Commerzbank Stock Climbs to Within a Whisker of Year High Despite Market Manipulation Investigation
Published on 06/18/2026 at 13:16 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The Commerzbank share price is brushing the top of its 52-week range even as legal and regulatory turbulence swirls around the lender. At €38.18, the stock sits just 0.52% below the year’s peak of €38.38, a level also hit in today’s session. Over the past twelve months, the shares have surged roughly 36%, comfortably outpacing the broader banking sector.
That resilient performance comes as the Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office examines possible market manipulation linked to UniCredit’s takeover bid. Preliminary investigations are underway — a step that does not imply wrongdoing. UniCredit has rejected the allegations, insisting it properly disclosed all holdings and even voluntarily submitted the matter to financial regulator BaFin. The Italian bank now controls more than 42% of Commerzbank’s capital, having secured around 12% of the shares tendered during the first offer phase, which closed this week.
Commerzbank, for its part, flagged unusual tender behaviour to BaFin, noting that almost no retail investors and few institutional accounts had submitted their stock. The German lender is feeding new evidence to the authorities on an ongoing basis. The next milestone comes on June 19, when UniCredit publishes the preliminary result of the first phase. A second acceptance period then opens on June 20 and runs until July 3 under unchanged terms.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Commerzbank?
While the takeover plot thickens, the shareholder register reveals another major investor maintaining a steady presence. Nomura confirmed it holds 8.08% of voting rights in Commerzbank, after issuing technical corrections on June 15 and June 17 that fine-tuned the split between direct equity and positions held via equity swaps. The substance of the Japanese bank’s stake remains largely unchanged, but the clarification signals that Nomura stays one of the largest single shareholders.
Fundamentals are also lending support. At the annual general meeting on May 20, shareholders approved a dividend of €1.10 per share for fiscal 2025, almost doubling the €0.65 payout from the prior year — a year-on-year increase of close to 70%. The dividend was paid out on May 25. Adding to the bullish narrative, the European Central Bank trimmed Commerzbank’s Pillar 2 capital requirement for 2026 by 10 basis points to 2.15%, a move analysts interpret as a vote of confidence in the bank’s business model. The common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio stands at 14.56%, well above regulatory demands, and the AGM also authorised further share buyback programmes aimed at improving return on equity.
Technical indicators underscore the stock’s strength. The 50-day moving average sits at €36.03 and the 200-day average at €33.94, both comfortably below the current price. The relative strength index of 63 points to positive sentiment without tipping into overbought territory. With the next quarterly report due, the market will watch whether operational momentum can sustain the rally and push the shares decisively past the year high — even as the legal cloud over the takeover process persists.
Ad
Commerzbank Stock: New Analysis - 18 June
Fresh Commerzbank information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
Disclaimer regarding our articles: No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Information on prices, companies, and markets is provided without guarantee; changes are possible at any time. Stock market transactions can lead to substantial losses. Our articles are created and reviewed in whole or in part automatically with the support of AI.
