US banks report mixed earnings amid rate shifts, trade uncertainty

LARGE US banks reported mixed quarterly results on Tuesday, challenged by a shifting interest rate landscape and uncertainty about global trade but bolstered in some cases by strong consumer activity.

The biggest US bank by assets, JPMorgan Chase, scored higher profits due to robust consumer lending even as CEO Jamie Dimon offered a subdued outlook on the US economy, due in part to lingering worries about an economic slowdown due to the trade war.

Earnings also rose at Citigroup but profits fell sharply at Goldman Sachs amid a drop in key advisory services and at Wells Fargo, which was hit by higher legal costs as it continues to try to pivot from a series of scandals and regulatory issues.

Executives said the US continues to enjoy a strong employment picture but that some clients are holding back investments in light of uncertainty over trade.

Other big international wildcards include the grinding Brexit negotiations and ongoing civil unrest in Hong Kong.

“There’s a fair amount of uncertainty on trade and a host of other issues,” said Citigroup chief financial officer Mark Mason.

Mason said last week’s partial trade deal between the US and China was “an important step” but that the two sides need to keep negotiating “so that the cautious sentiment can ease a bit”.

JPMorgan reported profits of $9.1 billion, up 8.4 per cent from the year-ago period. Revenues were $29.3 billion, up 7.3 per cent.

The increase in profits comes as large banks manage a shift in monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) that has dampened the industry’s profit outlook somewhat.

Lower interest rates typically weigh on earnings at banks, which earn profits from the margin between their loans and deposits.

On the upside, JPMorgan scored higher revenues in home lending as mortgage costs for consumers eased. The company also reported another increase in credit cards and auto lending.

US economic growth has “slowed slightly”, Dimon said.

“The consumer remains healthy, with growth in wages and spending combined with strong balance sheets and low unemployment levels,” Dimon added.

“This is being offset by weakening business sentiment and capital expenditures mostly driven by increasingly complex geopolitical risks, including tensions in global trade.”