Bank of America (BAC), inclusive of yesterday's poor trading, has still provided investors a 37.9% return in the last 12 months, and has recently upped its dividend after passing its Federal Stress Test in the last month.
Throughout 2014, the bank has continued to make progress in this regard. It's been settling litigation left and right, and CEO Brian Moynihan appears to continue steering the ship in the right direction. USA Today reported on recent litigation leading up to the bank's earnings:
Bank of America in March agreed to pay $9.3 billion to settle claims it marketed risky mortgages to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. At the same time, the bank reached a $15 million settlement with the New York State Attorney General's office over its 2009 purchase of Merrill Lynch.
And on April 9, the bank also agreed to pay $772 million in refunds and fines to settle allegations by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of Comptroller of the Currency that it had bilked millions of customers with deceptive credit card practices. The agreement was "in line with what we expected," bank spokesman Tony Allen said last week.
Hot High Dividend Companies To Invest In Right Now: Tompkins Financial Corp (TMP)
Tompkins Financial Corporation (Tompkins) is a bank holding company. The Company is a locally oriented, community-based financial services company that offers an array of products and services, including commercial and consumer banking, leasing, trust and investment management, financial planning and wealth management, insurance, and brokerage services. The Company operates in two segments: banking and financial services. Banking services consist primarily of attracting deposits from the areas served by the Company�� banking subsidiaries��45 banking offices and using those deposits to originate a variety of commercial loans, agricultural loans, consumer loans, real estate loans, and leases in those same areas. Financial services activities consist of the results of the Company�� trust, financial planning and wealth management services, broker-dealer services, and insurance and risk management operations. On June 1, 2011, its subsidiary, Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. (Tompkins Insurance), acquired Olver & Associates, Inc. (Olver), a property and casualty insurance agency. In August 2012, it acquired VIST Financial Corp.
The Company maintains a portfolio of securities, such as obligations of the United States Government agencies and the United States Government sponsored entities, obligations of states and political subdivisions thereof, and equity securities. Tompkins provides a variety of financial services to individuals and small business customers.
Commercial Services
The Company�� subsidiary banks provide financial services to corporations and other business clients. Lending activities include loans for a variety of business purposes, including real estate financing, construction, equipment financing, accounts receivable financing, and commercial leasing. Other commercial services include deposit and cash management services, letters of credit, sweep accounts, credit cards, purchasing cards, Internet-based account services, and remote deposit ser! vices.
Retail Services
The Company�� subsidiary banks provide a variety of retail banking services, including checking accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, individual retirement accounts (IRA) products, brokerage services, residential mortgage loans, personal loans, home equity loans, credit cards, debit cards and safe deposit services. Retail services are accessible through a variety of delivery systems, including branch facilities, automated teller machines (ATMs), voice response, Internet banking, and remote deposit services.
Trust and Investment Management Services
The Company offers a range of financial services to customers, including trust and estate services, investment management, and financial and insurance planning. These services are offered through Tompkins Investment Services (TIS), a division of Tompkins Trust Company, and AM&M. Tompkins Financial Advisors has office locations at all three of the Company�� subsidiary banks, and provides a range of money management services, including investment management, trust and estate, financial and tax planning, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance services.
Broker-Dealer Services
AM&M operates a broker-dealer subsidiary, Ensemble Financial Services, Inc. Ensemble Financial Services, Inc. is an outsourcing company for financial planners and investment advisors.
Insurance Services
The Company provides property and casualty insurance services and employee benefits consulting through Tompkins Insurance. Tompkins Insurance is an independent insurance agency. Tompkins Insurance has automated systems for record keeping, claim processing and coverage confirmation, and can provide insurance pricing comparisons from a range of insurance companies. Tompkins Insurance provides employee benefits consulting to employers in Western and Central New York, assisting them with their medical, group life insurance and group disability in! surance. ! In addition to its seven offices, Tompkins Insurance shares several offices with The Bank of Castile and The Trust Company. AM&M also provides insurance services for financial planning and wealth management clients, offering risk management plans using life, disability and long-term care insurance products.
