Earnings Call Insights: East West Bancorp (EWBC) Q1 2026 Management View “I'm pleased to report that East West had another record quarter for loans, deposits, and fee income.” (Chairman, President & CEO Dominic Ng) “Growth in noninterest-bearing deposits was particularly strong this quarter, up nearly $800 million... We also delivered 7% year-over-year loan growth. C&I loans increased by more than...
Earnings Call Insights: East West Bancorp (EWBC) Q1 2026 Management View “I'm pleased to report that East West had another record quarter for loans, deposits, and fee income.” (Chairman, President & CEO Dominic Ng) “Growth in noninterest-bearing deposits was particularly strong this quarter, up nearly $800 million... We also delivered 7% year-over-year loan growth. C&I loans increased by more than $900 million quarter-over-quarter.” (Chairman, President & CEO Ng) “Our capital position remains a key advantage for East West with a tangible capital ratio of 10.3%... while growing our balance sheet, increasing our dividend and opportunistically repurchasing shares.” (Chairman, President & CEO Ng) “Quarterly dollar net interest income increased to $671 million... Fee income grew 12% year-over-year to a new record $99 million for the quarter... The Q1 efficiency ratio was 36.2%... Total operating non-interest expense was $258 million.” (Executive VP & CFO Christopher Del Moral-Niles) “Quarter-over-quarter, non-performing assets remained stable at 26 basis points... net charge-offs of just 9 basis points... or $12 million... The allowance for credit losses increased $26 million to $836 million or 1.44% of total loans.” (Executive VP & Chief Risk Officer Irene Oh) Outlook Management did not provide EPS or revenue guidance in this transcript, so no comparison to analyst estimates was available. “We've assumed the forward curve as of March 31, which models no rate cuts. And therefore, we're updating our full-year 2026 net interest income guidance to grow between 6% to 8%, up from our prior expectations of growth between 5% and 7%.” (Executive VP & CFO Del Moral-Niles) “Given the level of net growth we saw in the first quarter and the pipelines we see going into Q2, we are comfortable reiterating our guidance for the full-year loan growth to be in the range of 5% to 7%.” (Executive VP & CFO Del Moral-Niles) “We're also updating our net charge-offs and now projected to fall bet...
A Japanese prefecture is paying its singles to use dating apps as the country grapples with record-low birth rates. Kochi prefecture announced on April 10 that it would subsidise private matchmaking app fees for its young residents, according to a Sankei News report. Residents aged between 20 and 39 will get a subsidy of up to 20,000 yen (US$125) for the 2026 financial year to use apps that have r...
A Japanese prefecture is paying its singles to use dating apps as the country grapples with record-low birth rates. Kochi prefecture announced on April 10 that it would subsidise private matchmaking app fees for its young residents, according to a Sankei News report. Residents aged between 20 and 39 will get a subsidy of up to 20,000 yen (US$125) for the 2026 financial year to use apps that have received “internet-based marriage partner introduction service certification”. One of these verified...
While people in modern times send new year greetings easily on social network apps, in ancient times it was a much more complicated ritual. In China, the origin of delivering new year greeting cards can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). During that time, people began making name cards, writing their name, age, hometown, official position, personal statement on long bamboo or wood ...
While people in modern times send new year greetings easily on social network apps, in ancient times it was a much more complicated ritual. In China, the origin of delivering new year greeting cards can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). During that time, people began making name cards, writing their name, age, hometown, official position, personal statement on long bamboo or wood sticks. These sticks were called ming ci. The character ming means “name”, and ci is literally...
A tugboat guides the Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin as it arrives at the oil terminal in the port of Matanzas, northwestern Cuba, on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Yamil LAGE / AFP via Getty Images) Yamil Lage | Afp | Getty Images Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday as uncertainty lingered over the trajectory of the U.S.–Iran conflict, after President Donald Trump extended a fragile ceasefire with...
A tugboat guides the Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin as it arrives at the oil terminal in the port of Matanzas, northwestern Cuba, on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Yamil LAGE / AFP via Getty Images) Yamil Lage | Afp | Getty Images Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday as uncertainty lingered over the trajectory of the U.S.–Iran conflict, after President Donald Trump extended a fragile ceasefire with Tehran but signaled tensions remain far from resolved. International benchmark Brent crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures both slid, with Brent declining 0.68% to $97.81 per barrel while the WTI lost 0.29% to $89.04 per barrel. The moves come after Trump said the U.S. would prolong its temporary truce with Iran beyond the previously set deadline, citing a "seriously fractured" political situation within Tehran. The ceasefire will remain in place until Iranian leaders present a unified proposal to end hostilities with Washington and Israel, he said in a post on Truth Social. In the meantime, the U.S. would continue its blockade of Iran's ports. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon The ceasefire extension underscores the uncertain path toward de-escalation. While the move delays the risk of imminent military strikes, it also highlights deep divisions within Iran's leadership and the lack of a clear diplomatic breakthrough. Earlier on Tuesday, oil prices rose after it became clear that Vice President JD Vance had not departed for Pakistan, where peace talks with Iran were supposed to resume. However, Iranian state news outlet Tasnim reported that negotiators from Tehran had informed their U.S. counterparts through an intermediary in Pakistan that they would not appear for further talks. "Iran ultimately announced today that under these circumstances, attending the negotiations is a waste of time because the US prevents reaching any suitable agreement," Tasnim reported. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in ...
Gloria Yu’s company exports bicycles and related accessories to as far as Europe and Africa. Having suffered “heavy losses” on some orders due to the yuan’s rapid gains earlier in the year, Yu is looking to better manage her dollar exposure. “My heart was bleeding,” Yu said at the Canton Fair , the world’s largest trade show that started last week in China’s southern metropolis of Guangzhou. Inter...
Gloria Yu’s company exports bicycles and related accessories to as far as Europe and Africa. Having suffered “heavy losses” on some orders due to the yuan’s rapid gains earlier in the year, Yu is looking to better manage her dollar exposure. “My heart was bleeding,” Yu said at the Canton Fair , the world’s largest trade show that started last week in China’s southern metropolis of Guangzhou. Interviews at the fair with more than a dozen firms that sell goods from electrical equipment to smart wearables show that exporters are increasingly positioning to sell the dollar on any rally, as they expect the yuan to strengthen further this year. China’s markets have largely shrugged off the war in the Middle East, in part due to the economy’s resilience to the energy shock triggered by conflict. While the yuan weakened against the dollar alongside global currencies in March, it is back to trading at the highest level since early 2023. “With the exchange rate hovering around 6.83, we will choose to convert dollars into yuan as soon as the rate approaches 6.9,” said Lawrence Law, a sales manager from Jiangsu province in East China, whose company exports refrigeration equipment and copper tubing. The yuan’s near one-way rally since mid-2025 means the central bank has had to walk a fine line between protecting exporters and allowing the currency to strengthen, in part to appease trade partners wary of the nation’s massive shipments. It rose for seven straight months through February against the dollar — the longest run since early 2021 — helped by factors such as improving US-China relations and broad weakness in the greenback. While a rising currency has a negative impact on exporters’ profit margins, quick appreciation is particularly tough for small exporters who lack the resources to hedge currency risks and absorb margin swings. Yu from China’s Anhui province cited one example from earlier in the year: she accepted an order that was priced at 7.0 yuan per dollar, only to ...