Banks had a mixed session with sentiment within the sector searching for direction ahead of tomorrow's decision day on interest rates by the Federal Reserve.
Although most analysts expect the US central bank to come down by 25 basis points, some observers were betting on a full 50 basis points and extending the trend to the European Central Bank.
Yesterday's German inflation figures may have underscored their arguments. The provisional June CPI slowed and in the process eased the monetary dilemma facing the ECB which has had rates firmly on hold in spite of slowing growth.
Interest in banks has also be helped by the proximity of the half-year reporting season. Solid results have boosted US banks lately and their European counterparts have begun to look to the middle of next month when the euro-zone season takes off.
In France, BNP and Societe Generale added 1.3 per cent at #103 and 1.4 per cent at #71.50 respectively. Deutsche Bank hardened 0.1 per cent to #88.05.
The Spanish leaders, which are among the first to report for the second quarter, fell back with Banco Bilbao Viscaya down 0.2 per cent at #15.43 and Banco Santander Hispano off 0.4 per cent at #10.60. Hit on Friday by take profits advice from Deutsche Bank which cut from "buy" to "market perform", Swiss private bank Julius Baer tumbled 2.6 per cent to SFr6,700.
Axa boosted Insurance leaders were mixed. Aegon came off 0.7 per cent at #32.58. Axa, boosted by upgrades from Morgan Stanley and Paris broker Cheuvreux, improved 0.9 per cent to #33.80 ahead of tomorrow's investor relations meeting.
