Commerzbank expects earnings decline in first quarter - CEO

Commerzbank expects first quarter earnings to be below those of the fourth quarter of 2015, hurt by low interest rates and capital market volatility at the start of the year, Chief Executive Martin Blessing said on Wednesday. "This will have an effect on the full year: it will be clearly more challenging to reach the group result achieved in 2015," Blessing told the bank's annual meeting of shareholders. Commerzbank posted net profit of 1.06 billion euros (834 million pounds) in the full year 20