CEO Hester says RBS wants to settle fine for its part in global interest rate rigging scandal as soon as possible, also that it has no alternative but to sell U.K. branches.

Exchanges and regulators blame a lack of disaster preparation by some market participants for the extended break in trading.

Investment will focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

Shares in UBS soared in the wake of reports that the Swiss bank was taking the ax to its investment banking operations.

Credit rating agency Moody's Investor Services put six Canadian banks on credit watch, including Toronto-Dominion Bank, Canada's sole publicly traded bank with a remaining Aaa rating.

UBS will reportedly announce a spit of its investment banking next week, segregating the fixed income trading business in a restructuring that will cut up to 10,000 jobs.

Bank of America and Credit Suisse are among nine banks reportedly sent subpoenas by U.S. state prosecutors.

Credit rating agency downgrades BNP Paribas, Cofidis and Banque Solfea, and puts 10 banks, including Credit Argricole and Societe Generale, on negative outlook.

More sour property loans and slower earnings in Latin America and the U.K. sent third-quarter net earnings tumbling at Spain's largest bank.