07:41 AM EDT, 05/18/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses drifted moderately lower midday Monday as traders watched oil prices and interest rates track higher amid expectations for a possible renewed military conflict in the Middle East.

Oil stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while bank shares lagged.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 3.18%, the highest yield since 2011.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.2% at $110.54 a barrel. The Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed to oil-tanker traffic.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures flashing red amid lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges.

In economic news, Switzerland's Q1 gross domestic product expanded 0.5% from Q4, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs reported. For all of 2025, the nation's GDP expanded by 1.4% from 2024.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.4% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 0.2%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 1.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index rose 1.8%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.3%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, was 0.3% lower.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was steady, but the resource-heavy FTSE 100 in London gained 0.3%. The CAC 40 in Paris was down 1%, and Spain's IBEX 35 eased 0.7%.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 5.6% at 23.52, 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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