QuickStockAnalysis.com

Their report did not meet the analysts´expectations, releasing a profit of 23 cents per share, when experts predicted 41 cents of profits.

Write-downs and credit losses where the main reason of why their profit falls 77% in the first quarter. The bank´s shares are currently strangely raising 19 cents (0.50%) in the pre-market trading.

On other news, attacks in Middle East and Nigeria send oil prices to a record of $117.40. Nigeria is a major supplier of oil to the US, and the attacks since 2006 by the local militant group have cut one quarter of the country´s normal petroleum output.

The company that reported stronger than expected figures was the Dow Jones Index member Merck & Co. (MRK), as their profit almost doubled. Their $1.52 gain per share, when the consensus was 86 cents of profit per share.