FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - The recent hesitant recovery on the German stock market stalled in the middle of the week. There was a lack of impetus in fairly quiet trading. The US stock market had closed only slightly up the day before, and there is no stock trading in New York on Wednesday due to a US holiday.

The Dax fell by 0.35 percent to 18,067.91 points at the close of trading here. Although this kept it above the 18,000 mark, according to analysts there is still a risk of a stronger correction. The scheduled new elections in France and the announcement of EU punitive tariffs on e-cars from China are hanging over the markets like the sword of Damocles.

The MDax, which includes mid-caps, fell by 0.46% to 25,471.75 points in the middle of the week. The EuroStoxx 50, the leading eurozone barometer, fell by 0.61% to 4885.45 points. The leading stock exchange in Paris also closed lower, whereas London saw moderate gains.

Among the individual stocks in the MDax, the inverter manufacturer SMA Solar attracted attention - and disappointed investors badly. The Group had lowered its annual targets due to full inventories. The shares slumped by a good 31 percent. The extent of the profit warning was shocking and investor confidence was severely damaged, as SMA had still radiated confidence with the report for the first quarter, according to DZ Bank./ajx/jha/