FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Investors on the German stock market initially acted cautiously on Thursday. The leading index Dax lost 0.37 percent to 20,243 points in the first few minutes on Xetra.

The midcap index MDax lost 0.09 percent to 25,552 points. The leading index of the eurozone, EuroStoxx, fell by 0.5 percent.

Market participants are likely to be cautious ahead of tomorrow's US labor market data, as the risk of negative surprises is too great, explained stock market expert Andreas Lipkow. The US Federal Reserve is closely monitoring inflation in the United States. The effects of the planned US punitive tariffs are currently difficult to assess.

There were no significant impulses from the previous day's trading on Wall Street and the US technology exchange Nasdaq. This Thursday, the US stock markets are also closed for the funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter.

On Wednesday, the Dax had narrowly missed a record high and then given up the gains. Stock prices were weighed down by renewed concerns about import tariffs in the US under President-elect Donald Trump. "After the failed breakout above the 20,400 mark, the market may now consolidate the previous gains," wrote the chart experts at UBS./ajx/mis