European bourses tracked sideways midday Monday as traders mulled softening crude prices and awaited US chipmaking giant Nvidia's (NVDA) latest financial results due later in the week.

Food and bank stocks led modest gains on continental trading floors, while oil and tech shares lagged.

Front-month North Sea Brent crude-oil futures were down 1.5% at $91.32 a barrel in midday action.

Investors also eyed Wall Street futures in the red, and lower closes on Asian exchanges on tech-sector softness.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was almost steady mid-session.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 0.6%, while the Stoxx 600 Banks Index gained 0.2%.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index eased 0.6%, while the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage Index inclined 0.6%.

The REITE, a European REIT index, rose 0.2%.

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

Yields on benchmark 10-year German bonds were steady, near 3.26%.

The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index was down 5.3% at 15.90, 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.