Banks increase dividends after Fed stress test?results

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 10:46 AM EDT

NEW YORK, June 25 (Reuters) - Banks announced increased dividends and some announced new share buy-back programs on Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve released results of its stress test.

* Citigroup (C) will increase its quarterly dividend 12% to 67 cents and keep its multi-year $30 billion common stock repurchase program

* Goldman Sachs' (GS) common dividend will rise 11%, to $5.00 per share from $4.50, beginning next month

* Bank of America (BAC) said it will define its quarterly dividend after a board meeting next month and is keeping its $40 billion stock repurchase program

* JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) intends to increase its quarterly dividend to $1.65 per share from $1.50 and announced a new $50 billion common share repurchase program

* Morgan Stanley (MS) will increase its dividend by 15% to $1.15 per share, and its board authorized a multi-year $20 billion common equity share repurchase program (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Mark Porter)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

fir_news_article