07:52 AM EDT, 04/04/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly higher midday Thursday ahead of the pending publication of minutes from the most-recent European Central Bank's policy meeting, and possible clues therein to central-banker thinking.

Traders also digested Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments made on Wednesday, indicating rate cuts were still on the table for 2024.

Bank and property stocks led gainers, while tech and retail issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling green and higher closes overnight on Asian exchanges, although markets in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were closed on holiday.

The Eurozone producer price index fell 1% on month in February, and fell by 0.9% in the broader European Union, Eurostat reported. Eurozone producer prices in February fell by 8.3% on year, and declined by 8.1% in the EU.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.1% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 0.2%, but the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 1%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.2%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.2%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 1%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.2%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.4%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.1%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.6%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.38%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were flat, near $89.35 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 0.70% to 14.15, 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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