Top US banking group Citigroup's fourth-quarter earnings rose 30% from a year earlier to $6.9 billion, lifted by once-off gains.
But the company's core earnings - excluding exceptional items - amounted to 98 cents per share, two cents short of the average estimate on Wall Street.
The profit was lifted by a tax gain of $2.1 billion linked to an asset swap with investment firm Legg Mason, completed in December. Profit from continuing operations slipped 3% to just under $5 billion. Revenue totalled $20.8 billion, also short of the forecast $21.75 billion.
Citigroup said it was pleased with the results despite a difficult period for financial groups because of a spike in bankruptcies, as consumers stepped up filings to get in ahead of a change in the US bankruptcy law.