Subsidiary Activities
The Company�� subsidiaries include: three wholly owned banking subsidiaries, Tompkins Trust Company (the Trust Company), The Bank of Castile, and The Mahopac National Bank (Mahopac National Bank); AM&M Financial Services, Inc., doing business as Tompkins Financial Advisors, a wholly owned and an investment advisor (AM&M), and a wholly owned insurance agency subsidiary, Tompkins Insurance. AM&M and the trust division of the Trust Company provides an array of investment services under the Tompkins Financial Advisors division, including investment management, trust and estate, financial and tax planning, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance services. The Trust Company has a full-service office in Cortland, New York and a full-service office in Auburn, New York. Both of these offices are located in counties contiguous to Tompkins County. The Trust Company operates 15 banking offices, including two limited-service banking offices in the counties of Tompkins, Cortland, Cayuga and Schuyler, New York.
The Bank of Castile is a New York State-chartered commercial bank and conducts its operations through its 15 banking offices, in towns situated in and around the areas commonly known as the Letchworth State Park area and the Genesee Valley region of New York State. The Bank of Castile�� lending portfolio includes loans to the agricultural industry. The Mahopac National Bank (Mahopac National Bank) operates 15 banking offices, including one limited-service office in counties north of New York City. The 15 banking offices include five full-service offices in Putnam County, New York, three full-service offices in Dutchess County,! New York! , and six full-service offices, and one limited-service office in Westchester County, New York.
Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. (Tompkins Insurance) offers property and casualty insurance to individuals and businesses primarily in Western and Central New York. AM&M Financial Services, Inc. (AM&M) offers financial services through three operating companies: AM&M Planners, Inc., which provides fee-based financial planning and wealth management services for corporate executives, small business owners and high-net-worth individuals; Ensemble Financial Services, Inc., an independent broker-dealer and outsourcing company for financial planners and investment advisors, and Ensemble Risk Solutions, Inc., which creates customized risk management plans using life, disability and long-term care insurance products. Tompkins Capital Trust I and Sleepy Hollow Capital Trust I are Delaware statutory business trusts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Ithaca, N.Y.-based financial services company Tompkins Financial (TMP) raised its quarterly dividend 5.3% to 40 cents per share, payable Nov. 15 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 4.
TMP Dividend Yield: 3.25%
Best Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Nomura Holdings Inc (NRSCF)
Nomura Holdings, Inc. is engaged in the investment and financial services business with a focus on securities business. The Company's business operations include financing, asset management, securities trading and brokerage, underwriting and sale of securities, private placement of securities, own funds Investment activities, and other securities and finance-related activities. As of March 31, 2013, the Company owned 738 consolidated subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Daniel Inman]
Securities firms were in focus in Tokyo after Nomura Holdings (JP:8604) � (NRSCF) �and Daiwa Securities Group (JP:8601) � (DSECF) �reported second-quarter earnings. Daiwa rose 3.4% after reporting its net profit slid 38% on the previous quarter on decreased equity trading, which was above consensus expectations. Analysts say it already is factored into the price.
Best Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: LCNB Corp (LCNB)
LCNB Corp. (LCNB), incorporated on December 12, 1998, is a financial holding company. The Company�� principal activity is the ownership of LCNB National Bank (the Bank). The Bank is a full service community bank offering a range of commercial and personal banking services. Deposit services include checking accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts, savings accounts, Christmas and vacation club accounts, money market deposit accounts, Classic 50 accounts (a senior citizen program), individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit. Loan products offered include commercial and industrial loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, construction loans, various types of consumer loans, and Small Business Administration loans. In January 2014, Eaton National Bank & Trust Co. merged with LCNB Corp.'s wholly-owned subsidiary, LCNB National Bank.
