German DAX index appreciated on Thursday supported by carmakers and positive US economic data amid declining Italian bond yields and unchanged nation's unemployment level. Volkswagen AG's brand Audi posted a 69% surge in 2011 profit. Volkswagen's stocks added 1.7% while BMW AG gained 1.5%. Additional upside contribution came from Deutsche Bank AG which climbed 1.8%. At the moment of writing DAX 30 index trades 0.89% or 60.80 points higher at 6,917.07.