The DAX opened roughly 0.8% lower on Monday, trading near 24,856 points as investors digested a broad selloff across Asian markets and a fresh spike in oil prices.
The German benchmark slipped below the psychologically significant 25,000-level, extending losses seen in earlier trading sessions.
The downturn reflects growing risk aversion linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Higher energy costs are weighing on corporate profit expectations and consumer spending forecasts, adding pressure to European equities.
The move follows a similar pattern on Tuesday, when the index opened under pressure amid a sharp rebound in oil prices.
Asian markets led the decline, with major benchmarks posting losses in early trading.
The contagion effect has spread to European open, as traders reassess risk exposure amid geopolitical uncertainty.