French bank Société Générale posted a more than four-fold increase in quarterly profit today.
The Paris-based bank earned €670 million in the third quarter compared with €146 million in the same period a year ago.
The figures come as a stock market recovery swelled the bank's income from equity derivatives, investing and advising on securities offerings.
Results at Société Générale and fellow French bank BNP Paribas outpaced those of European banking rivals, where a slowdown in bond trading revenues depressed gains.
A rebound in stock markets from last year's lows drove growth in securities-related operations such as share derivatives and stock and convertible bond offerings. Demand for consumer loans like mortgages also supported retail banking results.
Société Générale's gross operating profit - or revenues minus costs - rose to €1.266 billion, slightly above analysts' forecasts for €1.189 billion in the third quarter.