Royal & Sun Alliance gained 2% after this morning's trading, in the wake of reports that it is preparing to break-up the group.
The steady gain was due to investors' expectations that the company was planning a rights issue.
European stock markets barely changed in early afternoon trade as investors awaited fresh direction from Wall Street. The FTSE Eurotop 100 was flat at 2,031, while the FTSE 100 was up 0.2%.
Aviva recorded an improved price of 492.5 - a rise of 7.5%, while Prudential rose 4.5% to 456.5 points. Legal & General rose 0.5% to 113 points.
The cautious mood in Europe came in the wake of a recent strong run, which was largely prompted by some positive corporate results.
Market analyst David Buik said: "The investment community will have been very pleased and thankful that last week's earnings were marginally better than expected.
"However, results from three different sectors, offered a sharp reminder that the economic picture is still very mixed and that a sustained bull market is by no means guaranteed."
