07:48 AM EDT, 03/25/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Tuesday as traders assessed possibly tempered remarks from the Trump Administration on tariffs.

Bank, oil and property stocks gained, while retail issues lagged.

Shares in Shell gained 2% after the British energy giant said it plans to boost LNG assets, and to increase shareholder distributions to 40% to 50% of cash flow from operations.

Investors also eyed flat Wall Street futures, and uneven closes overnight on Asian exchanges, marked by declines in China tech issues.

In economic news, the Business Climate Index for Germany logged at 86.7 in March, up from 85.3 in February, reported the Ifo Institute for Economic Research.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.9% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.7%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 1.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 1.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.4%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 1.1%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.6%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 1.1%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.7%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 1.3%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 1.1%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.834%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.6% to $72.77 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 3.2% to 18.04, 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.