Federal Reserve Outlook Nudges Europe Bourses Higher Midday

07:44 AM EDT, 08/22/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately higher midday Friday as traders awaited comments from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, slated for 10 am ET at the central bank's annual symposium at Jackson Hole.

Retail and tech stocks led broad, tempered gains on the continent, while bank issues lagged.

Investors also eyed modestly higher Wall Street futures, and rising closes overnight on major Asian exchanges.

In economic news, Germany's Q2 gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 0.3% from Q1, but was up 0.2% on year, reported Destatis.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was up 0.3% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.4%, but the Stoxx 600 Banks Index was flat.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 0.4%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index rose 0.2%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.2%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was up 0.5%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.1%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.2%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were steady, near 2.75%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 0.2% at $67.79 a barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 2.1% to 16.38, 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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