Worries over the European banking system and a weak Wall Street sent the Paris Bourse to its worst ever single day loss on Monday, with its benchmark CAC 40 plunging by 9.04%, to finish at 3,711.98, its lowest level in four years.

All 40 listed stocks finished in the red, led down by the recently rescued French-Belgian financial service group Dexia, which lost 20.29% to EUR 6.80.

Because of fears of continued tight credit, industrial stocks fared worst as a group, with steel giant Arcelor Mittal off by 14.85% to EUR 28.30.