07:40 AM EDT, 03/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European bourses tracked moderately midday Tuesday as Germany's parliament schedules votes on historic debt reforms to allow greater borrowing for defense and infrastructure projects

Germany's broad equity index, the DAX, struck a fresh all-time high.

Tech, bank and oil stocks gained on the continent, while oil and food issues lagged.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures signaling red, but solidly higher closes overnight on Asian exchanges after media reports of a pending meeting between China President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.

The economic sentiment index for the Eurozone rose to 39.8 in March from 24.2 in February, reported the Center for European Economic Research (ZEW). Germany's economic sentiment index rose to 51.6 in March from 26 in February, added ZEW.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was 0.7% mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 1.5%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 1.4%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was up 1.1%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index was flat.

The REITE, a European REIT index, was steady, but the Stoxx Europe 600 Retail Index inclined 0.8%.

On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was up 1.3%, and the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.4%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.6%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 1.1%.

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 2.84%.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.1% to $71.85 per barrel.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 1.7% to 18.74, 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.