US bank earnings dip 2 percent in 1Q amid low oil prices

WASHINGTON (AP) — The impact of low oil prices has continued to hobble the finances of U.S. banks, which posted increased loan losses in the first quarter driven by a huge jump in delinquent energy loans.
U.S. bank earnings dipped 2 percent in the first three months of the year to $39.1 billion from $39.8 billion a year earlier, data issued Wednesday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. showed.
Banks posted the biggest quarterly increase — 65.1 percent — in commercial and ind