Banks began to recover in Europe as the markets there saw big gains.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 2.73 percent higher to 1,550.62.

Frankfurt’s Dax gained 2.32 percent to 7,750.84, while the IBEX added 3.19 percent to 14,487.8 in Madrid and the Paris CAC-40 was up 3.27 percent to 5,730.82.

Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) topped the leaders on the Dax with a gain of 5.51 percent to €28.91, while Deutsche Bank was 4.27 percent higher to €94.19.

In Paris, BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO; 8665) was up 5.14 percent to €78 and Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) jumped 6.88 percent to €121.31.

Insurers also did well.

Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) gained 4.17 percent to €157.97, while AXA (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) was up 5.42 percent to €30.33.

The best performance on the CAC-40, however, came from Michelin (Euronext: ML), which was 7.03 percent higher to €90.57.

The tire maker was helped by the Fed’s decision to cut interest rates in the US, which is its biggest market.

There was only one loser on the day on the CAC-40, where eyeglass lens maker Essilor International (Euronext: EF) dropped 0.16 percent to €43.19.

The worst performance on the Dax came from the health care sector as Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) fell 0.77 percent to €37.29.

European markets were higher Wednesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.22 percent to 1,510.28.

Madrid’s IBEX was 0.11 percent higher to 13,980.4, while the Dax gained 0.2 percent to 7,472.99 and the CAC-40 was up 0.53 percent to 5,508.01.

The best performer on the CAC-40 was media and construction conglomerate Bouygues (Euronext: EN) with a gain of 4.21 percent to €59.45 on possible interest from an Egyptian telecommunications company and possible contracts news.

Healthcare group Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) had the best day on the Dax as it added 3.2 percent to €37.28.

Other gainers included property developer and investor Unibail (Euronext: UL), which was 1.87 percent higher to €174.18.

Foods manufacturer Groupe Danone (Euronext: BN; NYSE: DA) was up 1.65 percent to €55.37.

Truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) advanced 1.68 percent to €102.04, but carmakers did not do as well.

Peugeot (Euronext UG; OTC: PEUGY) fell 0.76 percent to €56.12, while BMW (FWB: BMW) was down 1.57 percent to €34.82.

Utilities were mixed on the session.

Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) was up 1.91 percent to €123.76, but Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) dropped 0.56 percent to €33.46.

Banks were also mixed.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) added 0.9 percent to €74.18 but Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was 1.12 percent lower to €28.10.

The semiconductors sector was down on the session.

STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) fell 0.8 percent to €12.43, while Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was down 1.83 percent to €11.84.

Airlines were the biggest losers on both the Dax and the CAC-40.

Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) dropped 3.45 percent to €19.84 and Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was 3.35 percent lower to €26.80.

European markets were significantly lower on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 2.29 percent to 1,492.66.

The IBEX dropped 2.29 percent to 13,873.4 in Madrid, while in Frankfurt the Dax was down 2.43 percent to 7,436.63 and the CAC-40 was 2.63 percent lower in Paris.

There were no gainers on the CAC-40 on the session, while property group Unibail (Euronext: UL) dropped 5.99 percent to €168.52 for the worst performance on that index.

There were only three winners on the Dax.

The best performer was Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) with a gain of 1.12 percent to €36.01.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Schering (FWB: SCH) was up 0.44 percent to €104.30, while software group SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) added 0.27 percent to €40.40.

The worst performer on the Dax was Commerzbank (FWB: CBK), which dropped 5.20 percent to €28.57.

In the Paris banking sector, Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) fell 3.91 percent to €113.90.

The car and truck manufacturing sector was lower on the session.

BMW (FWB: BMW) was down 3.64 percent to €35.49, while Renault (Euronext: RNO) dropped 4.28 percent to €90.47 and truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) was 4.61 percent lower to €100.74.

Aerospace group EADS (Euronext: EAD; FWB: EAD) fell 4.49 percent to €20.23.

