US stocks drop as investors digest first batch of bank earnings

• US stocks dropped on Friday as investors digested the first batch of bank earnings.

• JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo all reported first quarter earnings that beat estimates.

• “There seems to be a large number of persistent inflationary pressures, which may likely continue,” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said.

US stocks dropped on Friday as investors digested the first batch of first-quarter earnings with the major banks reporting results.

JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup all reported first-quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates, though the beats weren’t too impressive as shares of JPMorgan and Wells Fargo declined while Citigroup stock jumped about half of a percent.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned that while the stock market is in a happy place and most economic indicators look favorable, there are still sizable risks that could arise at any time.

“Looking ahead, we remain alert to a number of significant uncertain forces. First, the global landscape is unsettling, terrible wars and violence continue to cause suffering, and geopolitical tensions are growing. Second, there seems to be a large number of persistent inflationary pressures, which may likely continue,” Dimon said.

On the inflation front, US import prices rose for the third month in a row in March, slightly above consensus estimates at 0.4% month-over-month. Nearly all of the increase in import prices has been driven by the recent surge in oil prices.

Here’s where US indexes stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. opening bell on Friday: 

Here’s what else is going on today: 

Story continues

In commodities, bonds, and crypto: 

• West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped by 2.60% to $87.23 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed 2.17% to $91.69 a barrel.

• Gold jumped 1.79% to $2,415.20 per ounce.

• The 10-year Treasury yield dropped 8 basis points to 4.51%.

• Bitcoin edged higher by 0.23% to $70,184.

Read the original article on Business Insider