Bank Stocks Fall Further, Down Nearly a Third in 2016

Banks stocks fell further than the overall market yet again Thursday, as concerns about negative interest rates, the energy sector and other matters showed no signs of abating.

The KBW Nasdaq Bank Index closed at 56.51, down 4.18% from the previous day and 29.32% from the end of 2015. The index hit its lowest point since April 2013. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 dropped 1.23% during the day’s trading, closing at 1,829.08.

Citigroup and Bank of America led the broad decline among banks, with shares of each down more than 6%. Citi fell 6.60% to $34.96, their lowest since November 2012. Bank of America slipped 6.93% to $11.15, which was also three-year low.

JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo fared somewhat better. Wells shares dropped 2.23% to $45.14, and JPMorgan shares declined 4.50% to finish the day at $53.02.

Major regional players also felt the market’s sting. U.S. Bancorp in Minneapolis dipped 4.07% to $37.45, and SunTrust Banks in Atlanta fell 4.52% to $31.36. Additionally, Detroit-based Ally Financial dropped by more than 5% to $15.90, just shy of the low it set in January, despite news that the lender will begin offering mortgages and credit cards later this year.

The day’s sell-off was preceded by a similarly disappointing day for European bank stocks, which fell once again after recovering a bit the day before.

Globally, banks are feeling the pain from low interest rates and falling oil prices. Additionally, uncertainty has cropped up about the Federal Reserve’s plan to raise rates in the future following Chair Janet Yellen’s testimony before Congress both Wednesday and Thursday.

Overseas, Sweden’s central bank, the Riksbank, cut rates into negative territory, following the lead of other central banks including the Bank of Japan.

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