PNC Financial Services Group Inc.’s fourth-quarter profit dropped 26 percent after a big year-earlier gain, but adjusted earnings topped analysts’ expectations as revenue fell less than expected.

The bank continued to bolster its bottom line by setting aside less to cover potential loan losses. Many peers have also made that move amid improving credit quality. PNC grew during the banking crisis by purchasing troubled rivals — such as its acquisition of Ohio’s National City in late 2008 for $2 billion. Get the full story »

Fourth-quarter profits at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. fell 53 percent as trading revenue tumbled, dashing hopes that the Wall Street bank had bucked a tough market climate that hurt its rivals.

Bond trading revenue, including commodities and currencies, slid 39 percent from the third quarter as worries about European sovereign debt and rising U.S. Treasury yields kept investors on the sidelines. Get the full story »