Full Breakdown
Bank of America Signals Strong Trading Growth and Expense Discipline Ahead of Earnings Season
5/28/2026, 6:29:42 AM
Core Event
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan presented at the Bernstein 42nd Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, giving guidance on net interest income, trading, investment banking, wealth management, and expenses. He said the NII range for the year has been lifted from 5-7 % to 6-8 % and expects a 15 % year-over-year rise in trading activity. The remarks arrived as investor meetings ramp up before the quarter close, the upcoming earnings season, and ongoing macro disruptions from the U.S.–Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz closure.
Official Statements & Responses
According to Moynihan, hiring stays cautious, guided by unemployment claim trends, while the payments platform has shifted from earlier concerns about Venmo to Zelle now exceeding Venmo volumes. He expressed confidence the revised NII target will be met, highlighted the 15 % trading increase as a growth driver, and said investment banking remains in good shape and wealth-management growth is in the low-teens. He also stressed expense control, anticipating 200-300 basis points of operating-leverage improvement.
Criticism & Opposition
The source material provides no dissenting commentary or external criticism of the outlook.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All figures come from Bank of America’s internal guidance; no independent verification is offered.
Why It Matters / Impact
If the projected trading growth and operating-leverage gains materialize, earnings per share could rise, supporting the bank’s stock.
What’s Next
Axon (AXON) will present at the TD Cowen conference and Applied Materials (AMAT) at a Bernstein event later this week, while the upcoming earnings season will test the guidance.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think if you look at us for this quarter , just to give you sort of an update, I’d say the NII, we told you what would happen the next day and stuff.” — Brian Moynihan, CEO, Bank of America
- “On investment banking and trading, we’re doing, I think, trading, think like a 15% increase year-over-year …” — Brian Moynihan, CEO, Bank of America
- “paying attention to the expense side” — Brian Moynihan, CEO, Bank of America
