07:48 AM EDT, 03/21/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Friday as traders eschewed retail issues, and weighed soft global equities markets.

Food stocks edged higher, while tech issues lagged.

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

In economic news, Germany's Bundesrat, the upper house of the nation's legislature, voted for debt reform and a 500 billion euro spending package, after the Bundestag's approval.

In Russia, the nation's central bank kept its key policy interest rate unchanged at 21%, citing a need for a long fight against inflation.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.7% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 0.8%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.6%.

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

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.3%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index added 0.5%.

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

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.75%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 0.5% to $71.64 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 0.7% to 19.18, 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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