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Unlike the other big banks, Goldman's earnings release is a breeze: since the bank has virtually no balance sheet to use as a source of income (or loss), it is all about the income statement. And it was here that there was a big surprise, because despite expectations of a blowout result, with whisper numbers well above consensus estimates, Goldman unexpectedly disappointed, reporting Q1 revenues of $8.03BN, below the $8.53BN expected, translating to EPS of $5.15, fractionally below the $5.17 estimate, which nonetheless was 92% higher compared to EPS of $2.68 reported one year ago.

Gold Bullion Erases Post- Election Fall as Trump Wrong on Dollar - Daily Prophet 

Robert Burgess of Bloomberg ProphetsPresident Donald Trump sent currency markets into a tizzy late Wednesday when he signaled his preference for a weaker dollar. “I think our dollar is getting too strong, and partially that’s my fault because people have confidence in me," Trump told the Wall Street Journal.

Following conflicting earnings reports by JPM, Citi and Wells, Bank of America reported a jump in its quarterly profit, announcing EPS of $0.41, above the expected $0.35, as net income rose 40% Y/Y to $4.86 billion, up from $3.47 billion a year ago. Revenue was $22.25 billion, up from $20.79 billion a year ago, with adjusted revenue printing at $22.45 billion compared, beating estimates of $21.61 billion.

The rebound in Q1 profits was led by Global Banking and Global Markets, with Consumer Banking also posting a modest rebound.

European stocks slide as traders returned from a 4-day Easter holidays, Asian equities likewise drop pressured by the ongoing rout in iron ore, while U.S. stock-index futures point to a lower open. British markets were roiled after U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said she would seek an early election on June 8, in a move aimed at strengthening her hand going into Brexit talks; the FTSE 100 dropped 1.3%, on the news, hitting the lowest since Feb. 24 while 10Y Gilts dropped below 1% for the first time since October.

Authored by Adam Taggart via PeakProsperity.com,

Just how bad is the ongoing fraud in the banking system? Get ready for a mind-bowing expose by a former insider at UBS.

Brad Birkenfield, author of Lucifer's Banker: The Untold Story of How I Destroyed Swiss Bank Secrecy, recounts the efforts he uncovered by his employer to help its clients cheat the US government out of tens of $billions in taxes.