06:44 AM EST, 12/13/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly lower midday Friday after media reports of fresh Russian missile barrages on Ukrainian infrastructure, and after overnight Beijing disclosures of economic stimulus plans left Asian investors underwhelmed.

Oil stocks gained, while property issues lagged, in generally range-bound trading.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling green, but down closes overnight in China and Japan exchanges.

In economic news, the Deutsche Bundesbank estimated the German gross domestic product, or GDP, will shrink by 0.2% in 2024, and projected an economic expansion of only 0.2% in 2025, in its latest outlook. The central bank said Germany is "not only battling persistent economic headwinds, but also considerable structural problems."

Despite that outlook, Germany's broad equity DAX index struck all-time record highs in trading mid-session.

Meanwhile, the pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.1% mid-day.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.2%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.2%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.5%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.3%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.2%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.4%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.4%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.23%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.1% to $74.21 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 2.4% to 13.50, 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.