Benefitting from the investment banking boom, Merrill Lynch (MER) posted better than expected earnings for Q2.

Revenue rose 19% to $9.7 billion. Net earnings rose 31% to $2.1 billion.

Revenue at the company’s fixed income and commodities business was up 55% to $2.6 billion. Investment banking revenue rose 41% to $1.4 billion.

The stock is up in the pre-market

Douglas A. McIntyre