European shares rise, lifted by banks and energy companies
LONDON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - European shares rose on Monday, marking a slight rebound after two straight weeks of losses, as gains in banking and energy company shares lifted the region's stock markets.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index, which had fallen to a six-week low on Friday, rose 0.7 percent.
A rise in the shares of heavyweight banking stocks, which had slumped on Friday following a threatened $14 billion fine on Deutsche Bank from U.S. authorities, added the most points to European stock markets.
Royal Bank of Scotland rose 0.8 percent, as Investec raised its rating on the stock to "hold" from "sell," although Deutsche Bank fell by another 2 percent, extending losses following an 8.5 percent slump in the stock on Sept. 16.
Firmer oil prices also propped up markets, with the STOXX Europe 600 Oil & Gas index advancing 0.8 percent. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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