06:40 AM EST, 02/04/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Wednesday, with London's FTSE 100 testing record zeniths, as traders weighed earnings results and an official report showing that continental inflation has dropped below 2%.

Retail, oil, food, and property stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while bank and tech shares lagged.

Investors also eyed muted Wall Street futures and mixed closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

In economic news, euro area annual inflation is expected to log at 1.7% on the year in January, down from a 2.0% gain in December, reported Eurostat.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has a 2% annual inflation target on consumer prices. The continent's central bank has a policy session underway and will rule on interest rates on Thursday.

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

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 1.3%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.1%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index rose 1.3%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 1.4%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 1.2%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was up 2%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.2%, but the FTSE 100 in London gained 1%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.9%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lifted 0.2%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.87%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were steady at $67.36 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 0.1% at 18.49, 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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