07:39 AM EDT, 07/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly lower midday Monday as traders weighed fresh and ongoing military actions in the Persian Gulf, and the again uncertain status of the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while tech shares lagged.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 3.9% at $78.59 a barrel.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the red, and mostly lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.1% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 0.7%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index rose 1.2%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.1%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.1%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.2%, and the FTSE 100 in London was down 0.1%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.1%, and Spain's IBEX 35 was also up 0.1%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 3.06%.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 5.2% at 17.73, 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.