Earnings

Net interest income rose sharply at Wells Fargo and especially JPMorgan Chase last quarter, thanks to lighter-than-expected deposit costs. But questions linger about how long both companies can keep a lid on those expenses and whether smaller competitors can do the same.

Jane Fraser defended Citigroup's recently announced organizational overhaul and specific performance targets, saying the plan is different from prior restructurings because it's designed to fundamentally change how the company operates.

The Pittsburgh-based regional bank expects to save $325 million next year as it reduces its staff by 4%. Executives said the cuts are necessary because revenue has fallen amid a surge in interest rates and a decline in loan volumes.

The job cuts came after CEO Bill Demchak said in July that he was "taking a hard look" at opportunities to reduce expenses. PNC joins a growing list of banks that have laid off workers amid declining growth prospects.

The Royal Bank of Canada has made a series of transactions that should boost the profitability of its struggling U.S. subsidiary. Debt securities that had been owned by City National have lost value as a result of rising long-term bond yields.

Bankers often use return on equity to measure their success, but the banks whose stock prices have suffered most during past crises are the ones with high ROEs, according to new research. The findings add to academic skepticism about high-profit banks.

Greg Carmichael, the former CEO of Fifth Third, will join the Los Angeles bank as its executive chair. The move comes a few weeks after City National, which is a unit of Royal Bank of Canada, reported a quarterly loss.