New York, Feb 18, 2026, 11:31 EST — Regular session
- JPMorgan shares added roughly 1.1% as of late morning.
- Chase is looking to open more than 160 new branches in 2026, with renovations and additional hiring also on the agenda.
- Fed minutes drop later today, while JPMorgan is set to deliver its company update on Feb. 23.
JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) was up roughly 1.1% at $310.55 late this morning after the bank announced plans to launch more than 160 new Chase branches across upwards of 30 U.S. states by 2026. It’s also committing to renovations at nearly 600 locations and will add 1,100 jobs as it grows its consumer operations. “Branches are more than just a place to transact,” said Tom Horne, the bank’s head of consumer branch banking. Reuters
Big U.S. banks aren’t giving up on physical branches just yet. JPMorgan, according to the Financial Times, is now aiming for 15% of U.S. retail deposits—part of a broader trend. Competitors like Bank of America and Fifth Third are also opening new locations or sprucing up existing ones, the FT noted.
This comes as investors hunt for clues on where U.S. interest rates might move next—a big variable for bank profits. The Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes drop at 2 p.m. EST, and the focus stays on how soon officials could resume cutting rates. Such cuts typically squeeze net interest income, the spread between what banks take in from loans versus what they pay out on deposits. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said there’s “broad support” for holding rates in the 3.5% to 3.75% band. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee pointed to “several” possible cuts if inflation slows down, and Governor Michael Barr signaled the current pause could stretch “for some time.” Reuters
Bank stocks climbed with JPMorgan. Bank of America ticked up around 1.3%, Citigroup advanced about 2.5%, and Wells Fargo posted a 1.0% gain. The Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF picked up roughly 0.7%, while the Invesco KBW Bank ETF finished up 1.3%.
JPMorgan has tapped Catherine O’Donnell to lead its North America leveraged finance group later this year, with Stathis Karanikolaidis stepping in as deputy head. The unit handles debt financing for sizable, riskier deals—essentially putting together funding packages for major transactions, according to the bank.
JPMorgan will take the spotlight next week, with a company update and a management Q&A scheduled in New York after the market closes on Feb. 23. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. Eastern, per the company’s release.
Still, rolling out new branches isn’t a quick win. Costs rise first—think about the new sites and extra staff—while deposits and fresh customers tend to take their time hitting earnings. And if consumers or small businesses get cautious, those returns might not land evenly.
Traders are weighing whether the expansion will pull in fresh deposits, or simply move customers from one part of the crowded market to another. The answer emerges over time, reflected in deposit balances, loan growth, and fee income.
JPMorgan is looking ahead: its first-quarter 2026 earnings call lands on April 14 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, marking the next time investors are set to get an update on spending and net interest income guidance.
Traders are eyeing the Fed minutes due out later today—a release that could jolt rate-cut wagers and, by extension, shares of the major banks. JPMorgan, for its part, isn’t up until Feb. 23, when its own report drops.
