New York, January 6, 2026, 12:44 PM ET — Regular session
- Bank of America shares were up about 0.4% in midday trading after Barclays lifted its price target.
- Investors are looking to Friday’s U.S. jobs report and Bank of America’s Jan. 14 results for the next catalysts.
- Big bank peers were mixed, with Citigroup higher and Wells Fargo lower.
Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) shares edged up about 0.4% to $57.15 in midday trading on Tuesday, after Barclays raised its price target on the lender to $71 from $59 and kept an overweight rating, TheFly reported. The stock has traded between $56.73 and $57.42.
The move keeps attention on U.S. lenders as investors position for Friday’s monthly jobs report, known as nonfarm payrolls, which can shift expectations for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate path. Rate bets matter for banks because they influence net interest income — the gap between what a bank earns on loans and pays on deposits.
Regulation is also in focus, with U.S. officials reviewing capital and stress-test rules that determine how much equity banks must hold against losses. Morgan Stanley analysts estimated potential changes could add about $1 trillion in lending capacity for U.S. banks, according to a Reuters analysis. “Well-capitalised banks are much better at taking lending decisions,” Jose Manuel Campa, outgoing chair of the European Banking Authority, said in the report. Investing.com
JPMorgan lifted its price target on Bank of America to $61 from $58 and kept an overweight rating, MT Newswires reported. Price targets are analysts’ estimates of where a stock could trade over the next 12 months, and they often move as firms update earnings assumptions and the regulatory backdrop.
Bank of America is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Jan. 14, with the release set for about 6:45 a.m. ET and a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET, the company has said. Investors will listen for updates on net interest income, credit quality and any signal on trading and investment banking momentum going into 2026.
Peers were mixed on Tuesday. Citigroup was up about 0.5%, Wells Fargo slipped about 0.4%, and JPMorgan was little changed.
Outside traditional banking, big lenders are also leaning into digital assets. Morgan Stanley filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch ETFs tied to bitcoin and solana, underscoring how large banks are trying to capture fees in crypto markets as rules evolve.
But the near-term path for rates remains the main swing factor. A stronger jobs report could force markets to trim rate-cut bets, while a slower turn in regulation or a surprise rise in loan losses would test the case for bank shares.
For Bank of America, the next tests are Friday’s payrolls report and its Jan. 14 earnings, when investors will focus on management’s outlook for margins, credit and capital returns.
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