Credit card stocks sink after Trump proposes 10% cap on fees: 'Yikes'

Core Viewpoint - President Trump's proposal to cap credit card fees at 10% has led to significant declines in the stock prices of major credit card lenders, raising concerns about the potential impact on their earnings and the broader financial industry [1][4]. Group 1: Market Reaction - Shares of Capital One and Synchrony Financial fell as much as 9% in premarket trading, while American Express and Citigroup saw declines of about 4%, and JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America were down closer to 2% [1]. Group 2: Proposal Details - Trump announced a one-year cap on credit card interest rates of 10%, effective January 20, 2026, but the method of implementing this cap without Congressional legislation remains unclear [2][3]. Group 3: Financial Impact - The proposed cap could reduce large bank earnings before tax by an estimated 5%-18%, potentially wiping out earnings for lenders focused solely on credit cards, such as Capital One and Synchrony Financial [4]. Group 4: Industry Context - Credit card interest rates have significantly increased, with the average rate reaching 22.30%, up from 16.28% in 2020, indicating a growing concern over high fees in the industry [5]. Group 5: Political Support and Opposition - The proposal has garnered attention from politicians across the spectrum, with some expressing support for limitations on high fees, while banking industry trade groups have warned against the negative consequences of such a cap [6][7][8].