06:50 AM EST, 01/06/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly higher midday Monday as traders engaged with tech shares but also mulled geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

European tech stocks joined the global sector rally, while retail issues lagged.

The Dutch-based ASM International, a maker of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment, traded up 4% midday, after the 4.7% gain overnight of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in Taipei, on the outlook for chip production and sales.

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

The Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence Index logged at negative 17.7 in January, slipping marginally from the negative 17.5 recorded in December, the market research firm reported.

The Sentix current economic situation gauge for Europe fell to its lowest level since October 2022, striking negative 29.5 in January, down from negative 28.5 in December.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.2% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 2.3%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.4%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.2%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.1%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.4%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.8%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.5%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.1%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.8%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.1%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.44%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were steady near $76.58 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 0.9% to 16.78, 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.