07:41 AM EDT, 03/28/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly higher midday Thursday, as financial issues showed strength and traders weighed moderating prospects for central bank monetary policies.

Bank stocks gained, while tech issues lagged before the pending four-day weekend.

Investors also eyed flat Wall Street futures, and uneven closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

The European Central Bank is seeing the necessary conditions to ease monetary policy, governing council member Fabio Panetta reiterated on Thursday, reported Reuters.

Retail sales in Germany dropped 2.7% in February on year, in real terms, Destatis reported.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.2%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.8%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.2%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.3%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.2%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 retail Index inclined 0.3%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in London was 0.3% higher. The CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.4%, while Spain's IBEX 35 was down 0.1%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.32%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.1% to $86.39 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 0.5% to 12.96, but still 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.