The Bank's residential mortgage lending activities consist primarily of loans for purchasing or refinancing personal residences, home equity lines of credit, and loans for commercial or consumer purposes secured by residential mortgages. Consumer lending activities include automobile, boat, home improvement and personal loans. The Bank also offers indirect financing through various automotive, boat, and lawn and garden dealers. The Trust and Investment Management Division of the Bank performs complete trust administrative functions and offers agency and trust services, retirement savings products, and mutual fund investment products to individuals, partnerships, corporations, institutions and municipalities.
Security brokerage services are offered by the Bank through arrangements with LPL Financial LLC, a registered broker/dealer. Licensed brokers offer a full range of investment services and products, including financial needs analysis, mutual funds, securities trading, annuities, and life insurance.
Other services offered include safe deposit boxes, night depositories, travelers' checks, money! orders, cashier's checks, bank-by-mail, automated teller machines (ATMs), cash and transaction services, debit cards, wire transfers, electronic funds transfer, utility bill collections, notary public service, personal computer based cash management services, around-the-clock telephone banking, PC Internet banking, and other services tailored for both individuals and businesses. LCNB�� primary market area consists of Warren, Butler, and Clinton Counties and portions of Hamilton, Clermont and Montgomery Counties in Southwestern Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
LCNB (NASDAQ: LCNB) shares touched a new 52-week low of $16.57. LCNB shares have dropped 4.80% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 18.57% in the same period.
Best Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Bank of Hawaii Corp (BOH)
Bank of Hawaii Corporation, incorporated on February 4, 1998, is a bank holding company. The Company�� operating subsidiary is Bank of Hawaii (the Bank). The Bank provides a range of financial services and products primarily to customers in Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific Islands. The Bank's subsidiaries include Bank of Hawaii Leasing, Inc., Bankoh Investment Services, Inc. and Pacific Century Life Insurance Corporation. The Bank's subsidiaries are engaged in equipment leasing, securities brokerage, investment services and providing credit insurance. It operates in four segments: Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, Investment Services, and Treasury and Other. Its other subsidiary is the BOHC Investment Fund, LLC (the Fund). The Fund was organized to invest in and hold securities of Qualified High Technology Businesses.
Retail Banking
Retail Banking offers a range of financial products and services to consumers and small businesses. Loan and lease products include residential mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, automobile loans and leases and installment loans. Deposit products include checking, savings, and time deposit accounts. Retail Banking also offers retail insurance products. Products and services from Retail Banking are delivered to customers through 65 Hawaii branch locations, 494 automated teller machines (ATMs) throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, e-Bankoh (on-line banking service), around-the-clock customer service center, and a mobile banking service.
Commercial Banking
Commercial Banking offers products, including corporate banking, commercial real estate loans, commercial lease financing, auto dealer financing, and deposit products. Commercial lending and deposit products are offered to middle-market and large companies in Hawaii. Commercial real estate mortgages focus on customers that include investors, developers, and builders predominantly domiciled in Hawaii. Commercial Banking also includes international banking a! nd operations at the Bank's 11 branches in the Pacific Islands and also provides merchant services to its small business customers.
Investment Services
Investment Services includes private banking, trust services, investment management, and institutional investment advisory services. The private banking and personal trust group assists individuals and families in building and preserving their wealth by providing investment, credit, and trust services to high-net-worth individuals. The investment management group manages portfolios utilizing a variety of investment products. Institutional client services offer investment advice to corporations, government entities and foundations. Investment Services also provides a full service brokerage offering equities, mutual funds, life insurance, and annuity products.
Treasury and Other
Treasury consists of corporate asset and liability management activities, including interest rate risk management and a foreign exchange business. This segment's assets consist of interest-bearing deposits, investment securities, federal funds sold and purchased, government deposits, and short and long-term borrowings. The primary sources of noninterest income are from bank-owned life insurance, net gains from the sale of investment securities, and foreign exchange income related to customer driven currency requests from merchants and island visitors.
