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European bourses closed higher on Monday, entering into the new month on a solid footing after markets posted gains for the first half of the year. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ( ^STOXX ) ended up over 1 percent - its biggest one-day percentage rise in over two months - with almost all sectors and major bourses in positive territory. The oil and gas sector was among the best performing, up almost 2 percent as investors focused on a potential $4.8 billion deal between Frances Total (Euronext Paris: FP-FR) and Iran. The deal, which would see a Total-led consortium develop South Pars, a giant Iranian gas field, is the first since the EU lifted sanctions against Iran in early-2016. Total (Euronext Paris: FP-FR) ended more than 2 percent higher on the news. More broadly, Brent moved higher by 1.21 percent at $49.36 per barrel shortly after 4.50 p.m. London time, while U.S. crude was more than 1.5 percent higher, at $46.72. Nets, a Nordics-based payment provider, surged almost 11 percent higher after reports that it had been approached by a potential buyer. The boost marks a 9-month-high for the firm which listed on the stock market last year. Banks, too, were also strong performers Monday, up over 2.5 percent. HSBC (London Stock Exchange: HSBA-GB) was one of the best among them, maintaining highs seen last week after the lender received a rating upgrade from Morgan Stanley ( MS ) , which caused the stock to hit a four-year high. Banco Santander (Mercado Continuo: SAN-ES) , BBVA (Mercado Continuo: BBVA-ES) and Julius Baer (Swiss Exchange: BAER-CH) were all seen up more than 2.7 percent. The worst performing stock though was British satellite company Inmarsat, which dropped nearly 5 percent amid a court challenge from rivals who are seeking an injunction on the companies proposed in-flight Wi-Fi plans. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average and broader S&P 500 index both continued higher on Monday to mark a positive start to the third quarter. The New York stock exchange and the Nasdaq are both scheduled to close early on Monday ahead of July 4 holidays. Barclays fraud trial Monday marked the start of fraud trial into Barclays (: ) and four former executives who are accused of raising capital from Qatar at the height of the financial crisis. This is the first time charges have been taken against a global bank in relation to actions taken during the financial crisis. At the same time, Barclays has announced Dublin as its pick for its post-Brexit financial hub, enabling it to continue servicing European clients once the U.K. leaves the EU. Barclays (: ) stock closed up over 2.1 percent. Elsewhere, the euro zones factory sector grew faster than expected in June, improving to 57.4 - up from 57.0 in May. Firms reported a strong uptick in new orders, leading to a surge in activity and job creation. Story continues Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook . More From CNBC Top News and Analysis Latest News Video Personal Finance View comments
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