07:37 AM EDT, 04/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Friday as traders weighed the latest reports of Middle East hostilities against the unfolding earnings season.

Food stocks bucked trends to gain, while oil and tech issues lagged.

The Denmark-based Royal Unibrew traded up 14.7% after the beverage-house reported Q1 earnings, and boosted outlooks.

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

Producer prices in Germany declined 2.9% on year in March, but were up 0.2% from February, reported Destatis.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.4% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 1%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.8%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 1.3%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.8%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.1%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 1%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.8%, and the FTSE 100 in London was down 0.6%. The CAC 40 in Paris was off 0.4%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lost 0.7%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.47%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 1% to $86.28 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 6.8% to 18.78, still 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.

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