European banks may find it tough to repeat strong end-of-year performance

European banks are expected to report a sharp rise in profits for the final three months of last year, helped by still-robust margins from lending and bumper investment banking revenues.

But lenders will be quizzed for evidence on whether the good times can continue, with analysts warning that falling interest rates will make it harder to beat forecasts this year.

Thanks to a run of rising profits and shares trading