German stocks closed flat on Thursday, with the benchmark DAX index down 6.49 points, or 0.05 percent, to close at 13,008.55 points.

German pharmaceutical company Merck lost 1.38 percent, the top loser among the blue chips, followed by marketplace organizer for the trading of shares and securities Deutsche Boerse group and chemical and consumer goods company Henkel which lost 1.25 and 1.21 percent respectively.

German industrial giant Thyssenkrupp and airlines Lufthansa gained 4.18 percent and 1.60 percent respectively, becoming the top two gainers. Automotive manufacturer Volkswagen went up by 0.93 percent.

German insurance and financial services company Allianz was the most traded share with a turnover of 206.47 million euros (244.62 million U.S. dollars).