European banks hit three-week high in earnings-driven trade

By Kit Rees LONDON (Reuters) - European shares rose on Wednesday in another session dominated by earnings, as French lender Credit Agricole led banking stocks to a three-week high. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.4 percent with the banking index the top sector, up 1.7 percent. Shares in Credit Agricole jumped 5.5 percent, set for their best day since early November, after France's biggest retail bank beat forecasts with a smaller than expected earnings drop in the fourth quarter.