The Dax fell moderately on Thursday. The focus is on US labor market data. The leading German index lost 0.26 percent to 15,592.00 points in the afternoon. The MDax lost 1.76 percent to 28,05.31 points.

Weekly US initial jobless claims rose more than expected. Now everyone is eagerly awaiting the government's monthly jobs report, which is due out this Friday. The labor market plays a major role in the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve.

In Germany, however, the reporting season continued for the time being. Deutsche Post reported a record year and impressed with the dividend proposal and an increased share buyback program. The share gained 1.8 percent. After a record profit last year, Hannover Re also wants to pay out more money to shareholders, but has redivided the basic dividend and special dividend. Investors didn't like that either. The share of the world's third-largest reinsurer fell by 1.6 percent. The BMW paper weakened even more with minus 1.8 percent. Sales and operating earnings from the core business with cars failed to meet market expectations in the fourth quarter, it said.

In the MDax, the shares in the real estate company LEG, which brought up the rear, lost 13.0 percent, which means that the price gains since the beginning of the year have been eaten up. The Annual General Meeting is to approve a suspension of the dividend.

The euro traded at $1.0558 in the afternoon session. The European Central Bank had set the reference rate at $1.0545 the day before. The current yield on the bond market remained at 2.77 percent. The Rex pension index rose by 0.17 percent to 123.20 points. The Bund future fell by 0.30 percent to 131.28 points.