BusinessWorld May 14, 2021 | 6:37 pm BW FILE PHOTO RIZAL COMMERCIAL Banking Corp. (RCBC) posted lower net earnings in the first three months of 2021, dragged by trading losses and lower foreign exchange gains. The bank’s net profit decreased by 31.55% to P1.58 billion in the first quarter from P2.308 billion in the same period a year earlier, based on its financial statement filed with the local bourse on Friday. This translated to return on average assets of 0.82% as of March on a consolidated basis, up from the 0.68% seen at end-2020, while return on average equity also rose to 6.23% from 5.54%. Net interest income rose by 2.3% to P6.465 billion in the period from P6.319 billion a year ago on the back of lower funding costs.