European bourses tracked modestly lower midday Thursday, pressured by rising bond yields and oil prices, and a still-uncertain Middle East outlook.
The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.1% mid-session.
Market observers also await results from the Thursday summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and China President Xi Jinping.
Oil and food stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while tech shares lagged.
Brent crude-oil futures were up 1.8% at $104.93 a barrel, in midday trades.
Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the red, and largely lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges.
In economic news, Germany's business climate index came in at 89.9 points in September, up from 88.8 points in August, the Institute for Economic Research, or Ifo, reported.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 1.4% in midday activity, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.5%.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index rose 0.9%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index advanced 1.1%.
The REITE, a European REIT index, gained 0.2%.
On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was off 0.2%, while the FTSE 100 in London gained 0.1%. The CAC 40 in Paris was down 0.2%, and Spain's IBEX 35 gained 0.2%.
Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were higher, near 3.57%.
The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 5.1% at 17.39, 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.