European financial stocks fell as credit issues at U.S. regional banks hit market sentiment

European financial stocks, including banks, insurance companies, and private equity firms, fell sharply as loan issues at two U.S. regional banks dampened market sentiment and raised concerns about the credit market. The European Stoxx 600 Bank Index dropped as much as 3.2%, becoming the worst-performing sector, with the largest decline since August 1. Barclays, Deutsche Bank, and Santander all fell more than 4%. Among insurance stocks, Aegon NV saw the largest decline at 6.5%, followed by Talanx and Allianz