FTSE 100 up 0.49%; DAX up 0.35%; CAC 40 up 0.52% (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milan, 03 May - European shares were moderately higher in cautious midday trade, with the Stoxx 600 index up 0.38%.

Investors remained on the sidelines as they awaited a closely watched US nonfarm payrolls report due later today for more cues on the Federal Reserve's interest rate path.

The figures are expected to show that nonfarm payrolls in the world's biggest economy increased by 238,000 jobs last month after rising 303,000 in March, while the US unemployment rate is seen holding below 4% for the 27th straight month.

On Wednesday the US central bank decided to hold interest rates steady at a range of 5.25% to 5.5% as widely expected amid sticky inflation. Fed Chair Jerome Powell however downplayed the possibility of a rate hike as the central bank's next move.

Traders also continued to monitor fresh earnings reports from European companies including Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, Henkel and Daimler Truck, as well as fresh data from the region including UK retail sales, French industrial production and Spanish employment.

At 1125 GMT, the FTSE 100 was up 0.49% at 8,212 points, the Frankfurt DAX was up 0.35% at 17,969 points. The Paris CAC 40 was up 0.52% at 7,956 points, while in Milan the FTSE MIB was up 0.21% at 33,806 points and in Madrid the IBEX 35 was up 0.08% at 10,880 points.

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(RADIOCOR) 03-05-24 13:34:06 (0343) 5 NNNN