Rising deposit costs have plagued banks in general, and the Tennessee bank had to pay up to bolster liquidity after its failed merger with TD. But First Horizon retained customers in the first quarter while not paying them the special rates they got last year.

Net charge-offs at the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank increased by more than 80% in the first quarter compared with a year earlier. BofA executives say that the rising losses were in line with the bank's risk appetite.

Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick downplayed the importance of government investigations into potential money laundering issues involving wealth management clients. "We've been focused on our client on-boarding and monitoring processes for a good while," he said.

The Pittsburgh-based regional bank also emphasized expense control for the first quarter and throughout 2024 as it manages credit quality vulnerabilities and higher charge-offs, particularly among office loans.

Bank of America and other banks' balance sheets have remained resilient despite higher interest rates, though uncertainties remain, including inflation and attacks in the Middle East.

The Buffalo, New York-based bank set a goal four years ago to limit its commercial real estate loan portfolio to 160% of its capital and reserves, and it's closing in on that target, says Chief Financial Officer Daryl Bible.

The New York megabank is working to deploy artificial intelligence as it seeks to make its own operations more efficient. Solomon also sees an "unprecedented" opportunity in financing clients' needs as they invest in AI.

The company reported $4.74 billion in net revenue in the first quarter, down 7.3% from a year earlier but exceeding analysts' estimates of $4.71 billion.

The company's 28% increase in first-quarter net income was led by its traders — who eluded the slowdown at chief rival JPMorgan Chase — and bankers who cashed in on a resurgence in dealmaking activity.

The global bank is making good on its promise to trim expenses, but its ability to increase revenues at the same time remains unclear, partly because of the relatively weak performance of its wealth management business.