2.0%. Noteworthy US mega-cap moves today: Intel Corp (INTC) -2.9%. Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR) -2.3%. Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) -1.7%.

Global equity indices are trading lower today, with notable declines in Europe where the DAX 30 Index fell by 3.8%. This downturn is largely attributed to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly between the U.S. and Iran, which have reignited concerns over inflation and economic stability.

In the U.S., major indices such as the Nasdaq 100 Index are down by approximately 1.3%, reflecting investor caution ahead of key labor market data releases later this week, including Friday's non-farm payrolls report and today's JOLTs job openings data expected to show around 7.3 million openings.

Recent economic data has shown a significant rise in inflation rates across Europe, with Italy's inflation hitting 3.3% for August, up from July's figure of 2.9%. This increase is primarily driven by surging energy costs amid ongoing geopolitical conflicts, raising expectations for potential interest rate hikes from central banks including the European Central Bank (ECB).

German manufacturing beat firmly, with the final August PMI at 54.3 versus 52.2 in July, but stronger data alongside higher oil and yields pushed markets further toward pricing ECB tightening rather than easing - and the DAX closed lower.

VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) [-2.9%]
Geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran have intensified, contributing to a significant rise in crude oil prices and raising concerns about inflation and potential interest rate hikes. These factors are likely impacting investor sentiment towards gold mining equities like VanEck Gold Miners ETF. In pre-market trading, GDX is trading lower, reflecting a decline influenced by these broader market conditions. Notably, several of the ETF's top holdings have also posted declines, with Newmont Corporation down 3.1% and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. down 2.49%. Additionally, gold prices have fallen by 1.67%, further correlating with GDX's downward movement of approximately 3.0%.

VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) [-1.8%]
Rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran have led to a surge in crude oil prices, contributing to inflation fears and impacting investor sentiment across markets, including technology sectors. This backdrop has resulted in the VanEck Semiconductor ETF trading lower in pre-market hours, with a decline of 1.82% since Monday's close. Significant contributors to this downturn include notable declines in key holdings such as NVIDIA, Marvell Technology, and Intel. Additionally, the Nasdaq 100 Index has also experienced a decline of 1.32%, further reflecting the broader negative sentiment affecting semiconductor equities.

Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) [-1.5%]
Rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran have led to increased crude oil prices, raising concerns about inflation and potential interest rate hikes by central banks. This has negatively impacted market sentiment across various sectors, including copper mining, which the Global X Copper Miners ETF tracks. As a result, COPX is experiencing a decline in pre-market trading, reflecting broader market trends. The ETF reached a low of -1.72% earlier in the session, continuing a pattern of lower daily closes. Significant contributors to this drop include HBM and FCX, both showing notable negative returns. Additionally, the United States Copper Index Fund has also declined, further contextualizing COPX's movement.

NVS | +5.5% | +18.1B
Novartis AG | Health Care

Positive topline results from Novartis AG's Phase III REMODEL-1 and REMODEL-2 trials for remibrutinib, an oral Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, are driving shares higher in pre-market trading. The trials demonstrated significant superiority over teriflunomide in reducing annualized relapse rates for relapsing multiple sclerosis, with improvements noted in key secondary endpoints related to disability progression. The safety profile of remibrutinib remained consistent with prior data. Novartis plans to present these findings at the upcoming MSToronto2026 conference and intends to seek global regulatory approval for the drug. Despite earlier fluctuations, shares have gained traction following this announcement.

UBS | -3.6% | -6.3B
UBS Group AG | Financials

Regulatory concerns are weighing on UBS Group AG, as Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter expressed disappointment over a parliamentary committee's decision to ease proposed stricter capital rules. This follows the government's response to the 2023 collapse of Credit Suisse, raising uncertainties that may affect UBS's financial stability. Consequently, investor sentiment has been negatively impacted, contributing to the stock's decline today. Additionally, a key parliamentary panel has backed a compromise proposal allowing UBS to meet 50% of new capital requirements with debt, which may help alleviate some pressure but still leaves unresolved details regarding the bank's capital structure.

MDT | +4.1% | +5.0B
Medtronic PLC | Health Care

Medtronic PLC reported strong first-quarter results for fiscal 2027, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.45, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.39. Revenue reached $9.756 billion, surpassing expectations of $9.545 billion. The company also raised its fiscal 2027 organic revenue growth guidance to a range of 7.25% to 7.75%, up from the previous 6.75% to 7.25%. Additionally, Medtronic announced a strategic partnership with Cornerstone Robotics, involving a $700 million investment to distribute the Sentire surgical system outside the U.S., further enhancing its robotics portfolio. These positive earnings results and strategic initiatives have contributed to shares trading sharply higher in pre-market hours.

RDHL | -9.8% | -4.9B
Redhill Biopharma Ltd | Health Care

Redhill Biopharma Ltd announced the acquisition of commercialization rights to Ferring Pharmaceuticals' gastrointestinal drugs, Rebyota and Clenpiq, for an upfront payment of $12 million. This transaction, funded by a recent $18 million divestiture of its Talicia product, is aimed at expanding Redhill's commercial gastrointestinal business, which generated approximately $37.5 million in U.S. net sales in 2025 from these products. Despite this strategic move, the stock is sharply lower in pre-market trading, having reached a session low of -16.29% earlier this morning, following a decline since Monday's close. CEO Dror Ben-Asher highlighted that the acquisition strengthens Redhill's liquidity and growth potential, even as the market response remains negative.

MSTR | -3.3% | -1.5B
Strategy Inc | Information Technology

Criticism of Michael Saylor's leadership by veteran investor Ross Gerber has intensified bearish sentiment surrounding Strategy Inc. Gerber contended that the company's approach of selling MSTR stock to acquire Bitcoin is faltering in the current bear market. He noted a decline in the stock's historical premium over Bitcoin, complicating capital raising efforts and slowing Bitcoin purchases. This scrutiny has contributed to a year-to-date decline of over 12% in Strategy Inc's stock price, despite some recovery linked to a recent Bitcoin rally. The stock is moving lower in pre-market trading, reflecting broader market trends amid concerns about rising costs and potential monetary tightening, with major tech stocks also under pressure. Additionally, Bitcoin's recent drop further correlates with Strategy Inc's decline, indicating that both assets are influenced by similar market dynamics.

Thank you for spending a minute with us.

If you have 2 more minutes, watch this demo of the MarketReader Platform:

Stay in the Loop

Check the MarketReader blog for the latest news, and follow us on X (Twitter) for real-time market insights: @marketreader_AI