07:36 AM EDT, 07/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly higher midday Thursday as traders joined the global rebound in tech shares, but kept an eye on Persian Gulf turmoils and rising crude prices.

Bank stocks also led gains on continental trading floors, while food and oil shares lagged.

Investors additionally eyed Wall Street futures in the green, and mixed closes overnight on Asian exchanges, although tech equities firmed on trading floors in Seoul and Tokyo.

In economic news, Germany's international trade surplus reached 19.1 billion euros in May, up from 14.7 billion euros in April, and also up from 18.8 billion euros in May a year earlier, Destatis reported.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.9%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 1.4%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index eased 0.3%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 1%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.2%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.7%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.3%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lifted 0.9%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 3.08%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.1% at $78.79 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 6.4% at 18.97, 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.