FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Shares in Rheinmetall continued the upward trend of recent days on Friday. With an increase of 2.1 percent to 206.40 euros, they topped the MDax and reached their highest level since the beginning of July. This represents a weekly gain of eleven percent.

In trading, reference was made to the foreseeable inclusion of Rheinmetall shares in the Dax, which provided latent support for the share price. The major French bank Societe Generale (SocGen) had already indicated the day before that a delisting of the Linde share was to be expected in the course of the first quarter and that Rheinmetall was expected to succeed it in Germany's leading Dax index.

On the other hand, the political decision to supply the Marder infantry fighting vehicle to Ukraine was cited on Tuesday. This fed speculation that the Marder could be followed at some point by the Leopard main battle tank, despite all political concerns./bek/mis