07:36 AM EDT, 05/30/2024 (MT Newswires) -- After opening lower, European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Thursday as traders looked for equity values after a Wednesday sell-off triggered by higher interest rates.

Bank, property and retail stocks led gainers, while tech and oil issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling red, and lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

The unemployment rate in the Eurozone logged at 6.4% in April, down from 6.5% in March, Eurostat reported. In the broader European Union, the unemployment rate was steady at 6% in April from March.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 0.7%, but the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 1.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.6%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.2%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.9%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.6%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.2%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.1%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 1.3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.68%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 0.3% to $83.17 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 0.7% to 14.18, 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.