The major equity averages have spent the past couple of hours trading sideways near their session highs. Financials have managed to click higher, however; they are now up 0.9%, which makes them second to only the 1.3% advance of the materials sector.
Part of the financial sector's strength is owed to favor for bank stocks following positive analyst commentary on many of the banks of Europe and a proposal in Basel III for more favorable requirements for banks. Strength in the space has the KBW Bank Index up 1.2%.