07:39 AM EDT, 05/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Friday as traders digested earnings reports and comments by President Donald Trump that the US will set tariffs for many trading partners, in the next few weeks.

Food and oil stocks led gainers, while tech issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling green, but choppy closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

In economic news, the European Union is planning more sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, at a meeting in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.4% mid-session.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.7%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index also inclined 0.7%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.5%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.3%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.6%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.4%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.6%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.7%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.56%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.4% to $64.82 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 3.5% to 16.03, 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.