06:39 AM EST, 03/06/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Friday after a Persian Gulf energy official warned that higher oil prices are pending, and as traders noted tepid equity markets in Wall Street and Asia.

Oil stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while property and tech shares lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the red, and mixed closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

In economic news, Qatari Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi warned the Middle East war could jack up oil prices to $150 a barrel, the Financial Times reported.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.2% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 0.9%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index rose 0.8%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.3%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.1%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was down 0.2%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.3%, and the FTSE 100 in London flat. The CAC 40 in Paris was down 0.4%, and Spain's IBEX 35 eased 0.7%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were steady, near 2.85%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 2.8% at $87.76 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 3.4% at 27.59, indicating above-average volatility for European stock markets in the next 30 days, a negative signal. A reading above 20 indicates choppier markets ahead, while below 20 suggests calmer exchanges.

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