European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Friday as traders weighed the earnings season and potential trade tensions between Europe and the US in a Trump Presidency. Property issues bucked trends to gain, while tech and bank issues lagged. Vistry shares slumped 18.4% midday after the British major homebuilder issued its second full-year profit warning in a month, citing cost overruns. Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling red and choppy closes overnight on Asian exchanges. The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.8% mid-session. The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 1.2%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 1.4%. The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 0.1%. The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.8%, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index declined 0.2%. On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 1%, and the FTSE 100 in London was down 0.9%.
The CAC 40 in Paris was off 1%, and Spain's IBEX 35 was steady. Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were lower, near 2.39%. Front-month North Sea Brent crude oil futures were down 1.1% to $74.83 per barrel. The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 1.1% to 16.92, 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..