Investment Securities
The Bank�� investment securities portfolio includes debt securities issued by the United States Treasury and Government Agencies, debt securities issued by states and political sub-divisions, debt securities issued by corporations, mortgage-backed securities issued by government agencies and the United States Government-Sponsored Enterprises. As of December 31, 2012, its available-for-sale investment securities portfolio consisted of securities with an average base duration of less than three years.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Maxfield]
Percentages aside, the benefit of the relative health of these housing markets can be seen in the performance of smaller, regional banks like Bank of Hawaii (NYSE: BOH ) , BB&T (NYSE: BBT ) , and TD Bank (NYSE: TD ) which have large presences in Hawaii, West Virginia, and Maine, respectively. Shares of all of these banks have more than recovered since the financial crisis as a testament to this.
Best Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB)
Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB), incorporated on January 19, 1984, is a bank holding company. The Company has one wholly owned operating subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust (the Bank), which offers a range of deposit, loan, and related banking products, as well as brokerage services provided, through a third-party brokerage arrangement. In addition, the Company offers trust and investment management services, through its subsidiary, Bar Harbor Trust Services (Trust Services), a trust company. These products and services are offered to individuals, businesses, not-for-profit organizations and municipalities. In August 2012, the Company announced that its principal subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, acquired Border Trust Company (Border Trust), a subsidiary of Border Bancshares, Inc.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
The Bank has 12 branch offices located throughout downeast and midcoast Maine, including its principal office in Bar Harbor. The Bank�� offices are located in Hancock, Washington and Knox Counties, representing the Bank�� principal market areas. The Hancock County offices, in addition to Bar Harbor, are located in Blue Hill, Deer Isle, Ellsworth, Northeast Harbor, Somesville, Southwest Harbor, and Winter Harbor. The Washington County offices are located in Milbridge, Machias, and Lubec. The Knox County office is located in Rockland. The Bank delivers its operations and technology support services from its operations center located in Ellsworth, Maine.
The Bank is a retail bank serving individual and business customers, retail establishments and restaurants, seasonal lodging, biological research laboratories, and a contingent of retirees. As a coastal bank, it serves the tourism, hospitality, lobstering, fishing, boat building and marine services industries. It also serves Maine�� wild blueberry industry through its Hancock and Washington County offices. The Bank operates in a market that includes other community banks, savings institutions, credit unions, a! nd branch offices of statewide and interstate bank holding companies located in the Bank�� market area.
The Bank offers a variety of consumer financial products and services. The Bank�� retail deposit products and services include checking accounts, interest bearing negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, club accounts, short-term and long-term certificates of deposit, health savings accounts and individual retirement accounts. Credit products and services include home mortgages, residential construction loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, credit cards, installment loans, and overdraft protection services. The Bank provides secured and unsecured installment loans for new or used automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, mobile homes and other personal needs. The Bank also offers other customary products and services, such as safe deposit box rentals, wire transfers, check collection services, foreign currency exchange, money orders, and United States Savings Bonds redemptions.
The Bank retains Infinex Investments, Inc., (Infinex) as a third-party broker-dealer, conducting business business name Bar Harbor Financial Services. Bar Harbor Financial Services is a branch office of Infinex, an independent registered broker-dealer offering securities and insurance products that is not affiliated with the Company or its subsidiaries. Bar Harbor Financial Services principally serves the brokerage needs of individuals, including first-time purchasers and investors. It also offers a line of life insurance, annuity, and retirement products, as well as financial planning services. The Bank offers Internet banking services, including free check images and electronic bill payment, through its Website at www.BHBT.com. Additionally, the Bank offers TeleDirect, an interactive voice response system, through which customers can check account balances and activity, as well as initiate money transfers between their accounts. Automated te! ller mach! ines (ATMs) are located at each of the Bank�� 12 branch locations, as well as two machines in non-Bank locations. The Bank is also a member of Maine Cash Access, providing customers with surcharge-free access to 217 ATMs throughout the state of Maine. Visa debit cards are also offered, providing customers with free access to their deposit account balances at point of sale locations worldwide.