Schneider Electric was down 4.3 percent to €92.89. Construction materials group Lafarge (Euronext: LG; NYSE: LR) dropped 3.85 percent to €107.50.

European markets were higher on Tuesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.62 percent to 1,548.76.

The IBEX was 0.3 percent higher to 14,590.1 in Madrid, while the Paris CAC-40 gained 0.38 percent to 5,672.72 and Frankfurt’s Dax was up 0.96 percent to 7,721.77.

Property investment and management group Unibail (Euronext: UL) had the best day on the CAC-40, adding 4.3 percent to €185.40.

Meanwhile, chemicals group Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) was the best performer on the Dax with a gain of 3.02 percent to €17.43.

Banks saw gains.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) was 1.2 percent higher to €78.30, while Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) gained 2.8 percent to €30.94.

Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was up 1.21 percent to €121.97, Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE DB) added 2.92 percent to €94.16, and Dexia (Euronext: DEXB) was 2.86 percent higher to €20.89.

Other gainers on the day included oil group Total (Euronext: FT; NYSE: TOT), which gained 0.98 percent to €55.37.

In the semiconductors sector, STMicroelectronics added 1.64 percent to €13.02, while healthcare group Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) was 1.63 percent higher to €36.07.

Carmakers were lower on the session.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) had the worst day on the Dax, where it dropped 0.5 percent to €152.11, while Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) put in the worst performance on the CAC-40 with a decline of 3.63 percent to €59.44.

Renault also declined, falling 0.88 percent to €99.05.

Utilities lost ground as weel, with Suez dropping 1.61 percent to €39.71 and Gaz de France ending at €35, a decline of 2.26 percent after the two said that they had agreed to new terms regarding their merger.

European equities markets were higher on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1.15 percent to 1,515.76.

In Madrid, the IBEX gained 0.92 percent to 14,313.4, while the Dax was up 1.09 percent to 7,519.94 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC-40 was 1.31 percent higher to 5,592.53.

Utilities were up in Paris, with Suez (Euronet: SZE; NYSE: SZE) gaining 5.32 percent to €41 for the best performance on the CAC-40.

Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) was right behind, adding 3.84 percent to €35.40.

On the other hand, power generator and manufacturer Alstom (Euronext: ALO) dropped 0.05 percent to €128.96.

The best performance on the Dax came from retailer Metro (FWB: MEO), which added 4.54 percent to €64.26.

The semiconductors sector was higher.

Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was up 2.9 percent to €11.02, while STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was 3.72 percent higher to €12.65.

Industrial gases groups gained ground as well.

Air Liquide (Euronext AI) added 1.77 percent to €92.34 and Linde (FWB: LIN) gained 2.15 percent to €86.02.

Airlines were mixed.

Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was up 2.7 percent to €29.71, but Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) fell 0.37 percent to €21.31. Banks were also mixed.

Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) gained 2.31 percent to €2.31 to €27.51, while Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) was 0.12 percent lower to €89.89.

Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) was the worst performer on the Dax, with a decline of 0.64 percent to €35.46.

European markets saw losses on Tuesday, led by declines in banks that are still beset by problems in the credit market.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 1.28 percent lower to 1,493.85.

In Frankfurt the Dax dropped 0.66 percent to 7,425.07, while the WIBEX was down 1.21 percent to 14,553.1 in Madrid and the Paris CAC-40 fell 1.63 percent to 5,478.66.

The banking sector was led lower as UBS (SWX: UBSN; NYSE: UBS;j TYO: 8657) warned that earnings by investment banks would be affected by recent market volatility in the second half.

While the Swiss bank reported better than anticipated results in the second quarter, it said that if current conditions persist its second half could be weak.

After its warning, UBS dropped 3.9 percent to SFr63.50.

Banks were the three biggest losers of the session on the CAC-40.

Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) fell 2.77 percent to €27.03, while BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) was 3.48 percent lower to €78.18 and Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) dropped 4.59 percent to €119.00.

