07:46 AM EDT, 10/08/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Tuesday as traders mulled Middle East tensions, and gyrations overnight on Asian stock exchanges.

Retail and property shares held ground, while food, bank and oil issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling green.

On Asian exchanges, the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index tumbled 9.4% on concerns that Beijing macroeconomic stimulus measures were lacking to the task of boosting China's economy and struggling property sector. However, Shanghai gained 4.6% on the day, opening after a week-long holiday.

In a sign of possible growing trade tensions, China's Ministry of Commerce announced temporary anti-dumping measures on brandy from the European Union, and will require importers to pay cash deposits, reported the state-run Xinhua news service.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.5% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was off 0.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.8%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was off 0.8%, and the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index also declined 0.8%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.1%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index was flat.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.2%, and the FTSE 100 in London was down 1%. The CAC 40 in Paris was off 0.6%, and Spain's IBEX 35 lost 0.3%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.25%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 1.8% to $79.50 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 3.4% to 20.90, 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.