(Reuters] European shares gained for the third consecutive session Wednesday. They were led by banks and retail shares. However, concerns about next year’s economic prospects were heightened due to rising coronavirus infections.

As of 0815 GMT the pan-European had increased 0.2%, while retail, banking and travel stocks saw increases between 0.3% to 1.3%. In its last session, the benchmark reached a 5-week peak.

Although 40 reached new records, the index was not moving in trade early Wednesday because of new coronavirus cases. The country had a total of 179.807 new cases within 24 hours. This is one of the largest single-day counts worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic.

The FTSE 100 in Britain ()The, however, rose 1% due to higher oil prices, and the slim prospect of locking downs before year’s end. ()

Spain’s IBEX also fell a day after parliament passed a budget for 2022 and major spending plans that may be the most ambitious in Spain’s recent history.

BPER Banca gained 1.7%, after it agreed to recruit 550 people and create 300 permanent temporary contracts. These are in addition to the 1,700 exits Italy’s fifth-largest banks announced in September.