07:41 AM EDT, 06/12/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Wednesday as traders mulled French elections and awaited Washington's inflation and central-bank policy reports in the afternoon.

Bank stocks led gainers, while retail shares lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures marginally signaling green, but uneven closes overnight on Asian exchanges, after weak inflation reports from mainland China.

The UK's gross domestic product was steady in April following a 0.4% increase in March, the Office for National Statistics reported. UK industrial production declined 0.9% month over month in April, and was also off 0.4% year over year, the ONS added.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.5% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was 0.3% higher, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index rose 1.3%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index edged 0.3% higher.

The REITE, a European REIT index, gained 0.1%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.9%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.5%, and the FTSE 100 in London was 0.7% higher. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.4%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.6%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude oil futures were up 1% at $82.77 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 1.4% at 15.54, 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.