Stock Index: MDAX Stocks

General Information

The MDAX is the successor index to the DAX, which includes the top 40 companies. The MDAX covers the 50 largest companies/stocks that come after the 40th DAX company. These are mainly mid-cap companies. The index was introduced in 1996 but then recalculated to provide a good comparison with the DAX.

The index is based on the daily data of the electronic Xetra exchange, which is open from 9:00 to 17:30. The Dax family includes the DAX, MDAX, and SDAX. Companies can move up or down in the MDAX, depending on their performance. The Deutsche Börse, which manages the index, decides which companies are included.

Calculation of the Index

The index is updated twice a year, in March and September. During this time, it is assessed whether the companies still belong to the 50 largest after the DAX or not. If a company should rise or fall based on market capitalization, this process will be carried out in one of these months.

The MDAX is calculated as both a price index and a performance index. Most commonly, the performance index is referred to, as dividend payments are reinvested here. This is not taken into account in the MDAX price index.

Overview of the index history

As mentioned in the introduction, the MDAX was introduced in 1996, but back-calculated until December 30, 1987, to start at 1,000 points there.

The index reached its low point at 914 points on January 29, 1988. Later, the MDAX reached its peak at just over 5,000 points during the Dotcom bubble, which then dropped by almost 50% due to the loss in share prices. Today, the index stands at 33,400 points.

MDAX: Historical price development

In the last five years, the MDAX has significantly outperformed the DAX with a return of 43% compared to a return of 31%. This clearly shows that the MDAX is significantly more diversified and includes more growth companies.

MDAX: Importance for private investors

In comparison to European indexes, the MDAX is performing quite well. Over the past 5 years, the index has delivered a return of 43%, whereas the Euro Stoxx has only generated a return of 25% and the FTSE 100 5%. From a historical perspective, investing in the MDAX in Europe or Germany is not a bad choice.

However, on an international level, the German stock index for mid-cap companies cannot keep up. The very diversified MSCI World has also performed significantly better over the past five years with a return of 66%. Therefore, investing in this index should be carefully considered.