06:42 AM EST, 01/05/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Monday as traders weighed geopolitical news from Venezuela and Ukraine, and moved into tech and oil shares.

Defense stocks also rose, with the STOXX Europe Targeted Defense Index rising 5.1% midday. The index captures companies that address military equipment and services markets.

Investors mulled Wall Street futures flashing green, and higher closes overnight on Asian exchanges, led by tech-rallies.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 1.9%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.3%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index rose 0.9%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 1.3%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.3%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was down 1.3%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.7%, and the FTSE 100 in London gained 0.2%. The CAC 40 in Paris was steady, and Spain's IBEX 35 lifted 0.3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.88%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.1% at $60.83 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 3.4% at 15.75, but still indicated 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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