07:44 AM EDT, 06/04/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly lower midday Thursday as traders joined the global risk-off mood on tech issues, and weighed developments in the Middle East.

Tech, bank, and oil stocks declined on continental trading floors, while food shares edged higher.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude oil futures were down 2.6% at $95.31 a barrel mid-session, after media reports of a possible Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire deal.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures flashing red, and lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges, as traders grew wary of valuations in tech- and AI-shares.

In economic news, retail sales in the eurozone in May fell a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in May from April, and decreased by 0.5% in the broader European Union, reported Eurostat. On the year, retail sales in May rose by 0.8% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.1% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 1%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 1%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index eased 0.9%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.2%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.1%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.6%, and the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.5%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.9%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lifted 0.5%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 3.02%.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 0.1% at 19.22, 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.