The German stock index DAX 40 (GER40) was introduced under "DAX" on July, 1st in 1988 by the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. It consists of the 40 largest companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange based on the market capitalization and liquidity. The trading hours for the Frankfurt Stock Exchange take place from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CET. The DAX40 is usually reported as a performance index, which means that the dividends of the companies are reinvested.