06:37 AM EST, 12/27/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses advanced midday Friday as major markets in the region resumed following a two-day holiday.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures pointing to a lower open.

In other regional news, government data showed that the number of unemployed individuals in France increased to 2,935,000 in November from 2,891,500 in October.

Meanwhile, Spain's seasonally and calendar-adjusted retail sales fell 0.6% month-over-month in November after being flat in the prior month, according to the National Statistics Institute.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.4% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was 0.8% higher, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index was up 0.6%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index advanced by 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index was 0.1% higher.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell by 0.4%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was 0.2% lower.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 in London was 0.1% higher. The CAC 40 in Paris advanced by 0.6% and Spain's IBEX 35 rose by 0.2%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher at 2.41%. Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.6% to $73.85 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 3.6% to 16.58. A reading above 20 indicates choppier markets ahead, while below 20 suggests calmer exchanges.