07:42 AM EDT, 03/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Monday as traders awaited a vote by German legislators to unleash more national spending, and after Asian exchanges gained following strong factory, retail and other official economic reports from Beijing.

Oil stocks gained after recent military strikes on Yemen raised supply concerns, while retail issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling red, but higher closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

In economic news, citing soft construction and manufacturing industries in Germany, the Institute for Economic Research (Ifo) revised down its forecast for the nation's on-year economic expansion in 2025 to 0.2% from a previous 0.4%.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.5% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.7%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 1.1%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.4%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.5%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was flat.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.3%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.2%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.3%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.6%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.83%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.3% to $71.52 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 0.6% to 19.93, modestly 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.