07:45 AM EDT, 05/23/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses largely tracked sideways midday Friday as traders await for the next shoes to drop in trade wars, and conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Oil stocks gained, while retail issues lagged on continental trading floors.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures marginally signaling red, and uneven closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

In economic news, UK retail sales volumes in April rose 1.2% from March and were up 5% on year, reported Office for National Statistics.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was steady mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was flat, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.1%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.8%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.1%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, was flat, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.5%.

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

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were stable, near 2.62%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.1% to $64.47 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 0.2% to 18.32, 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.