A strong performance from corporate and investment banking helped BNP Paribas post the highest quarterly income figures in the French bank's history although overall profits fell 8% from the first half of last year.

Gross profit from the corporate and investment banking division in the second quarter was €475m ($537m), an 88.5% year-on-year increase. For the first half of this year pre-tax income was €750m, a 27.7% rise on the first six months of last year.