Around the World's Markets: Paris

SHARES in Paris regained mid-afternoon losses to push the CAC40 index 46 better to 4,421.91, helped by a rally in bank shares and early gains on Wall Street.

Bank shares were encouraged by talk that the sector is under-valued but overall volume was low and the market remains unsettled by hints of high US interest rates, traders said. BNP rose 1.70 to 86 euros, SocGen and Paribas were also firmer. Retailers also rose, led by Promodes, but France Telecom fell 0.85 at 75.10 euros.