European markets were higher Tuesday.
The FTSE Eurofirst 300 gained 1.33 percent to 1,523.87.
In Frankfurt, the Dax was up 0.93 percent to 7,513.66, while the IBEX added 1.53 percent to 14,652.9 and the CAC-40 was 1.58 percent higher to 5,620.
Banks and insurers were both higher.
Insurer Axa (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) was the best performer on the CAC-40 as it added 3.94 percent to €29.03, while in Frankfurt Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) was 2.2 percent higher to €158.19.
In the banking sector, Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) led the way on the Dax with a gain of 5.32 percent to €31.11, followed by Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB), which added 3.95 percent to €101.35.
Among French banks, Societe General (Euronext: GLE) was 3.17 percent higher to €132.32, while BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) gained 3.78 percent to €82.97 and Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) added 3.88 percent to €28.13.
The automobile and truck manufacturing sectors were mixed.
BMW (FWB: BMW) was 1.97 percent higher to €36.15, but Renault (Euronext: RNO) dropped 1.06 percent to €99.89 and Man (FWB: EDF1) fell 2.12 percent to €103.02 for the worst performance of the session on the Dax.
Tire manufacturer Michelin (Euronext: ML) had the worst day on the CAC-40 as it dropped 2.07 percent to €86.45 after it said it plans to spend $350 million to improve US production.
The semiconductors sector was lower as STMicroelectroncis (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was 0.41 percent lower to €12.29 and Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) fell 1.77 percent to €11.11.
Drug makers were also lower.
Schering (FWB: SCH) was 0.58 percent lower to €104.44, while Bayer (FWB: BAY; NYSE: BAY; TYO: 4863) dropped 1.93 percent to €51.22.