07:45 AM EDT, 08/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Thursday as traders weighed political turmoil in Paris, and the aftermath of a Russian missile strike on the European Union's delegation building in Kyiv.

Food stocks led gainers, while property and retail issues lagged.

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

In other news, European Union foreign ministers plan to meet on Friday to discuss a response to the early Thursday morning Russian aerial bombardment on Kyiv, which also hit the British Council's offices in the Ukrainian city.

In Paris, France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou government may face a confidence vote on September 8, due to controversies surrounding austerity measures aimed at limiting the nation's borrowing.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.3%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.4%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index rose 0.6%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 1.3%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was down 0.5%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.3%, and the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.4%. The CAC 40 in Paris was flat, and Spain's IBEX 35 eased 0.2%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.71%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 0.2% at $67.28 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 2.7% to 17.80, 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.