Société Générale, the French bank, boosted by strength in its investment banking division's equity and advisory business, grew profits to €1.3bn ($1.5bn) in the third quarter, a 40% increase from last year.

Corporate and investment banking posted a 29.3% rise in net profits in the first nine months of the year, as "excellent trading revenues" fuelled a 22.4% increase in total revenue, France's third-largest bank said in a statement.