06:40 AM EST, 01/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Tuesday as traders awaited a likely interest-rate cut on Thursday from the European Central Bank, and digested earnings reports.

Property, tech and retail stocks led broad gains.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling green, but mixed closes overnight on Asian exchanges, in holiday-thinned trading.

There was a tightening of credit standards for lending to businesses across the euro area in Q4, reported the European Central Bank (ECB), in a quarterly survey. Stricter criteria stemmed from heightened economic risks and lower bank appetite for risk, said the ECB.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.7% mid-session, trading above all-time record high closes.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 1%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.8%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 1%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.8%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 2.2%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.7% and also testing a record high, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.6%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.4%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 1.1%, on course for a record zenith.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.55%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.5% to $76.53 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 4.5% to 16.01, 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.