European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Thursday as traders weighed positive Nvidia (NVDA) earnings results issued overnight and steady oil prices amid an uncertain outlook for the Ukraine-Russia war.
Tech stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while bank, food and property shares lagged.
Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the green amid mixed closes overnight on Asian exchanges.
Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.3% at $87.24 a barrel, in midday trades.
In other news, Russian President Vladimir Putin may escalate strikes on Ukraine after concluding that peace talks have hit a dead end, Kremlin sources told Bloomberg.
In economic news, French industrial producer prices rose by 4.3% year over year in July, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies reported. On a monthly basis, producer prices were up 1.3%.
The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.3% mid-session.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 1.7%, while the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 1%.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index gained 0.1%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 1.2%.
The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 1.3%.
On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.3%, but the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.4%. The CAC 40 in Paris was down 1.1%, and Spain's IBEX 35 eased 0.5%.
Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were steady, near 3.25%.
The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 0.8% at 16.01, indicating below-average volatility for European stock markets in the next 30 days, a positive signal. A reading above 20 indicates choppier markets ahead, while below 20 suggests calmer exchanges.
Comments