European stock markets were steady on Monday, as a rise in the shares of major banks such as Bankia offset a fall in the telecoms sector after Nokia settled a dispute with Samsung.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index, whose 6 percent fall in January was its worst monthly drop at the start of a year since 2008, rose 0.1 percent, although Germany’s DAX and the euro zone’s blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 both fell 0.3 percent.

Bankia climbed 7.1 percent after the state-controlled Spanish bank reported higher profits.

Shares in Banco Popolare and other Italian banks also rose after the lender said it read more >>>

Source : VOANews.Com