Spanish bank Banco Santander (IBEX-35: SAN; LSE: BNC; NYSE: STD) was 1.7 percent lower to €13.52.

In Frankfurt, meanwhile, Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was down 1.47 percent to €29.37, while Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NSYE: DB) fell 2.9 percent to €94.33.

The biggest loser on the Dax, however, was Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG), which was down 2.99 percent to €35.12.

Steelmaker ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TK; LSE: THK) was the best performer on the Dax as it added 2.22 percent to €40.34 on an upgrade from “neutral” to “outperform” from Credit Suisse (SWX: CSGN; NYSE: CS), which also raised the steel group’s target share price from €42 to €47.

There were only four gainers on the day on the CAC-40, with hotels operator Accor (Euronext: AC) leading the way with a gain of 0.69 percent to €59.44.

The semiconductors sector was higher, with STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) 0.16 percent higher to €12.60 and Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) up 0.45 percent to €11.17.

Most European markets were lower Monday, with the major exception of Frankfurt’s Dax, which added 0.11 percent to 7,444.04 on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 0.85 percent to 1,504.27.

The IBEX dropped 0.7 percent to 14,432.1 in Madrid, while the Paris CAC-40 was 1.16 percent lower to 5,532.99.

Some banks were higher on the session.

Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) added 0.25 percent to €128.25 in Paris, while Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) gained 1.37 percent to €29.57 in Frankfurt.

Elsewhere in financial services, lender Dexia (Euronext: DEXB, DX) added 2.85 percent to €20.54 after it said it would address the issue of its exposure to the subprime market in a conference.

It was the first gain for the lender in 12 sessions, and the best performer on the day on the CAC-40.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Sanofi (Euronext: SAN; NYSE: SNY) added 0.23 percent to €59.93.

Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) was up 1.95 percent to €35.99.

The best performer on the day on the Dax was chemicals group BASF (FWB: BAS; LSE: BFA; NYSE: BF), which added 1.98 percent to €93.68.

The worst performance on the Dax came from Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX), which fell 3.91 percent to €11.27 after it fired its CFO due to “irreconcilable differences”.

Michelin fell the most on the CAC-40, dropping 3.73 percent to €88.28.

Carmakers, meanwhile, were mixed.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC; VLKAY) added 1.44 percent to €140.90, but DaimlerChrysler (FWB: DCX; NYSE: DCX; TYO: 7663) was down 2.04 percent to €64.39 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) was 2.44 percent lower to €100.96.

In the oil sector, Total fell 2.01 percent to €53.61 as oil prices dropped and worries arose that demand will slow if the US economy falters.

Equities markets saw gains in Europe on Thursday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.64 percent to 1,536.03.

In Paris the CAC-40 was 0.49 percent higher to 5,682.07, while the IBEX gained 0.6 percent to 14,682.7 in Madrid and the Dax was up 0.81 percent to 7,534.13 in Frankfurt.

Banks saw gains in Paris, with Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) adding 4.3 percent to €129.89 for the best performance of the day on the CAC-40 after it reported that net profits were up by almost 33 percent in the quarter ending in June.

BNP Paribas, meanwhile, was 1.43 percent higher to €81.80 on target share price updates from UBS (NYSE: UBS; SWX: UBSN; TYO: 8657) and Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS; SWX: CSGN), from €97 to €104 and from €100 to €103 respectively.

In Frankfurt, the best performer on the session came from Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG), which gained 3.87 percent to €35.87 after it reported that second quarter profits rose by 38 percent, topping analyst estimates.

Fresenius also increased its full-year sales forecast.

In the telecommunications sector, France Telecom (Eurofirst: FTE; NYSE: FTE) was also aided by profits news, adding 3 percent to €20.25 after it reported that lower taxes and more broadband internet subscribers had sent first-half profits up by 41 percent.

Deutsche Telekom (FWB: DTE; NYSE: DT; LSE: DEU; TYO: 9496) was also higher, gaining 2.72 percent to €12.87.