The Bank serves the small business market throughout downeast and midcoast Maine. It offers business loans to individuals, partnerships, corporations, and other business entities for capital construction, real estate and equipment financing, working capital, real estate development, and a range of other business purposes. Business loans are provided primarily to organizations and sole proprietors in the tourism, hospitality, healthcare, blueberry, boatbuilding, and fishing industries, as well as to other small and mid-size businesses associated with coastal communities.
The Bank offers a variety of commercial deposit accounts, including business checking and tiered money market accounts. These accounts are typically used as operating accounts or short-term savings vehicles. The Bank�� cash management services provide business customers with short-term investment opportunities through a cash management sweep program, whereby excess operating funds over established thresholds are swept into overnight securities sold under agreements to repurchase. The Bank also offers Business On Line Direct (BOLD), an Internet banking service for businesses. This service allows business clients to view their account histories, print statements, view check images, order stop payments, transfer funds between accounts, transmit automated clearing house (ACH) files, and order both domestic and foreign wire transfers. The Bank also offers remote deposit capture, enabling its business customers to deposit checks remotely. Other commercial banking services include merchant credit card processing provided throu! gh a thir! d party vendor, night depository, and coin and currency handling.
Bar Harbor Trust Services
Trust Services provides a range of trust and investment management services to individuals, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and municipalities. Trust Services serves as trustee of both living trusts and trusts under wills, including revocable and irrevocable, charitable remainder and testamentary trusts, and in this capacity holds, accounts for and manages financial assets, real estate and special assets. Trust Services offers custody, estate settlement, and fiduciary tax services. Additionally, Trust Services offers employee benefit trust services, for which it acts as trustee, custodian, administrator and/or investment advisor, for employee benefit plans and for corporate, self employed, municipal and not-for-profit employers located throughout the Company�� market areas. As of December 31, 2011, Trust Services served 758 client accounts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Bar Harbor, Maine based bank holding company Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB) raised its quarterly dividend 1.6% to 32 cents per share, payable on Dec. 13 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 15. The increase marks the 10th consecutive quarter of dividend increases.
BHB Dividend Yield:�3.39%
Best Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL)
Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL) is a bank holding company. The Company provides full-service banking and lending to locally owned businesses, professional firms, real estate developers and investors, local non-profit organizations, high net worth individuals and other consumers through its three wholly owned subsidiary banks (the Banks): Bank of Nevada (BON), operating in Southern Nevada; Western Alliance Bank (WAB), operating in Arizona and Northern Nevada, and Torrey Pines Bank (TPB), operating in California. In addition, the Company�� non-bank subsidiaries, Shine Investment Advisory Services, Inc. (Shine) and Western Alliance Equipment Finance (WAEF), offer an array of financial products and services to small to mid-sized businesses and their proprietors, including financial planning, custody and investments, and equipment leasing nationwide. It operates in four segments: Bank of Nevada, Western Alliance Bank, Torrey Pines Bank and Other.
The Company provides a range of banking services, as well as investment advisory services, through its consolidated subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, WAL owned an 80% interest in Shine. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 24.9% interest in Miller/Russell & Associates, Inc. (MRA), an investment advisor. MRA provides investment advisory services to individuals, foundations, retirement plans and corporations.
Lending Activities
Through the Company�� banking segments, the Company provides a variety of financial services to customers, including commercial real estate loans, construction and land development loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans. Loans to businesses consisted 89.2% of the total loan portfolio at December 31, 2011. Loans to finance the purchase or refinancing of commercial real estate (CRE) and loans to finance inventory and working capital that are additionally secured by CRE make up the majority of its loan portfolio. These CRE loans are secured by apartment buildings, professional of! fices, industrial facilities, retail centers and other commercial properties. As of December 31, 2011, 49% of its CRE loans were owner-occupied. Owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are loans secured by owner-occupied nonfarm nonresidential properties for which the primary source of repayment (more than 50%) is the cash flow from the ongoing operations and activities conducted by the borrower who owns the property. Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are commercial real estate loans for which the primary source of repayment is nonaffiliated rental income associated with the collateral property.
