European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Thursday as traders weighed higher oil prices, faltering Tehran-Washington peace negotiations, and media reports of US strikes on Iranian positions in the Persian Gulf.
Tech stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while food and bank shares lagged.
Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the red, and lower closes overnight on most Asian exchanges.
In economic news, jet-fuel markets will become increasingly tight if disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz persist in coming weeks, the European Commission said.
The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.8% mid-session.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was up 0.1%, but the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 1.1%.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index was steady, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index declined 1.5%.
The REITE, a European REIT index, fell 0.3%.
On the national market indexes, Germany's DAX was down 0.6%, and the FTSE 100 in London lost 1.2%. The CAC 40 in Paris was down 0.5%, and Spain's IBEX 35 eased 0.6%.
Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were stable, near 2.99%.
Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were up 2.8% at $94.83 a barrel.
The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was up 0.1% at 19.79, 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.