Rramirez, spot on. ANY time a company changes its dividend, with the exception of increasing it, of course, the stock price will decline because of the "message" given investors. The last thing a company wants to do is cut back or delete its dividend due to the expected interpretation by the market. Your comment with respect to JPM holding onto cash due to the pending settlement also raises an interesting point to me...cut the dividend and impact the shareholders, no big deal...however do NOT touch bonus compensation ...this is a real message as to the self serving attitude of these financial institutions. We saw this in the hearing earlier in the week as well, when Lloyd was questioned on selling securities to clients and then turning around and shorting them. His response (paraphrased) well, it may be improper, but we're acting as a market maker, not a fiduciary.
I hope people wake up to see these folks for what they are ... decorum will make me refrain from spelling this out.