Construction and land development loans include multi-family apartment projects, industrial/warehouse properties, office buildings, retail centers and medical facilities. Commercial and industrial loans include working capital lines of credit, inventory and accounts receivable lines, mortgage warehouse lines, equipment loans and leases, and other commercial loans. Commercial loans are primarily originated to small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries. Consumer loans are generally offered at a higher rate and shorter term than residential mortgages. Its consumer loans include home equity loans and lines of credit, home improvement loans, credit card loans, and personal lines of credit. As of December 31, 2011, its loan portfolio totaled $4.68 billion, or approximately 68.4% of its total assets.
Investment Activities
All of the Company�� investment securities are classified as available-for-sale (AFS) or held-to-maturity (HTM). As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an investment securities portfolio of $1.48 billion, representing approximately 21.7% of its total assets. As of December 31, 2011, its investment securities portfolio consisted of the United States Government sponsored agency securities, Municipal obligations, Adjustable-rate preferred stock, Mutual funds, Corporate bonds, Direct the United States obligation and government-! sponsored! enterprise (GSE) residential mortgage-backed securities, private label residential mortgage-backed securities, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) investments, Trust preferred securities, Private label commercial mortgage-backed securities, and Collateralized debt obligations.
Sources of Funds
The Company offers a variety of deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts and other types of deposit accounts, including fixed-rate, fixed maturity retail certificates of deposit. As of December 31, 2011, the deposit portfolio consisted of 27.5% non-interest bearing deposits and 72.5% interest-bearing deposits. Non-interest bearing deposits consist of non-interest bearing checking account balances. In addition to its deposit base, it has access to other sources of funding, including Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) advances, repurchase agreements and unsecured lines of credit with other financial institutions.
Financial Products and Services
In addition to traditional commercial banking activities, the Company offers other financial services to customers, including Internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box services, courier, and cash management services. Through Shine, a full-service financial advisory firm, the Company offers financial planning and investment management.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Investment Biker]
Investment Summary: This article is on Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL), a growth-oriented commercial lender in the Southwest. The banks looks set to improve profitability supported by economic recovery in Last Vegas, industry-leading revenue performance and operating leverage supported by expense control. The credit profile of the bank looks excellent with limited exposure to residential mortgage and well poised to grow its loan portfolio by 20% annually over the next 3 years. It is also well set on a path to credit recovery with improving fundamentals that justifies premium valuation going forward.
Best Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Bank of Communications Co Ltd (BKFCF)
Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. is principally engaged in banking and related financial services. The Bank's business is divided into four segments: personal banking, including personal savings, bank card, personal lending, payment and settlement, investment services, insurance services and wealth management; corporate banking, comprised of cash management, supplying chain financing, investment banking, financial institutional banking and asset custody services; international banking, consisting of foreign exchange wealth management, document settlement, remittance and bill services, trade finance and offshore banking, and e-banking, including personal online banking, enterprise online banking, mobile banking, telephone banking and self-help banking. Advisors' Opinion:- [By MARKETWATCH]
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks opened lower Tuesday, after China's central bank reportedly drained 48 billion yuan ($7.9 billion) from the money market on Tuesday through bond-repurchase agreements. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) moved lower by 0.3%. Banks retreated, as China Merchants Bank Co., (HK:3968) (CIHHF) declined 2.2%, Bank of Communications Co. (HK:3328) (BKFCF) fell 1.6%, China Minsheng Banking Corp. (HK:1988) (CMAKY) lost 1.4%, and China Citic Bank Corporation (HK:998) (CHCJY) dropped 1.2%. China's Dongfeng Motor Group Co. (HK:489) , currently in negotiations to buy a stake in PSA Peugeot Citroen, suspended trading of its H-shares in Hong Kong markets. The state-owned car maker didn't clarify the reason in the announcement. On Monday, the company said in a filing that its commercial-vehicle unit has been served with a request for arbitration by a Brazilian firm, which is seeking damages of approximately 1.67 billion Brazilian reals ($700 million) for Dongfeng's failure to establish a joint venture with the firm. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) gave up 0.5% to 2,125.54.