BofA lays off a quarter of its analysts

The bank has dropped coverage of big banks, autos, metals and mining, electrical equipment and global integrated oils sectors.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones/AP) -- Bank of America Corp. has laid off about a quarter of its securities analysts.

Last week, the bank said it would cut 650 positions in the global investment banking and global markets units. It employed about 70 analysts last month.

The analysts included Robert Morris, who followed the oil and gas industry, and John McDonald, who covered large-capitalization banks. Bank of America spokesman Brandon Ashcraft said the company has dropped coverage of all large-capitalization banks.

Bank of America also dropped coverage of the cosmetics, household and personal care products sector, the global integrated oils sector, autos, metals and mining, and the electrical equipment and multi-industry sectors due to analyst departures. Analysts included Joe Arns, Daniel Barcelo, Kuni Chen, Jairam Nathan and April Scee.

Shares of Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) lost 1 percent in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday.

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