07:39 AM EDT, 04/01/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked solidly higher midday Wednesday as traders awaited a slated evening address by US President Donald Trump in which he may announce that US military actions in Iran will end within two to three weeks.

Tech and bank stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while oil shares lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures flashing green, and sharply higher closes overnight on Asian exchanges, led by an 8.4% rise on Seoul's KOSPI index.

In economic news, French President Emmanuel Macron said he shared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's position on the need to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, speaking with her at a Tokyo press conference, France 24 reported.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 2.3% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 2.5%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index rose 4%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index declined 0.6%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index edged 0.5% higher.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 2.5%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was up 1.9%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 2.5%, and the FTSE 100 in London rose 2%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 2%, and Spain's IBEX 35 advanced 3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.96%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 1.2% at $102.78 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 8.6% at 27.92 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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