Paris - French investment bank Natixis lost 975 million euros (1.23 billion dollars) in trading last month and is to issue a fourth-quarter profits warning, the business daily La Tribune reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the losses were registered in trading with shares as well as currencies and interest rates.

It remained unclear if the loss was due to unauthorized deals carried out by a small group of traders, as was reportedly the case with Natixis's parent company Caisse d'Epargne, which lost 751 million euros in early October.

The report is certain to put additional downward pressure on French banking stocks. It may also lead to personnel changes at Natixis.

Caisse d'Epargne chief Charles Milhaud resigned after President Nicolas Sarkozy demanded that the bank's senior managers "assume all their responsibilities" regarding the loss. (dpa)