Semiconductor Sentiments Soften European Bourses Midday

European bourses tracked moderately lower midday Tuesday, as the international downdraft on tech stocks blew across Europe. Food and property stocks led gains on continental trading floors, while oil shares also lagged. Semiconductor shares globally are under pressure despite South Korea's industry bellwether Samsung Electronics reporting record quarterly profits overnight. Samsung reported a Q2 earnings of $58.4 billion, topping market outlooks, and noted rising memory-chip prices, but investors evidently sold on the report and booked profits. Samsung traded down 6.9% on Seoul's KOSPI index. In addition, continental investors eyed Wall Street futures flashing red, and lower closes overnight on Asian exchanges. In economic news, France's gross domestic product (GDP) will grow 0.7% in 2026 instead of the previously projected 0.9%, French Economy Minister Roland Lescure said, in a statement to the nation's legislators. The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 Index was off 0.2% mid-session. The Stoxx Europe 600 Technology Index was down 2.4%, and the Stoxx 600 Banks Index lost 0.2%. The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index eased 0.3%, but the Stoxx 600 Europe Food and Beverage.