Utilities were mixed, with Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) up 1.61 to €38.58 and RWE (FWB: RWE) adding 1.54 percent to €78.94 but EDF (Euronext: EEN) down 0.56 percent to €74.35.

The biggest loser in Paris on the day was Total (Euronext: FP; NYSE: TOT), which dropped 2.32 percent to €56.06.

Consumer goods manufacturer Henkel (FWB: HEN3) fell 3.95 percent to €36.98 for the biggest decline of the session on the Dax.

Other decliners included IT services group Cap Gemini (Euronext: CAP), which was 2.28 percent lower to €47.25.

Schneider Electric (Euronext: SCHN) was down 0.75 percent to €97.76 after this week’s announcement that it has acquired the privately-held California-based security systems maker Pelco, the largest CCTV manufacturer in the US, for $1.54 billion cash.

Most European markets saw declines for the second session in a row on Wednesday.

The major exception was Madrid’s IBEX, which added 0.16 percent to 14,937.7.

In Paris, the CAC-40 dropped 1.19 percent to 5,837.11, while the Dax was 1.46 percent lower to 7,692.55 in Frankfurt.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 0.92 percent to 1,571.04.

The biggest decliners on the day were in the semiconductors and engineering sectors.

Engineering group Siemens (FWB: SIE; NYSE: SI) was down 5.98 percent to €99.34 in Frankfurt after it sold its auto parts unit for a price that was lower than had been anticipated and said at the same time that it will purchase American medical diagnostic products manufacturer Dade Behring Holdings (NAS: DADE) for $7 billion, a price analysts say is too high.

Siemens’ decline came even though it reported that its net income was up by 54 percent in its fiscal third quarter from the same period last year.

In Paris, meanwhile, STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) dropped 6.42 percent to €12.83 after it reported losses for the quarter.

The biggest winner on the Dax was Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG), which added 1.68 percent to €35.13 on news that the United States Congress is debating whether to expand Medicare dialysis coverage for senior citizens from 30 months to 42 months.

Meanwhile, media group Vivendi (Euronext: VIV) was the best performer on the CAC-40 with a gain of 1.51 percent to €32.27.

Carmakers were mixed on the session.

In Frankfurt, DaimlerChrysler (FWB: DCX; NYSE: DCX; TYO: 7663) added 1.81 percent to €67.15 after it reported profits that were higher than expected from its Mercedes unit.

On the other hand, Renault (Euronext: RNO) dropped 3.51 percent to €108.10 while Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) fell 5.93 percent to €61.70 on profit-taking.

Truck manufacturer Man (FWB: EDF1) was also lower, dropping 2.45 percent to €106.07.

Banks were higher in Europe on Tuesday after brokers had positive comments and merger news was in focus. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.3 percent to 1,543.04, another new six-year peak.

Besides banks, there were also gains in the medical care sector. Fresenius Medical Care, the German dialysis provider, added 6.2 percent to €110.08, a new record high, after a provision in the 2008 US budget submitted by President George W. Bush was said to seek an extension of the time private insurance has to pay for kidney dialysis before Medicare will pay for the procedure. Not all analysts were sure, however, that the budget provision, which still has to be passed by Congress, was enough to justify such a gain. Fresenius, the parent company of FMC, was also up, gaining 3.9 percent to €56.23.

In the energy sector, Eon added 1.6 percent to €110.70 after Goldman Sachs upped its recommendation to “buy” as it looked more and more as if the German company’s bid for Endsea would be successful. Endsea dropped 0.7 percent to €37.85.

Among banks Millennium BCP added 1.8 percent to €2.88 as it looked less likely that it would take over Banco Portugues de Investimento after a report that the Bank of Portugal had given approval for German insurer Allianz to add to its stake in BPI, raising its holding from 8.8 percent to 19.9 percent. Allianz gained 0.1 percent on the news, while BPI was 1.3 percent higher to €6.35.