07:52 AM EDT, 08/29/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Thursday as traders bucked global trends to buy into tech issues, despite the Wednesday earnings release from AI-chipmaking colossus Nvidia (NVDA) that included a tempered outlook.

Bank and retail issues rose too, while oil stocks lagged.

In Frankfurt, Germany's DAX Index tested new all-time record highs mid-session.

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

The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) edged up in the European Union to 96.9 in August from 96.5 in July, and in the euro area to 96.6 from 96.0, reported the European Commission.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up .07% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 1.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.8%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was steady, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.6%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.2%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.6%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.6%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.3%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.7%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.4%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.24%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.2% to $77.74 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 3.7% to 15.02 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. The volatility index had notched over the 30-marker in late September.