JPMorgan Loses $2 Billion as ‘Mistakes’ Trounce Hedges

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon says the firm suffered a $2 billion trading loss after an “egregious” failure in a unit managing risks, jeopardizing Wall Street banks’ efforts to loosen a federal ban on bets with the

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Post date May 11, 2012

(BLOOMBERG) NEW YORK – The firm’s chief investment office, run by Ina Drew, 55, took flawed positions on synthetic credit securities that remain volatile and may cost an additional $1 billion this quarter or next, Dimon told analysts yesterday. Losses mounted as JPMorgan tried to mitigate transactions designed to hedge credit exposure.

“There were many errors, sloppiness and bad judgment,” Dimon said as the company’s stock fell in extended trading. “These were grievous mistakes, they were self-inflicted.”