<div id="readability-page-1">07:44 AM EDT, 04/17/2026 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked modestly higher midday Friday as traders weighed uncertain prospects for Middle East peace against somewhat cooling oil prices.Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 3.2% at $96.26 a barrel, in midday activity.Tech stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while oil shares lagged.Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the green amid lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges.In economic news, the Eurozone international trade surplus in goods logged at 11.5 billion euros in February following a 1 billion euro deficit in January, but falling from a surplus of 23.1 billion euros in the same month a year ago, Eurostat reported.The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.1% mid-session.The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was 1.5% higher, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.1%.The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index eased 1.1%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index edged 0.1% higher.The REITE, a European REIT index, gained 0.3%.On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.6%, while resource-heavy FTSE 100 in London lost 0.3%. The CAC 40 in Paris was 0.4% higher, and Spain's IBEX 35 advanced 0.1%.Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 3.04%.The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 5.5% at 22.43, indicating modestly 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. MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.</div>

European bourses rose modestly as traders considered Middle East peace prospects and cooling oil prices, with Brent crude down 3.2% at $96.26 a barrel. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index increased by 0.1%, led by a 1.5% rise in the Technology Index. The Eurozone's trade surplus was reported at 11.5 billion euros in February. National indexes showed Germany's DAX up 0.6% and the FTSE 100 down 0.3%. The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index fell 5.5%, indicating above-average market volatility ahead.

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Easing Oil Prices Undergird European Bourses Midday