07:44 AM EDT, 07/05/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Friday as traders digested election results in Great Britain, and awaited the weekend legislative vote in France.

Tech and retail shares gained, while oil and bank issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures modestly signaling green, but mixed closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

Interest rates on key European government bonds edged lower.

Seasonally adjusted retail sales in May rose 0.1% from April in both the Eurozone and the broader European Union, Eurostat reported. On the year, Eurozone sales grew by 0.3% and EU sales by 0.6%.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.3% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 1.1%, but the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.5%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index was flat.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.6%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.7%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.8%, and the FTSE 100 in London was flat. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.3%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lost 0.3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.56%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude oil futures were down 0.2% to $87.28 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 1.5% to 14.40, 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.