Wall Street banks post $114 billion in capital markets revenue
The country’s five largest Wall Street banks collectively reported $114 billion of capital markets revenue in the first six months of 2026, up 31.5% from a year earlier.
Stock trading accounted for more than half of the increase, with the AI frenzy feeding Wall Street’s profit machine.
The windfall raises questions about the sector’s momentum dependence on the AI revolution, with AI being the ‘No. 1 earnings driver’ for big banks this year.
Executives noted that AI is fueling a cycle of lucrative Wall Street activities, with sharp price moves and higher investor balances contributing to the record haul.