07:47 AM EDT, 06/21/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Friday as traders mulled pending French national elections, European-China trade tensions, and nascent softening in tech-colossus Nvidia's (NVDA) share prices.

Bank, tech and property issues led broad market losses.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling red, and largely lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges on Europe-Beijing trade tensions.

The Eurozone manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) for June posted at 45.6, down from 47.3 in May and further below the 50-marker that separates growth from contraction, reported S&P Global.

The Eurozone services PMI logged at 52.6 in June, down from 53.2 in May.

The Eurozone composite PMI for June, a combination of the manufacturing and services sectors, posted at 50.8, down from 52.2 in May.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.7% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 0.7%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 1.5%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.5%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.4%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.9%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.6%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 in London was down 0.5%. The CAC 40 in Paris was off 0.5%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lost 1%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.37%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 0.1% to $85.61 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 4.6% to 18.57, 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.