Bank of America hit by weak trading, provisions for energy loans

Bank of America Corp, the No. 2 U.S. bank by assets, reported an 18 percent slide in quarterly profit on Thursday as its trading business was hit by concerns about a global economic slowdown and uncertainty about U.S. interest rates. Market volatility stemming from a slide in commodity and oil prices, worries about China's economy and uncertainty about interest rates hit trading activity globally in the quarter, particularly in January and February. The bank's revenue also fell short of Wall Str