07:52 AM EDT, 10/09/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Wednesday as traders weighed Germany's international trade picture and the outlook for central bank easing.

Property, retail, and food stocks gained, while oil and bank issues lagged.

Investors also eyed muted Wall Street futures and choppy closes overnight on Asian markets, with shares falling by 6.6% on the Shanghai exchange.

Germany's international trade surplus struck 22.5 billion euros in August, up from July's 16.9 billion euros, Destatis reported. German exports in August rose 0.1% on the year, while imports slipped by 3.1%.

Francois Villeroy de Galhau, France's central bank chief and European Central Bank governing council member, told franceinfo radio that the ECB will likely cut rates at its Oct. 17 meeting.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.2% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.2% while the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.3%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.3%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.4%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 1%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.5%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.3%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.3%. The CAC 40 in Paris was also up 0.3%, but Spain's IBEX 35 lost 0.2%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.23%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude oil futures were down 0.7% to $76.62 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 1.6% to 19.96, indicating marginally 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.